Abstract:
A printhead is provided for an inkjet printer. The printhead includes a wafer assembly defining a plurality of spaced apart groups of ink supply channels and a plurality of groups of ink ejection nozzle arrangements in fluid communication with respective ink supply channel groups. Each ink ejection nozzle arrangement includes a nozzle chamber structure mounted to the wafer assembly. Each ink ejection nozzle arrangement also defines a nozzle chamber for receiving ink from an ink supply channel and an ink ejection port through which ink in the nozzle chamber can be ejected. An anchor extends from the wafer assembly in a location external to the nozzle chamber. An elongate thermal actuator mechanism extends from the anchor and into the nozzle chamber. A pit is defined adjacent each nozzle chamber structure for catching ink and thereby impeding spilt ink from spreading across the printhead.
Abstract:
Coated articles may comprise one or more coating layers, including water resistant coatings. A method comprises applying such coating layers by treating the article substrate by one or more methods selected from flame treatment, corona treatment, ionized air treatment, plasma air treatment and plasma arc treatment and dip, spray or flow coating. Additionally, a method comprises injection molding a first substrate material to form an article, treating the article surface by one or more methods selected from flame treatment, corona treatment, ionized air treatment, plasma air treatment and plasma arc treatment, and overmolding the article substrate with one or more barrier materials.
Abstract:
An ink ejection nozzle comprises a chamber for holding ink to be ejected, the chamber having an opening defined in a roof structure; and a thermal bend actuator for ejecting droplets of ink from the chamber through the opening. The bend actuator is configured as a cantilever with one end of the cantilever anchored to a base and the opposite end supporting a paddle. The actuator has a deflector section constructed of a material having a high coefficient of thermal expansion and a barrier layer constructed of a dielectric material having low thermal conductivity. A supply of current from the drive circuitry to the deflector section causes differential thermal expansion between the deflector section and the barrier layer, such that the actuator bends and the paddle ejects a droplet of ink from the nozzle.
Abstract:
A printhead integrated circuit (IC) for an inkjet printer, with a plurality of nozzle chamber structures positioned on a wafer substrate to define nozzle chambers and an ink ejection nozzle in fluid communication with each nozzle chamber, has drive control and drive circuitry connectable to data and power supplies, and a plurality of elongate actuators attached to the substrate for displacement towards and away from the substrate in response to actuating signals from the drive control and drive circuitry. A plurality of ink ejection members are attached to respective actuators, each ejection member being positioned for acting on ink within respective nozzle chambers to eject a drop of ink from the ink ejection nozzle. The drive control and drive circuitry has traces between each actuator and the substrate and oriented transverse to a longitudinal axis of each respective actuator.
Abstract:
An ink jet printhead chip includes a substrate that defines a plurality of ink inlet channels. A plurality of nozzles is positioned on the substrate and is in fluid communication with the ink inlet channels. A plurality of elongate micro-electromechanical actuators is fast with the substrate at one end, an opposed end being displaceable relative to the substrate on receipt of an electrical drive signal. Each opposed end is operative on a respective nozzle to eject ink from the nozzle. Control circuitry and drive circuitry for each actuator is positioned on the substrate and interposed between the actuator and the substrate.
Abstract:
A thermal actuator for a micro-electromechanical device such as an inkjet printer nozzle. The actuator has: (a) a base element; (b) a cantilevered element including a thermo-mechanical bender portion extending from the base element and a free end tip residing in a first position, the thermo-mechanical bender portion having a base end adjacent the base element and a free end adjacent the free end tip; and (c) apparatus adapted to apply a heat pulse having a spatial thermal pattern directly to the thermo-mechanical bender portion, causing the deflection of the free end tip of the cantilevered element to a second position, and wherein said spatial thermal pattern results in a substantially greater temperature increase of the base end than the free end of the thermo-mechanical bender portion. By designing the actuator such that the material with a high coefficient of thermal expansion heats with a predetermined spatial thermal pattern concentrated toward the base of the cantilever beam, the paddle end movement is greater and faster. The ink above the paddle is given the necessary pressure such that the ink in the bulging meniscus has sufficient momentum to break the surface tension and form a drop.
Abstract:
A method of fabricating a plurality of nozzle arrangements for an inkjet printhead chip. The nozzle arrangements are positioned on a substrate that incorporates drive circuitry. According to the method, the drive circuitry layers on the substrate are fabricated by means of CMOS fabrication process. A first sacrificial layer is deposited on the substrate. A heater layer for heating circuits is deposited on the first sacrificial layer and etched to form the heating circuits. A resiliently flexible layer of dielectric material is deposited on the substrate to cover the heater layer and etched to form actuators and ink ejection members. A second sacrificial layer is deposited on the substrate to cover the actuators and the ink ejection members and etched to define deposition zones for the nozzle chamber walls and the roof walls. A layer of a structural material is deposited on the second sacrificial layer to form the nozzle chamber walls and the roof walls. The sacrificial layers are finally etched away.
Abstract:
A thermal bend actuator includes a wafer substrate. An elongate actuator arm is fixed to the substrate at a fixed end. The elongate actuator arm includes a heater layer of a conductive material and a dielectric, resiliently flexible layer. The heater layer defines a heater circuit which is connected to an electrical potential. A working member is fixed to an opposite free end of the actuator arm. Control logic circuitry is positioned on the substrate, between, and generally aligned with, the heater layer and the substrate. The control logic circuitry is interconnected between a data input means and the heater circuit and includes register circuitry connected to the data input means to generate an enabling signal. Firing circuitry is connected between the register circuitry and the heater circuit to close the heater circuit on receipt of the enabling signal so that said electrical potential generates a current in the heater circuit, resistively to heat the heater layer. At least the heater layer is of a material that has a coefficient of thermal expansion which is such that the heater layer can expand on heating and contract on cooling to do work. The heater layer is positioned so that the elongate actuator arm experiences differential thermal expansion and contraction and thus reciprocally displaces the working member.
Abstract:
An inkjet printhead chip includes a substrate that incorporates drive circuitry. A plurality of nozzle arrangements is positioned on the substrate. Each nozzle arrangement includes a nozzle chamber wall and a roof wall positioned on the substrate to define a nozzle chamber, the roof wall defining an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber. An ink ejection member is positioned in the nozzle chamber and is displaceable towards and away from the ink ejection port to eject ink from the ink ejection port. An elongate actuator is fast, at one end, to the substrate to receive an electrical signal from the drive circuitry and fast, at an opposite end, with the ink ejection member. The actuator incorporates a heating circuit that is connected to the drive circuitry layer. The heating circuit is positioned and configured so that, on receipt of, and termination of, a suitable electrical drive signal from the drive circuitry layer, the heating circuit serves to generate differential thermal expansion and contraction, respectively, such that the actuator is displaced to drive the ink ejection member towards and away from the ink ejection port. The drive circuitry is configured to generate a heating signal which is sufficient to heat the actuator, without generating movement, to an extent such that the ink is heated, prior to generating the drive signal.
Abstract:
Specific materials, percentages, dimensions, and other values have been set forth for purposes of presenting specific embodiments enabling one skilled in the art to make and use the invention. However, it should be recognized that the above description and disclosures of specific embodiments, along with descriptions of combinations of materials, percentages, dimensions and other values set forth in the above specification, provide technical information enabling those skilled in the art to arrive at other values, while continuing to rely on the principles of the invention as taught by the above specification. Therefore, in evaluating valid patent coverage for the disclosed subject matter, reference should be made to the scope and breadth of the appended claims; it is submitted that the language of those claims should be construed in the light of the above disclosures considering the breadth of the embodiments described.