Ink supply system for multiple ink printing
An ink supply system suitable for a portable printer. The ink supply system includes an elongate baffle unit sealingly cooperating with a housing. The baffle unit is divided into a plurality of separate sections to thereby define at least two elongate ink chambers extending along a length of the housing. Each ink chamber is adapted to be coupled to a respective ink reservoir in use. The supply also includes an elongate ink manifold comprising at least two sets of ink channels, each set of ink channels extending along a length of the manifold and being in fluid communication with a respective ink chamber to thereby distribute ink from the respective ink chamber to a plurality of ink inlets in a printhead, in use.
1 . An ink supply system suitable for a portable printer, said ink supply system comprising:
an elongate baffle unit sealingly cooperating with a housing, wherein said baffle unit is divided into a plurality of separate sections to thereby define at least two elongate ink chambers extending along a length of the housing, wherein each ink chamber is adapted to be coupled to a respective ink reservoir in use; and
an elongate ink manifold comprising at least two sets of ink channels, each set of ink channels extending along a length of the manifold and being in fluid communication with a respective ink chamber to thereby distribute ink from the respective ink chamber to a plurality of ink inlets in a printhead, in use.
2 . The ink supply system of claim 1 comprising a plurality of ink reservoirs and a plurality of corresponding respective ink chambers.
3 . The ink supply system of claim 1 , wherein said baffle unit comprises a pierceable end wall portion for coupling each ink chamber to a respective ink reservoir in use.
4 . The ink supply system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle unit includes a number of transverse baffles for minimizing ink flow fluctuations along each ink chamber.
5 . The ink supply system of claim 1 , wherein said baffle unit comprises a longitudinally recessed base and said ink manifold is elongate and mounted within said recessed base, wherein said ink channels in said manifold communicate with a plurality of ink outlets in the base of said baffle unit.
6 . The ink supply system of claim 1 , wherein said housing comprises a plurality of hydrophobically sealed breather openings, said openings being permeable to air and impervious to ink.
7 . The ink supply system of claim 6 , wherein said baffle unit comprises a pierceable end wall portion positioned at a first end of each elongate ink chamber for coupling each ink chamber to a respective ink reservoir in use, the plurality of hydrophobically sealed breather openings being positioned at a second end of the ink chamber opposite the first end.
8 . The ink supply system of claim 1 , wherein the supply includes a data and power supply arrangement that is connected to the at least one printhead.
9 . The ink supply system of claim 8 , wherein the data and power supply arrangement includes a tape automated bonded film and first and second power and ground busbars.
10 . The ink supply system of claim 9 , wherein the supply system includes a cover member that engages the housing to enclose the bus bars and the tape automated bonded film.
11 . The ink supply system of claim 9 , wherein the housing includes a plurality of protuberances for positioning the bus bars and the tape automated bonded film.
12 . The ink supply system of claim 1 , wherein the manifold is in the form of a molded, unitary structure that defining at least three sets of ink supply passages, each set corresponding with a respective ink to be used by the printhead.
13 . The ink supply system of claim 1 , wherein supply includes an elongate cover unit coupled to the housing, the cover unit including a slot extending along a length of the cover unit for receiving a blade, which in use, cooperates with a guillotine blade to allow printed media to be cut.
14 . The ink supply system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle unit includes a pair of opposed end walls and a pair of spaced longitudinal walls so that, with the housing, one ink storage chamber is defined between the end walls and the longitudinal walls and two ink storage chambers are defined between the end walls and respective longitudinal walls and side walls of the housing, one of the end walls defining three pierceable end wall portions.
15 . A printhead assembly comprising an ink supply system according to claim 1 and an inkjet printhead mounted on said manifold, said printhead comprising a plurality of ink inlets, wherein each ink inlet is in fluid communication with a respective ink channel in said manifold.
16 . A printhead assembly comprising an ink supply system according to claim 1 and an elongate inkjet printhead longitudinally mounted on said manifold, said printhead comprising a plurality of ink inlets, wherein each ink inlet is in fluid communication with a respective ink channel in said manifold.
17 . An inkjet printer comprising a printhead assembly according to claim 16 .
18 . A portable electronic device comprising a printer according to claim 17 .
19 . The portable electronic device of claim 18 , which is a camera.