Ink filling arrangement for elongate printhead
View Patent ↗An ink supply assembly for supplying ink to an elongate printhead that includes at least one printhead chip, the assembly comprising an ink reservoir that defines a number of channels, each channel being configured to contain an ink of a particular color, the ink reservoir having a cover moulding and a number of sets of filling formations comprising filling funnels opening in a flared manner in the cover moulding, each filling formation of each set being in fluid communication with a respective channel; and ink supply devices that each comprise a molding of a settable material, the molding being a two-shot molding having a first part of a first material and a second part of a second material, wherein the first part comprises a plurality of collars of a hydrophobic, elastomeric compound which are configured to be sealingly and releasably engageable with respective ink filling funnels of each set of the filling formations of the ink reservoir, and the second part defines a number of ink chambers, each ink chamber being configured to contain ink of a particular color and being in fluid communication with a respective ink channel of one ink reservoir via one collar.
1. An ink supply assembly for supplying ink to an elongate printhead that includes at least one printhead chip, the assembly comprising
an ink reservoir that defines a number of channels, each channel being configured to contain an ink of a particular color, the ink reservoir having a cover molding and a number of sets of filling formations in the cover molding, each filling formation of each set being in fluid communication with a respective channel; and
ink supply devices that each comprise a molding of a settable material, the molding being a two-shot molding having a first part of a first material and a second part of a second material, wherein the first part comprises a plurality of collars of an elastomeric compound which are configured to be sealingly engageable with respective filling formations of the ink reservoir, and the second part defines a number of ink chambers, each ink chamber being configured to contain ink of a particular color and being in fluid communication with a respective ink channel of one ink reservoir via one collar.
2. An ink supply assembly as claimed in claim 1 , in which the ink reservoir is elongate to span a printing area and the ink supply devices are configured to be positioned side-by-side along the ink reservoir, in a modular fashion.
3. An ink supply assembly as claimed in claim 2 , in which each ink supply device includes a printhead chip and a tape automated bond (TAB) film connected to the printhead chip to drive the printhead chip, the printhead chip being positioned so that, when the ink supply devices are positioned on the reservoir, the printhead chips define an array that spans the print area.