Abstract: A cartridge for a pagewidth printhead assembly is provided. The cartridge includes a body assembly having a lid and main body operatively defining a plurality of fluid chambers when assembled, each chamber comprising a stack of polymer layers with a micro-capillary array of channels formed therein to form an absorbent assembly. The cartridge includes a plurality of printhead integrated circuits (IC) each having a plurality of micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangements for ejecting printing fluid onto a printing medium, in use. The cartridge also includes a fluid distribution member operatively arranging each chamber in fluid communication with each IC.

Abstract: A printer is provided having at least one printhead module which has at least two printhead integrated circuits having nozzles formed therein for delivering printing fluid onto the surface of print media, a support member supporting and carrying the printing fluid for the printhead integrated circuits, and an electrical connector for connecting electrical signals to the printhead integrated circuits, longitudinally extending electrical conductors arranged to provide power from a power supply to the printhead integrated circuits via the electrical connector, a loading plate for loading conductor portions of the electrical connector against respective ones of the electrical conductors, and a casing in which the printhead module, the electrical conductors and the loading plate are removably mounted. The printhead module is removable from the casing upon removal of the electrical conductors and the loading plate.

Abstract: A capping mechanism is disclosed for a printhead having a plurality of nozzles arranged to deliver ink onto print media which is transported past the printhead. The capping mechanism comprises actuating means arranged to move the printhead in an arcuate direction away from a transport plane of the print media, from a printing first position to a capping second position, and a capping member which is arranged to engage in nozzle capping engagement with the printhead when the printhead is in the second position. Such a capping mechanism is also disclosed in relation to a pagewidth printhead assembly, and further disclosures are made in respect of a capping mechanism for a printhead assembly having two pagewidth printheads and in respect of an inkjet printer having the capping mechanism.

Abstract: A capping assembly caps a pagewidth printhead of an inkjet printer by moving into and out of a body that has a surface opposite the printhead, The surface has a slot in it open to the interior of the body, The body is configured to extend the length of the printhead, and a capping element is housed within the body. The capping element has a rim portion adapted to cap at least a portion of said printhead and it is movable with respect to said body between a first and a second position. In the first position, the rim portion extends from the body, and in the second position, the rim portion is contained within the body.

Abstract: A printhead that has a printhead integrated circuit (IC) (68) which is elongate and has an array of nozzles for ejecting ink. The printhead also has a support structure 176 for supporting the printhead IC and having ink outlets 186 for supplying the array of nozzles with ink. The ink outlets are spaced along the printhead IC such that the ink outlet spacing (210, 212) decreases at the ends of the printhead IC. By increasing the number of ink outlets near the end regions, the ink supply is enhanced to compensate for the slower priming of the end nozzles. This, in turn, makes the whole nozzle array prime more consistently to avoid flooding and ink wastage from early priming nozzles (or alternatively, unprimed end nozzles).

Abstract: A printer is provided which has a pagewidth printhead assembly and a capping mechanism. The printhead assembly has 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 has a capping member of a length corresponding substantially to that of the printhead, a first actuating mechanism arranged to move the printhead in an arcuate direction from a first to a second position, and a second actuating mechanism arranged to move the capping member in a direction normal to the printhead to effect nozzle capping engagement of the printhead when the printhead is in the second position.

Abstract: A capping assembly for capping a pagewidth printhead of an inkjet printer. The capping assembly has a body configured to extend the length of the printhead and a capping element housed within said body and movable with respect to the body to cap at least a portion of the printhead. The body includes a mounting element for removably mounting said capping assembly to said printhead.

Abstract: An ink cartridge for an inkjet printer is provided. The cartridge has an ink storage compartment having opposed wall sections connected by a flexible wall arrangement to define a variable ink storage volume, and an ink feed system for supplying ink to a printhead with an array of nozzles. One of the opposed wall sections is displaceable and biased to expand the variable ink storage volume to create a negative pressure in the ink storage compartment for avoiding inadvertent ink leakage from the nozzles.

Abstract: A pagewidth printhead assembly for an inkjet printer, the printhead assembly comprising: a pagewidth printhead structure having an array of nozzles and a plurality of ink ports in fluid communication with corresponding nozzles in the array; an ink cartridge docking frame for receiving a plurality ink cartridges, the cartridge docking frame having ink inlet valves for sealed connection to outlets on each of the ink cartridges respectively; and, resilient connectors for sealed fluid communication between the ink inlet valves and the corresponding ink port to accommodate longitudinal expansion and contraction of the pagewidth printhead structure relative to the ink cartridge docking frame.

Abstract: A capping/purging 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 which is transported past the printhead. The capping/purging mechanism comprises-i) a capping member having a length corresponding substantially to that of the printhead, ii) means arranged to move the capping member and/or the printhead to a position at which the capping member is located in nozzle capping engagement with the printhead, and iii) a purging chamber arranged to receive material that is purged from the printhead. The capping mechanism is also disclosed in relation to a printhead assembly having two pagewidth printheads, and further disclosures are mede in respect of an inkjet printer incorporating the capping mechanism and a method of capping a pagewidth printhead.

Abstract: A printer is provided which has a pagewidth printhead assembly and a capping mechanism. The printhead assembly has 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 has a capping member of a length corresponding substantially to that of the printhead, a first actuating mechanism arranged to move the printhead in an arcuate direction from a first to a second position, and a second actuating mechanism arranged to move the capping member in a lateral direction relative to the printhead to effect nozzle capping engagement of the printhead when the printhead is in the second position. The capping mechanism may be configured for capping in a printer having a printhead assembly with two pagewidth printheads.

Abstract: A capping member for a pagewidth printhead assembly having— (i) at least one pagewidth printhead; and (ii) a plurality of nozzles located along the at least one printhead, the capping member comprising: a) a lip portion that is formed integrally with a body portion; and b) a cavity surrounded by the lip portion; wherein, the lip portion is peripherally configured to surround the nozzles on the at least one printhead, and the body portion has a length corresponding substantially to that of the at least one printhead.

Abstract: An inkjet printer having a two-stage capping mechanism for a pagewidth printhead is disclosed. The printhead has a plurality of nozzles located along the printhead and they are arranged to deliver ink onto print media which, in use, is transported past the printhead. The capping mechanism incorporates a capping member which has a length corresponding substantially to that of the printhead and which is configured to contact the printhead in nozzle capping engagement. A pivotal carrier supports the capping member. An actuating mechanism is provided and arranged to effect pivotal movement of the carrier back and forth between a first position at which the capping member is located remotely with respect to the printhead and a second position at which the capping member is located in contact with the printhead.

Abstract: A printer is disclosed which comprises: (a) 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 one printhead, and (b) a capping mechanism having—(i) a capping member having a length corresponding substantially to that of the printhead, (ii) a first actuating mechanism arranged to move the printhead in a arcuate first direction from a first to a second position and (iii) a second actuating mechanism arranged to move the capping member in an arcuate second direction opposite to that of the first direction to effect nozzle capping engagement of the at least one printhead when the printhead is in the second position. The capping mechanism is also disclosed in relation to a printer having a printhead assembly with two pagewidth printheads.

Abstract: A printer is disclosed which comprises: (a) a pagewidth printhead assembly having a single pagewidth printhead and a plurality of nozzles located along the printhead for delivering ink onto print media as it is transported past the printhead, and (b) a capping/purging mechanism having— (i) a capping member associated with the printhead, the capping member having a length corresponding substantially to that of the printhead and being located in a non-capping first position adjacent the printhead, (ii) purging means associated with the capping member and arranged to receive material that is purged from the nozzle environment of the printhead, and (iii) an actuating mechanism arranged to effect transitioning of the capping member from the first position to a second position at which the capping member is located in nozzle capping engagement with the printhead.

Abstract: An inkjet printer that has an ink supply, an ink manifold in fluid communication with the ink supply, a printhead IC with and array of ink ejection nozzles mounted to the ink manifold, a pump in fluid communication with the ink manifold and, a gas inlet that can be opened to establish fluid communication between the ink manifold and a supply of gas, and can be closed to form a gas tight seal. The ink manifold can be primed using the pump by closing the gas inlet, and de-primed when the gas inlet is open. This allows the printhead to be deprimed during storage and transport and it allows the printhead IC to be cleaned by a foam formed by air forced through the ink election nozzles.

Abstract: An inkjet printer is disclosed in which a protector is provided for a capping facility for a printhead within the printer. The protector comprises a covering member which is arranged to engage with the capping facility during intervals when the capping facility is not engaged with the printhead, whereby the capping member is protected against loss of contained moisture and ingress of contaminating material. In one of its embodiments the printer has a protector for a capping facility in the form of a capping mechanism for a printhead having a plurality of ink-delivery nozzles.

Abstract: A printhead assembly with at least two printhead integrated circuits (IC's), each having arrays of printing fluid ejection nozzles. A support member in the assembly supports and carries the printing fluid fed to the at least two printhead integrated circuits. Drive circuitry for controlling the operation of the printhead IC's has an electrical connector for connecting the drive circuitry to the at least two printhead integrated circuits. The assembly has a casing for supporting the printhead IC's, the support member, the drive circuitry and the electrical connector within an inkjet printer, wherein, the casing has a heat sink to draw heat away from the drive circuitry.

Abstract: A printhead assembly is provided having at least two printhead modules and a casing in which printhead modules are removably and adjacently mounted to extend across a pagewidth. Each printhead module has at least two printhead integrated circuits, each of which has nozzles formed therein for delivering printing fluid onto a surface of print media, a support member supporting and carrying the printing fluid for the at least two printhead integrated circuits, and an electrical connector for connecting electrical power signals to the at least two printhead integrated circuits from both ends of the printhead assembly.

Abstract: A printer comprising: (a) a pagewidth printhead assembly having— (i) a single pagewidth printhead and (ii) a plurality of nozzles located along the printhead and arranged in use to deliver ink onto print media as it is transported past the printhead, and (b) a capping mechanism having— (i) a capping member having a length corresponding substantially to that of the printhead and located in a non-capping first position spaced-apart from but confronting the printhead, and (ii) a motor drive arranged for camming engagement with the capping member to effect its linear transitioning from the first position to a second position at which the capping member is located in nozzle capping engagement with the printhead.