PTFE surface shooting shuttered oscillating pressure ink jet printing mechanism

• US 6,247,792 B1
• Filed: 07/10/1998
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• 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:
  US09/112,815
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 347/20, 347/44, 347/47, 347/54, 347/56, 347/68-71
• 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 2/1623 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 2/1637 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 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/041 Electromagnetic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 : Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 : Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 : in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 : Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 : Authenticate client device independently of the user
• 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 1/2112 : using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2154 : the still video camera incorporating a hardcopy reproducing device, e.g. a printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 : Still video cameras
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7458 : the modulator being an array of deformable mirrors, e.g. digital micromirror device [DMD]

Abstract

An ink jet printer uses an actuator and an oscillating pressured ink supply. A shutter is located between the ink supply and an ink ejection port, normally blocking the ink ejection port. An actuator is provided for moving the shutter mechanism on demand away from the ink ejection port so as to allow for the ejection of ink on demand from the ink ejection port. The actuator includes a thermal actuator in a coiled form constructed primarily from polytetrafluorethylene. The coil is uncoiled upon heating. The actuator includes a serpentine heater element encased in a material having a high coefficient of thermal expansion. The serpentine heater takes a concertina form upon heating and a thick return trace returns the actuator to its original position upon cooling.

Claims

1. An ink jet print head comprising:

a nozzle chamber;

an ink ejection port for ejection of ink from said nozzle chamber;

an ink supply with means for oscillating ink pressure in said nozzle chamber at said ink ejection port;

a shutter mechanism located between said ink supply and said ink ejection port for blocking said ink ejection port; and

an actuator of coiled form for moving said shutter mechanism on demand away from said ink ejection port so as to allow for the ejection of ink on demand from said ink ejection port.

2. An ink jet print head as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuator comprises a thermal actuator.

3. An ink jet print head as claimed in claim 2 wherein said actuator includes a serpentine heater element encased in a material having a high coefficient of thermal expansion.

4. An ink jet print head as claimed in claim 3 wherein said serpentine heater takes a concertina form upon heating.

5. An ink jet print head as claimed in claim 3 wherein said actuator includes a thick return trace for said serpentine heater element.

6. An ink jet print head as claimed in claim 3 wherein said material comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.

7. An ink jet print head as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuator is activated by heating one side of said actuator.

8. An ink jet print head as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuator is uncoiled upon heating.

9. An ink jet print head as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuator is formed within said nozzle chamber.

10. An ink jet print head as claimed in claim 1 being formed on a silicon wafer and said ink is supplied to said ink ejection port through channels etched through said silicon wafer.