Printer for a web substrate
View Patent ↗A printer for a web substrate, having a casing, a plurality of printhead tiles arranged adjacent each other, each of the printhead tiles having a printhead integrated circuit formed to dispense fluid, a printed circuit board to facilitate communication with a processor controlling the printing, and fluid inlet ports to receive fluid and, a plurality of fluid channel members within the casing adjacent the printhead tiles, each of the fluid channel members having a plurality of ducts such that each of the ducts are in fluid communication with one of the fluid inlet ports respectively. The fluid channel member is provided with a female end portion and a male end portion complementary to the female portion for fluid communication between the fluid channel members.
1. A printer for a web substrate, the printer comprising:
a casing;
a plurality of printhead tiles arranged adjacent each other, each of the printhead tiles having a printhead integrated circuit formed to dispense fluid, a printed circuit board to facilitate communication with a print engine controller, and fluid inlet ports to receive fluid; and,
a plurality of fluid channel members arranged end to end within the casing, each fluid channel member having a plurality of ducts respectively in fluid communication with a fluid inlet port of a printhead tile, wherein
each fluid channel member is provided with a female end portion and a male end portion complementary to the female portion for respectively coupling with a male end portion and female end portion of an adjacent fluid channel member or end-cap.
2. The printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the casing houses the print engine controller for connection to each of the printed circuit boards.
3. The printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the casing includes notches to engage tabs on the fluid channel member.
4. The printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a printhead tile abuts an adjacent printhead tile.
5. The printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the printhead tiles are supported by the fluid channel member.
6. The printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the printhead tiles has a stepped region.
7. The printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fluid channel member is provided with at least seven ducts.
8. The printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fluid channel member is formed by injection molding.
9. The printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fluid channel member is formed of a material with a relatively low coefficient of thermal expansion.
10. The printer as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising power busbars extending adjacent the plurality of printhead tiles.
11. The printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the printer prints a wallpaper pattern on to the web substrate to produce wallpaper.
12. The printer as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an ink fluid delivery system having a plurality of ink reservoirs associated in fluid communication with a plurality of ink fluid supply tubes, and at least one ink fluid delivery connector attached to the plurality of ink fluid supply tubes, wherein one of the fluid channel members is in fluid communication with the at least one ink fluid delivery connector.
13. The printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the fluid channel members have a channel layer supporting the printhead integrated circuits, the channel layer provided with a plurality of channel layer slots, an upper layer provided adjacent the channel layer, the upper layer provided with an array of upper layer holes on a first side, and an array of upper layer channels on a second side, at least some of the upper layer holes in fluid communication with at least some of the upper layer channels, and at least some of the upper layer holes aligned with a channel layer slot, a middle layer provided adjacent the upper layer, the middle layer provided with a plurality of middle layer holes, at least some of the middle layer holes aligned with at least some of the upper layer channels and, a lower layer provided adjacent the middle layer, the lower layer provided with an array of inlet holes on a first side, and an array of lower layer channels on a second side, at least one of the inlet holes in fluid communication with at least one of the lower layer channels, and at least some of the middle layer holes aligned with a lower layer channel;
wherein during use, the inlet holes receive different types or colors of ink, each type or color of ink separately transported to different nozzles of the printhead integrated circuit.
14. The printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the printhead tiles extend at least the width of a media web; and the printer further comprising:
drive means to drive the media web past the printhead tiles; and,
a print pattern selector for inputting a selection to the processor.