Patent ID: 7150512

Claim:
A cleaning system for a continuous ink jet printer of the type having an ink flow system in which ink is adapted to flow from a reservoir to a print head from which the ink is ejected in a series of discrete droplets directed at a substrate upon which an image is to be formed by applying droplets to the surface of the substrate and in which droplets which are not to be applied to the substrate are collected in a catcher and recycled via a return line to the ink flow system for reuse, the print head including a front face and at least one orifice extending through the front face, the orifice defining a nozzle for ejecting the ink, the cleaning system comprising: a source of solvent; a first solvent supply conduit connected to the solvent source for conveying solvent through a supply opening and onto the front face of the print head; and a second solvent supply conduit connected to the solvent source for conveying solvent through a supply opening and onto a surface of the catcher.