Liquid projection apparatus
First Claim
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1. A device for projecting liquid as jets or droplets from multiple nozzles, the device comprising:
- a plurality of transducers oriented substantially parallel to one another and each having an inner face and an outer face opposite said inner face, the transducers being arranged in a substantially planar array;
a plurality of nozzles, each nozzle being associated with a respective transducer and having corresponding inner and outer faces and an axis normal to said inner and outer faces of said transducer, said transducer being excitable to cause movement of the associated nozzle in a direction substantially aligned with the nozzle axis, to project liquid therefrom;
liquid supply means for supplying a liquid to said inner face of said nozzles;
means for selectively exciting transducers as required, thereby to project liquid as jets or droplets from the respective outer face by movement of the liquid through the nozzle in response to the movement of the nozzle.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to liquid projection apparatus in the form of a face-shooter array. Material layers are used as the basis to fabricate the device to overcome constructional difficulties associated with other technologies. The device utilizes excitation of the surface layers (100) incorporating nozzles (8) which are arranged over one surface layer with addressability, forming a liquid projection array, capable of operation at high frequencies with a wide range of liquids.
85 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A device for projecting liquid as jets or droplets from multiple nozzles, the device comprising:
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a plurality of transducers oriented substantially parallel to one another and each having an inner face and an outer face opposite said inner face, the transducers being arranged in a substantially planar array;
a plurality of nozzles, each nozzle being associated with a respective transducer and having corresponding inner and outer faces and an axis normal to said inner and outer faces of said transducer, said transducer being excitable to cause movement of the associated nozzle in a direction substantially aligned with the nozzle axis, to project liquid therefrom;
liquid supply means for supplying a liquid to said inner face of said nozzles;
means for selectively exciting transducers as required, thereby to project liquid as jets or droplets from the respective outer face by movement of the liquid through the nozzle in response to the movement of the nozzle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
a multiplicity of excitation means, each capable of exciting at least one of said regions and/or nozzle-bearing sub-region. -
3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said regions are in the form of beams formed by slits within said material layer.
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4. A device according to claim 3, wherein each of the slits is sealed.
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5. A device according to claim 3, wherein said slits are arranged in the form of a comb.
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6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the slits are arranged in the form of two interdigitated combs.
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7. A device according to claim 2, wherein terminals for supplying actuating signals to the transducers are formed in the material layer in which the transducers are formed.
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8. A device according to claim 2, wherein a region of the material layer adjacent each transducer is thinner than other parts of the material layer.
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9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the transducers are formed in regions of a first material layer which contains a plurality of apertures therethrough,
the nozzles are formed in sub-regions of a second material layer in registry with the apertures in the first material layer; - and including
a multiplicity of excitation means, each capable of exciting said second material layer directly or indirectly in the sub-region of at least some of said nozzles.
- and including
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10. A device according to claim 1, wherein the transducers are defined in a plurality of members supported on a substrate.
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11. A device according to claim 1 wherein the transducers are flexural.
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12. A device according to claim 1, wherein the transducers are formed in regions of a material layer having a thickness reduced from that of the remainder of the material layer.
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13. A device according to claim 1, wherein the transducers are formed in a first material layer and separated from one another by a sealing layer, and the nozzles are formed in the sealing layer.
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14. A device according to claim 13, wherein each nozzle is disposed between the ends of a pair of opposed transducers.
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15. A device according to claim 13, wherein each nozzle is disposed at the end of a respective transducer.
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16. A device according to claim 1, wherein the transducers comprise beams, each beam having a free end which is supported by a stiffening layer of material.
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17. A device according to claim 1, wherein the transducers comprise beams, the side of each of which are tapered towards one another, the respective nozzles being located in the narrower portions of the respective beams.
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18. A device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of signal terminals are provided corresponding to respective transducers.
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19. A device according to claim 18, further including an electronic drive coupled to the terminals and hence to the transducers, and arranged to provide drive signals independently to respective transducer terminals, whereby production of droplets from the nozzles is achieved selectively by corresponding selective generation of drive signals.
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20. A device according to claim 1, including further transducers with which no nozzle is associated, whereby actuation of the further transducers can be employed solely to reduce crosstalk between adjacent nozzles.
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Specification