Printhead maintenance method with purging, ink removal and printing steps

1. A method of purging and printing from an inkjet printhead, said method comprising the steps of:

(i) purging the printhead using a purging ink, thereby flooding an ink ejection face of the printhead;

(ii) removing said flooded ink from said ink ejection face by feeding a sheet material past said printhead, wherein no part of said sheet material makes contact with said printhead; and

(iii) printing from said printhead using a printing ink,

wherein in step (ii) said flooded ink is removed from internozzle regions of said ink ejection face.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said purging ink is the same as or different from said printing ink.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first ink reservoir containing said printing ink comprises a pressure-biasing means for biasing a pressure in said first ink reservoir towards a negative pressure.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said purging step is performed by positively pressurizing a second ink reservoir containing said purging ink.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said second ink reservoir has an associated pressure device for positively pressurizing said second ink reservoir.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said sheet material is a disposable sheet.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said sheet contacts said flooded ink when moving past said face.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein flooded ink is wicked onto said sheet.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein said sheet is a paper sheet.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein said sheet is absorbent.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein said sheet is different than print media used for printing.