US 12,187,038 B2
Method of operating a printhead
Robert Smith, Northamptonshire (GB); and Philip John Blowfield, Northamptonshire (GB)
Assigned to Videojet Technologies Inc., Wood Dale, IL (US)
Appl. No. 17/788,389
Filed by VIDEOJET TECHNOLOGIES INC., Wood Dale, IL (US)
PCT Filed Dec. 21, 2020, PCT No. PCT/GB2020/053320
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 23, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/130476, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 1, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 1919228 (GB), filed on Dec. 23, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0030861 A1, Feb. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. B41J 2/165 (2006.01); B41J 2/035 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 2/16552 (2013.01) [B41J 2/035 (2013.01); B41J 2002/16573 (2013.01); B41P 2235/27 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of operating a continuous inkjet printer, the printer comprising a printhead, the printhead comprising:
a droplet generator comprising a printing nozzle for ejecting an ink jet for printing,
at least one electrode for steering the ink jet, and
a gutter having an ink receiving orifice for receiving parts of the ink jet which are not used for printing;
the method comprising performing a cleaning operation, the cleaning operation comprising:
ejecting a solvent jet from the printing nozzle towards the gutter; and
causing at least a portion of the solvent jet to contact at least a part of the gutter surrounding the ink receiving orifice for cleaning the part of the gutter surrounding the ink receiving orifice.