Shim alignment for multiple rows of printhead chips

• US 10,357,970 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2018
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Inventors: Thelander, Jason, Burke, David, Thomas, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Anh T
• Application Number:
  US15/888,880
• Publication Number:
  US 20180222191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14 Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14145 Structure of the manifold
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1433 Structure of nozzle plates
• 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 2/1752 Mounting within the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17523 Ink connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/19 for removing air bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/21 for multi-colour printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/2103 Features not dealing with the colouring process per se, e.g. construction of printers or heads, driving circuit adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14362 Assembling elements of heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14419 Manifold
• 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: B41J 25/34 Bodily-changeable print heads or carriages

Abstract

An inkjet printhead includes: a manifold having a plurality of ink outlets defined in a manifold surface; a shim adhesively bonded to the manifold surface, the shim having apertures aligned with the ink outlets; a first row of printhead chips adhesively bonded to the shim; and a second row of printhead chips adhesively bonded to the shim. The shim is a one-part common shim for mounting all printhead chips of the first and second row.

Claims

1. An inkjet printhead comprising:

a manifold having a plurality of ink outlets defined in a manifold surface;

a shim adhesively bonded to the manifold surface, the shim having apertures aligned with the ink outlets;

a first row of printhead chips adhesively bonded to the shim; and

a second row of printhead chips adhesively bonded to the shim,

wherein;

the shim is a one-part common shim for mounting all printhead chips of the first and second row; and

the shim comprises first and second longitudinal shim portions corresponding to the first and second rows of printhead chips, each of the first and second longitudinal shim portions comprising respective first and second apertures.

2. The inkjet printhead of claim 1, wherein the first and second longitudinal shim portions are interconnected via a plurality of trusses.

3. The inkjet printhead of claim 2, wherein the trusses extend transversely relative to the longitudinal shim portions.

4. The inkjet printhead of claim 1, wherein the shim is comprised of a metal or metal alloy.

5. The inkjet printhead of claim 1, wherein the shim and the manifold are comprised of a same material.

6. The inkjet printhead of claim 1, wherein the shim comprises a plurality of mechanical alignment tabs engaged with complementary alignment features defined in the manifold surface.

7. The inkjet printhead of claim 6, wherein the shim comprises first and second longitudinal shim portions interconnected via a plurality of trusses and wherein the trusses comprise one or more of the alignment tabs.

8. The inkjet printhead of claim 7, wherein the first and second rows comprise a plurality of printheads chips butted together in a line.

9. The inkjet printhead of claim 1, wherein the shim has a thickness in the range of 100 to 1000 microns.