Title of Invention

A PRINTHEAD OF A PRINT ENGINED

Abstract

A printhead of a print engine, the printhead comprising an array of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) ink ejection devices mounted on a first surface of a wafer and a plurality of ink supply passages each extending through the wafer from an opposed surface of the wafer to a respective ink ejection device, with the ink ejection devices being arranged in groups, and an ink supply arrangement which comprises: a block of material mountable on Isaid opposed surface of the wafer, the block having a plurality of channels defmed therein and opening out into a first surface of the block in abutment with said opposed surface of the wafer; and at .least one ink supply inlet opening in communication with each channel, said ink supply inlet openings opening out into a second surface of the block

Full Text

Field of the Invention This invention relates to a printhead of a print engine. The invention has particular application in a print engine for use in an instantaneous print, digital camera. More particularly, the invention relates to an ink supply arrangement of the printhead for supplying ink to the printhead. Backeround to the Invention It will be appreciated that a printhead of the printer engine of a page width printer has a width dimension measured in fractions of millimeters. Typically the printhead has a width dimension of about six hundred micrometers. In an array of ink jet nozzles, adjacent nozzles could be spaced from each other by dimensions in the order of 100 micrometers. While the substrate of the printhead is made from a silicon wafer a supply mechanism for supplying ink to the substrate is often made out of plastic. To mold the plastic such that individual ink supplies are provided to each ink supply passage in the substrate results in extremely fine tolerances with the consequential expense, which that entails. By quote "page width" is meant that the printhead prints one line at a time on the print media without traversing the print media, or rastering, as the print media moves past the printhead. Summary of the Invention According to the invention, there is provided an ink supply arrangement for a printhead of a print engine, the printhead comprising an anay of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) ink ejection devices mounted on a fust surface of a wafer and a plurality of ink supply passages each extending through the wafer from an opposed surface of the wafer to a respective ink ejection device, with the ink ejection devices being arranged in groups, the ink supply arrangement including a block of material mountable on said opposed surface of the wafer, the block having a plurality of channels defmed therein and opening out mto a first surface of the block in abutment with said opposedsurfaceof the wafer; and at least one ink supply inlet opening in communicafion with each channel, said ink supply inlet openings opening out into a second surface of the block. Preferably, the second surface of the block is opposed to the first surface. The block may be a silicon wafer. The block may be bonded to the wafer carrying the MEMS devices. The channels and ink inlet openings may be etched into the silicon wafer. The block may include an isolating means for isolating each ink inlet opening from its neighboring opening. The isolating means may be a bead of a sealing material arranged transversely across the block between adjacent ink inlet openings. Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:- Figure 1 shows a three dimensional view of a print engine, including components in accordance with the invention; Figure! shows a three dimensional, exploded view of the print engine; Figure 3 shows a three dimensional view of the print engine with a removable print cartridge used with the print engine removed; Figure 4 shows a tiiree dimensional, rear view of the print engine witii the print cartridge shown in dotted lines; Figure 5 shows a three dimensional, sectional view of the print engine; Figure 6 shows a three dimensional, exploded view of a piinthcad sub-assembly of the print engine; Figure 7 shows a partly cutaway view of the printhead sub-assembly; Figure 8 shows a sectional end view of the printhead sub-assembly with a capping mechanism in a capping position; Figure 9 shows the printhead sub-assembly with the capping mechanism in \ts uncapped position; Figure 10 shows a scViematic, three dimensional view of part of an ink supply anaiigement, in accordance with the invention, for a printhead of a print engine; Figure U shows a schematic, sectional end view of the ink supply anangement taking along line Xl-Xl in Figure 10; Figure 12 shows a schematic, sectional end view of the ink supply arrangement taken along line Xll-Xll in Figure 10; Figure 13 shows a schematic, sectional end view of the ink supply anangement taken along line XIH-XIII in Figure 10; and Figure U shows a schematic, sectionat end view of the ink supply arrangemem taken along line XIV-XIV in Figure 10. Detailed Description of the Drawings In the drawings, reference numeral 500 generally designates a print engine, in accordance with the invention. The print engine 500 includes a print engine assembly 502 on which a prim roil cartridge 504 is removably mountable. The print cartridge 504 is described in greater detail in our co-pending applications entitled "A Print Cartridge" (docket number C A02) and "An Ink Cartridge" (docket number CA04) filed simultaneously herewith as International Patent Application numbers PCT/AUOO/00741 and PCT/AUQQ/00742 respectively. :he contents of that disclosure being specifically incorporated herein by reference. The print engine assembly 502 comprises a first sub-assembly 506 acid a second, primhead sub-assembly 508. The sub-assembly 506 includes a chassis 510, The chassis 510 comprises a first molding 512 in which ink supply channels 514 are molded. The ink supply channels 514 supply inks from the print cartridge 504 to a printhead 516 (Figures 5 to 7) of the printhead sub-assembly 508. The printhead 516 prints in four colors or three colors plus ink which is visible in the infrared light spectrum only (hereinafter referred to as "infrared ink"). Accordingly, four ink supply channels 514 Sre defined in the molding 512 together with an air supply channel 518. The air supply channel 518 supplies air to the printhead 516 to inhibit the build up of foreign particles on a nozzle guard of the printhead 516. The chassis 510 further includes a cover molding 520. The cover molding 520 supports a pump 522 thereon. The pump 522 is a suction pump, which draws air through an air filter in the print cartridge 504 via an air inlet pin 524 and an air inlet opening 526. Air is expelled through an outlet opening 528 into the air supply channel 518 ofthe chassis 510. The chassis 510 further supports a first drive motor in the form of a stepper motor 530. The stepper motor 530 drives the pump 522 via a first gear train 532. The stepper motor 530 is also connected to adrive roller 534 (Figure 5) of a roller assembly 536 ofthe print cartridge 504 via a second gear train 538, The gear train 538 engages an engagable element 540 (Figure 2) carried at an end ofthe drive roller 534. The stepper motor 530 thus controls the feed of print media 542 to the printhead 516 ofthe sub-assembly 508 to enable an image to be printed on the print media 542 as it passes beneath the printhead 516. It also to be noted that, as the stepper motor 530 is only operated to advance the print media 542, the pump 522 is only operational to blow air over the printhead 516 when printing takes place on the print media 542. The molding 512 of the chassis 510 also supports a plurality of ink supply conduits in the form of pins 544 which are iti communication with the ink supply channels 514, The ink supply pins 544 are received through an elastomeric collar assembly 546 of the print cartridge 504 for drawing ink from ink chambers or reservoirs 548 (Figure 5) in the print cartridge 504 to be supplied to the printhead 516. A second motor 550, which is a DC motor, is supported on the cover molding 520 of the chassis 510 via clips 552. The motor 550 is provided to drive a separating means in the form of a cutter arm assembly 554 to part a piece of the print media 542, after an image has been printed thereon, from a remainder of the print media. The motor 550 carries a beveled gear 556 on an output shaft thereof. The beveled gear 556 meshes whh a beveled gear 558 carried on a worm gear 560 of the cutter assembly 554, The worm gear 560 is rotatably supported via bearings 562 in a chassis base plate 564 of the printhead sub-assembly 508. The cutter assembly 554 includes a cutter wheel 566, which is supported on a resiliently flexible arm 568 on a mountiag block 570, The worm gear 560 passes through the mounting block 570 such that, when the worm gear 560 is rotated, the mounting block 570 and the cutter wheel 566 traverse the chassis base plate 564. The mounting block 570 bears against a lip 572 of the base plate 564 to inhibit rotation of the mounting block 570 relative to the worm gear 560. Further, to effect cutting of the print media 542, the cutter wheel 566 bears against an upper housing or cap portion 574 of the printhead sub-assembly 508. This cap portion 574 is a metal portion. Hence, as the cutter wheel 566 traverses the capped portion 574, a scissors-like cutting action is imparted to the print media to separate that part of the print media 542 on which the image has been printed. The sub-assembly 506 includes an ejector mechanism 576. The ejector mechanism 576 is carried on the chassis 510 and has a collar 57S having clips 580. which clip and affix the ejector mechanism 576 to the chassis 510. The collar 578 supports an insert 582 of an elastoraeric materia! therein. The elastomeric insert 582 defines a plurality of openings 584, The openings 584 close off inlet openings of the pins 544 to inhibit the ingress of foreign particles into the pins 544 and, in so doing, into the channels 514 and the printhead 516. In addition, the insert 584 defines a land or platform 586 which closes off an inlet opening of the air inlet pin 524 for the same purposes. A coi! spring 588 is arranged between the chassis 510 and the collar 578 to urge the collar 578 to a spaced position relative to the chassis 510 when the cartridge 504 is removed from the print engine 500, as shown in greater detail in Figure 3 of the drawings. The ejector mechanism 576 is shown in its retracted position in Figure 4 of the drawings. The printhead sub-assembly 508 includes, as described above, the base plate 564. A capping mechanism 590 is supported displaceably on the base plate 564 lo be displaceable towards and away from the printhead 516. The capping mechanism 590 includes an elongate rib 592 arranged on a carrier 593. The carrier is supported by a displacement mechanism 594, which displaces the rib 592 into abutment with the printhead 516 when the printhead 516 is inoperative. Conversely, when the printhead 5! 6 is operational, the displacement mechanism 594 is operable to retract the rib 592 out of abutment with the printhead 516. The printhead sub-assembly 508 includes a printhead support molding 596 on which the printhead 516 is mounted. The molding 596, together with an insert 599 arranged in the molding 596, define a passage 598 through which the print media 542 passes when an image is to be printed thereon, A groove 700 is defined in the molding 596 through which the capping mechanism 590 projects when the capping mechanism 590 is in its capping position. An ink feed arrangement 702 is supported by the insert 599 beneath the cap portion 574. The ink feed arrangement 702 comprises a spine portion 704 and a casing 706 mounted on the spine portion 704, The spine portion 704 and ihe casing 706, between them, define ink. feed galleries 708 which are in communicauon with the ink supply charmels 514 in the chassis 510 for feeding ink via passages 710 (Figure 7) to the printhead 516. An ail supply channel 711 (Figure 8) is defined in the spine portion 704. alongside Ihe printhead 516, Electrical signals are provided to the printhead 516 via a TAB film 712 which is held captive between the insert 599 and the ink feed arrangement 702. The molding 596 includes an angled wing portion 714, A flexible printed circuit board (PCB) 716 is supported on and secured to the wing portion 714, The flex PCB 716 makes electrical contact with the TAB film 712 by being urged into engagement with the TAB film 712 via a rib 718 of the insert 599. The flex PCB 716 supports busbars 720 thereon. The busbars 720 provide power to the printhead 516 and to the other powered components of the print engine 500. Further, a camera print engine control chip 721 is supported on the flex PCB 716 together with a QA chip (not shown) which authenticates that the cartridge 504 is compatible ajid compliant with the print engine 500. For this purpose, the PCB 716 includes contacts 723 which engage contacts 725 in the print canridge 504. As illustrated more clearly in Figure 7 of the drawings, the printhead itself includes a nozzle guard 722 arranged on a silicon wafer 724. The ink is supplied to a nozzle array (not shown) of the printhead 516 via an ink supply member 726. The ink supply member 726 communicates with outlets of the passages 710 of the ink feed arrangement 702 for feeding ink to the array of nozzles of the printhead 516, on demand. The arrangement ofthe printhead is shown in greater detail in Figures 10 to 14 of the drawings- The ink supply member 726 is a block of silicon wafer which is mounted on the silicon wafer 724. The member 726 has channels 728 formed therein. The channels 728 extend the length ofthe member 726, As described above, the printhead 516 is a muhi-color printhead having nozzles 757 arranged in groups. Each group prints one color or the infrared ink. The nozzles 757 are MEMS devices mounted on a surface 730 ofthe silicon wafer 724 with the member 726 being mounted on an opposed surface 732 of the silicon wafer 724, Hence, as shown more clearly in Figure 10 ofthe drawings, each group of nozzles 757 is supplied by an ink supply passage 734. Thus, each channel 728 of the member 726 communicates with its associated group of passages 734. Each channel 728 has a plurality of ink inlet openings 736, 738. 740 and 742. For example, the ink inlet openings 736 supply black ink to the first group ofink supply passages 734 of the wafer 724. Instead, where three colors and infrared ink are provided, the ink inlet openings 736 provide infrared ink to the first group of passages. The inlet openings 738 provide magenta ink to the second group of nozzles via their inlet passages 734. The ink inlet openings 740 provide yellow ink to the third group of nozzles via their passages 734. The final group of inlet openings 742 provide cyan ink to the fourth group of nozzles via their passages 734. Each inlet opening 736, 738, 740, 742 is isolated from its neighboring opening via a transversely extending bead of sealing material 744. It will be appreciated that the ink feed arrangement 702 bears against the top surface 746 ofthe member 726 further to isolate the openings 736 to 742 from one another. Also, it is to be noted that the TAB film 712 is bonded to the surface 73 0 of the wafer 724 via beads of adhesive 748. The beads 748 further form a fluid tight seal against the side ofthe wafer 724. Ink ejected from each MEMS device 757 is ejected through a passage 750 in the nozzle guard 722. To maintain a surface 752 of the nozzle guard and a region 754 between the nozzle guard 722 and the wafer 724 free of foreign particles, air is blown on to the surface 752 of the nozzle guard 722 and, via inlet openings 756 from the channel 710 into the region 754. The member 726 is a silicon wafer and, accordingly, the channels 728 and the inlet openings 736 to 742 are formed in the wzfet by etching techniques. As described in the introduction to the specification, the spacing between the passages 734 and the wafer 724 is of the order of one hundred micrometers. In contrast, each ink inlet opening 736 to 742 has a length dimension L of approximately 0,5 millimeters. The spacing between adjacent inlet openings is also of the order of 0.5 millimeters. If one considers the width dimension of Iheprinthead 516 as the X dimension with a length of the printhead as a Y dimension the ink supply member 726 effectively functions as an adapter converting a small X dimension into a much larger Y dimension. Accordingly, it is easier to fabricate the feed passages of the ink feed arrangement 702, which is a plastic molding, than would be the case if the ink feed arrangement fed the ink directly into the wafer 724 of the printhead 516. If will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. WE CLAIM: 1. A printhead of a print engine, the printhead comprising an array of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) ink ejection devices mounted on a first surface of a wafer and a plurality of ink supply passages each extending through the wafer from an opposed surface of the wafer to a respective ink ejection device, with the ink ejection devices being arranged in groups, and an ink supply arrangement which comprises: a block of material mounlable on said opposed surface of the wafer, the block having a plurality of channels defined therein and opening out into a first surface of the block in abutment with said opposed surface of the wafer; and at least one ink supply inlet opening in communication with each channel, said ink supply inlet openings opening out into a second surface of the block. 2. A printhead as claimed m claim 1, wherem the second surface of the block is opposed to the first surface. 3. A prmthead as claimed in claim 1, wherein the block is a silicon wafer. 4. A printhead as claimed in claim 3, wherein the block is bonded to the wafer carrying the MEMS devices. 5. A printhead as claimed in claim 3, wherein the channels and ink inlet openio-gs are etched into the silicon wafer. b. A printhead as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ink supply arrangement comprises sealing material arranged to isolate each ink inlet opening from its neighboring opening.

Documents:

in-pct-2002-2048-che abstract-duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2002-2048-che abstract.jpg

in-pct-2002-2048-che abstract.pdf

in-pct-2002-2048-che claims-duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2002-2048-che claims.pdf

in-pct-2002-2048-che correspondence-others.pdf

in-pct-2002-2048-che correspondence-po.pdf

in-pct-2002-2048-che description(complete)-duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2002-2048-che description(complete).pdf

in-pct-2002-2048-che drawings-duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2002-2048-che drawings.pdf

in-pct-2002-2048-che form-1.pdf

in-pct-2002-2048-che form-19.pdf

in-pct-2002-2048-che form-26.pdf

in-pct-2002-2048-che form-3.pdf

in-pct-2002-2048-che form-5.pdf

in-pct-2002-2048-che others.pdf

in-pct-2002-2048-che petition.pdf