Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd

Zamtec Limited

Memjet Technology Limited

Norman Michael Berry

Kia Silverbrook

Akira Nakazawa

Garry Raymond Jackson

Paul Ian Mackey

Christopher Hibbard

John Douglas Peter Morgan

Samuel George Mallinson

Brian Robert Brown

Vesa Karppinen

David William Jensen

Geoffrey Philip Dyer

Michael John Hudson

Paul Timothy Sharp

Bruce Gordon Holyoake

Paul Justin Reichl

David John Worboys

Makomo Tsubono

Paul Charles Knight

Nicholas Kenneth Abraham

Paul Justin Reichi

Attilla Bertok

Patrick John Mcauliffe

Andrew John Graf

A printhead integrated circuit includes: an elongate silicon substrate having a frontside and a backside; a row of nozzle chambers disposed at the frontside of the substrate, each nozzle chamber having a respective nozzle opening defined in a roof thereof and a respective inlet defined in a floor thereof; a row of inlet channels defined in the substrate, each inlet channel having a first end defining the inlet of a respective nozzle chamber and an opposite second end; and an ink supply channel defined in the backside of the substrate, each ink supply channel having a depth sufficient to meet with the second ends the inlet channels. Each ink supply channel is elongate and extends longitudinally along a length of the substrate so as to provide fluidic communication between the backside and the nozzle chambers.

Printhead integrated circuit having frontside inlet channels and backside ink supply channels

Provided is a cartridge unit for a printer. The cartridge unit has upper and lower plate members having an ink bag located between the plate members to define an ink volume. The plate members can be displaced towards and away from each other by an external force. A bag constrictor assembly engages the plate members and is configured to act on the bag when the plate members are displaced towards each other to reduce the ink volume. A valve insert has an inlet valve to facilitate refilling of the bag with ink and an outlet valve to facilitate ink delivery to a printhead. A filter cover is positioned between the valve insert and the ink bag to filter contaminants and air bubbles passing between the ink bag and said valve insert.

Cartridge unit for printer

The invention provides for a printhead assembly that has a number of modular PCBs and a number of printhead integrated circuits (ICs). Each of the printhead IC's is respectively connected to one of the modular PCBs for operative control. Modular supports in the assembly define a raised portion and a recessed portion at an end thereof. Each PCB has electrical connecting strips which operatively overlie the respective recessed portions. At least one connecting member operatively connects respective PCBs to each other. Each connecting member has a series of parallel spaced conducting strips. The member is shaped and configured for fitment into a cavity defined by the raised and recessed portions of two abutting supports to connect the connecting strips of two PCBs via the conducting strips. The assembly also has a printer controller configured to synchronize operation of the respective PCBs during printing.

Modular printhead assembly with series of connected PCB modules

A securing arrangement for securing a printing fluid refill cartridge to a printing unit comprising a first engagement member arranged in the vicinity of an outlet of the refill cartridge through which printing fluid contained therein is dispensable and a second engagement member arranged in the vicinity of a refill port of the printing unit and configured to be removably securable with the first engagement member so as to engage and hold the refill port and the outlet together.

Securing arrangement for securing a refill unit to a print engine during refilling

An ink manifold defining multiple fluid flow paths has openings arranged for detachable connection with conduits in an interface. Shut off valves at each of the openings respectively, are biased open. An actuator biased to a closed position by a resilient element, where it holds all the shut off valves closed. The actuator engages the interface such that moving the interface into connection with the openings simultaneously moves the actuator to an open position where the shut off valves are able to open. The resilient element generates a bias greater than a combined bias exerted by the shut off valves on the actuator.

Ink manifold with multiple conduit shut off valve

A printhead assembly comprising: a plurality of printhead modules releasably connected together via connecting members, each printhead module comprising: at least two printhead integrated circuits, each of which has nozzles formed therein for delivering printing fluid onto the surface of print media; a support member for supporting: the at least two printhead integrated circuits; and a supply of printing fluid provided to the at least two printhead integrated circuits; and an electrical connector for receiving electrical signals for the at least two printhead integrated circuits; a drive electronics part incorporating at least one controller which is connected to at least one of the at least two printhead integrated circuits via the electrical connector for controlling the printing operation of at least one of the at least two printhead integrated circuits; and a casing part for supporting the drive electronics part and the at least one printhead module.

Printhead assembly having a plurality of connected printhead modules

Provided is an elongate multi-chip printhead unit for a pagewidth printer. The unit includes a number of integrated circuits laid end-to-end, each having a multitude of micro-electromechanical nozzles for ejecting printing fluid. The unit also includes an ink distribution molding defining a plurality of elongate conduits for distributing printing fluid to the printhead. Also included is a printed circuit board (PCB) configured to relay data signals from a printer controller to respective ends of the integrated circuits, as well as busbars positioned to provide drive current to the micro-electromechanical nozzles of the printhead. The busbars are retained in position at one end by a socket, and at both ends by wrap-around wings of the PCB. The unit further includes a support member for holding the integrated circuits, molding, busbars and PCB in appropriate alignment.

Multi-chip printhead unit for a pagewidth printer

A print engine is provided for an inkjet printer unit. The print engine includes a cradle unit and a replaceable cartridge unit to be releasably received within the cradle unit. The cartridge unit includes an elongate body defining a row of cavities. An ink storage module assembly includes a plurality of ink storage modules received within the cavities. Each ink storage module includes a collapsible ink storage bag extending between a pair of plates. A printhead assembly is mounted to the body and includes an ink ejection integrated circuit (IC) connected to receive ink from the ink storage modules.

Print engine with ink storage modules incorporating collapsible bags

A capping mechanism is disclosed for a pagewidth printhead assembly having a pagewidth printhead and a plurality of nozzles located along the printhead for delivering ink onto print media as it is transported past the printhead. The capping mechanism comprises&#x2014;

Capping system incorporating a flexible capping member for inkjet printhead assembly

A printer is provided having pagewidth printheads for printing on opposite faces of print media, pagewidth cappers pivotally mounted to the printheads, and an actuating mechanism for pivoting the cappers between respective non-capping and capping positions relative to the printheads.

Printer having pivotally capped duplexed printheads

A maintenance assembly for a pagewidth printer, said assembly operatively mounted between posts of a main body of the printer so that the maintenance assembly is positioned adjacent a printhead assembly of the printer. The maintenance assembly includes a maintenance chassis defining tongue portions and having ends which are shaped to fit over the posts of the main body to secure the maintenance assembly in position. The maintenance assembly also includes a retainer element operatively engaging the chassis, and a lower molding and an upper molding operatively fast with each other to sandwich an absorbent insert between them. The moldings are in turn sandwiched between the chassis and retainer element, so that the maintenance assembly is useable to wipe the printhead of the printer.

Inkjet printhead with electrical disconnection of printhead prior to removal

A printhead module is provided having an ink delivery member supporting at least one printhead integrated circuit via an ink distribution member. The ink distribution member incorporates a laminated stack of layers for distributing ink from the ink delivery member to inkjet nozzles of the printhead integrated circuit via distribution apertures. The distribution apertures of each successive layer of the stack from the ink delivery member to the inkjet nozzles has a successively smaller diameter.

Printhead module having funnelled ink distribution

Provided is a printer assembly for a pagewidth printer, said assembly having a support frame for supporting a printhead arrangement. The support frame includes an outer wall portion and an inner wall portion separated by an internal cavity. The support frame also includes a lower arm portion and an upper wall fast with the outer and inner wall portions. The upper wall portion defines a channel for receiving printhead tiles of the printhead arrangement. The upper wall portion and arm portion have a clipping arrangement configured to receive a printed circuit board (PCB) having electronics for controlling the printhead arrangement. The support frame is configured to minimize substantial dimensional changes due to environmental changes to retain a positional relationship between individual printhead tiles of the printhead arrangement.

Printer assembly having a support frame for supporting a printhead arrangement

A refill unit for refilling a negatively pressurized ink storage compartment that supplies ink to a printhead assembly. The refill unit has a body with a variable volume container for holding a quantity of ink and an actuator for fluidically isolating the printhead assembly and the ink storage compartment as the refill unit engages the ink storage compartment.

Refill unit for engaging with ink storage compartment, and fluidically isolating printhead

An ink refill unit for a print cartridge is provided. The unit includes a housing which defines a fluid path in fluid communication with an outlet. The unit also includes an ink reservoir having an ejection port arranged in fluid communication with the fluid path inside the housing, and an ejector assembly configured to incrementally eject ink from the reservoir when the assembly is actuated by the print cartridge. The ejector assembly includes a plunger having a toothed thread which engages with a screw thread provided in an internal wall of the housing. The ejector has a drive gear so that actuation of the drive gear imparts rotation to the toothed thread so as to rotate the plunger within the screw thread of the housing to eject ink from a bellows-like reservoir.

Growing community of inventors

Balmain, Australia

Norman Michael Berry