US Patent 7134739 Print engine with air-cleaned printhead

A print engine includes a stepper motor that advances print media upon demand and simultaneously drives an air pump. A molding provides a receptacle that receives an impeller of the air pump, an air inlet pin that couples with an air filter located on a print cartridge and an air conduit that couples the output of the air pump to a print head assembly. In use, the air pump operates to direct air across a print head of the print head assembly thereby inhibiting accumulation of foreign particles about the print head.