Appeal No. 2002-0881
Application No. 09/169,071
APPEALED SUBJECT MATTER
Claim 6 is representative of the subject matter on appeal
and reads as follows:
6. An inkjet printhead including a cleaning
structure defining:
a) an outlet orifice plate having a plurality
of orifices for ejecting ink droplets and having a surface
formed of material including silver or gold;
b) means defining a pumping cavity in
communication with the orifices for receiving ink and
formed, at least in part, of a piezo electric material
which, when energized, squeezes the pumping cavity to eject
ink through the orifice; and
c) a cleaning station including means for
applying a cleaning liquid to clean the orifice plate, such
cleaning liquid including a hydrophobic additive in the
liquid having a strong affinity for the material which forms
the orifice surface and coats such surface to form a
protective coating of such additive so that if a portion of
the protective coating is removed, such portion will be
repaired by the additive material.
PRIOR ART REFERENCES
As evidence of obviousness, the examiner relies on the
following prior art references:
Takahashi et al. (Takahashi) 5,005,024 Apr. 2, 1991
Ochiai et al. (Ochiai) 5,311,218 May 10, 1994
Nakazawa et al. (Nakazawa) 5,397,386 Mar. 14, 1995
Halko et al. (Halko) 5,598,193 Jan. 28, 1997
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