Abstract: A printhead is provided having a printhead integrated circuit having ejection nozzles and fluid channels for supplying fluid to the nozzles, a support structure supporting the integrated circuit, the support structure having conduits for supplying fluid to the channels, and a sealing film fixing the integrated circuit to the support structure. The sealing film has apertures providing sealed fluid communication between the conduits and the channels. The channels are divided into isolated channel sections by walls. Each aperture of the sealing film is positioned at one of the walls so as to provide fluid communication to both of the channel sections either side of the respective wall.

Abstract: An inkjet printer having an inkjet printhead having at least one printhead IC for ejecting ink, and a support structure for mounting the ink jet printhead in the printer and supporting the at least one printhead IC. The support structure has a paper guide adjacent the at least one printhead IC. The printer also has a print platen for facing the at least one printhead IC during printing to define a gap between the print platen and the at least one printhead IC, the print platen having a guide surface for directing the sheets of print media into the gap. A media feed path extends through the printer along which sheets of media substrate are fed, the media feed path being partially defined by the paper guide on the support structure and the guide surface of the print platen. During use, the sheets of print media path in sliding contact with the paper guide and spaced from the guide surface during printing.

Abstract: Provided is a valve assembly for a printer ink cartridge. The valve assembly includes a flanged valve stem defining an inlet opening with a skirt engaging portion for operatively engaging an outlet port of the cartridge, and a depressible valve member within the stem. The valve assembly also includes a pressure regulator having a spacer within a central hub and a diaphragm spanning a central inlet opening. The pressure regulator further includes a clip defining an outlet opening, the clip configured to operatively engage the valve stem to sandwich the valve member, spacer and diaphragm between the valve stem and clip. The pressure regulator also includes a spring configured to bias the diaphragm against the central inlet opening into a closed position, so that ink from the ink cartridge is only able to flow through the valve when the diaphragm is in an open position.

Abstract: An inkjet printer has a body mounting first and second gear assemblies. The first assembly cooperating with a motor gear and having a code feature. The second assembly rotatably cooperating with the first assembly and a capper for capping a printhead. The code feature cooperates with a holding feature of a mounting arrangement used to mount the second assembly so that the cooperation maintains the first assembly at a predetermined position during the mounting of the second assembly. The first assembly has first and second gears connected by a common shaft. The first gear meshes with the motor gear and the second gear meshes with the second assembly. The second assembly has a third gear mounted to the body by a pin which meshes with the second gear. The third gear is an eccentric gear.

Abstract: A fluid coupling for establishing a sealed connection between a first conduit and a second conduit. The second conduit has a seal seat and a compression member. The compression member is movable relative to the seal seat. A seal is positioned in the seal seat. An engagement mechanism moves the compression member toward the seal seat to compress the seal to form a sealed fluid connection. The engagement mechanism has an input arm hinged to the compression member at a hinge connection. The input arm has a compression lever fixed at an angle to the longitudinal extent of the input arm. The input arm is arranged to push against the compression member as the input arm rotates about the hinge connection to the compression member.

Abstract: A cover assembly for a cradle unit of an inkjet printer having a body complementary to a removable inkjet cartridge of a type having a pagewidth printhead and an ink supply and a controller for controlling the operation of the printhead to facilitate printing. The cover assembly has at least one port formed therein through which a refill unit is received for refilling the ink supply of the cartridge; and an actuator member arranged within the cover assembly which operates said refill unit to facilitate refilling of the ink supply of the cartridge.

Abstract: An inkjet printer that has a printer body, a printhead cartridge for installation in the printer body, and an ink cartridge for supplying the printhead cartridge with ink. The ink cartridge has an ink outlet valve and an air inlet, the ink outlet valve engaging an ink inlet valve on the printhead cartridge, and the air inlet engaging a complementary formation on the printer body to open the air inlet and locate the ink cartridge.

Abstract: An inkjet printer that has a printer body, a printhead cartridge for installation in the printer body, the printhead cartridge having a pagewidth inkjet printhead structure with an array of nozzles, a plurality of ink cartridges for supplying ink, each of the ink cartridges having a docking face for engagement with a complementary face partially provided by the printhead cartridge and partially provided by the printer body and, a docking frame with a plurality of resilient connectors form part of fluid paths from the ink cartridges. Longitudinal expansion and contraction of the pagewidth printhead structure relative to the docking frame is accommodated by the resilient connectors.

Abstract: An inkjet printer comprising a printer body and a replaceable printhead cartridge is disclosed. The printhead cartridge has a casing that supports a printhead and a plurality of contacts for receiving print data and power. The printer body has a cradle for holding the printhead cartridge in an operative position. The printer body has corresponding contacts for connection with the plurality of contacts on the printhead cartridge when the printhead cartridge is in the operative position. During insertion of the replaceable printhead cartridge, the casing is first slid into the cradle at which point the plurality of contacts contact the corresponding contacts. Next, the casing is rotated. During the rotation the plurality of contacts remain in contact with the corresponding contacts. The rotation of the casing in the cradle forms an over centre mechanism.

Abstract: Provided is an ink storage module for a pagewidth printer cartridge. The module includes upper and lower plate members that are displaceable towards and away from each other. An ink bag is located between the plate members to define an ink volume. A bag constrictor assembly is engaged with said plate members, and is configured to act on the bag when the plate members are displaced towards each other to reduce the ink volume. A biasing mechanism is engaged with the plate members to bias the plate members away from each other such that a negative pressure is maintained in the ink volume. A lid is engaged with the plate members and bag constrictor assembly. The lid has at least one port in fluid communication with the bag, to deliver ink to a printhead or to facilitate refilling said bag with ink.

Abstract: An inkjet printer has a molded ink manifold bonded to a printhead by an adhesive film. The printhead has: (a) a plurality of nozzles formed on a frontside of a substrate, the nozzles being arranged in rows extending longitudinally along the substrate, each nozzle having a respective nozzle inlet; and (b) a plurality of ink supply channels extending longitudinally along a backside of the substrate. Each ink supply channel is configured for supplying ink from the backside to at least one corresponding row of nozzle inlets. Further, each ink supply channel is interrupted along its length by one or more transverse bridges. The transverse bridges provide the printhead integrated circuit with strength in a transverse direction.

Abstract: Provided is a print cradle assembly for a printhead cartridge. The cradle assembly includes a docking bay molding and a media feed drive assembly positioned on the docking bay molding and configured to feed media through the assembly. The cradle assembly also includes a printed circuit board (PCB) with a printer controller for controlling the media feed drive assembly and operation of the cartridge, as well as a heatshield mounted to the PCB for shielding the printer controller from electromagnetic interference (EMI) and user contact with the PCB.

Abstract: A method of assembling a gear arrangement for a capper of an inkjet printer includes the steps of: mounting a first gear assembly to the printer to cooperate with a motor gear for driving rotation of the first gear assembly, the first gear assembly including a driving gear from which a code feature protrudes, the driving gear meshed with the motor gear; engaging the printer with a jig; and mounting a second gear assembly to the printer using the jig, the second gear assembly mounted to cooperate with the first gear assembly to be rotatable therewith and to further cooperate with a capper for capping a printhead so that the rotation of the second gear assembly moves the capper out of and into capping position.

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: An ink cartridge that self seals its outlet opening with an outlet valve that connects to an inlet on the printhead. The outlet valve has a radially extending flange fixed within the outlet opening and an annular skirt of resilient material extending from the side of the outlet opening to the valve seat. The annular skirt is biased into sealing engagement with the radially extending flange to close the outlet valve until installment when the printhead inlet lifts the annular skirt off the flange so that ink flows around the flange into the printhead.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead assembly with a printhead integrated circuit formed on a wafer substrate, the printhead integrated circuit having an array of ink ejection nozzles, the array having a first section with nozzles for ejecting ink of a first color, and a second section with nozzles for ejecting ink of a second color. The assembly also having an integrated circuit support structure for mounting in the printer adjacent a media feed path, the integrated circuit support structure having conduits for supplying the printhead integrated circuit with ink of the first color and the second color and, a polymer sealing film between the integrated circuit support structure and the printhead integrated circuit for fixing the printhead integrated circuit to the integrated circuit support structure.

Abstract: A media clearance mechanism for a printer, the media clearance mechanism having a door hingedly mounted to a body of the printer which can be opened to expose a media width of a media path to a media width printhead of the printer; a media diverter mounted to the door such that when the door is in a closed position the door and the diverter define guiding portions of the path, the diverter being pivotally mounted to the door so that the diverter pivots out of the way upon opening of the door; and a displacement mechanism configured to retract the diverter with the opening movement of the door and to reposition the diverter for media guiding with the closing movement of the door

Abstract: A printer having a media width printhead; a media path from a media input area to the printhead; a door hingedly mounted to a body of the printer which can be opened to expose the media path a media diverter mounted to the door such that when the door is in a closed position the door and the diverter define guiding portions of the path, the diverter being pivotally mounted to the door so that the diverter pivots out of the way upon opening of the door; and a displacement mechanism configured to retract the diverter with the opening movement of the door and to reposition the diverter for media guiding with the closing movement of the door.

Abstract: Provided is an ink cartridge unit for an inkjet printer. The cartridge unit includes a main body defining a number of ink reservoirs, each reservoir having a layered stack of absorbent material forming a micro-capillary array for suspending ink inside said reservoir. The unit also includes a lid assembly covering the main body to seal ink inside the ink reservoirs, and a printhead assembly operatively fed with ink from the ink reservoirs in the main body. The unit further includes a capper assembly for operatively capping the printhead assembly to prevent damage to micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangements defined on a printing surface of the printhead assembly. The lid assembly includes a refill facility whereby the ink reservoirs are refillable with ink from a suitable ink refill unit.

Abstract: A refill unit for a fluid container is providing. The refill unit has a housing defining a fluid path in fluid communication with an outlet and configured to be operatively engaged with the fluid container, a fluid reservoir having an ejection port arranged in fluid communication with the fluid path inside the housing, and an ejector assembly configured to incrementally eject between 6 ml and 50 ml per increment of fluid from the reservoir when the assembly is actuated by operative engagement of the fluid container with the housing.