Air extraction method for inkjet printer patent granted to ailing OEM.
Kodak has been 
awarded patent number 8,313,181 pertaining to a method of extracting air from an inkjet printhead using an air extraction chamber, as invented by Richard A. Murray.
The patent denotes that “in a conventional inkjet printer, a part of the printhead maintenance station is a cap that is connected to a suction pump, such as a peristaltic or tube pump […] the pumping of ink through the nozzles is not a very efficient process and wastes a significant amount of ink over the life of the printer.
“What is needed is an air extraction device for an inkjet printhead that can remove air with little or no wastage of ink, that is compatible with a compact printer architecture, that is low cost, that is environmentally friendly, and that does not delay the printing operation.”
Kodak has recently engaged in a bondholder deal that may help the OEM escape bankruptcy. The deal included $476 million (€375 million) in new loans, although was dependant on the successful sale of its patent collection for at least $500 million (€394 million).