Method of maintaining a printhead using maintenance station configured for air blast cleaning

A method of maintaining a printhead in an operable condition, said method comprising the steps of:

• (i) providing a printhead maintenance station, said maintenance station comprising:
• a capper sealingly engageable around said printhead, said capper comprising a constriction member for defining a blast channel adjacent an ink ejection face of said printhead;
• a vacuum system in fluid communication with said capper;
• an air inlet valve in fluid communication with said capper;
• and
• an engagement mechanism for moving said capper between a first position in which said capper is sealingly engaged around said printhead and a second position in which said capper is disengaged from around said printhead;
• (ii) moving said capper into said first position such that said constriction member is spaced apart from said face, thereby defining said blast channel;
• (iii) generating a vacuum over said face using said vacuum system, thereby purging ink from printhead nozzles onto said face, said air inlet valve being closed for said purging;
• and
• (iv) opening said air inlet valve, thereby blasting air through said blast channel and removing ink from said face,
• wherein the step (iv) of blasting air through said blast channel is performed subsequent to the step (iii) of purging ink from said nozzles.