Contoured cross-sectional wiper for cleaning inkjet printheads

The present invention relates generally to inkjet printing mechanisms, and more particularly to a wiper blade for wiping ink residue from inkjet printheads, with the wiper blade having a contoured, non-rectangular, cross sectional shape selected to lower the blade wiping force along a nozzle area of the printhead. An inkjet printhead service station for an inkjet printing mechanism includes a printhead wiping system having a wiper blade with a contoured cross sectional shape selected to impart a lower wiping force along an ink-ejecting nozzle region of the printhead than along side regions of the printhead. In a relaxed state, the blade has opposing leading and trailing surfaces, with each surface having a concave contour running along at least a portion of the length of the blade, preferably from the support sled to the wiping tip. During a wiping stroke, the blade flexes along both the length and width of the blade, with the trailing surface having a greater degree of concavity than when relaxed, and the leading surface having a linear contour at the wiping tip and tapering into the concave contour adjacent the sled. An inkjet printing mechanism having such a wiping system, and a method of cleaning a printhead are provided.