Paddle type ink jet printing mechanism

• US 6,394,581 B1
• Filed: 07/10/1998
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• 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:
  US09/113,099
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 347/20,44,54,53,47
• 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 2/1623 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 2/1637 molding
• 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

Abstract

An ink jet nozzle with an ink ejection port formed by a movable wall in a nozzle chamber. The movable wall includes an electromagnetic coil and the nozzle chamber is located in a magnetic field. Upon activation of the electromagnetic coil the movable wall experiences a Lorenz force that causes the wall to pivot thereby resulting in ejection of ink from the nozzle chamber. The movable wall is connected to a wall of the nozzle chamber by a resilient connection, such as a spring, that returns the movable wall to a quiescent position after deactivation. The electromagnetic coil can include multiple layers of copper and the magnetic field can be provided by neodymium iron boron magnets.

Claims

1. An ink jet nozzle having an ink ejection port for ejecting ink, said nozzle comprising:

a nozzle chamber interconnected to said ink ejection port and having one moveable wall including an electromagnetic coil, said nozzle chamber being in a magnetic field such that, upon activation of said electromagnetic coil said moveable wall experiences a force and is caused to pivot so as to result in the ejection of ink from said nozzle chamber via said ink ejection port, said moveable wall interconnects said nozzle chamber with an ink supply chamber and said nozzle chamber is refilled from said ink supply chamber upon said ejection of ink, said moveable wall is interconnected to said nozzle chamber wall by a resilient means.

2. An ink jet nozzle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient means acts to return said moveable wall to a quiescent position upon deactivation of said electromagnetic coil.

3. An ink jet nozzle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said electromagnetic coil includes multiple layers.

4. An ink jet nozzle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said electromagnetic coil comprises substantially copper.

5. An ink jet nozzle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said magnetic field is permanent.

6. An ink jet nozzle as claimed in claim 5 wherein said magnetic field is provided by neodymium iron boron magnets.

7. An ink jet nozzle having an ink ejection port for ejecting ink, said nozzle comprising:

a nozzle chamber interconnected to said ink ejection port and having one pivotally moveable wall including an electromagnetic coil, said nozzle chamber being in a magnetic field such that, upon activation of said electromagnetic coil said pivotally moveable wall experiences a force and is caused to pivot so as to result in the ejection of ink from said nozzle chamber via said ink ejection port.