Narrow and wide wiper blade cleaning system for ink jet printheads

Claim 2

A wiping system according to claim 1 wherein the first and second wiper blades (110, 120; 140, 150; 110, 170) are spaced apart to define a interior region therebetween, with the first and second wiper blades each having opposing inboard and outboard surfaces (126, 124; 116, 114; 156, 154; 146, 144; 126', 124'), with the inboard surfaces (126; 116; 156; 146; 126') of each blade facing toward the interior region, wherein each blade terminates in a wiping edge (128, 118; 158, 148) having a rounded surface joining the outboard surface (124; 114; 154; 144; 124'), and the wiping edge of each blade terminates angularly with the inboard surface (126; 116; 156; 146; 126').

Claim 3

A wiping system according to claims 1 or 2 for cleaning an inkjet printhead having two cheek regions (162) adjacent opposing sides of the orifice plate (160), wherein the width of the first wiper blade (120; 150; 170) is wide enough to wipe the orifice plate (160) and the two cheek regions (162).

Claim 4

A wiping system for cleaning an inkjet printhead (70, 72, 74, 76) in an inkjet printing mechanism (20), with the printhead having an orifice(120; 150; 170) plate (160) that ejects ink therethrough and which is bordered by at least one cheek region (162), comprising: a wide wiper blade (120; 150; 170) having a width wide enough to simultaneously wipe across both the orifice plate (160) and the cheek region (162); and a moveable platform (85) that supports the wide wiper blade (120; 150; 170) for movement between a rest position and a wiping position for cleaning ink residue from the printhead (120; 150; 170) with the wide wiper blade (120; 150; 170) through relative movement therebetween.

Claim 5

A wiping system according to claim 4, further including a narrow wiper blade (110; 140) having a width wide enough to wipe only the orifice plate (160), with the narrow wiper blade (110; 140) supported by the platform (85) for movement between a rest position and a wiping position for cleaning ink residue from the printhead (70, 72, 74, 76) with the narrow wiper blade (110; 140) through relative movement therebetween.

Claim 6

A wiping system according to claims 4 or 5 for cleaning another printhead in the inkjet printing mechanism (20), with said another printhead also having an orifice plate (160) that ejects ink therethrough and which is bordered by at least one cheek region (162), wherein the width of the wide wiper blade (170) is wide enough to simultaneously wipe across the orifice plates and cheek regions of said printhead and said another printhead.

Claim 7

A wiping system (100; 100'; 100'') for cleaning first and second inkjet printheads (72, 74, 76) in an inkjet printing mechanism (20), with each printhead having an orifice plate (160) that ejects ink therethrough and which is bordered by at least one cheek region (162), comprising: a first dual-blade wiper assembly (92, 94, 96; 92, 94', 96; 92'', 94'', 96'') having (a) a wide wiper blade (120; 170) having a width wide enough to wipe both the orifice plate (160) and the cheek region (162) of the first printhead (72, 74, 76), and (b) a narrow wiper blade (110) having a width wide enough to wipe only the orifice plate (160) of the first printhead (72, 74, 76); a second dual-blade wiper assembly (92, 94, 96; 92, 94', 96; 92'', 94'', 96'') having (a) a wide wiper blade (120; 170) having a width wide enough to wipe both the orifice plate (160) and the cheek region (162) of the second printhead (72, 74, 76), and (b) a narrow wiper blade (110) having a width wide enough to wipe only the orifice plate (160) of the second printhead (72, 74, 76); and a moveable platform (85) that supports the wide ad narrow wiper blades of both the first and second wiper assemblies for movement between a rest position and a wiping position for cleaning ink residue from the first and second printheads with the respective first and second wiper assemblies through relative movement therebetween.

Claim 8

A wiping system (100) according to claim 7 wherein the wide wiper blades (120) of both the first and second wiper assemblies (92, 94, 96) are arranged side-by-side in a first line along the moveable platform (85), and the narrow wiper blades (110) of both the first and second wiper assemblies (92, 94, 96) are arranged side-by-side in a second line along the moveable platform (85).

Claim 9

A wiping system (100') according to claim 7 wherein the wide wiper blade (120) of the first wiper assembly (92, 94, 96) and the narrow wiper blade (110) of the second wiper assembly (92, 94, 96) are arranged side-by-side in a first line along the moveable platform (85), and the narrow wiper blade (110) of the first wiper assembly (92, 94, 96) and the wide wiper blade (120) of the second wiper assembly (92, 94, 96) are arranged side-by-side in a second line along the moveable platform (85).

Claim 10

An inkjet printing mechanism (20), comprising: an inkjet printhead (70, 72, 74, 76) having an orifice plate (160) that ejects ink therethrough and which is bordered by at least one cheek region (162); a carriage (45) that reciprocates the printhead (70, 72, 74, 76) through a printzone (25) for printing and to a servicing region (48) for printhead servicing; and a wiping system according to any of claims 1 through 9.