Inkjet printhead assembly having aligned printhead segments
An inkjet printhead assembly is provided comprising an elongate support structure and carrier units positioned on the support structure. The support structure has a base, two sidewalls extending from the base and ink supply channels defined between the base and sidewalls. The sidewalls and channels define a slot extending along the support structure such that the channels are in fluid communication with the slot. The carrier units each have a body carrying a printhead segment. The carrier units are positioned and secured in the slot so that the respective printhead segments are placed in fluid communication with the channels and into alignment with one another. The adjacent portions of the carrier unit bodies are configured to interlock in a complementary arrangement so that a continuous printing zone is defined by the aligned printhead segments.
1. An inkjet printhead assembly comprising:
an elongate support structure having a base, two sidewalls extending from the base and a plurality of ink supply channels defined between the base and sidewalls, the sidewalls and ink supply channels defining a slot which extends along the support structure such that the ink supply channels are in fluid communication with the slot;
a first carrier unit having a body carrying an inkjet printhead segment, the first carrier unit being positioned and secured in the slot so that the inkjet printhead segment is placed in fluid communication with the ink supply channels; and
a second carrier unit having a body carrying an inkjet printhead segment, the second carrier unit being positioned and secured in the slot adjacent the first carrier unit so that the inkjet printhead segment is placed in fluid communication with the ink supply channels and into alignment with the inkjet printhead segment of the first carrier unit,
wherein the adjacent portions of the first and second carrier unit bodies are configured to interlock in a complementary arrangement so that a continuous printing zone is defined by the aligned inkjet printhead segments.
2. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the inkjet printhead segments have one or more alignment marks arranged to align when the first and second carrier units are positioned and secured in the slot of the support structure.
3. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second carrier unit bodies have a slow-setting glue applied thereto to enable the alignment of the respective inkjet printhead segments in the slot of the support structure.
4. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second carrier unit bodies have substantially the same configuration and the orientation of the second carrier unit body in the slot of the support structure is at a 180 degree relative rotation to the orientation to the body of the first carrier unit in the slot.