Printhead and ink supply arrangement
AssigneeSilverbrook Research Pty Ltd
InventorKia Silverbrook
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Microelectromechanical printheads are formed on a silicon wafer using etching technology similar that used in standard integrated circuit fabrication processes. The printheads include a very large number of micron-order ink inlet channels. A difficulty arises in accurately providing such a printhead with a reliable ink supply. The present invention addresses the above problem by providing an ink supply molding that includes a slot to receive the printhead. A plurality of ink supply passageways are formed in the ink supply molding of approximately 100 micron width. The ink supply molding is received into a baffle molding that includes ink conduits which in turn communicate with the ink supply passageway. In one embodiment a web of ink filtering material is disposed between the ink supply molding and the baffle molding.
Claims11
A printhead and ink supply arrangement including:
- a microelectromechanical page width printhead;
- an ink supply molding including a slot into which said printhead is received, said molding defining a plurality of ink supply passageways in communication with ink inlets formed on the printhead;
- and
- a baffle molding located about the ink supply molding and including ink conduits in communication with the ink supply passageways.
A printhead and ink supply arrangement including:
- a microelectromechanical pagewidth printhead;
- an ink supply molding including a slot into which said printhead is received, the molding defining a plurality of ink supply passageways in communication with ink inlets formed on the printhead;
- a baffle molding located about the ink supply molding and including
- ink conduits in communication with the ink supply passageways, and
- a series of baffles arranged to slow the flow of ink along the ink conduits in response to movement of the arrangement;
- a film bearing conduction paths to supply electrical signals to the printhead;
- and
- a housing located about the baffle molding including protuberances engaging corresponding apertures formed in the film in order to accurately locate the conduction paths relative to the printhead.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.