Inkjet printhead having removable printhead carriers
View Patent ↗An inkjet printhead assembly is provided comprising an elongate support structure having a base and sidewalls extending from the base, ink supply channels defined between the base and sidewalls, and carrier units removably mounted to the elongate support structure. The base and sidewalls have a substantially constant cross-section along the length of the elongate support structure. Each carrier unit has ink delivery apertures in fluid communication with an inkjet printhead segment which is mounted to the carrier unit. Each carrier unit is configured to place its respective inkjet printhead segment in fluid communication with the ink supply channels of the elongate support structure via the ink delivery apertures when it is mounted to the elongate support structure.
1. An inkjet printhead assembly comprising:
an elongate support structure having a base and sidewalls extending from the base, the base and sidewalls having a substantially constant cross-section along the length of the elongate support structure;
a plurality of ink supply channels defined between the base and sidewalls of the elongate support structure, each supply channel for supplying a differently colored ink;
a cap secured to one terminal end of the elongate support structure and having an ink inlet port in fluid communication with at least one of the ink supply channels for communicating the respective colored ink to respective ink supply channel; and
a plurality of carrier units removably mounted to the elongate support structure, each carrier unit having a plurality of ink delivery apertures in fluid communication with an inkjet printhead segment which is mounted to the carrier unit,
wherein each carrier unit is configured to place its respective inkjet printhead segment in fluid communication with the plurality of ink supply channels of the elongate support structure via the plurality of ink delivery apertures when it is mounted to the elongate support structure.
2. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the carrier units are removably mounted to the elongate support structure so as to extend longitudinally along the elongate support structure such that the respective inkjet printhead segments define a continuous printing zone of the inkjet printhead assembly.