Patent ID: 8801164

Claim:
A method for depriming a printhead, comprising: providing a printhead, the printhead comprising: an aperture plate comprising at least one nozzle therein; and an ink port comprising an ink port first chamber and an ink port second chamber, wherein the ink port first chamber is separated from the ink port second chamber by a particulate filter, and wherein the ink port first chamber is upstream of the particulate filter and wherein the inkport second chamber is downstream of the particulate filter; filling the ink port first chamber and the ink port second chamber with ink; determining a first maximum pressure differential that is sustainable across a meniscus of the ink at the at least one nozzle; determining a second maximum pressure differential that is sustainable across a meniscus of the ink at the particulate filter; selecting a deprime pressure based on a width of the at least one nozzle and a width of openings within the particulate filter, wherein the deprime pressure is sufficient to overcome a force of capillarity exerted on the ink by the at least one nozzle but is insufficient to overcome a force of capillarity exerted on the ink by the particulate filter; and applying the deprime pressure to the ink within the ink port, wherein the deprime pressure is sufficient to move a meniscus of the ink from the at least one nozzle to the particulate filter, but is insufficient to move the meniscus of the ink past the particulate filter, wherein the deprime pressure is further selected as a value between the first maximum pressure differential and the second maximum pressure differential.