Printhead maintenance assembly comprising first and second rollers
View Patent ↗A printhead maintenance assembly for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The maintenance assembly comprises: (a) a printhead having an ink ejection face; (b) a first roller having an outer surface for receiving ink from the face; (c) a second roller engaged with said first roller, the second roller being configured for receiving ink from the first roller; (d) a cleaning pad in contact with the second roller; and (e) a mechanism for rotating the first and second rollers.
1. A printhead maintenance assembly for maintaining a stationary pagewidth printhead in an operable condition, said maintenance assembly comprising:
(a) a stationary pagewidth printhead having an ink ejection face;
(b) a first roller having a silicone outer surface for sealing engagement with said face and for receiving ink from said face;
(c) a second roller engaged with said first roller, said second roller being configured for receiving ink from said first roller;
(d) a cleaning pad in contact with said second roller; and
(e) a mechanism for rotating said first and second rollers only when said first roller is not in contact with said printhead.
2. The printhead maintenance assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first roller is substantially coextensive with said printhead.
3. The maintenance assembly of claim 1 , wherein said second roller has a wetting surface for receiving ink from said outer surface of said first roller.
4. The maintenance assembly of claim 1 , wherein said second roller is a metal roller.
5. The maintenance assembly of claim 1 , wherein said second roller and said cleaning pad are substantially coextensive with said first roller.
6. The maintenance assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first roller receives flooded ink from said face without contacting said face.
7. The maintenance assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first roller receives ink from said face by peeling disengagement from said face.
8. The maintenance assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first roller, said second roller and said cleaning pad are mounted on a chassis, said chassis being reciprocally moveable between said first position proximal to or contacting said face and second position distal from said face.
9. The maintenance assembly of claim 8 , wherein said chassis is contained in a housing, said chassis being moveable relative to said housing.
10. The maintenance assembly of claim 8 , wherein said chassis comprises at least one lug for complementary engagement with a corresponding at least one engagement arm.
11. The maintenance assembly of claim 8 , wherein said chassis is moveable substantially perpendicularly with respect to said face.