Patent ID: 6712451
Filing Date: 2004-03-30
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A method of providing image data in a printer apparatus, the method comprising:providing a plurality of recording elements arranged in an array on a printhead for recording of an image on a receiver medium; providing a plurality of actuators associated with each respective recording element each actuator being separately drivable to affect recording by a respective recording element; providing a cleaning assembly for cleaning the recording elements; providing a plurality of shift register stages, each stage being associated with a respective different actuator, each recording element being associated with plural different shift register stages and shifting data from one stage to a next stage to distribute data to the different stages, the shift register stages being located all to one side of the array of recording elements; altering the position of the cleaning assembly relative to the array of recording elements wherein the shift register stages are sufficiently positioned away from the recording elements to facilitate cleaning of the recording elements by the cleaning assembly without damaging the shift register stages; and providing bond Pads on an external surface of the printhead so that the bond pads are sufficiently positioned laterally to said one side and away from the recording elements to facilitate cleaning of the recording elements without interference with electrical connecting elements attached to the bond pads; and wherein a first plural number of shift register stages of said plurality of shift register stages is associated with a first plural number of actuators of a first plural number of the recording elements and the first plural number of shift register stages are connected as a first shift register for shifting data from one stage associated with one recording element of the first plural number of recording elements directly to another shift register stage associated with another recording element of the first plural number of recording elements to distribute data to the different stages so that, for most of the stages forming the first shift register, data shifted into a stage associated with an actuator for one recording element is shifted directly into a stage associated with another actuator for a different recording element in the course of shifting data from stage to stage; and wherein a second plural number of shift register stages of said plurality of shift register stages is associated with a second plural number of actuators of a second plural number of the recording elements, the second plural number of shift register stages being connected as a second shift register of plural shift register stages for shifting data from one stage associated with one recording element of the second plural number of recording elements directly to another shift register stage associated with another recording element of the second plural number of recording elements to distribute data to the different stages so that for most stages of the second shift register data shifted into a stage associated with an actuator for one recording element of the second plural number of recording elements is shifted directly into a stage associated with another actuator for a different recording element of the second plural number of recording elements in the course of shifting data from stage to stage; and wherein at least some of the recording elements in the second plural number of recording elements are the same recording elements in the first plural number of recording elements and wherein the first plural number of shift register stages are all different shift register stages from the second plural number of shift register stages and the first plural number of actuators are all different actuators from the second plural number of actuators.