Ink jet printer with wiper blade and vacuum canopy cleaning mechanism and method of assembling the printer

摘要

An ink jet printer with wiper blade and vacuum canopy cleaning mechanism, and method of assembling the printer. The printer comprises a print head having a surface thereon surrounding a plurality of ink ejection orifices. The orifices are in communication with respective ones of a plurality of ink channels formed in the print head. A vacuum hood capable of sealingly surrounding at least one of the orifices has a passageway therethrough capable of being disposed in communication with the orifice for vacuuming contaminant from the ink channel by way of the orifice. A solvent delivering wiper is connected to the hood and has an areaway therethrough alignable with the surface. The areaway delivers a liquid solvent to the surface to flush contaminant from the surface. Contaminant residing on the surface is entrained in the solvent while the wiper flushes contaminant from the surface. Wicking channels disposed on the bevel edge of the wiper aid in the removal of cleaning liquid and contaminant. An optional vacuum canopy is connected to the wiper and has a cut therethrough alignable with the surface. The canopy vacuums the solvent and entrained contaminant from the surface. Moreover, a piping circuit is associated with the print head for filtering the particulate matter from the solvent and for recirculating clean solvent to the surface of the print head.