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US 7,350,897 B2Granted
Flushing system and process for flushing the same
AssigneeE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorsMichael N. Ciliberti, Charles W. Dodson, Jr., Richard Hochheim, Leonardo R. Rota
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to various embodiments for a flushing system for an ink jet printer, wherein a flushing fluid source provides a flushing fluid to a manifold wherein the flushing fluid is introduced into the printer's lines, and capping device as well as past the print heads, wherein residual ink is reduced or removed.
Claims4
A flushing system for cleaning an inkjet printer comprising:
- (a) a flushing fluid source containing a flushing fluid;
- (b) a manifold having an interior portion defined by a floor, a ceiling, at least, one side wall, at least one flushing fluid charging port and at least one flushing fluid charging line having a first valve, at least one flushing fluid discharge port and at least one flushing fluid discharge line having a second valve in fluid communication with a waste-receiving container, and at least one ink port and line, wherein the manifold is in fluid communication with the flushing fluid source using the at least one flushing fluid charging line;
- (c) at least one capping device in fluid communication with the manifold using the at least one ink line, wherein the capping device is capable of forming a seal with at least one ink jet print head;
- (d) a clamp capable of preventing fluid flow through the at least one ink line;
- and
- (e) negative pressure source in fluid communication with the flushing fluid source, the manifold and the at least one capping device, using an evacuation line,
- wherein the floor of the manifold is sloped towards the at least one flushing fluid discharge port and at least one flushing fluid discharge line.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.