OVERLAPPING PRINTHEAD MODULE ARRAY CONFIGURATION

摘要

A modular printhead for a digital ink jet printer where the modules (2) are arranged in an overlapping configuration to preserve continuity between the printing from adjacent modules (2). The printhead chips (3) on each module (2) receive print data from TAB films (6). The TAB films (6) extend from the same side of each of the chips (3) to allow for a relatively compact printhead design. The chips (3) are configured so that predominantly all of the chips (3) in the array have, at most, one end obscured by the end of an adjacent chip (3). This reduces the amount that the TAB films (6) need to narrow or 'neck' in order to avoid the obscuring adjacent end.