PRINTER INCORPORATING A PRINT ROLL UNIT SUPPLYING INK TO A BAFFLED INK SUPPLY UNIT

• US 20080012923A1
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Granted Patent: US 7,506,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/108
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 2201/00 Polymeric substrate or laminate
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/08 by flames
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04528 aiming at warming up the head
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04541 Specific driving circuit
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04543 Block driving
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04553 detecting ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04563 detecting head temperature; Ink temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04571 detecting viscosity
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04585 controlling heads based on thermal bent actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04588 using a specific waveform
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04591 Width of the driving signal being adjusted
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04596 Non-ejecting pulses
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14 Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1626 etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1628 dry etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1629 wet etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1631 photolithography
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1632 machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1635 : dividing the wafer into individual chips
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1639 : sacrificial molding
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1642 : thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1646 : thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1648 : Production of print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14419 : Manifold
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 : Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49345 : Catalytic device making

Abstract

A printer includes a print roll unit. The print roll unit includes a former in which ink can be stored and print media rolled around the former. The printer further includes a platen and an ink supply unit between which the print media passes during printing. The ink supply unit includes an elongate printhead configured to eject ink onto the print media supported by the platen. An ink distribution manifold defines a print head aperture in which the printhead is received and a series of slots to permit ink to flow to the printhead. A filter is able to engage with the manifold to filter ink. A baffle unit is provided in which the ink distribution manifold and filter are inserted. A housing is provided in which the baffle unit is encased to form a plurality of respective ink chambers connected in fluid communication to receive ink from the former.

Claims

1. A printer comprising

a print roll unit, the print roll unit having a former in which ink can be stored and print media rolled around the former;

and

a platen and an ink supply unit between which the print media passes during printing, the ink supply unit comprising;

an elongate printhead configured to eject ink onto the print media supported by the platen;

an ink distribution manifold defining a print head aperture in which the printhead is received and a series of slots to permit ink to flow to the printhead;

a filter able to engage with the manifold to filter ink;

a baffle unit in which the ink distribution manifold and filter are inserted; and

a housing in which the baffle unit is encased to form a plurality of respective ink chambers connectable in fluid communication to receive ink from the former.

2. A printer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is ultrasonically welded to the baffle unit.

3. A printer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printhead is attached to the ink distribution manifold with a resilient adhesive.

4. A printer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the baffle unit has a series of portions which can be pierced by a corresponding mating ink supply conduit for the flow of ink into each of the chambers.

5. A printer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a series of holes which are hydrophobically sealed by means of tape or the like to allow air within the chambers to escape whilst ink remains within the baffle chambers.

6. A printer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a series of positioning protuberances to position interconnect means in the form of a tape automated bonded (TAB) film.

7. A printer as claimed in claim 6, wherein the TAB film can be connected to the printhead.