Patent ID: 7008037

Claim:
A cleaning station for cleaning a printhead wherein the printhead comprises a dispensing chamber and a dispensing orifice for dispensing a fluid in fluid communication with the dispensing chamber, the cleaning station comprising: a wash fluid source for supplying a wash fluid; a rinse fluid source for supplying a rinse fluid; a fluid transfer channel comprising a transfer port which allows fluid communication between the fluid transfer channel and the dispensing chamber through the dispensing orifice; a wash fluid valve disposed between the wash fluid source and the fluid transfer channel, wherein the wash fluid source is in fluid communication with the fluid transfer channel when the wash fluid valve is open; a rinse fluid source for supplying a rinse fluid suitable for rinsing the interior surfaces of the printhead; and a rinse fluid valve disposed between the rinse fluid source and the fluid transfer channel, wherein the rinse fluid source is in fluid communication with the fluid transfer channel when the rinse fluid valve is open.