Cap and application devices stabilizing ink in nozzles of inkjet printheads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10894411-B2
Application number	US-201916272048-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2019
Priority date	Feb 11, 2019
Publication date	Jan 19, 2021
Grant date	Jan 19, 2021

Abstract

A cap is positioned to contact a printhead when the printhead is not ejecting liquid ink. The cap and the printhead create a sealed space adjacent printhead nozzles when contacting each other. A flexible blade is positioned to contact the printhead when the printhead is not in contact with the cap. The flexible blade is adapted to fold over to spread a liquid solution on the nozzles in a first direction, and the flexible blade is adapted to remove excess amounts of the liquid solution from the nozzles in a second direction. A humidifier is connected to the cap and adapted to supply a moisture form of the liquid solution to the sealed space. A moisture sensor is connected to the cap. The humidifier is adapted to vary supply of the moisture to the sealed space based on the amount of moisture detected by the moisture sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a printhead comprising nozzles adapted to eject liquid ink;
a cap positioned to contact the printhead when the printhead is not ejecting the liquid ink, wherein the cap and the printhead create a sealed space adjacent the nozzles when contacting each other;
a humidifier connected to the cap and adapted to supply a moisture to the sealed space; and
a controller connected to the humidifier adapted to control the humidifier to supply different amounts of the moisture to different color printheads,
wherein the humidifier comprises an atomizer adapted to form fine droplets of the moisture in the sealed space and to avoid spraying the moisture directly on the nozzles.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is adapted to control the humidifier to supply the moisture to the sealed space only after an idle time period, during which the nozzles do not eject the liquid ink, has expired.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cap comprises a drain adapted to remove condensation of the moisture from the sealed space.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a reservoir operatively connected to the humidifier and adapted to supply a liquid solution that forms the moisture to the humidifier.

5. An apparatus comprising:
a printhead comprising nozzles adapted to eject liquid ink;
a cap positioned to contact the printhead when the printhead is not ejecting the liquid ink, wherein the cap and the printhead create a sealed space adjacent the nozzles when contacting each other;
a humidifier connected to the cap and adapted to supply a moisture to the sealed space; and
a moisture sensor connected to the cap; and
a controller connected to the humidifier adapted to control the humidifier to supply different amounts of the moisture to different color printheads,
wherein the moisture sensor is adapted to detect an amount of the moisture in the sealed space, and
wherein the humidifier is adapted to vary supply of the moisture to the sealed space based on the amount of moisture detected by the moisture sensor,
wherein the humidifier comprises an atomizer adapted to form fine droplets of the moisture in the sealed space and to avoid spraying the moisture directly on the nozzles.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the controller is adapted to control the humidifier to supply the moisture to the sealed space only after an idle time period, during which the nozzles do not eject the liquid ink, has expired.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the cap comprises a drain adapted to remove condensation of the moisture from the sealed space.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a reservoir operatively connected to the humidifier and adapted to supply a liquid solution that forms the moisture to the humidifier.

9. An apparatus comprising:
a printhead comprising nozzles adapted to eject liquid ink;
a cap positioned to contact the printhead when the printhead is not ejecting the liquid ink, wherein the cap and the printhead create a sealed space adjacent the nozzles when contacting each other;
a flexible blade positioned to contact the printhead when the printhead is not in contact with the cap, wherein the flexible blade is adapted to fold over to spread a liquid solution on the nozzles in a first direction, and wherein the flexible blade is adapted to remove excess amounts of the liquid solution from the nozzles in a second direction;
a humidifier connected to the cap and adapted to supply a moisture form of the liquid solution to the sealed space;
a moisture sensor connected to the cap; and
a controller connected to the humidifier adapted to control the humidifier to supply different amounts of the moisture to different color printheads,
wherein the moisture sensor is adapted to detect an amount of the moisture in the sealed space, and
wherein the humidifier is adapted to vary supply of the moisture to the sealed space based on the amount of moisture detected by the moisture sensor,
wherein the humidifier comprises an atomizer adapted to form fine droplets of the moisture in the sealed space.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the controller is adapted to control the humidifier to supply the moisture to the sealed space only after an idle time period, during which the nozzles do not eject the liquid ink, has expired.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the humidifier is to avoid spraying the moisture directly on the nozzles.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the cap comprises a drain adapted to remove condensation of the moisture from the sealed space.

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Levy Michael J
• Praharaj Seemit
• Mcconville Paul J
• Lefevre Jason M
• Hoover Linn C
• Liu Chu-Heng
• Vankouwenberg David A
• Herrmann Douglas K
• Newell John T
• Campbell Richard A
• Dergham Ali R
• Batchelor Glenn D
• Clark Robert A
• Sivaraman Senthil

Classifications

• B41J2/16523 Primary

  Waste ink transport from caps or spittoons, e.g. by suction (Collecting or collectors of waste ink B41J2/1721) · CPC title

• B41P2235/30

  Recovering used solvents or residues · CPC title

• B41J2/16505 Primary

  Caps, spittoons or covers for cleaning or preventing drying out · CPC title

• B41J2/16508

  connected with the printer frame · CPC title

• B41J2/16538

  with brushes or wiper blades perpendicular to the nozzle plate · CPC title