Ink supply unit with a baffle arrangement

• US 7,585,066 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2007
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1998
• 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 H
• Application Number:
  US11/829,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20070268343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 772 Days
• Field of Search: 347/71, 347 92- 93
• US Class Current: 347/93
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/044 Cassettes or cartridges containing continuous copy material, tape, for setting into printing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04506 aiming at correcting manufacturing tolerances
• 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 2/04565 detecting heater resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/0457 Power supply level being detected or varied
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04571 detecting viscosity
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04573 Timing; Delays
• 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 2/04596 Non-ejecting pulses
• 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 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1626 etching
• 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 2/1634 : laser 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 2/175 : Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17563 : Ink filters
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14362 : Assembling elements of heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14419 : Manifold
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 : Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/19 : Assembling head units
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 : Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49401 : Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet

Abstract

An ink supply unit is provided for a printer. The unit includes an elongate printhead configured to eject ink. An ink distribution manifold defines a printhead aperture in which the printhead is received and a series of slots through which ink can flow to the printhead. A filter can be fitted around the manifold to filter ink. A baffle unit is provided in which the ink distribution manifold and filter can be inserted. A housing is provided in which the baffle unit can be encased to form a plurality of respective ink chambers.

Claims

1. An ink supply unit for a printer, the unit comprising:

an elongate printhead configured to eject ink;

an ink distribution manifold defining a printhead aperture in which the printhead is received and a series of slots to permit ink to flow to the printhead;

a filter engageable with the manifold to filter ink;

a baffle unit in which the ink distribution manifold and filter are inserted; and

a housing in which the baffle unit is encased to form a plurality of respective ink chambers.

2. An ink supply unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is ultrasonically welded to the baffle unit.

3. An ink supply unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printhead is attached to the ink distribution manifold by means of a resilient adhesive.

4. An ink supply unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the baffle unit has a series of portions which can be pierced by a corresponding mating ink supply conduit for the flow of ink into each of the chambers.

5. An ink supply unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a series of holes which are hydrophobically sealed by means of tape or the like so as to allow air within the chambers to escape whilst ink remains within the baffle chambers.

6. An ink supply unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a series of positioning protuberances to accurately position interconnect means in the form of a tape automated bonded (TAB) film.

7. An ink supply unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the TAB film is connected to the printhead.