Abstract:
A piezoelectric actuator for providing a driving force to a pressure chamber of an ink-jet printhead for ejecting ink by deforming a vibration plate, the vibration plate forming an upper wall of the pressure chamber, the piezoelectric actuator including a lower electrode formed on the vibration plate, a piezoelectric film having either: (a) peripheral portions, the piezoelectric film formed on the lower electrode at a position that corresponds to the pressure chamber and having a space between the peripheral portions and the lower electrode, or (b) a lateral surface, the piezoelectric film formed on the lower electrode at a position that corresponds to the pressure chamber, the lateral surface of the piezoelectric film substantially forming a right angle with respect to a top surface of the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric film for applying a voltage to the piezoelectric film.
Abstract:
A piezoelectric ink-jet printhead and a method for manufacturing the same, wherein the piezoelectric ink-jet printhead is formed by stacking three monocrystalline silicon substrates on one another and adhering them to one another. The three substrates include an upper substrate, through which an ink supply hole is formed and a pressure chamber is formed on a bottom surface thereof; an intermediate substrate, in which an ink reservoir and a damper are formed; and a lower substrate, in which a nozzle is formed. A piezoelectric actuator is monolithically formed on the upper substrate. A restrictor, which connects the ink reservoir to the pressure chamber in flow communication, may be formed on the upper substrate or intermediate substrate.
Abstract:
In a piezoelectric ink-jet printhead, and a method of manufacturing a nozzle plate, the piezoelectric ink-jet printhead includes a flow path plate having an ink flow path including pressure chambers to be filled with ink to be ejected, a piezoelectric actuator formed on an upper surface of the flow path plate and for supplying a driving force for ink ejection to the pressure chambers, and a nozzle plate bonded to a lower surface of the flow path plate including nozzles for ejecting ink from the pressure chambers bored through the nozzle plate. The printhead may further include a heater formed on a lower surface of the nozzle plate for heating ink in the ink flow path and/or a temperature detector formed on a lower surface of the nozzle plate or on an upper surface of the flow path plate.