Patent EP0630753A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0630753A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Wiper for ink jet printhead nozzle member
Assignee: HP Inc
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Filing: 1994-05-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-05-19
Abstract
Abstract A wiper according to the invention comprises two or more wiper blades (60-64, 68, 69, 76, 77) arranged one behind the other in close proximity, where the two or more wiper blades are different from one another so as to have slightly different wiping swaths. The resulting wipers greatly increase the allowable alignment tolerance between the wiper and the nozzle member (16) of a printhead (14), especially if the printhead (14) is of the kind having raised adhesive beads (22, 23) dispensed near the ends of the nozzle member (16). In one embodiment, two different size wiper blades (68, 69, 76, 77), arranged one behind the other, have slits formed near the ends of the wiper blades. The slits mechanically decouple those end portions (70-73, 80-82) of the wiper blades which ride over the adhesive beads (22, 23) from the remaining 20 portions of the wiper blades to keep the remaining portions of the blades in contact with the nozzle member (16).
Inventors
- 👤 Winthrop D. Childers
- 👤 Ronald S. Gompertz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 20:53
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/135; B41J2/165; B41J2/16517; B41J2/16535; B41J2/16538
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
An ink printer, which, in use, contains an inkjet printhead (14), having a nozzle member (16) with nozzles (17) formed therein, said ink printer comprising: a carriage means (30) for moving said printhead (14) across a recording medium (34); and a wiper positioned in said inkjet printer so as to wipe said nozzle member (16) for cleaning said nozzle member (16), said wiper having a first wiper blade (60, 62, 68, 76) and a second wiper blade (61, 63, 69, 77) arranged in parallel, one behind the other, with a space therebetween, where said first wiper blade wipes a different portion of said nozzle member (16) than said second wiper blade.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
111 words
An ink printer, which, in use, contains an inkjet printhead (14), having a nozzle member (16) with nozzles (17) formed therein, said ink printer comprising: a carriage means (30) for moving said printhead (14) across a recording medium (34); and a wiper positioned in said inkjet printer so as to wipe said nozzle member (16) for cleaning said nozzle member (16), said wiper having a first wiper blade (60, 62, 68, 76) and a second wiper blade (61, 63, 69, 77) arranged in parallel, one behind the other, with a space therebetween, where said first wiper blade wipes a different portion of said nozzle member (16) than said second wiper blade.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The printer of Claim 1 wherein said first wiper blade (60, 62) is shorter than said second wiper blade (61, 63).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The printer of Claims 1 or 2 wherein said first wiper blade (60) has a length approximately equal to a separation between two end nozzles (17) located at opposite ends of said nozzle member (16), and said second wiper (61) has a length approximately equal to a total length of said nozzle member (16).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
124 words
The printer of Claim 1 wherein said first wiper blade (68, 76) has a first central portion (74, 78) and at least one split portion (70, 71, 80-83) at each end of said first wiper blade (68, 76), said at least one split portion being separated from said first central portion (74, 78) and from an adjacent split portion by a gap having a first width, and wherein said second wiper blade (69, 77) has second central portion and at least one split portion (72, 73, 84-87) at each end of said second wiper blade (69, 77), said at least one split portion of said second wiper blade (69, 77) being aligned with an associated gap formed in said first wiper blade (68, 76).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
The printer of Claim 4 wherein said first central portion (74) of said first wiper blade (68) has a length approximately equal to a separation between two end nozzles (17) located at opposite ends of said nozzle member (16), and said second wiper blade (69) has a split portion (72, 73) aligned with each end of said first central portion (74).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
The printer of Claim 4 wherein said first wiper blade (76) has at least two split portions (80-83) at each end of said first wiper blade (76), and said second wiper blade (77) has at least two split portions (84-87) at each end of said second wiper blade (77).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The printer of Claims 4, 5, or 6 wherein said second wiper blade (65, 77) is shorter than said first wiper blade (68, 76).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The printer of Claim 4 wherein said first wiper blade (68, 76) and said second wiper blade (69, 77) have lengths greater than a separation between two end nozzles (17) located at opposite ends of said nozzle member (16).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
The printer of any one of the preceding Claims further comprising: a third wiper blade (64) arranged in parallel with said first wiper blade (62) and said second wiper blade (63), said third wiper blade (64) wiping a different portion of said nozzle plate (16) than said first wiper blade (62) and said second wiper blade (63).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The printer of Claim 1 wherein said first wiper blade (60, 62, 68, 76) and said second wiper blade (61, 63, 69, 77) are formed as a unitary structure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
133 words
The printer of any one of the preceding Claims wherein said printhead (14) includes two raised adhesive beads (22, 23) disposed near opposite ends of said nozzle member (16) for encapsulating conductors (50) bonded to a substrate (48) affixed to an underside of said nozzle member (16), said raised adhesive beads (22, 23) being substantially perpendicular to one or more linear arrays of nozzles (17) formed in said nozzle member (16), said carriage means (30) moving said printhead (14) in a direction parallel to said raised adhesive beads (22, 23), said wiper being aligned with respect to said nozzle plate (16) so that said first wiper blade (60, 62, 68, 76) and said second wiper blade (61, 63, 69, 77) together wipe each of said nozzles (17) formed in said nozzle member (16).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
The printer of Claim 13 wherein said at least one split portion (72, 73, 80-83) of said first wiper blade (68, 76) rides over one of said raised adhesive beads (22, 23) when said printhead (14) is in contact with said wiper.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for wiping an inkjet printhead in an ink printer, said printhead (14) including a nozzle member (16) having nozzles (17) formed therein, said method comprising: moving a carriage means (30), containing said printhead, to be in contact with a wiper; wiping said nozzle member with a first wiper blade (60, 62, 68, 76) to wipe a first portion of said nozzle member (16); and wiping said nozzle member with a second wiper blade (61, 63, 69, 77) to wipe a second portion of said nozzle member (16), where said first portion and said second portion are different from one another.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for wiping an inkjet printhead in an ink printer, said printhead (14) including a nozzle member (16) having nozzles (17) formed therein, said method comprising: moving a carriage means (30), containing said printhead, to be in contact with a wiper; wiping said nozzle member with a first wiper blade (60, 62, 68, 76) to wipe a first portion of said nozzle member (16); and wiping said nozzle member with a second wiper blade (61, 63, 69, 77) to wipe a second portion of said nozzle member (16), where said first portion and said second portion are different from one another.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
174 words
The method of Claim 13, where said printhead (14) includes two raised adhesive beads (22, 23) dispensed near opposite ends of said nozzle member (16) for encapsulating conductors (50) bonded to a substrate (48) affixed to an underside of said nozzle member (16), said raised adhesive beads (22, 23) being substantially perpendicular to one or more linear arrays of nozzles (17) formed in said nozzle member (16), said step of moving said carriage means (30) comprising moving said printhead (14) in a direction parallel to said raised adhesive beads (22, 23), said wiper being aligned with respect to said nozzle member (16) so that said first wiper blade (60, 62, 68, 76) and said second wiper blade (61, 63, 69, 77) together wipe each of said nozzles (17) formed in said nozzle member (16) despite an end portion of said first wiper blade (60, 62, 68, 76) or said second wiper blade (61, 63, 69, 77) riding over one of said raised adhesive beads (22, 23) when said wiper wipes said nozzle member (16).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
126 words
The method of Claim 14 wherein said first wiper blade (68, 76) has a first central portion (74, 78) and at least one split portion (70, 71, 80-83) at each end of said first wiper blade (68, 76), said at least one split portion being separated from said first central portion (74, 78) and from an adjacent split portion by a gap having a first width, and wherein said second wiper blade (69, 77) has second central portion (75, 79) and at least one split portion (72, 73, 84-87) at each end of said second wiper blade (69, 77), said at least one split portion of said second wiper blade (69, 77) being aligned with an associated gap formed in said first wiper blade (68, 76).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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