Inkjet print assembly for high volume pagewidth printing

• US 7,290,856 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2005
• Issued: 11/06/2007
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Do; An H.
• Application Number:
  US11/072,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20050157066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 347/29, 347 40- 42, 347/49, 347/50, 347/37, 347/86
• 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 2/145 Arrangement thereof
• 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 2202/21 : Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/38 : Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
• 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 15/102 : using ink jet print heads
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1857 : involving parallel processing in the same printing apparatus
• 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 1/40031 : for a plurality of reproducing elements simultaneously
• 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

An inkjet print assembly for high-volume pagewidth printing is attached to a support structure within a printer. In use the print assembly is positioned operatively with respect to a platen assembly also located in the support structure, the platen assembly defining a pagewidth printing zone. The print assembly includes a chassis that is mounted on the support structure to span the printing zone. A plurality of printhead modules is positioned on the chassis. Each printhead module has a carrier, a printhead chip mounted on the carrier and a flexible printed circuit board connected to the chip to provide the chip with control signals. The printhead modules are positioned so that the printhead chips overlie the printing zone. A plurality of printed circuit boards is mounted on the chassis. Each printed circuit board has control circuitry that is connected to a predetermined number of printhead chips. The printer includes a feed mechanism for feeding print media through the printing zone, over the platen assembly.

Claims

1. An inkjet print assembly for high-volume pagewidth printing, the print assembly being configured for mounting on a support structure within a printer, in use the assembly being positioned operatively with respect to a platen assembly that defines a pagewidth printing zone, and a feed mechanism for feeding print media through the printing zone over the platen assembly, the print assembly comprising:

a chassis for mounting the print assembly on the support structure to span the printing zone;

a plurality of printhead modules positioned on the chassis, each printhead module having a carrier, a printhead chip mounted on the carrier and a flexible printed circuit board connected to the chip to provide the chip with control signals, the printhead modules being positioned consecutively along the width of the printing zone so that the printhead chips overlie the printing zone; and

a plurality of print controllers, each print controller being connected to a predetermined number of the printhead chips, configured to process print data and control the predetermined number of printhead chips to print the processed print data, and mounted on one of a plurality of printed circuit boards mounted on the chassis.

2. An inkjet print assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the support structure includes a pair of spaced feet and a leg extending from each foot, the print assembly being mounted on the legs to span the legs.

3. An inkjet print assembly as claimed in claim 1, which includes an ink distribution arrangement mounted on the chassis to supply the printhead chips with ink, and an ink reservoir assembly also mounted on the chassis and in fluid communication with the ink distribution arrangement to supply the ink distribution arrangement with ink.

4. An inkjet print assembly as claimed in claim 3, in which the ink reservoir assembly includes an ink reservoir structure that defines a plurality of elongate channels that extend across the printing zone, differently colored inks being received in respective channels, each channel being connectable to a respective ink cartridge with a suitable ink conduit.

5. An inkjet print assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which each printhead module is detachably mounted on the chassis to facilitate replacement of the printhead module.

6. An inkjet print assembly as claimed in claim 2, in which the feed mechanism includes a media roll that spans the legs and a take up spool that also spans the legs, the roll and the spool being rotatable to feed media from the media roll, through the printing zone and onto the take-up spool.

7. An inkjet print assembly as claimed in claim 1, which includes a plurality of capping devices, associated with respective printhead modules, each capping device being mounted on the chassis and being displaceable between an operative position in which the capping device serves to cap the printhead chip of its associated module and an inoperative position in which the capping device is displaced from the printhead chip.