Molded printhead
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsChien-Hua Chen, Michael W. Cumbie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one example, a molded printhead includes a printhead die embedded in a molding and an external electrical contact electrically connected to the printhead die and exposed outside the molding to connect to circuitry external to the printhead. The molding has a channel therein through which fluid may pass to the back part of the die. The front part of the die is exposed outside the molding and the back part of the die is covered by the molding except at the channel and the thickness of the molding varies from a lesser thickness around the die to a greater thickness away from the die.
Claims14
A printhead, comprising:
- a printhead die having a front part along which fluid may be dispensed from the die, the die embedded in a molding having a channel therein through which fluid may pass to a back part of the die, the front part of the die exposed outside the molding and the back part of the die covered by the molding except at the channel;
- an external electrical contact electrically connected to the printhead die and exposed outside the molding to connect to circuitry external to the printhead;
- and
- a non-printhead die electronic device buried in the molding and electrically connected to an external contact.
A print bar, comprising:
- an arrangement of multiple printhead dies;
- a non-printhead die electronic device at one end of the arrangement of dies;
- and
- a monolithic molding covering the dies and the electronic device such that fluid dispensing orifices at a front part of each die are exposed outside the molding and a fluid inlet at a back part of each die is exposed to a channel in the molding, a profile of the molding defining a narrower part along the dies and a broader part at the electronic device.
A method for making a molded printhead assembly, comprising:
- providing a printed circuit board with a non-printhead die electronic device mounted on a back surface of the printed circuit board;
- providing a printhead die having fluid dispensing orifices exposed along a front surface of the printhead die;
- placing the printed circuit board front surface down on a carrier;
- placing the printhead die front surface down on the carrier;
- molding over the printed circuit board, the electronic device, and the printhead die such that the molding is narrower along the printhead die and broader at the electronic device;
- and
- forming a channel through the molding to a fluid inlet at a back part of the printhead die.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.