Micromechanical device with ribbed bend actuator

• US 6,378,989 B1
• Filed: 10/19/1999
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zamtec Limited (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Anh T. N.
• Application Number:
  US09/422,806
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 347/20, 347/54, 347/68, 347/70, 347/44, 347/55
• US Class Current: 347/54
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04518 reducing costs
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04541 Specific driving circuit
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04543 Block driving
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04553 detecting ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04563 detecting head temperature; Ink temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/0457 Power supply level being detected or varied
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04571 detecting viscosity
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04585 controlling heads based on thermal bent actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04588 using a specific waveform
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04591 Width of the driving signal being adjusted
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04596 Non-ejecting pulses
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04598 Pre-pulse
• 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 2/1639 sacrificial molding
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1642 thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]
• 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 2002/14491 : Electrical connection

Abstract

A method of forming a moveable micromechanical device including a bend actuator includes forming a substrate comprising a series of structures formed in a plurality of deposited lower layers, the substrate having a predetermined upper surface profile planarizing the upper surface to achieve a substantially flat surface, and forming a bend actuator on the upper surface of the substrate so as to bend in a direction away from and towards the substrate.

Claims

1. A method of forming a moveable micromechanical device including a bend actuator, said method comprising the steps of:

forming a substrate comprising a series of structures formed in a plurality of deposited lower layers, said substrate having a predetermined upper surface profile;

planarizing said upper surface to achieve a substantially flat surface; and

forming said bend actuator on said upper surface of said substrate so as to bend in a direction away from and towards the substrate.

2. A method according to claim 1 which includes forming a plurality of bend actuators and configuring said series of structures formed in said plurality of lower layers so as to be identical under each actuator.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said structures in said lower layers are configured such that corrugations arising therefrom in said upper surface profile of said substrate extend in a direction that is substantially transverse to a bending axis of said actuator.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bend actuator comprises a thermal bend actuator.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said deposited layers include a conductive circuitry layer.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said conductive circuitry layer is interconnected to said bend actuator for activation of said bend actuator.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said conductive circuitry layer, located under said bend actuator, includes a power transistor for controlling operation of said bend actuator.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bend actuator is attached to a paddle member within a nozzle chamber and actuated for the ejection of ink from an ink ejection nozzle of an inkjet printhead.

9. A moveable micromechanical device made in accordance with the method of claim 1.