Fluid supply mechanism for a printhead

• US 6,886,915 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2002
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LAM S
• Application Number:
  US10/273,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20030132985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 347/50, 347/42, 347/13, 347/47
• US Class Current: 347/50
• 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 2/04585 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 2/14 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 2/16 Production of nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1628 dry 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 2/1646 thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1648 : Production of print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 : Electrical connection

Abstract

A printer with a user replaceable elongate pagewidth inkjet printhead. The print head has at least one inlet port in and external surface in fluid communication with the nozzles and electrical connectors for power and control signals to the ejection actuators. The printer also has a housing for receiving the printhead. The housing has at least one outlet port for connection to a corresponding inlet port on the printhead and a plurality of second electrical connectors for connection with corresponding frist electrical connectors on the printhead. The printhead and housing are configured to be user replaceabe in a simple, convenient, single action that establishes both the ink and electrical connection to the ejection devices.

Claims

1. A pagewidth printer for printing the width of a media substrate, the printer comprising:

a user replaceable elongate pagewidth print head, the print head comprising

a longitudinally extending first array of ink ejection devices, the first array having a length substantially equal to the width of the media substrate;

a first inlet port in an external surface of the print head in fluid communication with all the ink ejection devices in order to supply them with ink for ejection;

a plurality of first electrical connectors located on an external surface of the print head in electrical connection with the ink ejection devices for communication of control signals to the ink ejection devices, whereby ink may be selectively expelled from the ink ejection devices;

a housing for receiving the print head, the housing including;

a first outlet port for connection to the first inlet port on the print head;

a plurality of second electrical connectors for connection with corresponding first electrical connectors on the print head,

wherein the first inlet port, the first out-let port and said first and second electrical connectors are configured such that insertion of the pagewidth print head into the housing by movement in the longitudinal direction, connects the inlet and outlet ports the electrical connectors together as a single action.

2. The printer of claim 1 wherein the at least one inlet port is located on a transverse end of the print head.

3. The printer of claim 1 wherein the first electrical connectors are located on a longitudinally extending external surface of the print head.

4. The printer of claim 1 wherein the first electrical connectors are located adjacent to the at least one inlet port.

5. The printer of claim 1 wherein, in use, the or each outlet port extends into the or each corresponding inlet port.

6. The printer of claim 1 further comprising:

second and third longitudinally extending arrays of ink ejection devices, the second and third arrays having a length substantially equal to the width of the media substrate;

second and third inlet ports in an external surface of the print head in fluid communication with the ink ejection devices in the second and third arrays respectively;

the first electrical connectors further providing control signals to the ink ejection devices of the second and third arrays for selectively expelling ink from the ink ejection devices; and

the housing further comprising;

second and third outlet ports for connection to the second and third inlet ports respectively;

wherein,

the first, second and third inlet ports, the first, second and third out let ports and said first and second electrical connectors are configured for connection upon insertion of the pagewidth print head into the housing in a single action.

7. The printer of claim 6, wherein the first, second and third inlet ports are for different ink colors.