Patent ID: 8939545
Filing Date: 2015-01-27
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A method for operating an inkjet printing system, comprising: moving a receiver in a direction of receiver movement past a printing module having a plurality of inkjet printheads with a barrier between the inkjet printheads, each printhead having a face; using a plurality of caps with each cap positioned about one of the inkjet printheads and extending from the barrier toward the receiver to create higher resistance flow areas between the cap and the receiver with each cap extending away from the face of the corresponding printhead to form a shielded region having an opening through which ink drops can pass from the plurality of inkjet printheads through one of the higher resistance flow areas to the receiver with the caps being separated to create lower resistance airflow channels between the caps, the barrier, and the receiver; directing ink droplets from the inkjet printheads to pass through the openings, into the higher resistance flow areas and onto the receiver; providing a cross-module air flow between the barrier and the receiver; and deflecting the cross-module airflow into and through the lower resistance airflow channels without creating flows into the higher resistance flow areas that cause an artifact in a print; and guiding the cross module airflow after the cross-module airflow passes the inkjet printheads of the first print line so that airflow that has passed the printheads of the first print line does not create flows that disrupt ink droplet placement by the inkjet nozzle arrays of the second print line, wherein said guiding of the cross module airflow is performed in part by trailing surfaces of the caps about the first plurality of printheads at the first print line that have a convex shape to guide cross-module airflow after cross-module airflow passes inkjet printheads of the first print line and by deflection surfaces of the caps about the second portion of the plurality of printheads that have a concave shape that corresponds to the convex shape of the trailing surfaces so that any attic cross module airflow that has passed the portion of the printheads of the first print line does not create conditions that can disrupt ink droplet placement by the portion of the plurality of inkjet printheads at the second print line, and wherein one portion of the inkjet printheads is arranged along a first print line and another portion of the plurality of inkjet printheads is arranged along a second print line, and wherein the movement of the receiver along the direction of receiver movement brings the receiver past the first print line and then past the second print line in a direction that is parallel to the direction of the cross-module airflow.