Method of maintaining a printhead using film transport of ink
View Patent ↗A method of maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (i) providing a printhead assembly comprising a printhead having an ink ejection face and a film guide sealingly bonded to the face, the film guide being positioned to guide a film through a transfer zone defined by a plane spaced apart from the face; (ii) positioning at least part of a film in the transfer zone and in sealing contact with the film guide, thereby forming a cavity defined at least partially by the film, the film guide and the face; and (iii) feeding the film through the transfer zone and away from the printhead, thereby removing ink from the cavity.
1. A method of maintaining a printhead in an operable condition, said method comprising the steps of:
(i) providing a printhead assembly, said printhead assembly comprising:
a printhead having an ink ejection face, said face having a first edge portion and a second edge portion opposite said first edge portion; and
a film guide sealingly bonded to said first edge portion, said film guide being positioned to guide a film through a transfer zone, said transfer zone being defined by a plane spaced apart from said face;
(ii) positioning at least part of a film in said transfer zone and in contact with said film guide, thereby forming a cavity defined at least partially by said film, said film guide and said face; and
(iii) feeding said film through said transfer zone and away from said printhead, thereby removing ink from said cavity, said film being fed in a directional sense which is from said first edge portion to said second edge portion.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said printhead is a pagewidth inkjet printhead.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first and second edge portions are longitudinal edge portions.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said film guide is comprised of a solid polymeric material.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said film guide encapsulates wire bonds extending from said first edge portion of said printhead.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said transfer zone is substantially parallel with said ink ejection face.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said transfer zone is less than 2 mm from said face.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said film is wetting.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said film is an endless loop.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein a width of said film is substantially coextensive with a length of said printhead.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said film is fed past a film cleaner after being fed through said transfer zone.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said film cleaner is an absorbent pad positioned remotely from said printhead.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said cavity is open-ended at said second edge portion.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said film is moveable between a first position in which said film is positioned in said transfer zone and a second position in which said film is positioned remotely from said transfer zone.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein said face is flooded with ink from said printhead prior to feeding said film through said transfer zone.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said face is flooded by positively pressurizing an ink reservoir supplying ink to said printhead.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein an amount and/or a period of pressure applied to said ink reservoir is controlled.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein said printhead assembly further comprises a print media guide for guiding print media past said printhead.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said print media guide is moved out of a media-guiding position prior to positioning said film in said transfer zone.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein said print media guide is moved into a media-guiding position after feeding said film through said transfer zone.