Printhead assembly with channelled printhead modules
View Patent ↗The invention provides for a printhead assembly for a pagewidth printer. The assembly includes a substrate channel, an ink hose, a support plate, an extrusion and a cover plate. The substrate channel operatively positions a plurality of printhead modules to form a pagewidth printhead module assembly. The ink hose is positioned within the substrate channel to supply the printhead modules with ink, and the support plate encloses the ink hose within the substrate channel. The extrusion houses bus bars operatively providing electrical power to the printhead modules, and the cover plate secures a flex printed circuit board (PCB) in the assembly, the PCB forming a data bus to the printhead modules.
1. A printhead assembly for a pagewidth printer, said assembly comprising:
a substrate channel;
a plurality of printhead modules positioned in the channel to form a pagewidth printhead module assembly, each of the printhead modules having a plurality of inkjet nozzles, each nozzle comprising a heater element bonded to a roof of an ink chamber about an inkjet port;
an ink hose positioned within the substrate channel to supply the printhead modules with ink;
a support plate enclosing the ink hose within the substrate channel;
an extrusion for housing bus bars operatively providing electrical power to the printhead modules; and
a cover plate securing a flex printed circuit board (PCB) in the assembly, the PCB forming a data bus to the printhead modules.
2. The printhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the substrate channel is in the form of a bent metal plate with notches for receiving corresponding tabs of the support plate.
3. The printhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the channel includes twist tabs which extend through slots in the cover plate when assembled, the tabs twisted through approximately 45 degrees to prevent them from being withdrawn through the slots.
4. The printhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the substrate channel defines a series of groups of seven holes each to supply the printhead modules with differently colored inks.
5. The printhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ink hose is an extruded flexible hose glued into place in the substrate channel, the hose having holes formed therein by melting the hose with a hot wire structure after the hose is glued in the channel.
6. The printhead assembly of claim 4 , wherein the hose defines parallel channels extending a length of the hose which is connected to ink containers at one end and sealed with a channel extrusion cap at the other end.
7. The printhead assembly of claim 1 , having compressible conductive strips between the busbars abutting contacts on an upper side of parts of the flex PCB.