Micro-electro mechanical system

• US 6,286,935 B1
• Filed: 07/10/1998
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• 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:
  US09/113,080
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 347/20, 347/44, 347/47, 347/54, 347/56, 347/84, 347/85
• 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 2/1628 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 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

A micro electro-mechanical system for displacing a water based liquid is provided. The system includes an actuator having a first surface for applying a pressure to the liquid and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface is of a hydrophobic material. A region of the system adjacent the second surface is also of a hydrophobic material. The system has particular application in ink jet printing.

Claims

1. A micro electro-mechanical nozzle arrangement which comprises nozzle chamber walls defining a nozzle chamber and a moveable actuator positioned within the nozzle chamber, so that, upon actuation of the actuator, a water-based liquid within the nozzle chamber is displaced from the nozzle chamber, the actuator having a first surface which applies an actuating force on the liquid and a second, opposed:

surface, wherein

the second surface is of a hydrophobic material so that the liquid is repelled from a region about the second surface, thereby facilitating movement of the actuator.

2. A micro electro-mechanical nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1, in which portions of the nozzle chamber walls about the second surface of the actuator are of a hydrophobic material.

3. A method of facilitating operation of a micro electro-mechanical nozzle arrangement which comprises nozzle chamber walls defining a nozzle chamber and a moveable actuator positioned within the nozzle chamber so that, upon actuation of the actuator, a water-based liquid within the nozzle chamber is displaced from the nozzle chamber, the actuator having a first surface which applies an actuating force on the liquid and a second, opposed surface, the method including the step of:

imparting hydrophobic properties to the second surface, so that the liquid is repelled from the second surface.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, which includes the step of imparting hydrophobic properties to portions of the nozzle chamber walls about the second surface of the actuator.