Printhead assembly with an ink supply arrangement having printhead segment carriers
View Patent ↗A printhead assembly which includes an ink supply arrangement having a profile member defining a semi-open cross-section with peripheral, structured side walls having free, opposing, lengthwise running edges delineating a gap extending along the entire length of the profile member, said profile member defining three internal webs that stand out from a base wall section of the peripheral wall into the interior of said member so as to define together with the side wall sections ink supply channels which are open towards the gap. The assembly also includes a plurality of printhead segment carriers operatively fast with the ink supply arrangement so that the ink supply channels are arranged in fluid communication with a printhead operatively supported on said segments. Also included is a shield plate supported by the profile member, said plate for protecting the printhead during printing.
1. A printhead assembly comprising:
an ink supply arrangement having a profile member defining a semi-open cross-section with peripheral, structured side walls having free, opposing, lengthwise running edges delineating a gap extending along the entire length of the profile member, said profile member defining three internal webs that stand out from a base wall section of the peripheral wall into the interior of said member so as to define together with the side wall sections ink supply channels which are open towards the gap;
a plurality of printhead segment carriers operatively fast with the ink supply arrangement so that the ink supply channels are arranged in fluid communication with a printhead operatively supported on said segments; and
a shield plate supported by the profile member, said plate for protecting the printhead during printing.
2. The printhead assembly of claim 1 , including a printed circuit board (PCB) supported by the profile member.
3. The printhead assembly of claim 2 , wherein the printhead segment carriers each include a tape automated bonded (TAB) film arranging the printheads in signal communication with the PCB.
4. The printhead assembly of claim 3 , wherein the base wall section of the profile member includes a serrated channel opening towards the exterior of the profile member which serves to receive fastening screws to fixedly secure the PCB onto the profile member in a form-fitting manner between the free edges of the longitudinally extending curved webs extending from the base wall section of the profile member.
5. The printhead assembly of claim 2 , wherein the printhead segment carriers are received and secured together with an interposed sealing shim in the slot of the half-circular cross-sectional shape defined in the profile member.
6. The printhead assembly of claim 4 , wherein the shim includes four lengthwise extending rows of rectangular openings that are equidistantly spaced in a peripheral direction of said shim, so that three lengthwise-extending web sections between the aperture rows are located so as to be brought into abutting engagement against the free edges of the webs of profile member when shim is received in slot.
7. The printhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein shapes, proportions and relative arrangements of the webs and wall sections are such that their respective free edges define points on a semi-circle so that an open slot of such semicircular cross-sectional shape is defined along one side of the profile member, with each of the ink supply channels opening into the common slot.