Single bend actuator cupped paddle ink jet printing mechanism

• US 6,217,153 B1
• Filed: 07/10/1998
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zamtec Limited (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Do, An H.
• Application Number:
  US09/112,765
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 347/54, 347/44, 347/20, 347/47
• US Class Current: 347/54
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• 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 2/1637 molding
• 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 2/1643 thin film formation by plating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1645 thin film formation by spincoating
• 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 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/041 Electromagnetic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 : 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/56 : using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 : Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 : Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation

Abstract

An ink jet printing nozzle arrangement is disclosed including an ink chamber having an ink ejection nozzle in one wall thereof for the ejection of ink from the ink chamber; a moveable paddle vane located within the ink chamber; an actuator means adapted to move the paddle vane so as to cause ink within the ink chamber to be ejected from the ink ejection nozzle; wherein the paddle vane includes a concave surface in the area adjacent the ink ejection nozzle. Preferably, the paddle vane includes a cup shaped surface in the area adjacent the ink ejection nozzle. The nozzle arrangement can be formed utilizing normal micro-electro mechanical construction techniques and the concave surface can be formed as the result of the deposition of a film over a pit. The actuator means can include an actuating portion located externally to the nozzle chamber and operational in an external ambient atmosphere of the arrangement. The ink chamber can further include a slot defined in a wall thereof such that the actuator means communicates with the moveable paddle vane through the slot. The actuator means can comprise a thermal actuator which includes a conductive heater element having a high bend efficiency such that when an electric current is passed through the conductive heater element, the heater element undergoes thermal expansion causing the actuator means to move the paddle towards the ink ejection nozzle. Preferably, the external surfaces of the slot are profiled so as to minimize any wicking of the ink out of the slot. The profile can include a surface having a protruding rim around the slot and the actuator means can be shaped so as to minimize wicking of ink along the actuator means.

Claims

1. An ink jet printing nozzle arrangement including:

an ink chamber having an ink ejection nozzle in one wall thereof for the ejection of ink from said ink chamber;

a moveable paddle vane located within said ink chamber;

a actuator means to move said paddle vane so as to cause ink within said ink chamber to be ejected from said ink chamber nozzle;

wherein said paddle vane includes a concave surface adjacent to and facing said ink ejection nozzle.

2. An ink jet nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said concave surface is cup shaped.

3. An ink jet nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said nozzle arrangement is formed utilizing normal microelectro mechanical construction techniques and said concave surface is formed from deposition of a film over a pit.

4. An ink jet nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuator means includes an actuating portion located externally to said nozzle chamber and operational in an external ambient atmosphere of said arrangement.

5. An ink jet nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 4 wherein said ink chamber further includes a slot defined in a wall thereof and said actuator means communicates with said moveable paddle vane through said slot.

6. An ink jet nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 5 wherein external surfaces of said slot are profiled so as to minimize any wicking of said ink out of said slot.

7. An ink jet nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein said profile includes surface having a protruding rim around said slot.

8. An ink jet nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 5 wherein said actuator means is shaped so as to minimize wicking of ink along said actuator means.

9. An ink jet nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuator means comprises a thermal actuator.

10. An ink jet nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuator means includes a conductive heater element having a high bend efficiency.

11. An ink jet nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 10 wherein when an electric current is passed though said conductive heater element, said heater element undergoes thermal expansion causing said actuator means to move said paddle towards said ink ejection nozzle.

12. An ink jet nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said paddle vane includes a slit in a surface thereof to assist in the refill flow of ink into said ink chamber.