Method and apparatus for avoiding the drying of ink in the ink jets of ink jet printers

摘要

This invention includes a method and apparatus for causing ink to be ejected from the ink nozzles for a second selected time period if the printer has not functioned for a first selected time period independent of whether power is or is not applied to the printer during those periods. The first time period is selected to minimize the possibility of ink clogging the ink nozzles and the second time period is selected to dislodge any thickened ink which may have developed in the ink nozzle during the first time period. The first time period for most ink compositions and nozzle sizes will be considerably longer than the second time period.