IP Library Granted Patent US 6,869,165
Granted Patent B2
US 6,869,165 · App. 10/283,836 · Granted Mar 22, 2005

Fluid interconnect for printhead assembly

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,869,165
App. No.
10/283,836
Granted
Mar 22, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

A printhead assembly includes a carrier having a fluid manifold defined therein such that the fluid manifold includes a first chamber and a second chamber; a plurality of printhead dies each mounted on the carrier and communicating with at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber of the fluid manifold; a fluid delivery assembly coupled with the carrier and including a first chamber and a second chamber; and a fluid interconnect fluidically coupling the first chamber of the fluid manifold with the first chamber of the fluid delivery assembly and the second chamber of the fluid manifold with the second chamber of the fluid delivery assembly.

Claims (29)

1. A printhead assembly, comprising:

a carrier having a fluid manifold defined therein, the fluid manifold including a first chamber and a second chamber;

a plurality of printhead dies each mounted on the carrier and communicating with at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber of the fluid manifold;

a fluid delivery assembly coupled with the carrier and including a first chamber and a second chamber; and

a fluid interconnect fluidically coupling the first chamber of the fluid manifold with the first chamber of the fluid delivery assembly and the second chamber of the fluid manifold with the second chamber of the fluid delivery assembly.

2. The printhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fluid interconnect includes a first opening and a second opening spaced radially from the first opening.

3. The printhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fluid interconnect forms a first fluid flow path between the first chamber of the fluid manifold and the first chamber of the fluid delivery assembly and a second fluid flow path between the second chamber of the fluid manifold and the second chamber of the fluid delivery assembly.

4. The printhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fluid interconnect includes a first fluid coupling having a first fitting and a second fitting concentric with the first fitting thereof, and a second fluid coupling mated with the first fluid coupling and having a first fitting and a second fitting concentric with the first fitting thereof.

5. The printhead assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first fluid coupling includes a first opening formed within the first fitting thereof and a second opening formed within the second fitting thereof, and the second fluid coupling includes a first opening formed within the first fitting thereof and a second opening formed within the second fitting thereof.

6. The printhead assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first opening of the first fluid coupling and the first opening of the second fluid coupling form a first fluid flow path between the first chamber of the fluid manifold and the first chamber of the fluid delivery assembly, and wherein the second opening of the first fluid coupling and the second opening of the second fluid coupling form a second fluid flow path between the second chamber of the fluid manifold and the second chamber of the fluid delivery assembly.

7. The printhead assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first fluid coupling is formed on one of the carrier and the fluid delivery assembly, and the second fluid coupling is formed on the other of the carrier and the fluid delivery assembly.

8. The printhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the printhead dies communicate with the first chamber and the second chamber of the fluid manifold.

9. The printhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first chamber of the fluid delivery assembly, the fluid interconnect, and the first chamber of the fluid manifold are adapted to supply fluid to at least one of the printhead dies, and wherein the second chamber of the fluid delivery assembly, the fluid interconnect, and the second chamber of the fluid manifold are adapted to supply fluid to at least one of the printhead dies.

10. A method of forming a printhead assembly, the method comprising:

forming a fluid manifold including a first chamber and a second chamber in a carrier;

mounting a plurality of printhead dies on the carrier, including communicating each of the printhead dies with at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber of the fluid manifold; and

coupling a fluid delivery assembly including a first chamber and a second chamber with the carrier, including fluidically coupling the first chamber of the fluid manifold with the first chamber of the fluid delivery assembly and the second chamber of the fluid manifold with the second chamber of the fluid delivery assembly via a fluid interconnect.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein fluidically coupling the fluid manifold with the fluid delivery assembly includes radially spacing a second opening of the fluid interconnect from a first opening of the fluid interconnect.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein fluidically coupling the fluid manifold with the fluid delivery assembly includes forming a first fluid flow path between the first chamber of the fluid manifold and the first chamber of the fluid delivery assembly, and forming a second fluid flow path between the second chamber of the fluid manifold and the second chamber of the fluid delivery assembly.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the fluid interconnect includes a first fluid coupling having a first fitting and a second fitting concentric with the first fitting thereof, and a second fluid coupling mated with the first fluid coupling and having a first fitting and a second fitting concentric with the first fitting thereof.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first fluid coupling includes a first opening formed within the first fitting thereof and a second opening formed within the second fitting thereof, and the second fluid coupling includes a first opening formed within the first fitting thereof and a second opening formed within the second fitting thereof.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein fluidically coupling the fluid manifold with the fluid delivery assembly includes forming a first fluid flow path between the first chamber of the fluid manifold and the first chamber of the fluid delivery assembly with the first opening of the first fluid coupling and the first opening of the second fluid coupling, and forming a second fluid flow path between the second chamber of the fluid manifold and the second chamber of the fluid delivery assembly with the second opening of the first fluid coupling and the second opening of the second fluid coupling.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

forming the first fluid coupling on one of the carrier and the fluid delivery assembly, and forming the second fluid coupling on the other of the carrier and the fluid delivery assembly.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein communicating each of the printhead dies with at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber of the fluid manifold includes communicating each of the printhead dies with the first chamber and the second chamber of the fluid manifold.

18. A method of supplying fluid from a fluid delivery assembly to a plurality of printhead dies each mounted on a carrier having a fluid manifold defined therein, the method comprising:

communicating a first chamber of the fluid manifold with at least one of the printhead dies and a second chamber of the fluid manifold with at least one of the printhead dies;

fluidically coupling a first chamber of the fluid delivery assembly with the first chamber of the fluid manifold and a second chamber of the fluid delivery assembly with the second chamber of the fluid manifold via a fluid interconnect; and

distributing fluid to at least one of the printhead dies through the first chamber of the fluid delivery assembly, the fluid interconnect, and the first chamber of the fluid manifold, and distributing fluid to at least one of the printhead dies through the second chamber of the fluid delivery assembly, the fluid interconnect, and the second chamber of the fluid manifold.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 2, 2015
From: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
To: HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY
Reel/Frame 036745/0679 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 18, 2003
From: HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY
To: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
Reel/Frame 013776/0928 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 21, 2003
From: MARTIN, MICHAEL
To: HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY
Reel/Frame 013761/0297 →