1. A printhead assembly comprising:
at least one printhead module comprising:
at least two printhead integrated circuits, each of which has nozzles formed therein for delivering printing fluid onto the surface of print media; and
a longitudinal extending fluid transfer member, the fluid transfer member being configured to support the at least two printhead integrated circuits, wherein the fluid transfer member includes a plurality of chambers which are in fluid communication with a supply of printing fluid and respective ports of each printhead integrated circuit to thereby provide printing fluid to the nozzles for printing;
a drive electronics part incorporating at least one controller, which is connected to at least one of the at least two printhead integrated circuits, for receiving compressed page image data, for decompressing the compressed page image data and for controlling the printing operation of at least one of the at least two printhead integrated circuits; and
a casing part for supporting the drive electronics part and the at least one printhead module, the casing part incorporating a clamping arrangement for removably clamping the at least one printhead module to the casing part, the clamping arrangement allowing movement of the at least one printhead module relative to the casing during operation of the printhead assembly.
2. The printhead assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fluid transfer member includes a plurality of apertures which are in alignment with the ports of each supported printhead integrated circuit.
3. The printhead assembly according to claim 1, wherein the drive electronics part is removably supported.
4. The printhead assembly according to claim 3, wherein the fluid transfer member includes a first longitudinally extending tab and a second longitudinally extending tab which extend along two parallel sides of the fluid transfer member, wherein the first longitudinally extending tab is received within a longitudinally extending groove in a first wall of the casing, and wherein the second longitudinally extending tab is clamped against a second wall of the casing via the clamping arrangement.
5. The printhead assembly according to claim 4, wherein the clamping arrangement comprises recessed portions for interlocking with lug members of the printhead module.
6. The printhead assembly according to claim 5, wherein the lug members are provided along at least one of the first and second longitudinally extending tabs of the fluid transfer member and are spaced so as to correspond to positions at which the at least two printhead integrated circuits are provided on the at least one printhead module, and wherein the recessed portions engage with the lug members on at least one of the first and second longitudinally extending tab.
7. The printhead assembly according to claim 6, wherein the clamping arrangement comprises at least one extending arm portion arranged so as to clamp the second longitudinally extending tab of the fluid transfer member to the second wall of the casing.
8. The printhead assembly according to claim 7, wherein the at least one extending arm portion includes at least one of the recessed portions of the clamping arrangement.
9. The printhead assembly according to claim 1, wherein the drive electronics part incorporates at least two controllers each arranged on a printed circuit board so as to control operation of at least one of the at least two printhead integrated circuits.
10. The printhead assembly according to claim 1, wherein the printhead assembly includes a plurality of printhead modules, wherein at least some of the neighbouring printhead modules are connected together via connecting members, wherein each connecting member includes complementary male and female connecting portions.
11. The printhead assembly according to claim 10, wherein each connecting member includes at least one aperture to allow printing fluid to travel between neighbouring printhead modules.
12. The printhead assembly according to claim 11, wherein each aperture of the connecting members aligns with one of the chambers of a respective fluid transfer member, thereby aligning corresponding chambers of interconnected fluid transfer members.
13. The printhead assembly according to claim 10, wherein at least some of the connecting members include tubular members, each tubular member being configured to protrude within one of the chambers of a respective fluid transfer member.
14. The printhead assembly according to claim 10, wherein the printhead assembly includes a sealing member which interconnects with and seals an open end of one of a respective fluid transfer member of the interconnected printhead modules.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A device comprising:
a first layer of extruded filament comprising fugitive material, wherein the first layer of extruded filament forms a first passageway and a second passageway, and wherein a first gap is formed between the first passageway and the second passageway;
a second layer of extruded filament comprising the fugitive material, wherein the second layer of extruded filament is on the first layer of extruded filament and spans the first gap, and wherein the second layer of extruded filament forms a third passageway; and
a host encapsulating at least a portion of the first and second layers of extruded filament, wherein the host comprises an epoxy resin and the fugitive material comprises petroleum jelly.
2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:
a first interconnect formed at the intersection of the third passageway and the first passageway; and
a second interconnect formed at the intersection of the third passageway and the second passageway, wherein the first and second interconnects connect the first and second passageways to the third passageway.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the host comprises a photosensitive monomer.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the host comprises an ultraviolet cure adhesive.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first layer of extruded filament further comprises hydrocarbons.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first layer of extruded filament further comprises at least one of hydrocarbons and mineral oil.
7. The device of claim 2, wherein the first passageway has an average width from 0.1 microns to 1000 microns.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first passageway has an average width from 10 microns to 500 microns.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein the first passageway has an average width from 50 microns to 250 microns.
10. The device of claim 1, wherein the longest cross-sectional dimension of said first interconnect is less than 2.5 times the average width of said first passageway.
11. The device of claim 1, wherein said host is substantially homogeneous throughout.
12. The device of claim 1, further comprising: a substrate, wherein the first layer of extruded filament is on the substrate.
13. The device of claim 12, wherein the substrate comprises at least one of glass and plastic.
14. The device of claim 12, wherein the substrate comprises glass.
15. The device of claim 12, wherein the substrate is planar.
16. The device of claim 1, further comprising from two to one-hundred layers of extruded filament.
17. The device of claim 1, wherein the second passageway is a distance D1 from the first passageway.
18. The device of claim 17, wherein the distance D1 is less than 500 microns.
19. A device comprising:
a substrate;
a first layer of extruded filament comprising fugitive material, wherein the first layer of extruded filament is on the substrate, wherein the first layer of extruded filament forms a first passageway and a second passageway, wherein a first gap is formed between the first passageway and the second passageway, and wherein the fugitive material comprises petroleum jelly;
a second layer of extruded filament comprising fugitive material, wherein the second layer of extruded filament is on the first layer of extruded filament and spans the first gap, wherein the second layer of extruded filament forms a third passageway, and wherein the fugitive material comprises petroleum jelly; and
a host encapsulating at least a portion of the first and second layers of extruded filament, wherein the host comprises an epoxy resin.
20. A device comprising:
a first layer of extruded filament comprising a viscoelastic fugitive material, wherein the first layer of extruded filament forms a first passageway and a second passageway, and wherein a first gap is formed between the first passageway and the second passageway;
a second layer of extruded filament comprising the viscoelastic fugitive material, wherein the second layer of extruded filament is on the first layer of extruded filament and spans the first gap, and wherein the second layer of extruded filament forms a third passageway; and
a host encapsulating at least a portion of the first and second layers of extruded filament, wherein the host comprises an epoxy resin and the viscoelastic fugitive material comprises a shear yield stress \u03c4y of between about 0.7 Pa and about 1300 Pa.
21. The device of claim 20, wherein the viscoelastic fugitive material includes one or more viscosity modifiers at a concentration of less than 10% by weight.
22. The device of claim 21, wherein the one or more viscosity modifiers are selected from the group consisting of porous colloidal particles, calcium complex rods, lithium hydroxystearate fibers, liquid crystals, viscoelastic micelles, low molecular weight polymers, glass beads, polymer beads, polymer microcapsules, ceramic microcapsules, polymer, polymer fibers, ceramic fibers, and metal short fibers.
23. The device of claim 20, wherein the extruded filament comprises a co-extruded structure including an inner material and an outer material, one of the inner and outer materials comprising the viscoelastic fugitive material.
24. A microstructure comprising:
a host having a three-dimensional grid of substantially tubular hollow passageways and interconnects defined therein, a portion of the hollow passageways and interconnects being selectively sealed by a cured resin, such that only a non-sealed portion of the hollow passageways and interconnects within the host is in fluid communication,
where each hollow passageway has a diameter less than 1000 microns and is aligned in one of a series of stacked parallel planes, at least one hollow passageway in each plane being connected to at least one hollow passageway in an adjacent plane by one of the interconnects.
25. The microstructure of claim 24, wherein the non-sealed portion of the hollow passageways and the interconnects define a vertically-oriented, square-spiral mixing tower.