Method of cleaning a printhead using cleaning liquid

1. A method of cleaning an ink ejection face of an inkjet printhead, said method comprising the steps of:

(i) supplying cleaning liquid to said printhead via an ink conduit in fluid communication with nozzles in said printhead;

(ii) purging said cleaning liquid from said printhead, thereby flooding said face with cleaning liquid; and

(iii) transferring said flooded cleaning liquid onto a transfer surface moving past said face, wherein said transfer surface does not contact said face during said transferring, and wherein said transfer surface is an outer surface of a roller.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said cleaning liquid is water, a dyeless ink base, an aqueous surfactant solution or an aqueous glycol solution.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said printhead is in fluid communication with a plurality of ink reservoirs, at least one of said reservoirs containing said cleaning liquid.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein each ink reservoir comprises a pressure-biasing means for biasing a pressure in said reservoir towards a negative pressure.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein each ink reservoir comprises an ink bag.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said purging comprises positively pressurizing said ink reservoir containing said cleaning liquid.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein an ink conduit between said printhead and said ink reservoir containing cleaning liquid has a valve.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said ink reservoir is pressurized using a pressure device, and operation of said pressure device and said valve is controlled using a controller.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising measuring a pressure in said ink reservoir or said ink conduit using a pressure sensor.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising controlling said pressure device in response to feedback provided by said pressure sensor.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising coordinating a printhead purging/cleaning operation using said pressure device, said pressure sensor and said valve.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of monitoring a pressure in said ink reservoir or said ink conduit using said pressure sensor, and opening said valve when a predetermined pressure has been reached.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said transfer surface is moved past said face by rotating said roller.