Inkjet maintenance device with a liquid spreading mesh

1. An inkjet print device comprising:

a maintenance device including a mesh;

a waste liquid receiver; and

an inkjet print head operable to apply a liquid on a top of the mesh; wherein

the waste liquid receiver faces the inkjet print head with the mesh therebetween and receives liquid dripping from a back of the mesh while the maintenance device performs maintenance;

the mesh includes a liquid spreading mesh with spreading properties in a direction towards a liquid outlet of the waste liquid receiver;

a distance between a liquid ejection surface of the inkjet print head and the top of the mesh is between 0.5 mm and 4 mm; and

the liquid spreading mesh includes a woven metal filter with a linen weave or a Dutch twilled weave structure.

2. The inkjet print device according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid spreading mesh includes anisotropic liquid spreading characteristics.

3. The inkjet print device according to claim 2 , wherein the liquid spreading mesh is a stainless steel woven mesh.

4. The inkjet print device according to claim 2 , wherein a pressure drop coefficient of the liquid spreading mesh is between 40 and 300.

5. The inkjet print device according to claim 2 , wherein the mesh includes a porous substrate on top of the liquid spreading mesh;

the porous substrate is liquid resistant and is capable of being filled with more than 90% of waste liquid of a total receiving capacity of the porous substrate; and

a receiving capacity of a top layer of the porous substrate for the waste liquid is 10% higher than a liquid dripping capacity of a bottom layer of the porous substrate for the waste liquid that drips through the porous substrate.

6. The inkjet print device according to the claim 5 , wherein the porous substrate has a higher capillary flow of liquid at the top layer than at the bottom layer.

7. The inkjet print device according to claim 6 , wherein the porous substrate includes liquid permeable knitted polyester.

8. The inkjet print device according to claim 7 , wherein the porous substrate is pre-treated with a surfactant.

9. The inkjet print device according to claim 8 , wherein the surfactant is a fluor surfactant.

10. The inkjet print device according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid is selected from aqueous liquid or UV curable liquid.

11. The inkjet print device according to claim 1 , wherein the waste liquid receiver and the mesh are attached to a capping device that caps the inkjet print head.

12. The inkjet print device according to claim 11 , wherein the capping device includes a sealing lip that contacts the liquid ejection surface of the inkjet print head.

13. The inkjet print device according to claim 1 , wherein a bottom surface of the waste liquid receiver slopes downward in the direction towards the liquid outlet.

14. A maintenance method for an inkjet print head, the method comprising the steps of:

purging or ejecting liquid from the inkjet print head; and

spreading the purged or ejecting liquid through a liquid spreading mesh to a waste liquid receiver; wherein

the liquid spreading mesh includes spreading properties in a direction towards a liquid outlet of the waste liquid receiver;

a distance between a liquid ejection surface of the inkjet print head and a top of the mesh liquid spreading mesh is between 0.5 mm and 4 mm; and

the liquid spreading mesh includes a woven metal filter with a linen weave or a Dutch twilled weave structure.