Inkjet printhead having dynamic response to pressure changes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10343402-B2
Application number	US-201815888872-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2018
Priority date	Feb 6, 2017
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

An inkjet printhead includes: a rigid elongate manifold having one or more ink supply channels extending along its length, each ink supply channel having a base defining a plurality of ink outlets and a roof comprising an elongate flexible film; and a plurality of printhead chips mounted to the manifold, each printhead chip receiving ink from one or more of the ink outlets The flexible film includes a plurality of operatively independent bellows positioned along a length of one or more ink supply channels.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An inkjet printhead comprising:
a rigid elongate manifold having one or more ink supply channels extending along its length, each ink supply channel having a base defining a plurality of ink outlets and a roof comprising an elongate flexible film; and
a plurality of printhead chips mounted to the manifold, each printhead chip receiving ink from one or more of the ink outlets,
wherein the flexible film comprises a plurality of operatively independent bellows positioned along a length of one or more ink supply channels, the bellows being operatively separated from each other by baffles.

2. The inkjet printhead of claim 1 , wherein each bellows comprises a corrugated region of the flexible film.

3. The inkjet printhead of claim 1 , wherein the baffles extend upwards from a continuous corrugated film so as to divide the film into contiguous and operatively independent bellows.

4. The inkjet printhead of claim 1 , further comprising a cover plate engaged with the manifold and positioned for covering the flexible film, the cover plate having a plurality of vent holes open to atmosphere.

5. The inkjet printhead of claim 1 , wherein the flexible film is comprised of a polymer.

6. The inkjet printhead of claim 1 , wherein each ink supply channel has a manifold port at one longitudinal end and the bellows hang into the ink supply channel from sidewalls thereof.

7. The inkjet printhead of claim 6 , wherein a level of the manifold port corresponds to a level of a lowest part of the bellows hanging into the ink supply channel.

8. An inkjet printhead comprising:
a rigid elongate manifold having one or more ink supply channels extending along its length, each ink supply channel having a base defining a plurality of ink outlets and a roof comprising an elongate flexible film;
a plurality of printhead chips mounted to the manifold, each printhead chip receiving ink from one or more of the ink outlets; and
a cover plate engaged with the manifold and positioned for covering the flexible film, the cover plate having a plurality of vent holes open to atmosphere.
wherein the flexible film comprises bellows positioned along a length of one or more ink supply channels.

9. The inkjet printhead of claim 8 , wherein each bellows comprises a corrugated region of the flexible film.

10. The inkjet printhead of claim 9 , wherein baffles extend upwards from a continuous corrugated film so as to divide the film into contiguous and operatively independent bellows.

11. The inkjet printhead of claim 8 , wherein the flexible film is comprised of a polymer.

12. The inkjet printhead of claim 8 , wherein each ink supply channel has a manifold port at one longitudinal end and the bellows hang into the ink supply channel from sidewalls thereof.

13. The inkjet printhead of claim 12 , wherein a level of the manifold port corresponds to a level of a lowest part of the bellows hanging into the ink supply channel.

14. An inkjet printhead comprising:
a rigid elongate manifold having one or more ink supply channels extending along its length, each ink supply channel having a base defining a plurality of ink outlets and a roof comprising an elongate flexible film;
a manifold port at each longitudinal end of each ink supply channel; and
a plurality of printhead chips mounted to the manifold, each printhead chip receiving ink from one or more of the ink outlets,
wherein :
the flexible film comprises a plurality of bellows positioned along a length of one or more ink supply channels;
the bellows hang into the ink supply channels; and
a level of the manifold port corresponds to a level of a lowest part of the bellows hanging into the ink supply channel.

15. The inkjet printhead of claim 14 , wherein each bellows comprises a corrugated region of the flexible film.

16. The inkjet printhead of claim 14 , wherein the baffles extend upwards from a continuous corrugated film so as to divide the film into contiguous and operatively independent bellows.

17. The inkjet printhead of claim 14 , further comprising a cover plate engaged with the manifold and positioned for covering the flexible film, the cover plate having a plurality of vent holes open to atmosphere.

18. The inkjet printhead of claim 14 , wherein the flexible film is comprised of a polymer.

Assignees

• Memjet Technology Ltd

Inventors

• Thelander Jason
• Burke David
• Thomas Andrew

Classifications

• B41J2202/20

  Modules · CPC title

• B41J2/14145

  Structure of the manifold · CPC title

• B41J2/19

  for removing air bubbles · CPC title

• B41J2/14 Primary

  Structure thereof {only for on-demand ink jet heads} · CPC title

• B41J2002/14419

  Manifold · CPC title