Ink jet printer
AssigneeDomino Printing Sciences PLC
InventorNigel George Moore
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of and apparatus for flushing a printhead of a continuous ink jet printer is disclosed, in which the printer has a feed line to which ink is normally fed in use. A gutter line is also provided through which unused ink is removed from the printhead. A bleed line is connected to the printhead for bleeding ink from the printhead, and a flushing line is connected to the printhead through which line flushing fluid is selectively caused to flow through the flushing line to the printhead and from the printhead through the bleed line.
Claims9
A continuous ink jet printer having a printhead with four lines extending to said printhead comprising:
- a first line being a feed line extending to the printhead through which ink is normally fed in use to said printhead;
- a second line being a gutter line extending from said printhead through which unused ink is removed from said printhead;
- a third line being a bleed line extending to the printhead for bleeding ink from the printhead;
- a fourth line being a flushing line extending to the printhead and in use to a source of flushing fluid;
- and,
- means for selectively causing flushing fluid to flow through the flushing line to the printhead and from the printhead through the bleed line.
A method of flushing a continuous ink jet printer having a printhead through which ink is normally fed in use, the printer having a first feed line extending to the printhead through which ink is normally fed in use to the printhead;
- a second gutter line extending from said printhead through which unused ink is removed from the printhead;
- a third bleed line extending to the printhead for bleeding ink from the printhead;
- and a fourth flushing line, extending to the printhead and in use to a source of flushing fluid, comprising:
- selectively causing flushing fluid to flow through the flushing line directly to the printhead and from the printhead through the bleed line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.