Printhead assembly with print media guide
View Patent ↗A printhead assembly is provided, comprising at least one printhead module comprising at least two printhead integrated circuits, each of which has nozzles formed therein for delivering printing fluid onto the surface of print media, and a support member supporting and carrying the printing fluid for the at least two printhead integrated circuits, a casing in which the at least one printhead module is removably mounted, and a print media guide mounted to the casing, arranged to guide print media past the print surface formed by the at least one printhead module mounted to the casing.
1. A printhead assembly for removable mounting within a printer unit, the printhead assembly comprising:
a casing having a channel formed by a top wall and sidewalls of the casing;
at least one printhead module comprising at least two printhead integrated circuits having nozzles formed therein for delivering printing fluid onto print media, and a support member supporting and carrying the printing fluid for the at least two printhead integrated circuits, the support member of the printhead module having a first tab which is received in a recess of the channel of the casing and a second tab clamped between the support channel and a clamping arrangement so as to allow constrained movement of the printhead module relative to the channel; and
a print media guide mounted to the first sidewall so as to extend from the first sidewall and end before the nozzles, the print media guide having a slanted contact face arranged to contact and guide the print media across the nozzles for printing.
2. A printhead assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the print media guide is arranged to substantially prevent the print media from impinging on the nozzles of each of the at least two printhead integrated circuits.
3. A printhead assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the print media guide is arranged to provide a gap between the nozzles of each of the at least two printhead integrated circuits and the passing print media.
4. A printhead assembly according to claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one printhead module is formed as a unitary arrangement of the at least two printhead integrated circuits, the support member, at least one fluid distribution member mounting the at least two printhead integrated circuits to the support member, and an electrical connector for connecting electrical signals to the at least two printhead integrated circuits; and
the support member has at least one longitudinally extending channel for carrying the printing fluid for the printhead integrated circuits and includes a plurality of apertures extending through a wall of the support member arranged so as to direct the printing fluid from the at least one channel to associated nozzles in both, or if more than two, all of the printhead integrated circuits by way of respective ones of the fluid distribution members.