Ink jet printer having a thermal actuator comprising an external coil spring
First Claim
1. A thermal actuator activated by means of conductive heating of an electrically conductive material, said actuator comprising:
- a first non-conductive strip of material attached to a substrate at a first end of said strip and adapted to apply a force to a load at a second end of said strip;
a second conductive strip of material formed along one side of said first strip said second conductive strip including a first wire strip running from substantially said first end to said second end and a second wire strip running from substantially said second end to said first end, said wire strips being joined together at said second end so as to form a circuit, said wire strips being further connected to a controlled power supply at said first end such that activation of said controlled power supply causes heating of said conductive material so as to actuate said thermal actuator thereby applying a force to said load.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a thermal actuator activated by conductive heating of an electrically conductive material, the actuator including: a first non-conductive strip of material attached to a substrate at a first end of the strip and adapted to apply a force to a load at a second end of the strip; a second conductive strip of material formed along one side of the first strip, the second conductive strip including a first wire strip running from substantially the first end to the second end and a second wire strip running from substantially the second end to the fist end, the wire strips being joined together at the second end so as to form a circuit, the wire strips being further connected to a controlled power supply at the first end such that activation of the controlled power supply causes heating of the conductive material so as to actuate the thermal actuator thereby applying a force to the load. Preferably, the first strip is in the form of a coil and the second conductive material is formed along a radial inner surface.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A thermal actuator activated by means of conductive heating of an electrically conductive material, said actuator comprising:
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a first non-conductive strip of material attached to a substrate at a first end of said strip and adapted to apply a force to a load at a second end of said strip;
a second conductive strip of material formed along one side of said first strip said second conductive strip including a first wire strip running from substantially said first end to said second end and a second wire strip running from substantially said second end to said first end, said wire strips being joined together at said second end so as to form a circuit, said wire strips being further connected to a controlled power supply at said first end such that activation of said controlled power supply causes heating of said conductive material so as to actuate said thermal actuator thereby applying a force to said load. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An ink jet printer having a series of ink ejection nozzle chambers, each of said nozzle chambers containing:
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an ink ejection port defined in one wall of the chamber for the ejection of ink therefrom;
a paddle within said chamber, actuated by an actuator for the ejection of ink from said nozzle chamber via said ink ejection port;
a slot defined in a second wall thereof for the communication with said paddle of an actuator device;
a thermal actuator activated by means of conductive heating of an electrically conductive material, said actuator comprising;
a first non-conductive strip of material attached to a substrate at a first end of said strip and adapted to apply a force to a load at a second end of said strip;
a second conductive material formed along one side of said first strip said second conductive strip including a first wire strip running from substantially said first end to said second end and a second wire strip running from substantially said second end to said first end, said wire strips being joined together at said second end so as to form a circuit, said wire strips being further connected to a controlled power supply at said first end such that activation of said controlled power supply causes heating of said conductive material so as to actuate said thermal actuator thereby applying a force to said load. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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Specification