Inkjet printhead that incorporates closure mechanisms

• US 6,488,361 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2001
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• 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:
  US09/900,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20010040607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 347/20, 347/44, 347/47, 347/54, 347/56
• 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 2/1626 etching
• 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: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2154 the still video camera incorporating a hardcopy reproducing device, e.g. a printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• 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

An ink jet printhead that is manufactured in accordance with an integrated circuit fabrication technique includes a substrate. A plurality of nozzle arrangements are positioned on the substrate. Each nozzle arrangement includes nozzle chamber walls that define a nozzle chamber having an inlet that is in fluid communication with a pulsed ink supply. A closure mechanism is positioned on the substrate and is operable between a closed condition in which the closure mechanism serves to close the inlet and an open condition in which ink is permitted to pass into the nozzle chamber.

Claims

1. An ink jet printhead that is manufactured in accordance with an integrated circuit fabrication technique, the ink jet printhead comprising:

a wafer substrate;

a drive circuitry layer positioned on the wafer substrate; and

a plurality of nozzle arrangements positioned on the wafer substrate and the drive circuitry layer, each nozzle arrangement comprising;

nozzle chamber wall% that define a nozzle chamber having an inlet that is in fluid communication with a pulsed ink supply from an ink reservoir;

an actuator; and

a shutter which is connected to the actuator, the actuator being electrically connected to the drive circuitry layer to receive control signals from the drive circuitry layer, the actuator being operable upon receipt of a signal from the drive circuitry layer to displace the shutter from a closed position in which the shutter closes the inlet of its associated nozzle chamber and an open position in which ink from the reservoir is in fluid communication with ink in the nozzle chamber.

2. An ink jet printhead as claimed in claim 1, in which a pressurizing mechanism is operatively arranged with respect to the ink reservoir, the pressurizing mechanism being configured to pressurize ink within the reservoir in a pulsed manner to generate pressure pulses to eject ink from the nozzle chambers on operation of the pressurizing mechanism, when the closure mechanisms are in the open condition.

3. An ink jet printhead as claimed in claim 2, in which the pressurizing mechanism is configured to generate the pressure pulses at a predetermined frequency.

4. An ink jet printhead as claimed in claim 3, in which the pressurizing mechanism includes a pressure transducer that is positioned in the reservoir and is connected to a control device for controlling operation of the pressure transducer.

5. An ink jet printhead as claimed in claim 3, in which each closure mechanism is configured to cooperate with the pressurizing mechanism to move into its open condition for the duration of a pressure pulse when ink is to be ejected from its associated nozzle chamber.

6. An ink jet printhead as claimed in claim 5, in which the nozzle arrangements are the product of a deposition and etching process carried out on the wafer substrate.

7. An ink jet printhead as claimed in claim 6, in which the nozzle chambers are defined in the wafer substrate as a result of an etching process carried out on the wafer substrate.

8. An ink jet printhead as claimed in claim 1, in which each inlet of the nozzle arrangements is defined by a number of inlet openings formed in the substrate, with its associated shutter defining a number of corresponding openings, the shutter and the inlet being positioned so that, when the shutter is in its open position, the shutter openings and the inlet openings are in register with each other and when the shutter is in its closed position, the openings are out of register with each other.

9. An ink jet printhead as claimed in claim 1, in which a roof wall is positioned on the nozzle chamber walls of each nozzle arrangement, at least one ejection port being defined in each roof wall.

10. An ink jet printhead that comprises

a wafer substrate;

a drive circuitry layer positioned on the wafer substrate;

an ink reservoir arranged on the wafer substrate;

a plurality of nozzle arrangements positioned on the wafer substrate and the drive circuitry layer, each nozzle arrangement comprising

nozzle chamber walls that define a nozzle chamber having an inlet that is in fluid communication with the ink reservoir;

an actuator; and

a shutter which is connected to the actuator, the actuator being electrically connected to the drive circuitry layer to receive control signals from the drive circuitry layer, the actuator being operable upon receipt of a signal from the drive circuitry layer to displace the shutter from a closed position in which the shutter closes the inlet of its associated nozzle chamber and an open position in which ink from the reservoir is in fluid communication with ink in the nozzle chamber; and

a pressurizing mechanism that is operatively arranged with respect to the ink reservoir, the pressurizing mechanism being configured to pressurize ink within the reservoir in a pulsed manner to generate pressure pulses to eject ink from the nozzle chambers on operation of the pressurizing mechanism, when the shutters are in the open position.