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Conductive PTFE bend actuator vented ink jet printing mechanism

  • US 6,338,547 B1
  • Filed: 07/10/1998
  • Issued: 01/15/2002
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An ink jet nozzle comprising:

  • a nozzle chamber having an ink ejection port in one wall of said chamber;

    an ink supply source interconnected to said nozzle chamber;

    a thermal actuator activated to eject ink from said nozzle chamber via said ink ejection port, said thermal actuator comprising two layers of actuator material having a high coefficient of thermal expansion, a top layer being substantially non conductive and a bottom layer comprising portions being conductive and portions being non-conductive such that a resistive circuit is formed for heating of the bottom layer through interaction of said conductive and non-conductive portions;

    said thermal actuator being activated by means of passing a current through the bottom layer so as to cause it to expand relative to the top layer, which is cooled by the ink; and

    said resistive circuit having predetermined area of low circuit cross-sectional area so as to produce high levels of heating of said actuators in those areas.

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