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US 6,095,633 AGranted
Process for priming a multi-chamber ink jet print head
AssigneeLexmark International, Inc.
InventorsKenneth James Harshbarger, Austin Keith Wickline
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Pressure is applied to a resilient seal around the venting portion of a print head while the nozzles are elevated in the vertical position above the ink, thereby forcing ink out of the nozzles and purging the in-flow paths of air.
Claims5
A process for priming a multi-chamber ink jet print head having an array of nozzles, a color ink associated with each chamber in fluid communication with said nozzles, each ink in each said chamber being a different color, and a venting portion for venting each said chamber, said process comprising the steps of:
- positioning a resilient seal around said venting portion of the print head;
- positioning the nozzles so that said nozzles are elevated in the vertical position above the ink;
- applying pressure to the vent side of the resilient seal so that each chamber of the print head is pressurized and ink is forced through the nozzles;
- and
- applying a vacuum in the vicinity of said nozzles sufficient to remove residual ink from the region of said nozzles resulting from said applying pressure while insufficient to draw ink from said nozzles, wherein mixing of inks on said print head from different chambers is prevented.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.