Adhesive-based ink jet print head assembly

• US 20020033867A1
• Filed: 08/31/2001
• Published: 03/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Granted Patent: US 6,616,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/85
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14 Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/155 for line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16 Production of nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16538 with brushes or wiper blades perpendicular to the nozzle plate
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14362 Assembling elements of heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/19 Assembling head units
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/20 Modules

Abstract

An ink jet print head assembly includes at least one elongate ink jet print head chip that is the product of an integrated circuit fabrication technique. The assembly also includes at least one corresponding ink jet print head chip carrier that defines an elongate recess having a pair of opposed side walls. The, or each, print head chip is received in one respective recess. The, or each, ink jet print head chip and said respective recess are dimensioned so that a gap is defined between the, or each, ink jet print head chip and each side wall. Resiliently deformable material is positioned in each gap to retain the, or each, print head chip in position in said respective recess.

Claims

1. An ink jet print head assembly that comprises

at least one elongate ink jet print head chip that is the product of an integrated circuit fabrication technique;

at least one corresponding ink jet print head chip carrier that defines an elongate recess having a pair of opposed side walls, the, or each, print head chip being received in one respective recess, the, or each, ink jet print head chip and said respective recess being dimensioned so that a gap is defined between the, or each, ink jet print head chip and each side wall; and

resiliently deformable material positioned in each gap to retain the, or each, print head chip in position in said respective recess.

2. An ink jet print head assembly as claimed in claim 1, which includes a number of ink jet print head chips positioned in elongate recesses of corresponding ink jet print head chip carriers.

3. An ink jet print head assembly as claimed in claim 1, which is in the form of a page width print head assembly, with each ink jet print head chip incorporating a plurality of nozzle arrangements that are positioned along a length of the print head chip, each nozzle arrangement being in the form of a micro electro-mechanical structure.

4. An ink jet print head assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the ink jet print head chip carrier is mounted to an ink distribution manifold.

5. An ink jet print head assembly as claimed in claim 1, which includes a number of modules, each module including one ink jet print head chip carrier and one ink jet print head chip mounted in the carrier and a retaining structure in which the modules are mounted.

6. An ink jet print head assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the resiliently deformable material is an elastomeric material.

7. An ink jet print head assembly as claimed in claim 6, in which the elastomeric material is in the form of a silicon based material.

8. A method of assembling an ink jet print head having at least one elongate ink jet print head chip that is the product of an integrated circuit fabrication technique and at least one corresponding ink jet print head chip carrier that defines an elongate recess having a pair of opposed side walls, the, or each, ink jet print head chip and said respective recess being dimensioned so that a width of said the, or each, print head chip is less than a width of said respective recess to a predetermined extent, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning the, or each, ink jet print head chip in said respective carrier so that a gap is defined on each side of the ink jet print head chip by said pair of opposed side walls and the ink jet print head chip; and

at least partially filling each gap with an adhesive that is selected from a group of adhesives that cure into elastically deformable material to fix the, or each, ink jet print head chip in said respective recess.