Importance

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Abstract

A liquid ink printer includes a liquid ink printhead having a plurality of ink ejecting orifices and a fluid applicator adapted for movement across the liquid ink printhead for cleaning thereof. The fluid applicator includes a nozzle body defining a surface and an orifice wherein the surface and the orifice apply an accurately controlled amount of cleaning fluid to the liquid ink printhead for cleaning thereof. The fluid applicator includes a second body having a second surface adjacently located to the first located surface which aids in controlling the flow of cleaning fluid applied to the liquid ink printhead. The fluid applicator applies a thin film of fluid to the nozzle bearing surface of the liquid ink printhead which is then removed by a vacuum nozzle separated an optimized distance from the fluid applicator. The separation distance enables the applied maintenance fluid to adequately loosen any viscous plugs of partially dried ink and/or any contaminants found on the surface of the liquid ink printhead. Once the contaminants are sufficiently loosened by the application of the maintenance fluid, the vacuum nozzle vacuums away the contaminants and the applied maintenance fluid.

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First Claim