Automated removal of deposits on optical components in printers

A method of removing deposits having a moistness from an optical apparatus of an inkjet printer, said optical apparatus having a surface including at least one of a light source, an optical sensor, and a light-transmissive element, said light-transmissive element for at least one of passing light having a predetermined amount of scattering therethrough, focusing light thereby, and collecting light thereby, said method comprising:

• providing a cleaning apparatus disposed in the inkjet printer for relative motion with respect to the surface of the optical apparatus;
• heating the optical apparatus to eliminate the moistness from the deposits;
• engaging of the cleaning apparatus with at least a portion of the surface of the optical apparatus;
• and
• removing the deposits from at least a portion of the surface of the optical apparatus during heating apparatus as part of an optical element of the optical apparatus.

A cleaning system for a printer, comprising:

• an optical apparatus disposed in the printer, the optical apparatus degradable by deposits on an optical surface of the optical apparatus, the deposits having a moistness, the optical apparatus including at least one of a light source, an optical sensor, and a light-transmissive element, said light-transmissive element for at least one of passing light having a predetermined amount of scattering therethrough, focusing light thereby, and collecting light thereby;
• a heating apparatus disposed in the printer for drying the deposits on the optical surface so as to reduce the moistness;
• and
• a cleaning apparatus disposed in the printer for relative motion with respect to the optical apparatus, the cleaning apparatus mechanically engageable with the optical surface of the optical apparatus during a cleaning operation of the printer so as to remove the dried deposits from the optical surface of the optical apparatus.

An inkjet printer, comprising:

• a frame;
• a stationary element attached to the frame, the stationary element having an optical apparatus connected thereto;
• a carriage movably mounted to the frame for movement along a scan axis, the carriage having a cleaning apparatus connected thereto;
• a movable element attached to the carriage such that the movable element mechanically engages the stationary element during movement of the carriage along the scan axis so as to remove deposits from a surface of an optical apparatus during an automatic cleaning operation of the printer.