Print engine assembly with an elongate converging ink distribution assembly
View Patent ↗A print engine assembly includes an elongate chassis. A platen is mounted on the chassis. A feed mechanism feeds print media over the platen and along a print feed path. An elongate printhead assembly is mounted on the chassis for carrying out a printing operation on the print media. The printhead assembly includes an elongate ink distribution assembly having an inlet side, an outlet side, a plurality of ink paths that converge laterally to a longitudinally extending central region and a plurality of printhead chip mounting formations in fluid communication with the ink paths. A plurality of printhead chips is mounted in respective mounting formations to receive ink from the ink paths.
1. A print engine assembly that comprises
an elongate chassis;
a platen mounted on the chassis;
a feed mechanism for feeding print media over the platen and along a print feed path; and
an elongate printhead assembly mounted on the chassis for carrying out a printing operation on the print media, the printhead assembly comprising
an elongate ink distribution assembly having an inlet side, an outlet side, a plurality of ink paths that converge laterally from the inlet side to a longitudinal axis at the outlet side so as to distribute all ink at the inlet side to the outlet side and a plurality of printhead integrated circuit mounting formations along said longitudinal axis; and
a plurality of printhead integrated circuits mounted in respective said mounting formations to form a single row of printhead integrated circuits, said printhead integrated circuits being mounted to receive ink from the ink paths.
2. A print engine as claimed in claim 1 , in which the printhead assembly includes a control circuitry component mounted on the inlet side of the ink distribution assembly and including control circuitry connected to the printhead integrated circuits to control operation of the printhead integrated circuits.
3. A print engine as claimed in claim 2 , which includes a number of tape automated bond films interposed between respective printhead integrated circuits and said control circuitry.
4. A print engine as claimed in claim 3 , in which the ink distribution assembly includes an ink distribution member that defines a plurality of longitudinally extending ducts and a duct cover mounted on the ink distribution member to cover the ducts, the duct cover defining a number of ink inlet ports in fluid communication with respective ducts so that inks can be fed to the ducts.
5. A print engine as claimed in claim 4 , in which the ink distribution assembly includes an ink distribution structure mounted on the ink distribution member, the ink distribution structure defining a plurality of holes in fluid communication with the ducts and contiguous passages and transverse channels that define the converging ink paths.
6. A print engine as claimed in claim 5 , in which the ink distribution structure includes a laminated stack having a first layer that defines the holes and a number of subsequent layers, each subsequent layer having formed in it, said contiguous passages and transverse channels for bringing ink, via the holes of the first layer, to the printhead integrated circuits, the mounting formations being in the form of an array of slots in a integrated circuit restraining layer.
7. A print engine as claimed in claim 6 , in which the integrated circuit restraining layer defines recesses to accommodate the tape automated bond film.