Ink and media cartridge with axial ink chambers

Abstract

A detachable ink supply unit is disclosed for interconnection to a print head for printing images. The supply unit including a print roll of print media onto which the print head prints images, and an ink cartridge located internally of the print roll and containing a plurality of ink supply reservoirs along an internal axis of the print roll. Each reservoir including an air hole at one end and a pierceable seal at another end for the insertion of an ink channel element for fluid communication of the reservoir with the print head. Further, the air hole can be interconnected to a hydrophobic channel having a winding channel path so as to minimize the possibilities of ink flow through the channel. The unit can further include a series of decurling rollers which pinch the print media and bend the print media in an opposite direction to the direction of bend of the print media on the print roll. The ink supply unit can include a cover portion having a slot defined therein for passage of the print media and the surface surrounding the slot can include a raised portion for engaging a corresponding portion of the print head unit for the accurate alignment of the supply unit relative to the print head.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.