Ink distribution assembly for an ink jet printhead

Abstract

An ink distribution assembly for a page width ink jet printhead in the form of at least one printhead chip having sets of ink inlet openings, each set having inlet openings for receiving an ink of a particular color to be supplied to the printhead chip, includes a carrier with a printhead side that is engageable with the printhead and an opposed ink supply side. The carrier defines feed openings through the carrier in fluid communication with respective ink inlet openings of the printhead. The ink supply side of the carrier defines a number of discrete feed formations, each feed formation being configured to receive ink of a particular color and to be in fluid communication with inlet opening of a respective set. The printhead side of the carrier defines ink supply formations and the carrier defines passages in fluid communication between the ink supply formations and one of the feed formations. A cover is engageable with the carrier at the ink supply side. The cover and the ink supply side of the carrier are shaped so that, when the cover is in position, the cover serves to define a roof for the feed formations and so that the cover and the ink supply side of the carrier define ink pathways that are in fluid communication with respective feed formations. The carrier defines ink supply openings in fluid communication with respective ink pathways.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.