Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080211858 | Inkjet Printhead With Electrical Disconnection Of Printhead Prior To Removal - A maintenance assembly for a pagewidth printer, said assembly operatively mounted between posts of a main body of the printer so that the maintenance assembly is positioned adjacent a printhead assembly of the printer. The maintenance assembly includes a maintenance chassis defining tongue portions and having ends which are shaped to fit over the posts of the main body to secure the maintenance assembly in position. The maintenance assembly also includes a retainer element operatively engaging the chassis, and a lower molding and an upper molding operatively fast with each other to sandwich an absorbent insert between them. The moldings are in turn sandwiched between the chassis and retainer element, so that the maintenance assembly is useable to wipe the printhead of the printer. | 09-04-2008 |
20080211888 | Ink Storage Compartment With Bypass Fluid Path Structures - The present invention relates to an ink storage compartment. The compartment includes a reservoir structure, in turn, defining a plurality of ink reservoirs from which respective ink outlets extend. Ink absorbent material is provided within respective ink reservoirs. Bypass fluid path structures extend between respective ink outlets and ink reservoirs so that, when filling the ink storage compartment by supplying ink to the ink outlets, ink can be supplied to the ink reservoirs through both the ink outlets and bypass fluid path structures. | 09-04-2008 |
20080252704 | PRINTER WITH CARTRIDGE DOCK FOR RUPTURING SEAL ON CARTRIDGE - An inkjet printer that has a replaceable ink cartridge with an ink storage volume and an ink outlet. The ink outlet has an outlet valve that is biased closed and opens upon installation in the printer. The cartridge also has an air bag in the ink storage volume for expanding as ink is drawn through the ink outlet to keep a constant head of ink above the outlet valve. The air bag has an air inlet with a frangible seal configured to be ruptured upon installation of the cartridge such that the air bag is vented to atmosphere. The printer also has a pressure regulating valve for establishing fluid communication between the printhead and the ink storage volume wherein, the pressure regulating valve is biased closed and opens in response to a predetermined ink pressure difference across the valve. | 10-16-2008 |
20080297574 | RESERVOIR ASSEMBLY FOR A PAGEWIDTH PRINTHEAD CARTRIDGE - A reservoir assembly for a pagewidth printhead cartridge has a fluid distribution molding with priming inlets in fluid communication with fluid channels for supplying printing fluid to a plurality of printhead integrated circuits. The assembly includes a reservoir compartment arranged in fluid communication with the fluid channels via a fluid outlet. The reservoir compartment defines a vent hole to facilitate pressure equalisation in the compartment and a bypass fluid path interconnecting the fluid outlet and a well region defined by the compartment. A bypass valve is operatively arranged with respect to the fluid path to facilitate priming the reservoir compartment with printing fluid | 12-04-2008 |
20090009554 | PRINT CRADLE ASSEMBLY FOR A PRINTHEAD CARTRIDGE - Provided is a print cradle assembly for a printhead cartridge. The cradle assembly includes a docking bay molding and a media feed drive assembly positioned on the docking bay molding and configured to feed media through the assembly. The cradle assembly also includes a printed circuit board (PCB) with a printer controller for controlling the media feed drive assembly and operation of the cartridge, as well as a heatshield mounted to the PCB for shielding the printer controller from electromagnetic interference (EMI) and user contact with the PCB. | 01-08-2009 |
20090058967 | INKJET PRINTER WITH RESILIENT CONNECTION BETWEEN PRINTHEAD CARTRIDGE AND INK CARTRIDGE - An inkjet printer that has a printer body, a printhead cartridge for installation in the printer body, the printhead cartridge having a pagewidth inkjet printhead structure with an array of nozzles, a plurality of ink cartridges for supplying ink, each of the ink cartridges having a docking face for engagement with a complementary face partially provided by the printhead cartridge and partially provided by the printer body and, a docking frame with a plurality of resilient connectors form part of fluid paths from the ink cartridges. Longitudinal expansion and contraction of the pagewidth printhead structure relative to the docking frame is accommodated by the resilient connectors. | 03-05-2009 |
20090073224 | PRINT CRADLE ASSEMBLY FOR A PRINTHEAD CARTRIDGE - Provided is a print cradle assembly for a printhead cartridge. The cradle assembly includes a docking bay molding, a media feed drive assembly positioned on the docking bay molding and configured to feed media through the assembly, and a printed circuit board (PCB) with a printer controller for controlling the media feed drive assembly and operation of the cartridge. The cradle assembly also includes a maintenance drive assembly for driving a capping mechanism of a printhead of the cartridge. | 03-19-2009 |
20090160916 | AIR TIGHT INK CARTRIDGE WITH UNOBSTRUCTED INK OUTLET - An ink cartridge that has a rigid housing. The housing has a docking face for abutting a printer such that, when installed, the docking face faces downwards. The cartridge also has an ink storage volume and an ink outlet valve for fluid communication with the printhead. The ink outlet valve and an air inlet are both being positioned in the docking face. A variable volume structure within the ink storage volume inflates with air as ink is drawn from the outlet. The variable volume structure has a section that displaces upwardly within the ink storage volume as it inflates with air. An air inlet spaced from the outlet valve is in fluid communication with the variable volume structure to lets air into the ink storage volume as ink is drawn out through the outlet valve. A conduit in the ink storage volume is connected to the ink outlet valve at one end, with the other end being open to ink within the ink storage volume. The other end is positioned remote from the docking face such that it does not get obstructed by the variable volume structure as the variable volume structure inflates. | 06-25-2009 |
20090179967 | MULTIPLE CONDUIT FLUID COUPLING WITH LEAKAGE FLOW CONTROL - A fluid coupling for an inkjet printhead, that has an interface plate supporting a plurality of spouts positioned for sealed engagement with corresponding apertures in a complementary socket in order to establish fluid communication between an inkjet printhead and an ink supply. The interface plate has surface formations individually associated with each of the spouts respectively. The surface formations define a preferred flow path along the interface plate for any residual ink draining away from the spouts under gravity. The preferred flow paths are configured to avoid any of the other spouts. | 07-16-2009 |
20090195611 | Printhead Assembly Having Removable Printhead Module And Controller - A printhead assembly is provided having at least one printhead module of at least two print nozzle integrated circuits and respective electrical connectors, at least one controller configured to process print data and to communicate the processed print data to microprocessing circuitry of at least one of the print nozzle integrated circuits via the respective electrical connector so as to control the printing operation of the print nozzle integrated circuit to print the processed print data, and a casing in which the printhead module and controller are removably mounted. | 08-06-2009 |
20090201348 | Refill Unit For Engaging With Ink Storage Compartment, And Fluidically Isolating Printhead - A refill unit for refilling a negatively pressurized ink storage compartment that supplies ink to a printhead assembly. The refill unit has a body with a variable volume container for holding a quantity of ink and an actuator for fluidically isolating the printhead assembly and the ink storage compartment as the refill unit engages the ink storage compartment. | 08-13-2009 |
20100091069 | Modular Printhead Assembly With Series Of Connected PCB Modules - The invention provides for a printhead assembly that has a number of modular PCBs and a number of printhead integrated circuits (ICs). Each of the printhead IC's is respectively connected to one of the modular PCBs for operative control. Modular supports in the assembly define a raised portion and a recessed portion at an end thereof. Each PCB has electrical connecting strips which operatively overlie the respective recessed portions. At least one connecting member operatively connects respective PCBs to each other. Each connecting member has a series of parallel spaced conducting strips. The member is shaped and configured for fitment into a cavity defined by the raised and recessed portions of two abutting supports to connect the connecting strips of two PCBs via the conducting strips. The assembly also has a printer controller configured to synchronize operation of the respective PCBs during printing. | 04-15-2010 |
20100134575 | REFILLABLE INK CARTRIDGE WITH INK BYPASS CHANNEL FOR REFILLING - A refillable ink cartridge has an ink port for both supplying ink to a printhead and refilling the cartridge. An ink reservoir has ink absorbent material disposed therein with a main fluid channel extending between the ink port and the ink absorbent material. A bypass fluid channel with a control valve extends between the main fluid channel the said absorbent material. The bypass control valve is configured to allow ink to flow through the bypass fluid channel only when refilling the ink reservoir via the ink port. | 06-03-2010 |
20100157001 | INK MANIFOLD WITH MULTIPLE CONDUIT SHUT OFF VALVE - An ink manifold defining multiple fluid flow paths has openings arranged for detachable connection with conduits in an interface. Shut off valves at each of the openings respectively, are biased open. An actuator biased to a closed position by a resilient element, where it holds all the shut off valves closed. The actuator engages the interface such that moving the interface into connection with the openings simultaneously moves the actuator to an open position where the shut off valves are able to open. The resilient element generates a bias greater than a combined bias exerted by the shut off valves on the actuator. | 06-24-2010 |
20100165058 | Ink Refill Unit Having Discretely Incrementable Variable Storage Volume - A printing fluid refill unit for a print engine includes a reservoir having a variable storage volume for holding an amount of printing fluid, the variable storage volume having a plurality of discrete volumetric increments, each of the discrete volumetric increments having equal volumes, the reservoir further having an actuator for reducing the variable storage volume by one or more of the discrete volumetric increments; a ratchet system forming part of the actuator, the ratchet system effecting variation of the storage volume by a minimum increment of one discrete volumetric increment; an information storage element for storing information on the amount of printing fluid contained in the refill unit and for connecting with an information reader incorporated in the print engine for reading the information stored by the storage element when the refill unit is mounted to the print engine; a selector for activating the actuator to dispense a volume of the printing fluid equal to a selected multiple of the discrete volumetric increments, wherein the information stored by the storage element enables the reader to control the selector so as to derive the selected multiple of the volumetric increments; and a sensor for sensing the position of the ratchet, whereby a remaining volume of ink in the variable storage volume is determined. | 07-01-2010 |
20100201740 | PRINTHEAD CRADLE HAVING ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTROL OF CAPPER - A printhead cradle is provided for removably receiving a printhead. The cradle has a controller for controlling operation of the received printhead and an electromagnet for causing movement of a movable capper of the printhead under control of the controller. | 08-12-2010 |
20100214383 | CARTRIDGE FOR PRINTER HAVING FLUID FLOW ARRANGEMENT - A cartridge for a printer is provided having a body defining a number of fluid reservoirs, a lid covering the body to seal fluid inside the reservoirs, and a printhead operatively fed with fluid from the reservoirs. A base of each reservoir is provided with a raised portion which surrounds a fluid outlet through which fluid flows for supply to the printhead. Each raised portion being moulded in the body to separate the outlet from the base of each reservoir to ensure a sufficient flow rate of fluid from the reservoir. | 08-26-2010 |
20100221671 | PRINTHEAD INTEGRATED CIRCUIT ATTACHMENT FILM - A method of fabricating a film used in attaching a printhead integrated circuit to an ink supply manifold is disclosed. An adhesive polymeric film having a protective liner is provided. Photoresist is then deposited onto the protective liner, and the photoresist is photopatterned. Ink supply holes are etched through the adhesive polymeric film and the protective liner, with the photoresist acting as a mask for the etching. Finally, the protective liner including the photoresist is removed from the adhesive polymeric film after the etching step is complete. | 09-02-2010 |
20100231648 | PRINTING SYSTEM HAVING FUNNELLED FLUID DISTRIBUTION - A printing system is provided having a fluid delivery member, a fluid ejection nozzle integrated circuit, and a fluid distribution member incorporating a laminated stack of layers for distributing fluid from the delivery member to the nozzles of the integrated circuit via distribution apertures. The distribution apertures of each successive layer of the stack from the delivery member to the nozzles having a successively smaller diameter. | 09-16-2010 |
20100231665 | CARTRIDGE UNIT FOR PRINTER - Provided is a cartridge unit for a printer. The cartridge unit has upper and lower plate members having an ink bag located between the plate members to define an ink volume. The plate members can be displaced towards and away from each other by an external force. A bag constrictor assembly engages the plate members and is configured to act on the bag when the plate members are displaced towards each other to reduce the ink volume. A valve insert has an inlet valve to facilitate refilling of the bag with ink and an outlet valve to facilitate ink delivery to a printhead. A filter cover is positioned between the valve insert and the ink bag to filter contaminants and air bubbles passing between the ink bag and said valve insert. | 09-16-2010 |
20100271427 | PRINTHEAD ASSEMBLY WITH CAPILLARY CHANNELS IN FLUID CHAMBERS - A printhead assembly is provided. The cartridge includes a body assembly defining fluid chambers that each comprise a stack of polymer layers with a micro-capillary array of channels formed therein to form an absorbent assembly. The printhead assembly includes a plurality of printhead integrated circuits (IC) each having a plurality of micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangements for ejecting printing fluid onto a printing medium, in use. The printhead assembly also includes a fluid distribution member operatively arranging each chamber in fluid communication with each IC. | 10-28-2010 |
20100277542 | CAPPING MECHANISM FOR PRINTHEAD HAVING CUTTER - A capping mechanism is provided for a printhead having a plurality of ejection nozzles. The capping mechanism has a capping member formed from flexible sheet material, a transport mechanism for moving the capping member between positions at which the capping member contacts and substantially covers the ejection nozzles of the printhead and at which the capping member is remote from the printhead, and a cutter mechanism for separating spent capping material from the capping member when the capping member is remote from the printhead. | 11-04-2010 |
20110025778 | PRINTHEAD ASSEMBLY WITH PROFILED EXTERIOR SURFACE - A printhead assembly for an inkjet printer is disclosed. The printhead assembly has an elongate printhead chip with a nozzle face defining an array of nozzles. A support structure supports the elongate printhead chip on an external surface thereof. An epoxy resin is also provided adjacent a long side edge of the elongate printhead chip. The epoxy resin is profiled such that the epoxy resin is flush with the nozzle face of the elongate printhead chip. The epoxy resin is thixotropic prior to setting. | 02-03-2011 |
20110310186 | PRINTHEAD SUPPORT STRUCTURE WITH CAVITIES FOR PULSE DAMPING - A structure for an inkjet printhead is disclosed. The printhead structure has an elongate support structure for supporting a printhead integrated circuit, and ink conduits formed in the elongate support structure for supplying ink to an array of nozzles of the printhead integrated circuit. Each ink conduit includes cavities distributed along a roof of the ink conduit. An opening to each cavity has an upstream edge and a downstream edge. The upstream edge contacts the ink before the downstream edge during initial priming of the ink conduits from an ink supply. The upstream edge has a transition face between the ink conduit and the cavity interior, the transition face being configured to inhibit ink from filling the cavity by capillary action during initial priming of the ink conduit. This causes gas to be trapped within the cavity. The gas acts to compress pressure pulses in the ink. | 12-22-2011 |