Printhead flush and cleaning system and method

A system and method are provided for cleaning the printhead of a continuous ink jet printing system. A cleaning fluid is introduced and used to flush ink residues and debris from the interior of the drop generator, the exterior of the orifice plate, the charge plate face and the catcher face. This s...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Gespeichert in:

Bibliographische Detailangaben
Hauptverfasser:	ENZ, RICHARD T, LYMAN, DAN C, SIMON, ROBERT J, BLUM, JOHN N, LOYD, JOHN C
Format:	Patent
Sprache:	eng ; fre ; ger
Schlagworte:	APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL ATOMISING APPARATUS CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME LINING MACHINES NOZZLES PERFORMING OPERATIONS PRINTING SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS SPRAYING APPARATUS SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL STAMPS TRANSPORTING TYPEWRITERS
Online-Zugang:	Volltext bestellen
Tags:	Tag hinzufügen Keine Tags, Fügen Sie den ersten Tag hinzu!

Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:	A system and method are provided for cleaning the printhead of a continuous ink jet printing system. A cleaning fluid is introduced and used to flush ink residues and debris from the interior of the drop generator, the exterior of the orifice plate, the charge plate face and the catcher face. This system and method removes dried ink residues and other debris and deposits by providing a cleaning fluid with a low surface tension to dissolve or flush away the unwanted material from the orifices. This is particularly advantageous in that the flushing and rinsing is accomplished without mechanical contact which could abrade or damage the orifices.