5-34
Phaser 380 Color Printer
5
Theory of Operation
Preparation.
Following printer power-up from a cold start or in response to a
front panel menu selection, the print engine begins a printhead long cleaning
cycle. The first step is to stop any ink melting operation. Next, the main board
starts the heaters in the cap/wipe/purge assembly. The main board starts the
vacuum pump, which begins to create a vacuum in the vacuum accumulator.
The pressure in the accumulator is lowered to about 10.2 psi. The vacuum pump
operates about 75 to 90 seconds to achieve this vacuum and then the pump is
shut off. Meanwhile, the printhead is tilted into the standby position, in an
action almost identical to the printhead tilt-to-print action described in the
earlier topic “Print process in operation” on page 5-20. In this case, the cam
follower follows the groove in the rotating cam gear, tilting the printhead
backward. Following the head tilt, the cap/wipe/motor rotates to pull the
cap/wipe/purge assembly into its cleaning position. Next, the printhead is
tilted forward slightly to seal against the cap/wipe/purge assembly.
Purge.
Actual cleaning begins with the air valve solenoid energizing for
0.375 seconds; this momentarily routes the vacuum accumulator to the
cap/wipe/purge assembly and exposes the printhead faceplate to the vacuum.
The vacuum bleeds off after about 8 seconds through a 7 mil orifice on the air
vale. Then the printhead is tilted backward to break the seal and the printer
waits for 10 seconds for the waste ink to drain from the cap/wipe/purge
assembly.
Long wipe.
The cap/wipe/purge motor slowly rotates clockwise to pull the
cap/wipe/purge assembly’s wiper blade down the face of the printhead,
wiping away ink and debris.
Long flush.
The printhead is tilted back slightly and the cap/wipe/purge
assembly is raised to bring the wiper blade even with the jet nozzles. All jets are
fired for 10 seconds to flush air bubbles and foreign matter out of the jets. The
waste ink drips into the waste tray of the drum maintenance tray.
Dab.
The cap/wipe/purge assembly is lowered slightly and the printhead is
tilted forward to dab the wiper blade against the lower faceplate to clean ink off
the wiper. The cap/wipe/purge assembly is successively lowered slightly and
the printhead tilted back and forth four more times to dab the wiper blade.
Short wipe.
Following the dab, the cap/wipe/purge assembly is raised and the
printhead is tilted forward against the wiper blade. The cap/wipe/purge
assembly is slowly lowered again to clean the faceplate but stops sooner, before
it contacts the debris from the first wipe.
Short flush.
The printhead is tilted back slightly and the cap/wipe/purge
assembly is raise to bring the wiper blade even with the jet nozzles. All jets are
fired again for 0.6 seconds.
Summary of Contents for PHASER 380
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Page 346: ...C 4 Phaser 380 Color Printer C Wiring Diagrams Figure C 6 Wire dressing behind the printhead...