Inkjet printhead assembly having printhead chip carriers received in slot

• US 10,035,347 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2017
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, King, Tobin Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lamson
• Application Number:
  US15/705,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20180001633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 320 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14 Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1433 Structure of nozzle plates
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/145 Arrangement thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/155 for line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/21 for multi-colour printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14362 Assembling elements of heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14419 Manifold
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14459 Matrix arrangement of the pressure chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/19 Assembling head units
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/20 Modules
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49401 Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet

Abstract

A printhead is provided having an elongate support having a plurality of internal webs protruding from a base section to define a plurality of parallel fluid supply channels, a shim supported by the support and defining a plurality of rows of openings through which fluid from respective supply channels is supplied, and a plurality of elongate printhead modules supported serially on the shim. Each module defines a plurality of fluid supply passages through which fluid passes to fluid ejection nozzles from respective rows of the openings. Either end of each module defines complementary formations such that adjacent modules nest together.

Claims

1. An inkjet printhead assembly comprising:

a support structure having a plurality of ink supply channels;

a plurality of print modules mounted on the support structure in an overlapping arrangement, each print module comprising;

a printhead chip carrier having a plurality of carrier inlet channels, each carrier inlet channel receiving ink from a respective ink supply channel and supplying ink to an ink delivery slot extending lengthwise along the printhead chip carrier; and

one and only one printhead chip mounted on the printhead chip carrier, the printhead chip receiving ink from a plurality of the ink delivery slots, wherein;

a shim is positioned between the support structure and the print modules, the shim having a plurality of openings allowing passage of ink from the ink supply channels to the carrier inlet channels.

2. The inkjet printhead assembly of claim 1, wherein the carrier inlet channels are tapered towards the ink delivery slots.

3. The inkjet printhead assembly of claim 1, wherein the support structure defines a recess for receiving the print modules.

4. The inkjet printhead assembly of claim 1, further comprising a shield plate covering external surfaces of the print modules, wherein each printhead chip is exposed through a respective slot defined in the shield plate.

5. The inkjet printhead assembly of claim 4, wherein the shield plate is bonded to the external surfaces of the print modules.

6. The inkjet printhead assembly of claim 4, wherein the shield plate provides a seal around the printhead chips when the printhead chips are capped during idle periods.

7. The inkjet printhead assembly of claim 1, wherein each printhead chip carrier has a recess for mounting its respective printhead chip.

8. The inkjet printhead assembly of claim 1, wherein the printhead chip comprises a plurality of nozzle rows, and wherein a first nozzle row receives ink from a first carrier inlet channel at a first side of the printhead chip carrier and a second nozzle row receives ink from a second carrier inlet channel at an opposite second side of the printhead chip carrier.

9. A method of delivering one or more inks to a plurality of printhead chips, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the ink in a plurality of ink supply channels of a support structure;

delivering the ink from the ink supply channels to respective print modules mounted on the support structure in an overlapping arrangement;

converging the ink from ink inlets at opposite sides of each print module towards a plurality of ink delivery slots via tapered carrier inlet channels; and

delivering the ink from the plurality of ink delivery slots in each print module to a respective one of the printhead chips,

wherein the ink passes through openings in a shim positioned between the support structure and the print modules.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the printhead chip comprises a plurality of nozzle rows, and wherein a first nozzle row receives ink from a first carrier inlet channel at one side of the print module and a second nozzle row receives ink from a second carrier inlet channel at an opposite second side of the print module.