Method of maintaining a printhead using a roller action
View Patent ↗A method of maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing an elastically deformable roller having a contact surface for contacting an ink ejection face of the printhead; and (b) rolling the roller across the face.
1. A method of maintaining a stationary pagewidth printhead in an operable condition, said method comprising the steps of:
providing an elastically deformable roller having a contact surface for contacting an ink ejection face of said printhead; and
rolling said roller across said face,
wherein said printhead is stationary when said roller is rolled across said face.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said roller is substantially coextensive with said printhead.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said contact surface is substantially uniform.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said roller is comprised of silicone, polyurethane, Neoprene®, Santoprene® or Kraton®.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said roller rolls transversely across said printhead.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a contact angle hysteresis between a leading peel zone of said roller and a tailing peel zone of said roller is caused by said rolling action.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a leading peel zone of said roller is dry relative to a tailing peel zone of said roller.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said rolling action draws ink from said printhead towards a predetermined region on said roller and/or an edge portion of said face.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said roller is rolled reciprocally across said face.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said printhead is an inkjet printhead.