Print assembly for a wide format pagewidth printer

• US 6,857,724 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2002
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huffman, Julian D.
• Application Number:
  US10/120,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20020154189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 347/12, 347/13, 347/40, 347/42, 347/49, 347/54, 347/5
• US Class Current: 347/42
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/155 for line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1601 Production of bubble jet print heads B41J2/1606, B41J2/162 take precedence
• 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 2/1637 molding
• 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 2/1643 thin film formation by plating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1645 thin film formation by spincoating
• 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 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/041 : Electromagnetic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/20 : Modules
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 : Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 : Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 : in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 : Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 : Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 : by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 : multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/073 : Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 : using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 : 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/56 : using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 : Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 : Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation

Abstract

A print assembly for a wide format printer includes a carrier that is mountable on a support structure of the wide format printer in an operative position with respect to a platen of the wide format printer. A number of printhead chips are positioned on the carrier, the printhead chips together incorporating at least fifty thousand nozzle arrangements. The printhead chips are positioned so that the printhead chips are capable of ejecting ink drops into a printing zone defined by the platen. Control circuitry is also positioned on the carrier and is configured to control operation of the printhead chips.

Claims

1. A print assembly for a wide format printer, the print assembly comprising:

an elongate carrier that is mountable on a support structure of the printer in an operative position with respect to a platen of the wide format printer,

a number of printhead chips positioned on the carrier, the printhead chips together incorporating at least fifty thousand nozzle arrangements, the printhead chips being positioned so that the printhead chips are capable of ejecting ink drops into a printing zone defined by the platen, and wherein each of the printhead chips includes drive circuitry for selectively providing drive current to each of the nozzles for causing ejection of the ink drops; and

a plurality of control circuitry positioned on the carrier remote from the printhead chips and each configured to separately control operation of at least one printhead chip of the plurality of printhead chips by providing control signals to the drive circuitry associated with the at least one printhead chip in synchronization with the control signals provided by the other control circuitry to the other printhead chips.

2. A print assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the printhead chips together incorporate at least one hundred thousand nozzle arrangements.

3. A print assembly as claimed in claim 2, in which the printhead chips together incorporate at least two hundred thousand nozzle arrangements.

4. A print assembly as claimed in claim 3, which includes between forty and one hundred printhead chips positioned on the carrier.

5. A print assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which each printhead chip is the product of an integrated circuit fabrication process.

6. A print assembly as claimed in claim 5, in which each printhead chip includes a wafer substrate and a CMOS drive circuitry layer positioned on the wafer substrate with the nozzle arrangements positioned on the wafer substrate and the CMOS drive circuitry layer.

7. A print assembly as claimed in claim 6, in which each nozzle arrangement is in the form of a micro electro-mechanical system that is electrically connected to the CMOS drive circuitry layer.

8. A print assembly as claimed in claim 6, which includes a plurality of printhead module, each printhead module incorporating at least one of the printhead chips, the printhead modules being mounted on the carrier.

9. A print assembly as claimed in claim 8, in which a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) is mounted on each printhead module and connected between the CMOS drive circuitry layer of each printhead chip and the control circuitry.

10. A print assembly as claimed in claim 8, in which the printhead modules are configured so that the printhead chips are each positioned at a common angle of greater than zero degrees and less than ninety degrees with respect to a line extending a length of the printing zone, so that consecutive printhead chips overlap at their ends.

11. A wide format printer that comprises:

a support structure;

a print assembly positioned on the support structure, the print assembly comprising;

a carrier that is mounted in an operative position with respect to a platen of the wide format printer;

a number of printhead chips positioned on the carrier, the printhead chips together incorporating at least fifty thousand nozzle arrangements, the printhead chips being positioned so that the printhead chips are capable of ejecting ink drops into a printing zone defined by the platen, and wherein each of the printhead chips includes drive circuitry for selectively providing drive current to each of the nozzles for causing ejection of the ink drops; and

a plurality of control circuitry positioned on the carrier remote from the printhead chips and each configured to separately control operation of at least one printhead chip of the plurality of printhead chips by providing control signals to the drive circuitry associated with the at least one printhead chip in synchronization with the control signals provided by the other control circuitry to the other printhead chips; and

a media feed mechanism positioned on the support structure to feed media into the print assembly.

12. A print assembly for a wide format printer, the print assembly comprising:

an elongate carrier that is mountable on a support structure of the printer in an operative position with respect to a platen of the wide format printer;

a number of printhead chips positioned on the carrier, the printhead chips together incorporating at least fifty thousand nozzle arrangements, the printhead chips being positioned so that the printhead chips are capable of ejecting ink drops into a printing zone defined by the platen, and wherein each of the printhead chips includes drive circuitry for selectively providing drive current to each of the nozzles for causing ejection of the ink drops; and

control circuitry positioned on the carrier remote from the printhead chips and configured to control operation of the printhead chips by providing control signals to the drive circuitry,

wherein each printhead chip includes a wafer substrate and a CMOS drive circuitry layer positioned on the wafer substrate with the nozzle arrangements positioned on the wafer substrate and the CMOS drive circuitry layer,

the printhead chips are incorporated in a plurality of printhead modules mounted on the carrier, and

a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) is mounted on each printhead module and connected between the CMOS drive circuitry layer of each printhead chip and the control circuitry.