Patent ID: 7210761

Claim:
A wiper apparatus comprising: a wiper having a leading contact surface and a trailing contact surface, the leading contact surface leads the trailing contact surface in a direction of wipe during wiping; a capillary passageway in the wiper sized to allow capillary flow of a liquid along the capillary passageway by capillary forces; a second wiper oriented substantially parallel to the wiper, the second wiper having a second leading contact surface and a second trailing contact surface; and a second capillary passageway in the second wiper sized to allow capillary flow of a liguid along the second capillary passageway by capillary forces, wherein: the wiper and second wiper are positioned relative to a nozzle plate of a printhead such that, during wiping, a first tip of the wiper and a third tip of the second wiper come into contact with a first nozzle array of the printhead, a second tip of the wiper and a fourth tip of the second wiper come into contact with a second nozzle array of the printhead, and the capillary passageway of the wiper and the second capillary passageway of the second wiper pass between the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array during wiping.