INKJET MODULE HAVING PRINT HEAD NEST ASSEMBLY - Patent application

Abstract

The integrated inkjet module includes a chassis, a printhead carrier mounted to the chassis, and a printhead nest assembly having a nest secured to the printhead carrier and a replaceable printhead nested within the nest, the printhead nest assembly being removable from the printhead carrier, and the printhead being removable from the nest only when the printhead nest assembly is removed from the printhead carrier.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an inkjet module for use in a modular single-pass printing system, and has been developed primarily to facilitate printhead replacement in a robust inkjet module while ensuring reliable printhead alignment. [Background technology]

[0002] Inkjet printers employing Memjet® Page Wide technology are commercially available for a variety of printing applications, including desktop printers, digital inkjet presses, and wide-format printers. Memjet® printers typically contain one or more fixed inkjet printhead cartridges, each at least 200 mm long, that are user-replaceable. For example, a desktop label printer contains a single user-replaceable multicolor printhead cartridge, a high-speed inkjet press contains multiple user-replaceable monochrome printhead cartridges aligned along the media feed direction, and a wide-format printer contains multiple user-replaceable printhead cartridges in an interleaved arrangement spanning the wide-format media feed path.

[0003] Analog printing presses are traditionally used for relatively long print runs where the cost of producing specialized printing plates is economically feasible. Industrial printing systems are increasingly using single-pass digital inkjet printing for relatively short print runs. Digital inkjet printing avoids the high setup costs of producing printing plates and allows each print job to be tailored to a specific customer. It is desirable for the web-feed systems of existing analog printing systems to be adaptable to allow for the use of "drop-in" inkjet modules, for example, in place of offset printing stations. Therefore, it is desirable to minimize the space occupied by the inkjet modules in the media feed direction while still allowing for high-speed, full-color printing with optimal print quality.

[0004] Inkjet printheads need to be replaced periodically, and it would be desirable to be able to replace printheads reliably and accurately so as to minimize alignment errors, particularly in printing systems having multiple printheads aligned along a media path. Additionally, it would be desirable to protect the sensitive electronics that provide power and data to the printheads from ink mist during printing.

[0005] US 10,293,609 describes a full-color page-wide printhead having two rows of chips that receive ink from a common manifold.

[0006] US 10,967,638 describes a printing module having a rotatable printhead carrier for removing and replacing printheads by longitudinally sliding the printheads through an access opening at one end of the printhead carrier.

[0007] US 10,647,137, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, describes a printing module that can be lifted upwardly from a sleeve for removal and replacement of the printhead. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In a first aspect, an integrated inkjet module is provided, the inkjet module comprising: a chassis, a printhead carrier attached to the chassis, a printhead nest assembly having a nest fixed to the printhead carrier and a replaceable printhead fixedly nested therein, the printhead nest assembly being removable from the printhead carrier, and the printhead being removable from the nest only when the printhead nest assembly is removed from the printhead carrier.

[0009] The printhead nest assembly is normally attached to the underside of the printhead carrier, which allows a user to replace the printhead within the inkjet module without the need for access from above to the printhead carrier. The printhead nest assembly provides a convenient unit for replacing the printhead, first within the nest and then within the inkjet module. The printhead is removable from the nest only when the printhead nest assembly has been removed from the printhead carrier (i.e., when all sides are completely separated from the printhead carrier and the user can handle the printhead nest assembly as a separate unit). Further, as will be described below, the printhead nest assembly provides accurate and repeatable alignment of the printhead and protection of delicate electronic components from ink mist.

[0010] Preferably, the inkjet module comprises a lift mechanism operably coupled to the printhead carrier for raising and lowering the printhead carrier relative to the chassis (i.e., in a direction away from and towards the media surface).

[0011] Preferably, the printhead carrier an ink connector for supplying ink to a print head, and an electronic circuit for supplying power and / or data to the print head accommodate at least one of them.

[0012] Preferably, the nest is aligned with the print head carrier according to a first reference arrangement configuration.

[0013] Preferably, the first reference arrangement configuration includes reference pins extending upward from each end of the nest and reference blocks provided on the lower portion of the print head carrier. Each reference block has a respective reference surface for engaging with the nest and respective openings configured to complementarily engage with the reference pins. The reference surface provides z-reference alignment, and the reference pins provide x-reference alignment and y-reference alignment.

[0014] Preferably, each reference block is relatively wider than the print head along the media feed direction. The relatively wide reference block provides stable reference alignment of the print head compared to directly fixing and aligning the print head to the print head carrier.

[0015] Preferably, the nest is fixed to the print head carrier via a screw fixture having a user-operable lever handle.

[0016] Preferably, the print head is aligned with the nest according to a second reference arrangement configuration.

[0017] Preferably, the second reference arrangement configuration includes reference surfaces complementary to both ends of the print head and the nest, respectively.

[0018] Preferably, the nest surrounds the print head on all sides.

[0019] Preferably, the nest is configurable into an open position and a closed position, and the nest allows the printhead to be removed from the nest only when it is in the open position and the printhead nest assembly is removed from the printhead carrier.

[0020] Preferably, in the closed position, the print head is telescopically secured within the nest.

[0021] Preferably, the nest comprises a pair of longitudinal side bars extending parallel to opposite longitudinal sides of the printhead, and a pair of opposing end bars interconnecting the longitudinal side bars to define a nest cavity.

[0022] Preferably, the first longitudinal side bar is fixed and the second longitudinal side bar is relatively movable between an open position and a closed position.

[0023] Preferably, the nest includes a locking mechanism that locks the second longitudinal side bar in a closed position and releases the second longitudinal side bar in an open position.

[0024] Preferably, the locking mechanism includes a pair of nest levers cammingly engaging the second longitudinal side bar to linearly move the second longitudinal side bar toward and away from the first longitudinal side bar.

[0025] Preferably, each nest lever is pivotally mounted to a respective end bar and defines a cam slot which engages a respective follower pin on the second longitudinal side bar.

[0026] Preferably, the printhead engages the nest to form an ink mist seal which protects electronic circuitry housed in the printhead carrier from ink mist.

[0027] Preferably, the nest includes opposed lips projecting inwardly from each longitudinal sidebar toward the printhead, each lip engaging a longitudinal edge of the printhead to at least partially define an ink mist seal.

[0028] Preferably, the print head has opposing longitudinal flanges projecting laterally outward therefrom, each longitudinal flange being disposed below and overlapping a respective lip.

[0029] Preferably, the nest includes a reference pin projecting upwardly from each end bar at either end of the nest cavity, each reference pin configured for complementary engagement with a printhead carrier.

[0030] Preferably, each reference pin has a hollow central bore for receiving a threaded fastener on the printhead carrier.

[0031] Preferably, the inkjet module comprises: a chassis having an elongated base plate defining a longitudinal slot; a pair of posts extending upwardly from the base plate at opposite ends of the longitudinal slot; a pair of brackets having sleeve bushings that slidably engage with the posts; The printhead carrier includes an elongated printhead carrier supported between brackets, the printhead carrier including front and rear plates defining a cavity therebetween, a brace interconnecting upper portions of the front and rear plates, and a pair of reference blocks interconnecting lower portions of the front and rear plates.

[0032] In a second aspect, there is provided a printhead nest assembly for facilitating replacement of a printhead, the printhead nest assembly comprising: a nest configured to be removably secured to the print head carrier; It includes a replaceable print head fixedly nested in a nested manner, and the nest surrounds the periphery of all sides of the print head. The nest is configurable to an open position and a closed position, and the nest allows the print head to be removed from the nest only when the nest is in the open position and the print head nest assembly is removed from the print head carrier.

[0033] Preferred features of the print head nest assembly are described above in relation to the first aspect.

[0034] In a third aspect, a method for replacing the print head of an inkjet module is provided, the method comprising: removing the print head nest assembly from the print head carrier of the inkjet module, the print head nest assembly including a nest and a print head fixedly nested within the nest; opening the nest to remove the print head; inserting a replacement print head into the open nest and then closing the nest to reform the print head nest assembly; and fixing the print head nest assembly to the print head carrier.

[0035] Preferably, the nest surrounds all sides of the print head within the print head nest assembly.

[0036] Preferably, the nest includes a pair of longitudinal sidebars extending parallel to both longitudinal sides of the print head, and a pair of opposing end bars connecting the longitudinal sidebars to define a nest cavity.

[0037] Preferably, opening the nest includes releasing a locking mechanism of the nest.

[0038] Preferably, releasing the locking mechanism causes the second longitudinal sidebar to move away from the first longitudinal sidebar.

[0039] Preferably, the second longitudinal side bar is linearly movable in a direction approaching and separating from the first longitudinal side bar, and the locking mechanism includes a pair of nested levers that are cam-operably engaged with the second longitudinal side bar.

[0040] Preferably, opening the nest includes rotating each nested lever about its respective pivot axis, each lever being rotatably attached to its respective end bar, and each pivot axis being parallel to the ink droplet ejection direction from the print head.

[0041] Preferably, the print head is obliquely withdrawn from the nest cavity through the upper side of the nest.

[0042] Preferably, the step of inserting the replacement print head includes obliquely moving the replacement print head from above it towards the nest cavity, positioning the longitudinal edge of the print head under a lip protruding inside the first longitudinal side bar, and rotating the print head to be parallel to the horizontal plane of the nest.

[0043] Preferably, closing the nest includes moving the second longitudinal side bar towards the first longitudinal side bar using the locking mechanism, thereby reforming the print head nest assembly.

[0044] Preferably, the print head engages with the nest within the print head nest assembly to form an ink mist seal, and the ink mist seal protects the electronic circuit housed in the print head carrier from the ink mist.

[0045] Preferably, each flange extends laterally outward from both side portions in the longitudinal direction of the print head, and the flange engages with respective opposing lips that project inward from the opposing longitudinal side bars of the nest toward the print head, thereby at least partially defining the ink mist seal.

[0046] In a fourth aspect, an integrated inkjet module is provided, the inkjet module comprising a chassis having an elongated base plate that defines a longitudinal slot, a pair of struts extending upward from the base plate at both ends of the longitudinal slot, a pair of brackets having sleeve bushes that slidably engage with the struts, an elongated print head carrier supported between the brackets, the print head carrier including a front plate and a rear plate that define a cavity therebetween, a brace that interconnects upper portions of the front plate and the rear plate, and a pair of reference blocks that interconnect lower portions of the front plate and the rear plate, a print head attached to the reference blocks, and a lift mechanism operably coupled to each bracket for raising and lowering the print head carrier relative to the base plate. The print head is movable between a printing position where the print head projects through the longitudinal slot and a raised position where the print head is lifted relative to the base plate.

[0047] Preferably, the base plate has a C-shaped configuration in plan view having a pair of lateral arms extending laterally from both ends of a longitudinal base member, and the longitudinal slot is an open longitudinal slot defined between the lateral arms on the front side of the inkjet module.

[0048] Preferably, the inkjet module further comprises a rear wall and an end wall extending upward from the base plate.

[0049] Preferably, the lift mechanism includes a lead screw mechanism having a pair of lead screws extending parallel to the support post, each lead screw having a respective lead nut connected to a respective bracket.

[0050] Preferably, each lead screw is operatively connected to a common lift motor via a pulley belt assembly.

[0051] Preferably, each sleeve bushing has a lower flange portion for reference engagement with the base plate in the printing position.

[0052] Preferably, the inkjet module includes a capper for capping the printhead, the capper being linearly slidable towards and away from the printhead in a direction parallel to the lateral arms.

[0053] Preferably, the inkjet module includes a cap cover arranged towards the rear side of the inkjet module, and the capper is covered by the cap cover during idle periods.

[0054] Preferably, the cap cover is pivotally mounted to the rear wall via rocker arms configured to cam engage with respective cam guides located at each end of the capper, such that sliding movement of the capper onto the cap cover causes the cap cover to pivot to cover the capper.

[0055] Preferably, the inkjet module further comprises a wiper for longitudinally wiping the printhead in a direction parallel to its longitudinal axis.

[0056] Preferably, the wiper rests at one end of the longitudinal slot, and one of the brackets has a bracket roof and bracket sidewalls configured to cover the wiper in the printing position.

[0057] Preferably, a cavity in the printhead carrier houses a supply module for the printhead.

[0058] Preferably, the supply module comprises one or more PCBs for supplying power and / or data to the printhead.

[0059] Preferably, the supply module further comprises a fan for cooling the PCB, and the brace has a truss structure that allows air to flow over the top of the printhead carrier.

[0060] Preferably, the printhead is attached to the reference block via a nest that surrounds the printhead.

[0061] Preferably, a reference block is referenced to the nest, the reference block having a width dimension along the media advance direction that is greater than the width dimension of the printhead.

[0062] As used herein, the term "inkjet module" is intended to mean an assembly of components that includes an inkjet printhead, such as an elongated printhead configured for single-pass printing (known in the art as a "page-wide" or "linehead" printhead). An inkjet module typically also includes maintenance and / or ink supply components to provide a fully integrated inkjet system. An inkjet module may itself be a component of a modular printing system that may include, for example, multiple inkjet modules. The inkjet modules may be aligned along the media feed direction for, for example, ultra-high speed printing, or multiple inkjet modules may be arranged in an interleaved fashion across the media feed path for wide-format printing.

[0063] As used herein, the term "ink" is meant to include any printing fluid that can be printed from an inkjet printhead. The ink may or may not contain a colorant. That is, the term "ink" can include conventional dye-based or pigment-based inks, infrared inks, fixing agents (e.g., pre-coats and finishers), 3D printing fluids, solar inks, and the like.

[0064] As used herein, the term "attached" includes both direct attachment and indirect attachment via intervening components.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0065] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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[0066] 1-7 illustrate an integrated inkjet module 1 suitable for use in industrial printing systems. The inkjet module 1 is a self-contained unit that includes an elongated printhead 3 configured for single-pass printing and the components necessary for capping, wiping, and supplying ink, power, and data to the printhead in a compact, fully integrated assembly. The printhead 3 includes two rows of butted print tips 5 mounted in a single uniform ink manifold, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,293,609 and 10,967,638, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0067] Inkjet module 1 can be used alone or as a modular component of a single-pass printing system including multiple such inkjet modules. For example, the inkjet modules can be perfectly aligned in a stacked arrangement along the media feed path, or can be arranged in an interleaved fashion across a wider media feed path. Thus, integrated inkjet module 1 can easily build single-pass printing systems in a versatile and scalable manner. By way of example only, commonly filed U.S. application Ser. No. 09 / 199,523 entitled "PRINTING UNIT WITH TANDEM INKJET MODULES." No. 4,999,333 (Attorney Docket No. FXB029US) describes an industrial high speed printing unit incorporating such a pair of opposing ink jet modules 1.

[0068] Inkjet module 1 includes a chassis 10 having an elongated base plate 12 with a rear wall 14 and a pair of opposite end walls 16 extending upwardly from the base plate. In addition to providing structural rigidity to chassis 10, rear wall 14 also serves as a support for mounting various fluid components (e.g., pinch valves 15 and pump 17) and electronic components (e.g., module controller PCB 19) on both its front and rear sides. Openings in rear wall 14 allow fluid connections from the rear of inkjet module 1 without requiring access from above.

[0069] The base plate 12 is generally C-shaped in plan view and has a pair of lateral arms 18 extending from both ends of the longitudinal base member 20 along the nominal x-axis of the inkjet module 1. An open longitudinal slot 22 is defined between the lateral arms 18 on the front side of the inkjet module 1. The open longitudinal slot 22 extends parallel to the longitudinal axis along the nominal y-axis of the inkjet module 1 and is configured to receive the elongated print head 3. For this reason, the print head 3 is asymmetrically arranged within the inkjet module 1 towards its front side, thereby enabling the print heads to be arranged in close proximity from opposing inkjet modules. The print head 3 can be lowered through the slot 22 for printing or raised above the base plate 12 for maintenance (e.g., capping and / or wiping).

[0070] A pair of struts 24 extend upward from the lateral arms 18 of the base plate 12 at both ends of the open longitudinal slot 22. The lower end of each strut 24 is fixed to the base plate 12, and the upper end of each is fixed to the respective end wall 16. A pair of brackets 26 are slidably engaged with the struts 24 via respective sleeve bushes 28 inserted into each bracket. Each sleeve bush 28 is slidable relative to the respective strut 24, thereby enabling the vertical linear movement of the bracket 26 in a direction approaching and separating from the base plate 12 along the nominal z-axis of the inkjet module 1. The flange portion 29 at the lower end of each sleeve bush 28 is fixed to each bracket 26 and is aligned with respect to the respective bracket relative to the base plate 12 in the lowered position of the print head (Figure 1).

[0071] The elongated print head carrier 30 is fixedly supported between brackets 26 and is slidable linearly together with the brackets. The print head carrier 30 includes spaced-apart front and rear carrier plates 32 which interconnect the brackets 26 and define therebetween a cavity 34 for housing electronic components for supplying power and data to the print head 3. Braces 38 connect the upper portions of the carrier plates 32 to each other, and a pair of reference blocks 40 connect the lower portions of the carrier plates to each other. The reference blocks 40 are disposed at both longitudinal ends of the print head carrier 30 toward respective brackets 26. The braced print head carrier 30, in combination with the sleeve bush 28, the support posts 24 and the chassis 10, provides a robust support structure for the print head 3. The print head 3 is fixed within a complementary nest 102 itself to form a print head nest assembly 100 (see FIG. 9), and this assembly is attached to the reference blocks 40 via screws 42 that engage the nest.

[0072] The print head 3 is linearly slidable relative to the base plate 12 in a direction approaching and separating between a printing position (FIG. 1) and a maintenance position (FIG. 3) by a lift mechanism operably connected to each bracket 26. As best shown in FIG. 6, the lift mechanism includes a pair of lead screws 44 rotatably attached to the base plate 12 and extending upwardly parallel to the support posts 24. Each lead screw 44 has a respective lead nut 46 fixedly connected to a respective bracket via a lead nut connector 48. The lead screws 44 are rotatable by an interconnecting pulley belt assembly 50 operably connected to a common lift motor 52. Thus, the print head 3 can be moved between a raised position and a lowered position by the operation of the lift motor 52, which simultaneously rotates the lead screws 44 via the pulley belt assembly 50, thereby raising or lowering the print head carrier 30 connected to the lead nuts 46 via the brackets 26.

[0073] As best shown in FIG. 3, the inkjet module 1 includes a wiper carriage 54 having a microfiber wiping web 56 stopped at one end of the longitudinal slot 22. In the raised position of the print head, the wiper carriage 54 is movable longitudinally along the length of the print head 3 by a wiper movement mechanism 57 attached to the longitudinal wiper support 55 to wipe ink and debris from the print head surface. In the lowered position of the print head (FIG. 1), one of the brackets 26 having a bracket roof 27 and a bracket side wall 29 shields the wiper carriage 54. Thus, the bracket roof 27 and the bracket side wall 29 provide at least some protection from ink mist and / or debris that could contaminate the wiper carriage 54 through the open front face of the inkjet module 1 during printing.

[0074] The inkjet module 1 further includes a capping assembly 60, which is stopped toward the rear wall 14 and can linearly slide in a direction approaching and separating from the print head 3 along the lateral capper rail 62 by a rack and pinion mechanism 64. The capping assembly 60 includes a capper base 66 slidably engaged with the capper rail 62, an outer peripheral print head capper 68 attached to the capper base, and cam guides 70 fixedly attached to the capper base at both ends of the print head capper. In the stopped (cover) position shown in FIG. 3, the print head capper 68 is covered by a cap cover 72 rotatably attached to the rear wall 14 of the chassis 10. The cap cover 72 is in the form of a rigid plate, seals against the outer peripheral seal 69 of the print head capper, and always maintains a high humidity environment within the print head capper when the print head capper is not being used for capping the print head 3. The wiper movement mechanism 57 is attached to the wiper support 55, and this wiper support is fixedly attached to the rear wall 14 directly above the cap cover 72.

[0075] To cap the print head, the capping assembly 60 moves laterally away from the cap cover 72 to align with the print head 3, and the print head is gently lowered onto the print head capper 68 to the capping position using a lift mechanism. With the print head raised, the rear cam surface 73 of the cam guide 70 engages the engagement node 77 of each rocker arm 74 at each end of the cap cover by a lateral movement back towards the rear wall 14 of the capping assembly 60. The rocker arms 74 are rotatably mounted to the rear wall 14 and engagement with the cam guide 70 enables the cap cover 72 to rotate upward, thereby enabling the capping assembly 60 to slide under and across the cap cover. When the capping assembly 60 reaches its most rearward stop position, the cap cover 72 rotates downward by the profiles of the cam guide 70 and the rocker arms 74 to return to the cover position where the print head capper 68 is covered by the cap cover.

[0076] FIG. 8A shows the rear cam surface 73 of the cam guide 70 engaging the engagement node 77 of the rocker arm 74 as the capping assembly 60 approaches the rear wall 14. FIG. 8B shows the rocker arm 73 rotating upward as the capping assembly moves towards its cover position. FIG. 8C shows the capping assembly 60 in its most rearward stop position with the rocker arm 74 rotated back to the horizontal plane and the print head capper 68 covered by the cap cover 72. For capping the print head, the capping assembly 60 slides from its stop position shown in FIG. 8C towards the print head 3. The front cam surface 75 of the cam guide 70 engages the engagement node 77 of the rocker arm 74 to rotate the rocker arm upward and enable the sliding movement of the capping assembly towards the print head 3.

[0077] As described above, referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the print head carrier 30 defines a cavity 34 between its front and rear plates 32. The cavity 34 houses a supply module 80 that includes front and rear PCBs 82 for supplying power and / or data to the print head 3. A cooling fan 84 is disposed between the PCBs 82 to cool the electronic components with cool air drawn into the cavity 34 from above the print head carrier 30. The brace 38 that defines the roof portion of the print head carrier 30 has an open truss structure, which allows for the circulation of cool air through the cavity 34 and between the PCBs 82. The supply module 80 further includes an ink coupling 86 for engaging complementary ink ports 88 at both ends of the print head 3. The supply module 80 forms an ink connection and an electrical connection with the print head 3 when attaching the print head (fixed to its print head nest assembly 100) to the print head carrier 30, as will be described in more detail below.

[0078] FIGS. 9 and 10 show the print head nest assembly 100 separated. As shown in FIG. 9, the nest is in a closed position where the print head 3 is nested and fixed within the nest 102 and surrounded on all sides by the nest. In FIG. 10, the nest 102 is in its open position and the print head 3 can be removed from the nest, but only if the print head nest assembly 100 is completely removed from the print head carrier 30. That is, it is necessary to integrate the print head 3 with the nest 102 to form the print head nest assembly 100 before fixing the nest 102 to the print head carrier 30 and attaching the print head (e.g., a replacement print head) to the inkjet module 1.

[0079] The nest 102 is configured to be removably secured to the printhead carrier 30 via a pair of screw fasteners 42 that extend vertically across the height of the printhead carrier 30. Each screw fastener 42 has a screw lever 43 at one end that is user-accessible from above the printhead carrier 30, with a screw tip protruding through a recessed opening 41 in the respective reference block 40 (FIG. 5). The top surface of the nest 102 has a pair of datum pins 104 configured to complementarily engage the recessed openings 41 in the reference blocks 40. To attach the printhead nest assembly 100, each screw fastener 42 threads through a hollow bore 105 in the respective datum pin 104 and into a threaded nut insert 106 in the nest 102. Thus, the printhead nest assembly 100 can be securely secured to the printhead carrier 30 with precisely controlled referencing provided by the complementary reference engagement between the datum pins 104 and the recessed openings 41 in each reference block 40. The nest 102 allows for the use of relatively large reference pins 104 separate from the printhead 3 for highly accurate and repeatable reference between the printhead carrier 30 and the printhead nest assembly 100 .

[0080] Screwing the printhead nest assembly 100 onto the printhead carrier 30 via the reference blocks 40 simultaneously forms ink and electrical connections between the printhead 3 and the supply module 80. Ink ports 88 on each end of the printhead 3 are raised to engage ink connectors 86 on the supply module 80. Similarly, electrical contacts 109 extending along each longitudinal side of the printhead 3 make electrical contact with complementary PCB contacts 89 on each PCB 82 in the supply module 80. The spring-loaded PCB mounting plate 90 on the supply module 80 allows the PCBs 82 to flex laterally away from each other while the printhead 3 is raised between them during installation of the printhead nest assembly 100. The spring load provides a reliable electrical connection, while the necessary insertion force (for both the ink and electrical connections) is provided by screw fasteners 42, which can be easily manipulated by the user using screw levers 43. This arrangement therefore eliminates the need for a movable supply assembly and two-stage ink and electrical connections as described in US Pat. No. 10,967,638.

[0081] The printhead nest assembly 100 can be secured to the printhead carrier 30 in either the printhead-down position (FIG. 1) or the printhead-up position (FIG. 3), depending on which configuration is more accessible for the particular module setup of the inkjet module 1. As shown in FIG. 5, the printhead nest assembly 100 has been removed in the printhead-down position.

[0082] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 13, the nest 102 can be configured in an open position for removal and insertion of the print head. The nest 102 includes first and second longitudinal side bars 110, 112 that extend parallel to both longitudinal sides of the print head 3, and a pair of short transverse end bars 114 that interconnect the ends of the longitudinal side bars to define a rectangular (elongated rectangular) nest cavity 115. The first longitudinal side bar 110 and the end bar 114 are fixed, while the second longitudinal side bar 112 is movable in a direction approaching and separating from the first longitudinal side bar between an open position and a closed position.

[0083] Each end bar 114 has a mating pin 116 that is inserted into the movable second longitudinal side bar 112. By the sliding movement of the second longitudinal side bar 112 relative to the fixed mating pin 116, the second longitudinal side bar moves linearly relative to the first longitudinal side bar in a direction approaching and separating from it.

[0084] The movement of the second longitudinal side bar 112 is effected by a locking mechanism, whereby the nest 102 is configured in either a closed position or an open position. The locking mechanism includes a pair of nest levers 120, each nest lever being pivotally attached to a respective end bar 114 and having a pivot axis perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the nest (i.e., parallel to the ink droplet ejection direction from the print head 3). Each nest lever 120 defines a cam slot 122 that engages a respective follower pin 124 extending parallel to the pivot axis at both ends of the second longitudinal side bar 112. By the rotational movement of each nest bar 120 away from its respective end bar 114, the cam engagement between the cam slot 122 and the follower pin 124 causes the second longitudinal side bar 112 to linearly move in a direction away from the first longitudinal side bar 110, thereby opening the nest 102. Conversely, by the rotational movement of each nest bar 120 towards its respective end bar 114, the second longitudinal side bar 112 linearly moves towards the first longitudinal side bar 110, thereby locking the nest 102 in a closed state. Each nest lever 120 has a finger grip portion 126 at an end opposite the pivot axis for the user to operate the locking mechanism.

[0085] The nest 102 is configured to form an ink mist seal around the print head 3 in its closed position. The ink mist seal prevents the ingress of ink mist into the supply module 80, thereby protecting the delicate electronic circuits on the PCB 82 from contamination by the ink mist generated during printing. The ink mist seal includes a pair of opposing first and second longitudinal lips 130 that project inwardly towards the print head from the respective first and second longitudinal side bars 110, 112. Each lip 130 engages a longitudinal edge region 132 of the print head 3 so as to form part of the ink mist seal.

[0086] To insert a print head 3 into the nest 102, the nest is first configured in an open position, as shown in FIG. 13. The print head is then guided laterally into the nest cavity 115, which opens at an oblique angle (FIG. 12) toward the first longitudinal side bar 110. The first longitudinal flange 134 on one side of the print head 3 is then first held angled below and overlapping the longitudinal lip 130 of the first longitudinal side bar 110, and the print head is then rotated about its longitudinal axis to lie in a plane parallel to the plane of the nest. Print head datums 136 on both ends of the print head 3 then engage complementary nest datums 138, providing accurate and repeatable positioning of the print head within the nest (FIG. 14).

[0087] Thereafter, with the printhead 3 properly positioned within the open nest (FIG. 10), the nest lever 120 is pivoted inward, closing the second longitudinal side bar 112 and locking the nest 102 in its closed position, thereby forming the locked printhead nest assembly 100 (FIG. 9). As the nest 102 closes, the longitudinal lip 130 of the second longitudinal side bar 112 is moved toward the printhead 3, positioning each longitudinal flange 134 of the printhead beneath and overlapping its respective longitudinal lip to complete the ink mist seal.

[0088] The completed printhead nest assembly 100 is then secured to the printhead carrier 30 using the screw fasteners 42 as described above. Removing the printhead is accomplished in reverse: the printhead nest assembly 100 is removed from the printhead carrier 30, the nest is opened using the nest lever 120, and the printhead 3 is removed at an angle from the open nest 102.

[0089] It will, of course, be understood that the invention has been described by way of example only and modifications of detail may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. An integrated inkjet module comprising: A chassis, a print head carrier attached to the chassis; a printhead nest assembly having a nest secured to the printhead carrier and a replaceable printhead telescopically secured within the nest; an inkjet module, characterized in that the printhead nest assembly is removable from the printhead carrier, and the printhead is removable from the nest only when the printhead nest assembly is removed from the printhead carrier.

2. 2. The inkjet module according to claim 1, an inkjet module further comprising a lift mechanism operatively coupled to the printhead carrier for raising and lowering the printhead carrier relative to the chassis;

3. 2. The inkjet module according to claim 1, The print head carrier an ink connector for supplying ink to the print head; electronic circuitry for supplying power and / or data to said print head; An inkjet module comprising:

4. 2. The inkjet module according to claim 1, An inkjet module, wherein the nest is aligned to the printhead carrier by a first reference arrangement.

5. 7. The inkjet module according to claim 6, the first reference arrangement includes a reference pin extending upward from each end of the nest and a reference block provided on a lower portion of the print head carrier, each reference block having a respective reference surface for engaging the nest and a respective opening configured for complementary engagement with the reference pin.

6. 6. The inkjet module according to claim 5, An inkjet module, wherein each reference block is relatively wider than said printhead along a media feed direction.

7. 6. The inkjet module according to claim 5, The inkjet module, wherein the nest is fixed to the print head carrier via a screw fastener having a user-operable lever handle. **Claim 8** In the inkjet module according to claim 1, the print head is aligned with the nest by a second reference arrangement configuration, characterized in that the inkjet module. **Claim 9** In the inkjet module according to claim 8, the second reference arrangement configuration includes complementary reference surfaces at both ends of the print head and the nest, respectively, characterized in that the inkjet module. **Claim 10** In the inkjet module according to claim 1, the nest surrounds the print head on all sides, characterized in that the inkjet module. **Claim 11** In the inkjet module according to claim 10, the nest is configured to be in an open position and a closed position, and the nest is in the open position and the print head can be removed from the nest only when the print head nest assembly is removed from the print head carrier, characterized in that the inkjet module. **Claim 12** In the inkjet module according to claim 11, in the closed position, the print head is nested and fixed within the nest, characterized in that the inkjet module. **Claim 13** In the inkjet module according to claim 12, the nest includes a pair of longitudinal side bars extending parallel to both sides in the longitudinal direction of the print head, and a pair of opposing end bars connecting the longitudinal side bars to define a nest cavity, characterized in that the inkjet module. **Claim 14** In the inkjet module according to claim 13, the first longitudinal side bar is fixed, and the second longitudinal side bar is relatively movable between the open position and the closed position, characterized in that the inkjet module. **Claim 15** In the inkjet module according to claim 14, the nest includes a locking mechanism, and the locking mechanism locks the second longitudinal side bar in the closed position and releases the second longitudinal side bar in the open position, characterized in that the inkjet module. [[ID= In the inkjet module according to claim 15, the locking mechanism includes a pair of nested levers that are cam-operably engaged with the second longitudinal side bar to linearly move the second longitudinal side bar in a direction approaching and separating from the first longitudinal side bar. The inkjet module is characterized by this.

17. In the inkjet module according to claim 16, each nested lever is rotatably attached to its respective end bar and defines a cam slot that engages with each follower pin of the second longitudinal side bar. The inkjet module is characterized by this.

18. In the inkjet module according to claim 10, the print head engages with the nest to form an ink mist seal, and the ink mist seal protects the electronic circuit housed in the print head carrier from ink mist. The inkjet module is characterized by this.

19. In the inkjet module according to claim 18, the nest has opposing lips that project inward from the respective longitudinal side bars toward the print head, and each lip engages with the longitudinal edge of the print head to at least partially define the ink mist seal. The inkjet module is characterized by this.

20. In the inkjet module according to claim 19, the print head has longitudinal flanges on both sides that project laterally outward therefrom, and each longitudinal flange is disposed under and overlaps with its respective lip. The inkjet module is characterized by this.

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