Patent ID: 7296881

Claim:
An inkjet printer system comprising: a printhead with at least one nozzle for ejecting droplets of ink during printing operations; a first ink reservoir for holding a volume of ink; a standpipe in fluidic communication with the printhead and the first ink reservoir to define an ink flow path between the first ink reservoir and the printhead; a port that provides fluidic communication with the interior of the standpipe; and a valve mechanism fluidically coupled to the port; wherein the valve mechanism is configured to selectively de-prime the printhead by selectively introducing air into the standpipe through the port at a pressure above that of the pressure within the standpipe and the first ink reservoir to induce ink disposed within the standpipe and the printhead to flow from the standpipe and the printhead into the first ink reservoir along the ink flow path until substantially all of the ink within the standpipe and the printhead is removed from the standpipe and the printhead and is replaced by the air.