Printer with inkjet printhead having overlapping actuator and drive circuitry

• US 20040169701A1
• Filed: 03/04/2004
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Granted Patent: US 6,866,369 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/59
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 2201/00 Polymeric substrate or laminate
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/08 by flames
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04528 aiming at warming up the head
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04541 Specific driving circuit
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04543 Block driving
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04553 detecting ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04563 detecting head temperature; Ink temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04571 detecting viscosity
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04585 controlling heads based on thermal bent actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04588 using a specific waveform
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04591 Width of the driving signal being adjusted
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04596 Non-ejecting pulses
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14 Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1626 etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1628 dry etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1629 wet etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1631 photolithography
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1632 machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1635 : dividing the wafer into individual chips
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1639 : sacrificial molding
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1642 : thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1646 : thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1648 : Production of print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14419 : Manifold
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 : Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49345 : Catalytic device making

Abstract

A printer includes an inkjet printhead having a plurality of nozzles. The nozzles include a thermal actuator and drive circuitry for operating the thermal actuator. The drive circuitry and actuator overlie a common area of the support substrate.

Claims

1. A printer having at least one inkjet printhead which comprises

a substrate;

a plurality of nozzles positioned on the substrate, each nozzle comprising

a nozzle chamber and an aperture through which ink form the nozzle chamber is ejected;

an actuator that is operatively positioned with respect to the nozzle chamber for causing ejection of ink within the nozzle chamber from the aperture; and

drive circuitry arranged on the substrate and connected to the actuator to control operation of the actuator;

wherein the drive circuitry and the actuator of each nozzle extend over a common portion of the substrate.

2. The printer of claim 1 wherein the actuator comprises a thermal actuator incorporating a heating circuit, and wherein the drive circuitry is adapted to provide an electrical current to said heating circuit.

3. The printer of claim 2 wherein the thermal actuator includes a paddle disposed within the nozzle chamber and being connected to a lever arm for pivotal movement of the paddle within the nozzle chamber.

4. The printer of claim 1 wherein the substrate is a silicon wafer.

5. The printer of claim 1 wherein the actuator is at least partially external to the nozzle chamber.

6. The printer of claim 1 wherein the drive circuitry and the actuator overlap in plan view.

7. An inkjet printhead which comprises

a substrate;

a plurality of nozzles positioned on the substrate, each nozzle comprising

a nozzle chamber and an aperture through which ink form the nozzle chamber is ejected;

an actuator that is operatively positioned with respect to the nozzle chamber for causing ejection of ink within the nozzle chamber from the aperture; and

drive circuitry arranged on the substrate and connected to the actuator to control operation of the actuator;

wherein the drive circuitry and the actuator of each nozzle extend over a common portion of the substrate.

8. The printhead of claim 7 wherein the actuator comprises a thermal actuator incorporating a heating circuit, and wherein the drive circuitry is adapted to provide an electrical current to said heating circuit.

9. The printhead of claim 8 wherein the thermal actuator includes a paddle disposed within the nozzle chamber and being connected to a lever arm for pivotal movement of the paddle within the nozzle chamber.

10. The printhead of claim 7 wherein the substrate is a silicon wafer.

11. The printhead of claim 7 wherein the actuator is at least partially external to the nozzle chamber.

12. The printhead of claim 7 wherein the drive circuitry and the actuator overlap in plan view.