Patent ID: 6145958
Filing Date: 2000-11-14
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A recycling ink solvent system for cleaning an inkjet printhead in an inkjet printing mechanism, comprising:a wiper;a platform which supports the wiper for movement through an application stroke, a wiping stroke for cleaning ink residue from the printhead, and a scraping stroke; andan ink solvent recycling apparatus having a body of a porous material impregnated with an ink solvent, with the body defining an applicator portion which applies the ink solvent to the wiper during the application stroke to dissolve therein ink residue gathered during the wiping stroke, with the recycling apparatus also having a scraper portion which scrapes the solvent with the ink residue dissolved therein from the wiper during the scraping stroke, wherein solvent with the ink the residue dissolved therein is transferred from the scraper portion to the applicator portion by the porous material of the body while recycling the solvent by removing dissolved ink residue therefrom and wherein the scraper portion comprises a rigid member having a scraper blade which receives ink residue from the wiper and a drain surface that directs ink solvent from the scraper blade to the recycling apparatus body.