US 6,283,576 B1Granted

Ventable ink jet printhead capping and priming assembly

AssigneeXerox Corporation

InventorsKarai P. Premnath, Paul F. Sawicki, William L. King

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Abstract

A ventable capping and priming assembly is provided for capping a nozzle face of an ink jet printhead so as to enable sealed priming of the printhead, as well as venting of the printhead to relieve defect causing pressures therefrom during non-priming periods. The ventable capping and priming assembly includes a capping member including a sealing member for sealing engagement with the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead, and a capping member mounted to the capping member and including a priming recess and a vacuum path formed therein. Further, the ventable capping and priming assembly includes a venting path formed from an outside surface of the capping member, and through the capping member, into the priming recess for venting the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead being capped, thereby relieving the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead of defect causing capping pressures during non-priming periods.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A ventable capping and priming assembly for capping a nozzle face of an ink jet printhead so as to enable sealed priming of the printhead, as well as venting of the printhead to relieve defect causing pressures therefrom, the ventable capping and priming assembly comprising:

(a) a capping assembly including sealing means for sealing engagement with the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead;
(b) a capping member mounted to said sealing means and including a priming recess and a vacuum path formed therein;
(c) a venting path formed from an outside surface of said capping member, and through said capping member, into said priming recess for venting the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead being capped, thereby relieving the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead of defect causing capping pressures;
(d) a collapsible membrane mounted over said priming recess and over said venting path, said collapsible membrane having (i) a normally open position defining a connecting path from said vacuum path to said venting path and (ii) a collapsed position for closing off said connecting path while exposing said vacuum path;
and
(e) vacuum means connected to said vacuum path for applying a vacuum pressure through said vacuum path to the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead being capped, and to said collapsible membrane for collapsing said collapsible membrane from said normally open position into said collapsed position for sealing and closing off said venting path, and exposing said vacuum path for enabling application of said vacuum pressure against the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead being capped.

3 more elements

An ink jet printer for printing a liquid ink image on a sheet of paper moving along a sheet path through a printing zone therein, the ink jet printing machine, including:

(a) a printhead mounted to said frame having a nozzle face and containing liquid ink for depositing image-wise onto the sheet of paper to form a liquid ink image;
and
(b) a ventable capping and priming assembly for capping said nozzle face of said printhead during a non-printing period of said ink jet printer so as to enable selective sealed priming of said printhead, as well as, venting of said printhead to relieve defect causing pressures therefrom, said ventable capping and priming assembly comprising:
(i) a capping assembly including sealing means for sealing engagement with said nozzle face of said printhead;
(ii) a capping member mounted to said sealing means and including a priming recess and a vacuum path formed therein;
(iii) a venting path formed from an outside surface of said capping member, and through said capping member, into said priming recess for venting said nozzle face of said printhead, thereby relieving said nozzle face and said printhead of defect causing capping pressures;
(iv) a collapsible membrane mounted over said priming recess and over said venting path, said collapsible membrane having (i) a normally open position defining a connecting path from said vacuum path to said venting path and (ii) a collapsed position for closing off said connecting path while exposing said vacuum path;
and
(v) vacuum means connected to said vacuum path for applying a vacuum pressure through said vacuum path to the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead being capped, and to said collapsible membrane for collapsing said collapsible membrane from said normally open position into said collapsed position for sealing and closing off said venting path, and exposing said vacuum path for enabling application of said vacuum pressure against the nozzle face of the ink jet printhead being capped.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.