Wide format printer with a plurality of printhead integrated circuits

• US 7,159,965 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2005
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• 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, LAMSON D
• Application Number:
  US11/272,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20060055756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 347/42, 347/49, 347 57- 59, 347/108
• US Class Current: 347/42
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/01 Ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/15 for serial printing
• 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 2/17503 : Ink cartridges
• 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 2202/19 : Assembling head units
• 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: 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 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 wide format printer includes an elongate support structure interposed between a pair of legs. A wide format printhead assembly is mounted on the support structure. The printhead assembly includes a series of elongate printhead integrated circuits oriented to span a wide format printing zone and to carry out a printing operation on print media fed through the printing zone. A feed mechanism is mounted on the support structure to feed print media through the printing zone. A housing is mounted on the support structure to house the printhead assembly and the feed mechanism. A print media supply arrangement is interposed between the legs.

Claims

1. A wide format printer that comprises

an elongate support structure interposed between a pair of legs;

a wide format printhead assembly mounted on the support structure, the printhead assembly including a series of elongate printhead integrated circuits oriented to span a wide format printing zone and to carry out a printing operation on print media fed through the printing zone;

a feed mechanism mounted on the support structure to feed print media through the printing zone;

a housing mounted on the support structure to house the printhead assembly and the feed mechanism; and

a print media supply arrangement interposed between the legs.

2. A wide format printer as claimed in claim 1, in which the printhead assembly includes a carrier that is mounted on the support structure and a series of printhead modules mounted on the carrier to span the printing zone, each printhead module including an ink distribution structure, an ink reservoir structure being mounted in the carrier and in fluid communication with each ink distribution structure, each printhead integrated circuit being mounted on a respective ink distribution structure to receive ink.

3. A wide format printer as claimed in claim 2, in which the carrier is in the form of an elongate channel having a floor and a pair of sidewalls, the printhead modules being mounted, end-to-end, in the channel, with the ink reservoir structure being positioned on the floor of the channel.

4. A wide format printer as claimed in claim 2, which includes a series of printed circuit boards mounted on the carrier, each printed circuit board being connected to a respective number of printhead integrated circuits to control the operation of the printhead integrated circuits.

5. A wide format printer as claimed in claim 2, in which the ink reservoir structure defines a number of ink passages for respective inks, extending a length of the support structure, the respective ink distribution structures defining ink ducts in fluid communication with the passages to feed ink to the printhead integrated circuits.

6. A wide format printer as claimed in claim 5, in which a number of ink containers are positioned on the support structure and are connected to respective passages of the ink reservoir structure with suitable conduits.

7. A wide format printer as claimed in claim 1, in which includes a platen assembly that extends between the legs to define the printing zone, the feed mechanism being in the form of a roller assembly mounted operatively with respect to the platen assembly to feed the print media through the platen assembly.