Asymmetrical tape automated bonding device for a printhead...

Details Asymmetrical tape automated bonding device for a printhead... Asymmetrical tape automated bonding device for a printhead...

2002-08-01

2004-03-30

Meier, Stephen D. (Department: 2853)

Incremental printing of symbolic information

Ink jet

Fluid or fluid source handling means

C347S050000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06712457

ABSTRACT:

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/682,300, filed Aug. 16, 2001, and which is included in its entirety herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printhead cartridge for an inkjet printer. In particular, the present invention discloses a tape automated bonding (TAB) device for a printhead cartridge, the TAB device having an asymmetrical contact distribution and an offset printhead location that enable a size reduction of a corresponding flexible circuit board (FCB) within the printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Please refer to FIG.
1
A.
FIG. 1A
is a perspective view of a prior art TAB
14
disposed on an inkwell
12
of a printhead cartridge
10
. The inkwell
12
is used to hold ink (not shown) for printing. The TAB
14
wraps around from a front surface
15
to a bottom surface
19
of the inkwell
12
. The TAB
14
comprises a plurality of contacts
16
, each with a corresponding trace
17
that electrically connects the contact
16
to a printhead
18
. The printhead
18
is mounted on the TAB
14
, and is situated on the bottom surface
19
of the inkwell
12
. The TAB
14
is substantially symmetrical with respect to a centerline A—A of the printhead cartridge
10
. Specifically, the plurality of contacts
16
are evenly distributed on both sides of the line A—A, and the longitudinal centerline of the printhead
18
is coincident with the line A—A.
Referring to FIG.
1
B and
FIG. 1C
, the printhead cartridge
10
is installed in and controlled by a printer
100
. The printer
100
comprises a flexible circuit board (FCB)
102
(not shown in
FIG. 1B
) to establish electrical contact with the plurality of contacts
16
of the TAB
14
, so that the printhead cartridge
10
can receive signals from the printer
100
. The printhead
18
performs a printing operation by jetting ink supplied from the inkwell
12
according to the signals received from the contacts
16
. Moreover, the FCB
102
accommodates two printhead cartridges
10
disposed side-by-side in the printer
100
.
The symmetrical arrangement of the plurality of contacts
16
and the printhead
18
on the TAB
14
can result in an FCB that is unnecessarily large and costly, that is, the prior art design is inefficient.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
It is therefore a primary objective of the claimed invention to provide a tape automated bonding (TAB) device having an asymmetrical distribution of contacts and an offset printhead location to reduce a size of a corresponding contact surface within a printer.
Briefly summarized, the preferred embodiment of the claimed invention TAB device includes a tape having a region capable of being substantially bisected by a centerline that defines a first side of the tape and a second side of the tape. Disposed on the tape is a printhead, and a plurality of contacts adapted to receive signals from the printer and to provide the signals to the printhead. The contacts are disposed such that the number of contacts on the first side is different from the number of contacts on the second side.
According to the claimed invention, the printhead can be centrally aligned with the centerline or centrally offset from the centerline. Additionally, if the printhead is centrally offset from the centerline the plurality of contacts can be symmetrically equally distributed across the centerline.
It is an advantage of the claimed invention that the asymmetric distribution of contacts and the centrally offset printhead location allow for a significantly smaller flexible circuit board (FCB) in the printer. This results in a reduced cost of manufacture for the printer.
These and other objectives of the claimed invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4633274 (1986-12-01), Matsuda
patent: 5422667 (1995-06-01), Daggs et al.
patent: 5969738 (1999-10-01), Tomikawa et al.
patent: 5984464 (1999-11-01), Steinfield et al.
patent: 6161915 (2000-12-01), Bolash et al.
patent: 6250746 (2001-06-01), Ito et al.
patent: 6533396 (2003-03-01), Chen et al.

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