| 摘要 |
A movable priming station, for use with an ink jet printer having a printhead with a linear extended array of nozzles located on a planar surface thereof, is capable of priming a portion of the extended array of nozzles at one time by applying a vacuum to at least one nozzle located on the portion of the extended array. The movable priming station includes a support capable of moving along a length of the extended array of nozzles, a vacuum tube attached to the support for movement with the support and having a vacuum port adjacent to one end thereof. The support is controlled so that the vacuum port does not contact a nozzle-containing surface of the printhead when the support is moved laterally along the linear array of nozzles. The vacuum port can be maintained a predetermined distance, greater than zero, from the planar surface of the printhead by the support so that when the support is moved along the length of the extended array of nozzles while the support contacts the printhead, the vacuum port is located closely adjacent to without contacting the nozzle-containing portion of the printhead. Alternatively, the support can be moved away from the printhead during lateral movement thereof so as not to slide along the printhead.
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