Mobile phone cradle assembly

Abstract

A cradle assembly is provided for a mobile phone. The cradle assembly includes an elongate cradle defining an end opening and one or more rails. An elongate print cartridge is configured to be axially inserted into the cradle through the end opening and along the rails. The print cartridge includes an ink ejection printhead, in turn, including a plurality of ink ejection integrated circuits. Each integrated circuit includes an array of nozzles configured to eject ink upon print media and control circuitry to actuate the nozzles.

1 . A cradle assembly for a mobile phone, the cradle assembly comprising:
 an elongate cradle defining an end opening and at least one rail; and   an elongate print cartridge configured to be inserted axially into the cradle through the end opening and along the rails, the print cartridge including an ink ejection printhead that has a plurality of ink ejection integrated circuits, each integrated circuit including an array of nozzles configured to eject ink upon print media and control circuitry to actuate the nozzles.   
   
   
       2 . A cradle assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cradle includes a connector configured to engage electrically with electrical contacts of the print cartridge, when the cartridge is inserted into the cradle, so that power and data can be supplied from the connector to the print cartridge. 
   
   
       3 . A cradle assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the connector is further configured to engage electrically with a flexible Printed Circuit Board (PCB) coupled to a controller of the mobile phone. 
   
   
       4 . A cradle assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry includes a plurality of shift register arrangements corresponding to respective colours to be ejected by the nozzles. 
   
   
       5 . A cradle assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein each shift register arrangement includes an odd dot shift register and an even dot shift register, with the odd and even dot shift registers being connected at one end such that data is clocked through the odd shift register in one direction and then through the even shift register in a reverse direction. 
   
   
       6 . A cradle assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each nozzle is supported by a substrate assembly and includes an elongate heater element suspended therein that can be actuated by the control circuitry to eject ink from the nozzle. 
   
   
       7 . A cradle assembly as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the substrate assembly defines ink inlet passages through which ink is supplied to respective nozzles, and the nozzles define raised rims in alignment with respective ink inlet passages through which the ink is ejected.