Patent ID: 7740338

Claim:
A printhead assembly with a pressurized air supply, the assembly comprising: an elongate ink distribution arrangement that defines a number of inlets, a number of corresponding ink distribution channels and a number of outlets in fluid communication with respective ink distribution channels; an elongate ink distribution assembly mounted on the ink distribution arrangement, the ink distribution assembly having a plurality of layers together forming a stack, the layers being configured to define a plurality of inlets in fluid communication with the outlets of the ink distribution arrangement and mounting formations with passages opening into the mounting formations, the passages being in the form of ink passage sets in fluid communication with respective ink distribution channels, at least one passage from each set opening into each mounting formation; printhead integrated circuits mounted in respective mounting formations to receive ink from the passages; an air duct having a base defining a series of air passages; and an air valve molding formed as a channel with a series of apertures defined in the base thereof, a spacing of the apertures corresponding to the series of air passages, the air valve molding being movable longitudinally within the air duct to facilitate alignment of the apertures with the air passages to allow pressurized air through the laminated stack to a cavity, or moved out of alignment to close off a supply of pressurized air to the cavity.