Reverse spring lever ink jet printing mechanism

• US 6,247,795 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:
  US09/113,097
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 347/20, 347/44, 347/54, 347/53, 347/84, 347/85, 347/47
• US Class Current: 347/54
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14314 Structure of ink jet print heads with electrostatically actuated membrane
• 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 2/1628 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 2/1643 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 2002/041 Electromagnetic transducer

Abstract

An ink jet printer has a reverse spring lever to eject ink from a nozzle chamber. An electromagnetic actuator moves the reverse spring lever from a quiescent position to a pre-firing position and deactivation causes a torsional spring to drive the reverse spring lever to eject ink. The reverse spring lever and the electromagnetic actuator are interconnected in a cantilever arrangement such that small movements of the electromagnetic actuator result in larger movements of the reverse spring lever. The first actuator includes a solenoid coil surrounded by a magnetic actuator having a first fixed magnetic pole and a second moveable magnetic pole. The moveable magnetic pole includes a number of slots for the flow of ink through that pole upon movement.

Claims

1. A method of ejecting ink from an ink jet printing nozzle apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a nozzle chamber having an ink ejection port and being in fluid connection with an ink chamber;

(b) an ink ejection device having one surface in fluid communication with ink in said nozzle chamber;

(c) a recoil device connected to said ink ejection device; and

(d) an actuator device connected to the ink ejection device;

 

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

activating the actuator device to drive said ink ejection device from a quiescent position to a pre-firing position; and

deactivating said actuator device, thereby causing said recoil device to drive said ink ejection device to eject ink from said nozzle chamber via said ink ejection port.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said recoil device includes a resilient member and said movement of the actuator device results in resilient movement of said resilient member and said driving of the ink ejection device comprises the resilient member acting upon said ink ejection device.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuator device comprises an electromagnetic actuator.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said recoil device comprises a torsional spring.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ink ejection device and said actuator device are interconnected in a cantilever arrangement wherein small movements of said actuator device result in larger movements of the said ink ejection device.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said recoil device is located substantially at a pivot point of said cantilever arrangement.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuator device includes a solenoid coil surrounded by a magnetic actuator having a first fixed magnetic pole and second moveable magnetic pole, such that, upon activation of said solenoid coil, said poles undergo movement relative to one another.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said moveable magnetic pole includes a plurality of slots for flowing ink through said pole upon movement of said moveable pole.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ink ejection device comprises a piston or plunger having a surface substantially mating with at least one surface of the nozzle chamber.