Inkjet printhead assembly for gapless printing

• US 7,384,127 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, King, Tobin Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Thinh H
• Application Number:
  US11/540,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20070024671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 347/40, 347/42, 347/49
• US Class Current: 347/40
• 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

An inkjet printhead assembly includes an elongate support. A plurality of printhead modules is arranged end-to-end along the support. Each printhead module includes a carrier carrying an elongate printhead configured to eject ink. Ends of each carrier define one or more complementary formations so that each adjacent pair of carriers is nested together. The printheads are positioned on the carriers to form a pair of parallel rows of spaced apart printheads with one of the rows being longitudinally offset with respect to the other row so that each printhead in the one row overlaps each adjacent printhead in the other row to enable printing without gaps along the support.

Claims

1. An inikjet printhead assembly that comprises:

an elongate support; and

a plurality of printhead modules arranged end-to-end along the support, each printhead module comprising a carrier carrying an elongate printhead configured to eject ink, ends of each carrier each defining one or more complementary formations so that each adjacent pair of carriers is nested together, the printheads being positioned on the carriers to form a pair of parallel rows of spaced apart printheads with one of the rows being longitudinally offset with respect to the other row so that each printhead in the one row overlaps each adjacent printhead in the other row to enable printing without gaps along the support,

wherein the one or more complementary formations define corresponding steps at the ends of each carrier, and

the support is an arcuate, elongate profile member which is configured so that each carrier can be partly housed by the profile member.

2. An inkjet printhead assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the profile member includes a series of longitudinally oriented and parallel inner webs and a pair of outer wall portions that support the printhead carriers.

3. An inkjet printhead assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the carriers and the inner webs and wall portions define a plurality of longitudinally extending ink channels which can engage the carriers, each carrier defining rows of apertures such that each row can be located in fluid communication with a corresponding ink channel.

4. An inkj et printhead assembly as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a printed circuit board populated with drive circuitry and which can be mounted to the profile member; and

a plurality of tape automated bonded (TAB) films which are each interconnected between the drive circuitry and a respective printhead.

5. An inikjet printhead assembly as claimed in claim 3, in which a sealing shim is interposed between the carriers and the inner webs and wall portions, the sealing shim defining apertures to permit the passage of ink from the ink channels to the carriers.