Patent attributes
A method of maintaining a printhead in an operable condition and/or remediating a printhead to an operable condition is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (i) providing an elastically deformable maintenance belt having a contact surface for sealing engagement with an ink ejection face of the printhead, the contact surface being sloped with respect to the face; (ii) moving the belt into a first position in which a clean part of the contact surface is sealingly engaged with the face, the movement being such that the contact surface progressively contacts the face during engagement; (iii) moving the belt into a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the face, the movement being such that the contact surface peels away from the face, thereby providing an inked part of the contact surface; (iv) conveying the belt such that the inked part of the contact surface is conveyed away from the printhead; and (v) optionally repeating steps (ii) to (iv).
