Image processing apparatus for a printing mechanism of a wide format pagewidth inkjet printer

摘要

An image processing apparatus for a pagewidth inkjet printer that includes an array of printhead chips that span a print area includes an elongate support structure for supporting the array of printhead chips. A plurality of printed circuit boards are mounted end-to-end on the support structure. Each printed circuit board includes a memory device. An application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) is connected to the memory device. The ASIC is configured to accept data to be written to the memory device and to write data from the memory device to a number of respective printhead chips. A serial bus is connected to the ASIC to write data to the ASIC. A microcontroller is connected to the ASIC so that the microcontroller can write data to the memory device, via the ASIC. A plurality of connectors is provided. Each connector is interposed between a respective ASIC and respective printhead chips.