Inkjet printhead assembly having printhead chip carriers received in slot

• US 9,713,923 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2016
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, King, Tobin Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LAMSON D
• Application Number:
  US15/380,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20170136768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 222 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14 Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1433 Structure of nozzle plates
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/145 Arrangement thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/155 for line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/21 for multi-colour printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14362 Assembling elements of heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14419 Manifold
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14459 Matrix arrangement of the pressure chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 Electrical connection
• 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: Y10T 29/49401 Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet

Abstract

A printhead is provided having an elongate support having a plurality of internal webs protruding from a base section to define a plurality of parallel fluid supply channels, a shim supported by the support and defining a plurality of rows of openings through which fluid from respective supply channels is supplied, and a plurality of elongate printhead modules supported serially on the shim. Each module defines a plurality of fluid supply passages through which fluid passes to fluid ejection nozzles from respective rows of the openings. Either end of each module defines complementary formations such that adjacent modules nest together.

Claims

1. An inkjet printhead assembly comprising:

a support structure defining a recess having a plurality of ink outlets;

a plurality of print modules

received in the recess in a neighboring arrangement, each print module comprising;

a printhead chip carrier having a plurality of ink inlets aligned with a corresponding plurality of ink outlets, a plurality of ink delivery slots extending lengthwise along the printhead chip carrier, and a plurality of ink supply channels extending between the ink inlets and the ink delivery slots; and

a printhead chip individually mounted on a respective printhead chip carrier, the printhead chip receiving ink from a respective plurality of ink delivery slots,

wherein;

each ink supply channel is tapered from one of the ink inlets towards one of the ink delivery slots; and

the ink inlets are relatively wider than the ink delivery slots.

2. The inkjet printhead assembly of claim 1, wherein the printhead chips are positioned in two parallel rows in a staggered overlapping arrangement.

3. The inkjet printhead assembly of claim 1, wherein each printhead chip carrier is configured to supply a plurality of different colored inks to its respective printhead chip.

4. The inkjet printhead assembly of claim 1, further comprising a shield plate covering external surfaces of the print module, wherein each printhead chip has rows of nozzles exposed through a respective slot defined in the shield plate.

5. The inkjet printhead assembly of claim 4, wherein the shield plate is bonded to the external surfaces of the print modules.

6. The inkjet printhead assembly of claim 4, wherein the shield plate provides a seal around the printhead chips when the printhead chips are capped during idle periods.

7. The inkjet printhead assembly of claim 1, wherein each printhead chip carrier comprises a molded plastics structure defining the ink delivery slots and the ink supply channels.

8. The inkjet printhead assembly of claim 1, wherein each printhead chip carrier has a respective recess for mounting its respective printhead chip.

9. The inkjet printhead assembly of claim 1, wherein the printhead chip comprises a plurality of nozzle rows, and wherein a first nozzle row receives ink from a first ink inlet positioned at one side of the printhead chip carrier and a second nozzle row receives ink from a second ink inlet positioned at an opposite second side of the printhead chip carrier.

10. The inkjet printhead assembly of claim 1, further comprising a shim positioned between the support structure and the plurality of printhead chip carriers.

11. The inkjet printhead assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the ink delivery slots receives ink from a plurality of ink inlets.

12. The inkjet printhead assembly of claim 1, wherein each ink delivery slot is relatively longer than each ink inlet with respect to a lengthwise dimension of the printhead chip carrier.