Patent ID: 8376487

Claim:
An inkjet printer comprising: a) an array of nozzles with a corresponding ink inlet; b) an ink chamber including an ink outlet that is fluidly connected to the ink inlet corresponding to the array of nozzles; c) a membrane that is permeable to air but is not permeable to liquid; d) an air extraction chamber comprising: i) an air chamber; ii) a one-way relief valve having an open position that allows venting of the air chamber to ambient and a closed position that does not allow venting of the air chamber to ambient; and iii) a compressible member for forcing air to be vented from the air chamber through the one-way relief valve in its open position, and for applying a reduced air pressure to the membrane while the one-way relief valve is in its closed position; e) a carriage for carrying the array of nozzles, the ink chamber, the membrane and the air extraction chamber along a carriage scan path in a carriage scan direction, wherein the compressible member is compressible along a compression direction that is substantially parallel to the carriage scan direction; and f) a compressing member disposed proximate to a first end of the carriage scan path, wherein when the compressing member is engaged with the compressible member it compresses the compressible member along the compression direction.