The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 09, 1996
Filed:
Apr. 28, 1994
Gary M Nobel, San Diego, CA (US);
Arthur K Wilson, San Diego, CA (US);
Patricia S Brown, Encinitas, CA (US);
Jason R Arbeiter, Poway, CA (US);
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
An improved interconnect system for an inkjet printer. The inventive interconnect system includes first and second unitary flexible circuits having first and second sets of contacts, respectively, for providing first and second electrical interconnections, respectively. The first and second flexible circuits are aligned and retained so that contacts thereon engage corresponding contacts disposed on a rigid support. In a specific implementation, the first flexible circuit is aligned by a first set of pins arranged along a first axis and the flexible circuit is aligned by a second set of pins arranged along a second axis, perpendicular to the first axis. This arrangement allows for the alignment and mounting of two flexible circuits on a single printer carriage without a substantial increase in the width thereof. The first flexible circuit may be used to connect the inkjet pens to the electronic drive circuit and the second flexible circuit may be used to connect a paper sensor or other device to the electronic circuit.