Global Patent Index - EP 1162071 A1

EP 1162071 A1 20011212 - Cleaning a liquid jet device

Title (en)

Cleaning a liquid jet device

Title (de)

Reinigung einer Flüssigkeitsstrahlvorrichtung

Title (fr)

Nettoyage d'un dispositif à jet de liquide

Publication

EP 1162071 A1 20011212 (EN)

Application

EP 01304624 A 20010525

Priority

  • US 59074200 A 20000608
  • US 77523701 A 20010201

Abstract (en)

A purge/clean system for a liquid jet apparatus, such as an ink jet printing system, having a liquid chamber including a chamber wall having an exterior surface and at least one orifice (60) though which liquid is ejected towards a substrate. The purge/clean system involves a cavity defined adjacent the exterior surface of the chamber wall into which liquid which is, expelled from the at least one orifice (60) during a purging or cleaning operation is permitted to flow and a vacuum pump for withdrawing liquid which is contained within the cavity. The cavity can be provided by a plurality of plates (90,88,86) arranged in an assembled, or stacked, relationship against the exterior surface of the chamber wall and, with the aid of a fan or compressor, can be used to create a zone of above - atmospheric pressure adjacent the exterior surface of the printer head. With the zone of above-atmospheric pressure created within the cavity, any leakage of air from the region into the atmosphere effects a flow of air out of the region and thereby helps to maintain the at least one orifice in a relatively clean condition. <IMAGE>

IPC 1-7

B41J 2/165

IPC 8 full level

B41J 2/175 (2006.01); B41J 2/045 (2006.01); B41J 2/055 (2006.01); B41J 2/165 (2006.01); B41J 2/18 (2006.01); B41J 2/185 (2006.01)

CPC (source: EP US)

B41J 2/16505 (2013.01 - EP); B41J 2/1652 (2013.01 - EP); B41J 2/16552 (2013.01 - EP US); B41J 2002/14362 (2013.01 - EP)

Citation (search report)

Designated contracting state (EPC)

AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR

DOCDB simple family (publication)

EP 1162071 A1 20011212; EP 1162071 B1 20061122; AT E345934 T1 20061215; AU 5179801 A 20011213; AU 756643 B2 20030116; CA 2349097 A1 20011208; CA 2349097 C 20061024; CN 1189326 C 20050216; CN 1344620 A 20020417; DE 60124621 D1 20070104; DE 60124621 T2 20070913; DK 1162071 T3 20070319; JP 2002011892 A 20020115; MX PA01005702 A 20030820; TW 527286 B 20030411

DOCDB simple family (application)

EP 01304624 A 20010525; AT 01304624 T 20010525; AU 5179801 A 20010607; CA 2349097 A 20010529; CN 01115738 A 20010604; DE 60124621 T 20010525; DK 01304624 T 20010525; JP 2001172501 A 20010607; MX PA01005702 A 20010606; TW 90114104 A 20010608