Abstract: A refillable ink cartridge has an ink port for both supplying ink to a printhead and refilling the cartridge. An ink reservoir has ink absorbent material disposed therein with a main fluid channel extending between the ink port and the ink absorbent material. A bypass fluid channel with a control valve extends between the main fluid channel the said absorbent material. The bypass control valve is configured to allow ink to flow through the bypass fluid channel only when refilling the ink reservoir via the ink port.

Abstract: A cartridge unit for an inkjet printer includes a printhead having an array of ink ejection nozzles; a plurality of ink storage compartment, each ink storage compartment having a variable storage volume and a displaceable wall section biased to expand the variable storage volume to generate a sustained negative pressure; an ink feed system for connecting the ink storage compartment to the printhead, the ink feed system including a plurality of channels extending parallel to a length of the printhead, each channel corresponding respectively to an ink storage compartment; and a printhead maintenance assembly, the printhead maintenance assembly having a capper spring biased against the array of ink ejection nozzles for covering the array of ink ejection nozzles. The printhead maintenance assembly includes a catch element engaged with an actuator, the catch element being movable by the actuator in a direction to counteract the biasing of the capper against the array of ink ejection nozzles.

Abstract: A printing fluid supply device for a printhead comprises a printing fluid storage compartment for storing printing fluid; an absorbent material provided in the printing fluid reservoir, the absorbent material comprising a plurality of channels formed therethrough; and a fluid trapping layer provided between the absorbent material and the printhead. The fluid trapping layer is adapted to absorb printing fluid and draw printing fluid from the printing fluid storage compartment into and through the absorbent material.

Abstract: A cradle unit for use in a print engine to receive a cartridge unit that has a printhead assembly. The cradle unit has a main body with an opening for receiving the cartridge and drive rollers for feeding sheets of media past the printhead assembly, a printed circuit board (PCB) movably mounted to the main body, the PCB having control electronics for operative control of the print engine, a cover assembly movably mounted to the main body, the cover assembly being configured for securing the cartridge in the opening and engaging the PCB such that the PCB is moved into electrical contact with the cartridge when in a closed position, and to move the PCB out of electrical connection with the cartridge when in an open position and, a maintenance assembly operated by the PCB control electronics for capping and wiping the printhead assembly.

Abstract: A printhead is provided for an inkjet printer that has a print engine controller for receiving print data and sending it to the printhead. The printhead has a printhead IC for ejecting ink and a support structure for mounting the printhead IC in the printer adjacent a paper path. The printhead IC is mounted on a face of the support structure that, in use, faces the paper path. A flexible printed circuit board (flex PCB) that has contacts for receiving print data mounted to the support structure on a face that does not face the paper path. The bent section reduces the likelihood of trace cracking by holding the flex PCB at a set radius rather than allowing the flex to follow an irregular curve and thereby risking localized points of high stress on the traces.

Abstract: A refill unit for an ink reservoir that has an inlet valve for receiving refill ink and an outlet valve for fluid communication with an inkjet printhead. The refill unit has a docking assembly for docking with the ink reservoir, an ink bag for storing ink, a valve actuator configured to close the outlet valve of the ink reservoir and subsequently open the inlet valve upon docking the docking assembly with the ink reservoir, an ink delivery outlet assembly for establishing fluid communication between the ink bag and the ink reservoir upon docking the docking assembly with the ink reservoir and, constrictor actuators for increasing pressure in the ink bag upon docking the docking assembly with the ink reservoir, and reducing pressure in the ink reservoir upon disengagement of the docking assembly and the ink reservoir.

Abstract: An ink refill unit is provided for refilling a printer ink cartridge unit. The ink refill unit includes a base assembly that has ink refilling components and outlets for engaging a docking member connected to the ink storage compartments. Each outlet corresponds to a respective type of ink with only one of the outlets working. The ink refilling components include a syringe assembly coupled in fluid communication with the working outlet. A lid assembly covers the ink refilling components.

Abstract: A printer cradle unit for a printer cartridge has a body defining an opening for receiving the cartridge. A cover assembly closes the opening and secures the cartridge in an operative position. An ink refill mechanism is arranged on the body to operate a refill unit to refill the cartridge with ink. A roller assembly is arranged on the body and is configured to feed print media from the cartridge.

Abstract: A printhead is provided having a plurality of printing fluid ejection nozzle modules each having one or more printing fluid channels interconnected at respective complementary female and male end portions of the modules, a connector connected to the female or male end portion of one of the modules for communicating printing fluid from a fluid supply to the nozzles of all of the modules via the interconnected channels, and a sealing member connected to the female or male end portion of another one of the modules. The sealing member has female and male portions complementary to the female and male end portions of the modules and for sealing the channels of the connected module.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cartridge unit assembly for a printer. The assembly includes a main body having a rectangular frame. An ink storage module assembly has ink storage modules. The rectangular frame has a number of compartments therein for operatively locating the ink storage modules. An ink outlet molding is fast with the main body, the molding having ink outlets corresponding to each of the ink storage modules. A printhead assembly has an ink distribution assembly in fluid communication with the ink storage modules. A printhead integrated circuit (IC) is located on the ink distribution assembly to receive ink. An air sleeve is configured to direct pressurized air from an air source across the IC.

Abstract: A printer unit includes a casing. The casing defines an internal cavity and includes a lid which can be opened to expose the internal cavity. An upright media supply tray extends from the casing and is configured to support print media. A picker mechanism is mounted to the casing. The picker mechanism is configured to engage the print media in the supply tray and feed individual sheets of the print media into the internal cavity. A print engine is positioned in the internal cavity. The print engine includes a media transport means which can transport the individual sheets and feed them past a printhead assembly for printing. An output tray is retractably mounted relative to the casing and is configured to collect printed sheets of print media from the print engine. A user interface in the form of an LCD touch screen is mounted on the lid and can enable a user to control the operation of the printer unit.

Abstract: An inkjet printer is provided which has at least one printhead having a plurality of ink ejection nozzles, a capping/purging member having a length corresponding substantially to that of the printhead, a first actuating mechanism arranged to move the printhead in an arcuate first direction between first, second and third positions, and a second actuating mechanism arranged to move the capping/purging member in an arcuate second direction to cap the nozzles of the printhead when the printhead is in the second position and to permit purging of ink from the nozzles when the printhead is in the third position.

Abstract: A printhead is provided having ejection nozzle integrated circuits, flexible printed circuit boards for connecting electrical signals to associated ones of the integrated circuits and controllers each connected to at least one of the integrated circuits via the respective flexible printed circuit board for controlling the printing operation of the integrated circuits. Each controller is provided on a respective printed circuit board. The printed circuit boards are adjacent one another and each have recessed portions which adjoin recessed portions in the adjacent printed circuit boards. The adjoined recessed portions receive an electrical connecting member for interconnecting the controllers of adjacent printed circuit boards such that each interconnected controller is able to control the printing operation of the integrated circuits.

Abstract: A refill unit for refilling an ink storage compartment that supplies ink to a printhead assembly, the ink storage compartment having an ink interface for receiving the refill unit. The refill unit comprises a body containing a quantity of ink; an inlet valve actuator for opening an inlet valve of the ink storage compartment when the refill unit is docked therewith; an outlet valve actuator for closing an outlet valve of the ink storage compartment when the refill unit is docked therewith; and a constrictor actuator adapted to be received into an aperture of the ink storage compartment when the refill unit is docked therewith, the constrictor actuator operable to engage a bag constrictor of the ink storage compartment through the aperture to cause a volume of the bag to be decreased.

Abstract: A printer is provided having a pagewidth printhead having a plurality of ejection nozzles located along the pagewidth, a capping mechanism having a pagewidth capping member, a first mechanism for moving the printhead in a first arc between first, second and third positions, and a second mechanism for moving the capping member in a second arc between capping and non-capping positions relative to the printhead. The capping member, in the capping position, caps the nozzles when the printhead is in the second position and permits purging of material from the nozzles when the printhead is in the third position.

Abstract: 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 housing defines an aperture via which the print cartridge actuates the ejector assembly.

Abstract: A printhead for an inkjet printer is disclosed. The printhead has one or more a printhead integrated circuits (ICs) with an array of nozzles for ejecting ink. A support structure of the printhead supports the printhead ICs. The support structure has ink conduits for supplying the array of nozzles with ink. Each ink conduit includes cavities distributed along a roof of the ink conduit. An opening to each respective cavity has an upstream edge and a downstream edge. The upstream edge contacts the ink before the downstream edge during initial priming of the ink conduits from an ink supply. The upstream edge has a transition face between the ink conduit and the cavity interior. The transition face is configured to inhibit ink from filling the cavity by capillary action during initial priming of the ink conduit. This causes gas to be trapped within the cavity. The gas acts to compress pressure pulses in the ink.

Abstract: A protector for a printhead capper is provided. The capper has a capping member configured to cap a printhead, a carrier carrying the capping member, and an actuator for moving the carrier back and forth between a first position at which the capping member is spaced from the printhead and a second position at which the capping member caps the printhead. The protector has a cover member arranged to be engaged by the capping member when the capping member is in the first position.

Abstract: A printhead assembly includes a printhead module including two or more printhead integrated circuits and an electrical connector for connecting electrical signals to the printhead integrated circuits. First and second power supplies are provided at first and second ends of the printhead assembly, the second end being opposite to the first end. The printhead assembly further includes a plurality of electrical conductors for providing power to the printhead integrated circuits from the first and second power supplies. The plurality of electrical conductors extend transverse to a media feed path defined through the printhead assembly. The plurality of electrical connectors are arranged as first and second groups of electrical conductors, the first and second groups having a combined lengths at least equal to a width of the media feed path.

Abstract: Provided is a pagewidth printhead assembly. The assembly includes two printheads arranged on opposite sides of a print media path for duplex printing, and a printhead actuating mechanism configured to move the printheads relative to each other. The assembly also includes a capping member and a capping member actuating mechanism for moving the capping member between an uncapped position outside the media path and a capped position inside the media path for capping both printheads.