Print assembly for a wide format printer

• US 7,172,265 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• 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, King, Tobin Allen, Walmsley, Simon Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LAMSON D
• Application Number:
  US11/231,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20060012635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 347/49, 347/42, 347/58, 347/59
• US Class Current: 347/49
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0005 Curl smoothing, i.e. smoothing down corrugated printing material, e.g. by pressing means acting on wrinkled printing material
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/06 Flat page-size platens or smaller flat platens having a greater size than line-size platens B41J11/0085 takes precedence
• 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 2/15 for serial printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/155 for line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16 Production of nozzles
• 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 2/175 : Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• 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 2/25 : Print wires
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/041 : Electromagnetic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 : Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/20 : Modules
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 : Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/02 : Framework
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/38 : Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/393 : Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine ; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 : Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 : Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• 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 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 1/2154 : the still video camera incorporating a hardcopy reproducing device, e.g. a printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 : Still video cameras
• 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 housing. An elongate chassis is positioned in the housing and is mountable on a support structure to be positioned above a substrate. A platen assembly is mounted on the chassis and is configured to extend substantially along a length of the chassis. A feed mechanism is mounted on the chassis to feed wide format print media along the feed path. An elongate carrier is mounted on the chassis to extend substantially along the length of the chassis. A plurality of printhead modules is mounted on the carrier. Each printhead module includes an ink distribution assembly and an elongate printhead integrated circuit mounted on the ink distribution assembly. The printhead modules are configured so that the printhead integrated circuits span the platen. A number of control circuitry units is mounted on the chassis. Each control circuitry unit is connected to at least one respective printhead integrated circuit to control operation of said at least one respective printhead integrated circuit.

Claims

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

an elongate chassis positioned in the housing and mountable on a support structure to be positioned above a substrate;

a platen assembly mounted on the chassis and configured to extend substantially along a length of the chassis;

a feed mechanism mounted on the chassis to feed wide format print media along the feed path;

an elongate carrier mounted on the chassis to extend substantially along the length of the chassis;

a plurality of printhead modules mounted on the carrier, each printhead module including an ink distribution assembly and an elongate printhead integrated circuit mounted on the ink distribution assembly, the printhead modules being configured so that the printhead integrated circuits span the platen; and

a number of control circuitry units mounted on the chassis, each control circuitry unit being connected to at least one respective printhead integrated circuit to control operation of said at least one respective printhead integrated circuit.

2. A print assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the platen assembly includes an upper platen and a lower platen, the feed mechanism being configured to drive a sheet of print media over, consecutively, an inner surface of the lower platen and an outer surface of the upper platen.

3. A print assembly as claimed in claim 2, in which the feed mechanism is in the form of roller assemblies mounted on the chassis to engage and drive the print media through the platen assembly.

4. A print assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the elongate carrier is a channel member, the printhead modules being mounted, end to end, in the channel member such that the ink distribution members of the printhead modules are in fluid communication with each other and the print assembly includes an ink connector mounted on an endmost printhead module to permit ink conduits to feed ink to the ink distribution members.

5. A print assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which each printhead integrated circuit has a plurality of nozzle arrangements incorporating micro-electromechanical actuators for ejecting ink from respective ink chambers.

6. A print assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the control circuitry units are printed circuit boards that are mounted end-to-end on the chassis, each printed circuit board being connected to a plurality of printhead integrated circuits with flexible connectors that transmit data signals to the printhead integrated circuits via the flexible connectors.

7. A print assembly as claimed in claim 6, in which busbars are mounted on the chassis and are configured to transmit electrical power to the print engine controllers and the printhead integrated circuits.

8. A print assembly as claimed in claim 7, in which the busbars are interposed between the printed circuit boards and a side of the chassis.