Patent ID: 6213583
Filing Date: 2001-04-10
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A spittoon system for handling ink residue spit from an inkjet printhead in an inkjet printing mechanism, comprising:a reservoir having a first end and an opposing second end, with the reservoir defining an entranceway opening adjacent to the first end for receiving ink residue spit from the inkjet printhead, with the reservoir also defining an ink exit opening remote from the first end;a tapered screw member rotatably mounted inside the reservoir, with the tapered screw member having a tapered shaft which increases in diameter along the length of the screw member from the first end of the reservoir toward the second end of the reservoir; anda rotating device which selectively rotates the tapered screw member to transport ink residue received through the entranceway opening and to squeeze the ink residue out of the reservoir through the ink exit opening.