Printhead chip array having dummy color channel
An inkjet printhead includes: a manifold having a plurality of ink outlets defined in a manifold surface; a plurality of printhead chips mounted to the manifold surface, each printhead chip having an odd number of color channels and each color channel having one or more respective rows of inkjet nozzle devices. A central color channel of each printhead chip is a dummy color channel that does not receive ink from the manifold.
1. An inkjet printhead comprising:
a manifold having a plurality of ink outlets defined in a manifold surface;
a plurality of printhead chips mounted to the manifold surface, each printhead chip having an odd number of color channels, each color channel having at least one respective row of thermally-actuated inkjet nozzle devices, each one of the inkjet nozzle devices having one corresponding nozzle,
wherein a central color channel of each printhead chip is a dummy color channel having non-ejecting nozzles that do not receive ink from the manifold.
2. The inkjet printhead of claim 1 , wherein the dummy color channel is absent an ink delivery slot defined in a backside surface of the printhead chips.
3. The inkjet printhead of claim 2 , wherein a longitudinal rib of the manifold surface is aligned with the dummy color channel.
4. The inkjet printhead of claim 3 , wherein the printhead chips are mounted to the manifold surface via a shim.
5. The inkjet printhead of claim 4 , wherein the shim has a shim rib aligned with the longitudinal rib of the manifold surface and a pair of longitudinal shim slots at either side of the shim rib for receiving ink from respective ink outlets of the manifold.
6. The inkjet printhead of claim 3 , wherein only color channels at either side of the dummy color channel receive ink from the manifold.
7. The inkjet printhead of claim 6 , wherein each printhead chip receives two different colors of ink from the manifold.
8. The inkjet printhead of claim 6 , wherein a pair of longitudinal ink feed channels are defined at either side of the longitudinal rib, each longitudinal ink feed channel delivering ink to at least one respective color channel.
9. The inkjet printhead of claim 8 , wherein each longitudinal ink feed channel delivers ink to a plurality of respective color channels.
10. The inkjet printhead of claim 9 , wherein each printhead chip comprises five color channels including a central dummy channel, and wherein a first pair of color channels at one side of the dummy color channel print a first ink and a second pair of color channels at an opposite side of the dummy color channel print a second ink.
11. The inkjet printhead of claim 10 , wherein each color channel comprises a pair of rows of inkjet nozzle devices.
12. The inkjet printhead of claim 10 , wherein, in use, the dummy color channel facilitates temperature regulation of a respective printhead chip via actuation of the inkjet devices in the dummy color channel.
13. The inkjet printhead of claim 1 , wherein inkjet nozzles devices of the dummy color channel are electrically to a PCB.
14. A printhead chip having an odd number of color channels, each color channel comprising at least one row of thermally-actuated inkjet nozzle devices, each one of the inkjet nozzle devices having one corresponding nozzle, wherein a central color channel of the printhead chip is a dummy color channel having non-ejecting nozzles that do not receive any ink.
15. The printhead chip of claim 14 , wherein the dummy color channel is absent an ink delivery slot defined in a backside surface of the printhead.
16. The printhead chip of claim 15 , wherein only color channels at either side of the dummy color channel have ink delivery slots for supplying to respective rows of inkjet nozzle devices.
17. The printhead chip of claim 14 , wherein inkjet nozzle devices of the dummy color channel are electrically connected to drive electronics in the printhead chip.
18. The printhead chip of claim 14 , wherein each color channel comprises a pair of rows of inkjet nozzle devices.