Printhead pin configurations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10569542-B2
Application number	US-201615238290-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2016
Priority date	Aug 16, 2016
Publication date	Feb 25, 2020
Grant date	Feb 25, 2020

Abstract

Printhead pin configurations are disclosed. An example printhead assembly includes an interface to place the printhead assembly in communication with a logic circuit; and a logic circuit configured according to a pin configuration, the pin configuration comprising pin groups, wherein each of the pin groups includes a signal line and a reference voltage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printhead assembly, comprising:
an interface to place the printhead assembly in communication with a controller of a printer; and
a logic circuit configured to control heating elements according to control signals provided by the controller via the interface, the interface being configured according to a pin configuration, the pin configuration comprising pin groups, wherein the pin groups are defined based on which pins of the pin configuration are to be bundled together, in multiple corresponding bundles, where the multiple corresponding bundles are packaged in a corresponding cable bundle, each of the pin groups includes a signal line pin and a reference voltage pin, the signal line pin is coupled to a source of changing values, and the reference voltage pin is coupled to a constant voltage.

2. A printhead assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the pin configuration has forty pins and eleven pin groups.

3. A printhead assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the pin configuration includes ten data pins.

4. A printhead assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the pin configuration includes five clock pins.

5. A printhead assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the pin configuration includes first and second latch pins.

6. A printhead assembly as defined in claim 5 , wherein the first latch pin is assigned to a first one of the pin groups and the second latch pin is assigned to a second one of the pin groups.

7. A printhead assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the pin configuration includes first and second strobe pins.

8. A printhead assembly as defined in claim 7 , wherein the first strobe pin is assigned to a first one of the pin groups and the second strobe pin is assigned to a second one of the pin groups.

9. A printhead assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the pin configuration includes thirty pins and ten pin groups.

10. A printhead assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the reference voltage pin is assigned a first reference voltage, and each of a plurality of the pin groups includes a second reference voltage pin assigned a second reference voltage different than the first reference voltage.

11. A printhead assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the logic circuit implements a driver for a printhead including heating elements.

12. A printhead assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the pin configuration includes multiple clock pins.

13. A printhead assembly, comprising:
an interface to place the printhead assembly in communication with a controller of a printer; and
a logic circuit configured to control heating elements according to control signals provided by the controller via the interface, the interface being configured according to a pin configuration, the pin configuration comprising pin groups, wherein the pin groups are defined based on which pins of the pin configuration are to be bundled together, in multiple corresponding bundles, where the multiple corresponding bundles are packaged in a corresponding cable bundle, each of the pin groups includes a signal line pin and a reference voltage pin, and the pin configuration includes first and second strobe pins.

14. A printhead assembly, comprising:
an interface to place the printhead assembly in communication with a controller of a printer; and
a logic circuit configured to control heating elements according to control signals provided by the controller via the interface, the interface being configured according to a pin configuration, the pin configuration comprising pin groups, wherein the pin groups are defined based on which pins of the pin configuration are to be bundled together in a corresponding cable bundle, each of the pin groups includes a signal line pin and a reference voltage pin, and the pin configuration includes thirty pins and ten pin groups.

15. A printhead assembly, comprising:
an interface to place the printhead assembly in communication with a controller of a printer; and
a logic circuit configured to control heating elements according to control signals provided by the controller via the interface, the interface being configured according to a pin configuration, the pin configuration comprising pin groups, wherein the pin groups are defined based on which pins of the pin configuration are to be bundled together, in multiple corresponding bundles, where the multiple corresponding bundles are packaged in a corresponding cable bundle, and each of the pin groups includes a signal line pin and a reference voltage pin.

Assignees

• Zebra Tech Corp

Inventors

• Dipert Dwight D
• Donato Daniel F

Classifications

• B41J2/355

  Control circuits for heating-element selection · CPC title

• B41J2002/14491

  Electrical connection · CPC title

• B41J2/35 Primary

  providing current or voltage to the thermal head · CPC title

• B41J2/14072

  Electrical connections, e.g. details on electrodes, connecting the chip to the outside... · CPC title

• B41J2/17546

  electronically · CPC title