Abstract: A cartridge unit arranged for use in a print engine for an inkjet printer is provided. The cartridge unit has a body portion having ink storage compartments and a pagewidth printhead assembly configured to receive ink from ink storage compartments and distribute it to nozzles arranged in use to deliver the ink onto passing print media. The print engine has a cradle which has a body which removably receives the cartridge unit and is configured to control the operation of the printhead assembly for printing. The ink storage compartments comprise absorption material which stores the ink therein under capillary action for supply to the nozzles. The cradle is configured to be secured to the inkjet printer to receive print media from a media input tray and to deliver printed media to a media output tray.

Abstract: A printhead maintenance assembly for an inkjet printer includes a movable chassis arranged in a housing; an endless belt mounted on the chassis, the endless belt having a contact surface reciprocally movable between a first position in which the contact surface is engaged with the printhead and a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the printhead; a pair of spools mounted on the chassis and on which the belt is mounted, one of the spools being a toothed drive spool and the other being an idler spool; a drive gear driven by a drive motor and engaged with the drive spool, the drive gear, the drive spool, and the drive motor forming a conveyor mechanism for conveying the belt in a direction substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the printhead; and a cleaning station mounted on the chassis and positioned to clean the belt as the belt moves past.

Abstract: A printer assembly for a pagewidth printer includes a casing defining a print media path; two pagewidth printheads mounted on opposite sides, respectively, of a print media path defined by the casing; capping members located adjacent respective printheads, each capping member inclined at a predetermined acute angle to a direction of travel of the print media through said path; and actuating mechanisms engaged with the printheads to rotate the printheads to the predetermined angle, and to move each capping member towards the respective printhead to cap nozzle arrangements located on printing zones of the printheads. The actuating mechanisms move each capping member along a path parallel to the print media path.

Abstract: The invention provides for a refill unit for a printer cartridge having an operatively, negatively pressurized ink reservoir. The refill unit includes an ink bag housed within a docking assembly for docking with the printer cartridge. Also included is a valve actuator shaped and configured to actuate an outlet valve of the ink reservoir into a closed position and thereafter to actuate an inlet valve of the ink reservoir into an open position when the docking assembly docks with the cartridge. The refill unit also includes constrictor actuators engageable with the cartridge and configured to increase pressure in the ink bag during ink flow from the ink bag to the ink reservoir, and to permit a re-establishment of negative pressure in the ink reservoir upon disengagement of the refill unit from the cartridge.

Abstract: Provided is a printer assembly having a refillable cartridge assembly. The cartridge assembly includes an elongate main body defining a number of rectangular ink reservoirs along a length thereof, with end reservoirs being larger than reservoirs interposed between the end reservoirs, said end reservoirs being configured to store ink more readily consumed during a printing process. The cartridge assembly also includes a lid assembly covering the main body to seal ink inside the ink reservoirs, the lid assembly having an actuator to actuate a cartridge refill unit. Also included is a printhead assembly fast with the main body and operatively fed with ink from the ink reservoirs in the main body, as well as a refill unit engageable with the lid assembly to refill at least one of the reservoirs.

Abstract: Provided is an ink refill unit for a print engine. The unit includes a body assembly defining an ink ejection port at one end thereof, a compressible tank located inside said body assembly, and a compression arrangement for compressing the bellows tank. The compression arrangement includes actuation means selectively operable by a controller of the print engine, a threaded wall and circular plunger assembly, and an elongate drive gear mounted within the body assembly and engaging with the plunger assembly. The drive gear is actuated by the actuation means. The threaded wall and circular plunger assembly includes an internal lead screw provided in a substantially cylindrical internal wall of the body assembly and a helical geared thread provided about the circumference of a substantially circular plunger threaded to the internal lead screw thread and extending along a length thereof.

Abstract: A printer assembly for a pagewidth printer includes a support frame having a fluid channel member and a clipping arrangement configured so that a printed circuit board can be clipped to the support frame. A printhead arrangement has printhead tiles arranged in the fluid channel member. The support frame is configured so that a positional relationship between individual tile members is substantially retained during environmental changes.

Abstract: A refill unit is provided for refilling a fluid storage compartment of a printer. The refill unit has a body containing fluid, and a plurality of actuators defined in the body for actuating a constrictor of the storage compartment as the refill unit engages with the storage compartment and deactivating the constrictor as the refill unit disengages from the storage compartment. The constrictor constricts a flexible wall of the storage compartment.

Abstract: A printhead assembly includes a printhead module having at least first and second modular printhead tiles, the first printhead tile having a first set of connection strips, and the second printhead tile having a second set of connection strips; an electrical connector assembly for electrically connecting the first and second printhead tiles, the electrical connector assembly having printed on a surface thereof a plurality of conducting strips; and first and second modular supports arranged end to end for respectively receiving the first and second printhead tiles, the first and second modular supports shaped to complementarily define a first cavity portion therebetween. The first printhead tile is received in the first modular support such that the first set of connection strips extend over the cavity portion. The second printhead tile is received in the second modular support such that the second set of electrical connection strips extend over the cavity portion.

Abstract: A printhead assembly that has a casing with a series of module mounting sites, printed circuit board mounting sites and busbar support formations. A printhead module is mounted to each module mounting site respectively. Each printhead module has a printhead integrated circuit (IC). A plurality of printed circuit boards control the printhead IC's, one of the printed circuit boards being fixed to each of the printed circuit board mounting sites respectively. Busbars are secured in the busbar support formations for receiving data and power from the printed circuit boards. The printhead modules are electrically connected to the busbars to provide the printhead integrated circuits with power and data.

Abstract: A valve assembly for a printhead cartridge includes an inlet valve for engaging with an outlet valve of an ink cartridge, the inlet valve having a conical structure defining an inlet opening at a top thereof; a valve seat defined on an inner surface of the conical structure; a depressible valve member provided within the inlet valve, the depressible valve member being normally biased against the valve seat to form therewith a fluidic seal; a skirt engaging portion defined on the inner surface of the conical structure above the valve seat, the skirt engaging portion for engaging a resilient skirt of the ink cartridge, and a pressure regulator provided below the depressible valve member, the pressure regulator having a diaphragm and a regulator inlet defined through the diaphragm, the regulator inlet for facilitating flow of ink from a valve-side of the diaphragm to a printhead-side.

Abstract: A cartridge unit for an inkjet printer is provided which has a body portion having ink storage compartments, a pagewidth printhead configured to receive ink from the compartments and distribute the ink to nozzles arranged in use to deliver the ink onto passing print media, and a capping assembly for capping the printhead. The capping assembly has a body configured to extend the length of the printhead, a capping element housed within the body and movable with respect thereto between first and second positions. The first position is where a portion of the capping element extends from the body and the second position is where the capping element is contained within the body. The capping element is biased into the first position. The ink storage compartments comprise absorption material which stores the ink therein under capillary action for supply to the nozzles of the printhead.

Abstract: An ink coupling for connecting an inkjet printer and a replaceable cartridge configured to not drip ink upon detachment. The coupling has a cartridge valve on the cartridge side of the coupling and a printer conduit on the printer side of the coupling. The cartridge valve and the printer conduit having complementary formations configured to form a coupling seal when brought into engagement. The cartridge valve is biased closed and configured to open when brought into engagement with the printer conduit. Upon disengagement, the coupling seal breaks after the cartridge valve closes, and an ink meniscus forms and recedes from the complementary formations as they separate, the cartridge valve having external surfaces configured so that the meniscus travels across the external surfaces and only pins itself to the printer conduit surfaces.

Abstract: A pagewidth printhead assembly that has a pair of pagewidth printheads, each having an array of nozzle for ejecting ink such that the pair of pagewidth printheads print both sides of a sheet of media simultaneously. The assembly also having a capping mechanism with a pair of capping members for capping each of the pagewidth printheads respectively and an actuating mechanism for moving the capping mechanism between a first position in capping engagement with the respective pagewidth printheads and a second position spaced from the nozzles of the respective printheads.

Abstract: A refill unit for refilling an ink storage compartment for a printhead assembly. The ink storage compartment is fluidically connected to the printhead assembly via an outlet valve. The refill unit a variable volume container for holding a quantity of ink and a valve actuator for closing the outlet valve as the refill unit engages the ink storage compartment.

Abstract: A pagewidth printhead assembly for an inkjet printer, that has an elongate ink distribution member mounted with a series of inlets spaced along the length of the elongate ink distribution member, one or more integrated circuits fixed to the ink distribution member, the or each integrated circuit having nozzles for ejecting ink supplied by the distribution member onto a passing media substrate, and an electrical connector for transmitting data to the or each integrated circuit, the electrical connector having an elongate array of contacts for electrical connection with a corresponding array of contacts on the inkjet printer.

Abstract: This invention relates to a cover assembly for a cradle unit of a pagewidth print engine. The cover assembly defines a docking port for a refill unit configured to refill a cartridge unit of the print engine. The cartridge unit is housed in the cradle. The docking port includes a rim portion, engagement means and a push rod. The rim portion is for receiving a base portion of the refill unit so that the refill unit is able to pass through the cover assembly, in use, to dock with the cartridge unit. The engagement means is located within the rim portion, the engagement means being configured to engage the refill unit to retain the refill unit securely in position to facilitate refilling of the cartridge unit. The push rod extends through a hole in the rim portion for operatively actuating the refill unit to incrementally dispense ink.

Abstract: A printer is provided having a pagewidth printhead assembly having opposed pagewidth printheads, a pagewidth capping member located adjacent the printheads, and an actuating mechanism arranged to move the printheads and capping member. Each printhead has a plurality of ink ejection nozzles arranged across the pagewidth to deliver ink onto opposite faces of print media as it is transported between the printheads. The actuating mechanism moves the printheads between respective printing positions and a non-printing position, and the capping member between the printheads in the non-printing position to cap the nozzles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reservoir assembly for a pagewidth printhead cartridge. The cartridge has a fluid distribution molding with priming inlets in fluid communication with fluid channels for supplying printing fluid to a plurality of printhead integrated circuits. The reservoir assembly includes a reservoir compartment arranged in fluid communication with the fluid channels via a fluid outlet. The reservoir includes a porous absorbent material located inside the compartment to absorb printing fluid delivered via the priming inlets. The reservoir assembly also includes a bypass fluid path arranging the fluid outlet and a well region of the compartment in fluid communication, said bypass fluid path having a bypass valve to facilitate priming the reservoir compartment with printing fluid.

Abstract: An ink refill unit for a print engine includes a body assembly defining an ink ejection port at one end thereof. A compressible tank is located inside said body assembly. A mechanical compression arrangement for compressing the tank includes a threaded wall and circular plunger assembly and an elongate drive gear mounted within the body assembly and engaging with the plunger assembly.