Printhead assembly for inkjet printer
View Patent ↗A printhead assembly for an inkjet printer includes an elongate attachment member for attachment to a main body of the printer and defining a number of ink feed tubes extending through the attachment member to be in fluid communication with an ink supply from the main body. An elongate ink channel assembly is mounted longitudinally on the attachment member and defines a number of longitudinally extending ink channels in fluid communication with respective feed tubes. The ink channels include a central ink channel and at least one ink channel on each side of the central ink channel. A series of elongate printhead integrated circuits is mounted serially along the ink channel member and in substantial alignment with the central ink channel. The printhead integrated circuits define longitudinally extending rows of ink inlets and the ink channel assembly defines a plurality of ink openings in fluid communication with the ink inlets and the ink channels.
1. A printhead assembly for an inkjet printer, the printhead assembly comprising
an elongate attachment member for attachment to a main body of the printer and defining a number of ink feed tubes extending through the attachment member to be in fluid communication with an ink supply from the main body;
an elongate ink channel assembly mounted longitudinally on the attachment member and defining a number of longitudinally extending ink channels in fluid communication with respective feed tubes, the ink channels including a central ink channel and at least one ink channel on each side of the central ink channel; and
a series of elongate printhead integrated circuits mounted serially along the ink channel member and in substantial alignment with the central ink channel, the printhead integrated circuits defining longitudinally extending rows of ink inlets, the ink channel assembly defining a plurality of ink openings in fluid communication with the ink inlets and the ink channels.
2. A printhead assembly as claimed in claim 1 , in which the elongate attachment member is molded of a liquid crystal polymer.
3. A printhead assembly as claimed in claim 1 , in which an adhesive film is used to adhere the ink channel assembly to the attachment member.
4. A printhead assembly as claimed in claim 3 , in which the elongate ink channel assembly includes an elongate ink channel member that defines the longitudinally extending ink channels, the adhesive film acting to seal the ink trenches.
5. A printhead assembly as claimed in claim 4 , in which the elongate ink channel assembly includes a polymer sealing film for attaching the printhead integrated circuits to the ink channel member, the sealing film defining the plurality of openings in fluid communication with the ink inlets of the printhead integrated circuits.
6. A printhead assembly as claimed in claim 1 , in which a flexible printed circuit board is attached along an edge of the printhead integrated circuits for the supply of control signals and power.
7. A printhead assembly as claimed in claim 1 , in which a media shield is attached to the attachment member upstream of the printhead integrated circuits to protect the printhead integrated circuits from damage which may occur due to contact with passing media.