Printhead assembly with a printhead, a wicking element and a pad to facilitate the transferral of ink from the printhead to the wicking element.
Provided is a printhead assembly including a support structure, and a printhead mounted on the support structure, said printhead having an ink ejection face. The assembly also includes a print media guide proximate the support structure for guiding print media past the printhead for printing, and a wicking element mounted on the support structure between the support structure and the print media guide. Further included is a pad with an angled contact surface to operatively facilitate the transferral of ink from the printhead to the wicking element.
1 . A printhead assembly comprising:
a support structure;
a printhead mounted on the support structure, said printhead having an ink ejection face;
a print media guide proximate the support structure for guiding print media past the printhead for printing;
a wicking element mounted on the support structure between the support structure and the print media guide; and
a pad with an angled contact surface to facilitate transferral of ink from the printhead to the wicking element.
2 . The printhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wicking element is positioned adjacent a longitudinal edge of the printhead so that the wicking element is able to wick ink away from a longitudinal edge portion of the contact surface and the ink ejection face.
3 . The printhead assembly of claim 2 , wherein an edge portion of the contact surface extends past the longitudinal edge of the printhead, allowing ink to contact with the wicking element adjacent the printhead.
4 . The printhead assembly of claim 3 , wherein the pad and wicking element are configured to move ink away from an opposite longitudinal edge portion of the printhead, said printhead having a wirebond encapsulant on such opposite edge which protects wirebonds connecting the printhead to other printer components.
5 . The printhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wicking element is formed from an absorbent material and is positioned in a cavity defined between the print media guide and the support structure on which the printhead and print media guide are mounted.
6 . The printhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the print media guide has a guide surface for guiding print media past the printhead when the pad is fully disengaged from the ink ejection face.
7 . The printhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wicking element includes an ink collector for receiving ink that has wicked through the wicking element to ensure that wicked ink is removed away from the printhead.