Inkjet printer for printing ink and fixative
View Patent ↗An inkjet printer that has a fixative reservoir with at least one outlet formed in a wall section that partially defines the reservoir. The printer also has a pagewidth printhead having designated nozzles for printing the ink fixative. The fixative reservoir has fluid conduits at least partially defined in the wall section exterior such that the at least one outlet is in fluid communication with the designated nozzles. Forming the reservoir and the fluid distribution conduits to the printhead in the same component reduces the assembly time and complexity.
1. An inkjet printer comprising:
a fixative reservoir for containing an ink fixative, the fixative reservoir having at least one outlet formed in a wall section that partially defines the reservoir;
a pagewidth printhead having designated nozzles for printing the ink fixative; wherein,
the fixative reservoir has fluid conduits at least partially defined in the wall section exterior such that the at least one outlet is in fluid communication with the designated nozzles.
2. An inkjet printer according to claim 1 wherein the pagewidth printhead is an elongate array of nozzles fabricated on a wafer substrate which includes the designated nozzles, and the fluid conduits are partially defined by one or more channels in the exterior of the wall section and extend the length of the elongate array.
3. An inkjet printer according to claim 1 wherein the fixative reservoir and the pagewidth printhead are a cartridge which is removable and replaceable by a user.
4. An inkjet printer according to claim 3 further comprising a cradle for releasably engaging the inkjet cartridge such that the pagewidth printhead is adjacent a paper path through the printer.
5. An inkjet printer according to claim 4 wherein the cartridge has a plurality of ink reservoirs for different types of ink, each having respective ink outlets for connecting each of the ink reservoirs to corresponding nozzles on the pagewidth printhead.
6. An inkjet printer according to claim 5 wherein the ink reservoirs and the fixative reservoir are partly formed by an integral moulding with the fluid conduits and the ink conduits partly formed in an exterior surface of the integral moulding.
7. An inkjet printer according to claim 5 wherein the pagewidth printhead is mounted to the inkjet cartridge using a polymer film that partially defines the fluid conduits and the ink conduits.