Ink jet system with serial data printheads

摘要

A system for ink jet printing of messages on articles being fed forward one after another in a predetermined path. A terminal includes a keyboard for entering message data representative of the messages. A controller interconnected with the terminal processes the message data received from the terminal and stores the message data for the messages. The controller has an output port for providing serial output data in a bit map format representative of the messages. A plurality of ink jet printheads are serially connected and positioned adjacent the path of the articles to print the messages on the articles in response to the serial output data. A single cable connects the output port of the controller to the first printhead for providing the output data to the first printhead. A separate cable interconnects each printhead to its next succeeding printhead for serially providing the data to the remaining printheads so that the printheads are connected in a daisy chain configuration. Power is also supplied to the printheads in a daisy chain configuration.