Printhead maintenance system comprising face flooding system and ink transport assembly

1. A printhead maintenance system for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition, said maintenance system comprising:

(a) a printhead having an ink ejection face;

(b) an ink supply system comprising a face flooding system for flooding ink from said printhead onto said face; and

(c) an ink transport assembly comprising:

a transfer surface for receiving flooded ink from said face; and

a transport mechanism for feeding said transfer surface through a transfer zone and away from said printhead,

wherein said transfer zone is adjacent to and spaced apart from said face, and

said transfer surface is an outer surface of a transfer roller which is substantially coextensive with said printhead.

2. The maintenance system of claim 1 , wherein said printhead is a pagewidth inkjet printhead.

3. The maintenance system of claim 1 , wherein said face flooding system comprises a pressure system for positively pressurizing an ink reservoir or an ink conduit supplying ink to said printhead.

4. The maintenance system of claim 3 , wherein said pressure system comprises a control system for controlling an amount and/or a period of pressure applied to said ink reservoir or said ink conduit.

5. The maintenance system of claim 4 , wherein an ink conduit between said ink reservoir and said printhead comprises a valve for controlling an amount of ink flooded onto said face.

6. The maintenance system of claim 1 , wherein said transfer surface is fed through said transfer zone by rotating said roller.

7. The maintenance system of claim 1 , wherein said transfer zone is spaced less than 1 mm from said face.