Print engine for a pagewidth inkjet printer
View Patent ↗A print engine for a pagewidth inkjet printer includes a chassis. A pair of opposed printhead assemblies are mounted on the chassis to carry out a double-sided printing operation on a sheet of media interposed between the printhead assemblies. A pair of opposed feed rollers are mounted on the chassis and positioned upstream of the printhead assemblies to feed media between the printhead assemblies. Each printhead assembly includes at least one elongate ink distribution structure. A printhead chip is mounted on a free end of the, or each, ink distribution structure such that printhead chips on opposite ink distribution structures are aligned. The ink distribution structures are shaped so that a distance from at least one pair of aligned printhead chips to a point of contact between the rollers is less than a radius of the rollers.
1. A print engine for a pagewidth inkjet printer, the print engine comprising
a chassis;
a pair of opposed printhead assemblies mounted on the chassis to carry out a double-sided printing operation on a sheet of media interposed between the printhead assemblies; and
a pair of opposed feed rollers mounted on the chassis and positioned upstream of the printhead assemblies to feed media between the printhead assemblies, wherein
each printhead assembly comprises
at least one elongate ink distribution structure; and
a printhead chip mounted on a free end of the, or each, ink distribution structure such that printhead chips on opposite ink distribution structures are aligned, the ink distribution structures being shaped so that a distance from at least one pair of aligned printhead chips to a point of contact between the rollers is less than a radius of the rollers.
2. A print engine as claimed in claim 1 , in which each printhead assembly comprises a pair of ink distribution structures, a first ink distribution structure being interposed between a second ink distribution structure and the roller assembly.
3. A print engine as claimed in claim 2 , in which the first ink distribution structures have an arcuate profile that corresponds at least partially with the profile of the rollers.
4. A print engine as claimed in claim 2 , in which the ink distribution structures each define a series of ink galleries for respective inks.
5. A print engine as claimed in claim 2 , in which each printhead assembly includes control circuitry that is coupled to the printhead chips mounted on the ink distribution structures to facilitate duplex printing by the printhead chips.
6. A print engine as claimed in claim 1 , in which each ink distribution structure defines an air channel adjacent each printhead chip for feeding air to the printhead chip.