Ink jet nozzle having actuator with anchor positioned between nozzle chamber and actuator connection point

• US 6,935,724 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2003
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• 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): JACKSON, JUANITA DIONNE
• Application Number:
  US10/698,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20040090494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 347/20, 347/44, 347/47, 347/54, 347/56, 347/63, 347/65, 347/67, 347/40, 60527-529
• US Class Current: 347/54
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14 Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1601 Production of bubble jet print heads B41J2/1606, B41J2/162 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1626 etching
• 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 2/1635 dividing the wafer into individual chips
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/041 : Electromagnetic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14346 : Ejection by pressure produced by thermal deformation of ink chamber, e.g. buckling
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14435 : Moving nozzle made of thermal bend detached actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 : Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 : Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 : in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 : Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 : Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 : by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 : multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 : using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 : 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/56 : using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency
• 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

A nozzle arrangement having a nozzle camber for holding ink. A passive anchor and an active anchor extend from respective anchor points and support a moveable structure including a portion in fluid communication with the ink chamber. The moveable structure is connected to the passive and active anchors at connection points distal the respective anchor points such that actuation of the active anchor causes displacement of the portion with respect to the ink chamber. The anchor point of at least one of the active and passive anchors is positioned between the nozzle chamber and the connection points.

Claims

1. A nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead, the nozzle arrangement including:

(a) a nozzle chamber for holding ink;

(b) a passive anchor and an active anchor extending from respective anchor points;

(c) a moveable structure including a portion in fluid communication with the ink chamber, the moveable structure being connected to the passive and active anchors at connection points distal the respective anchor points such that actuation of the active anchor causes displacement of the portion with respect to the ink chamber;

(d) a fluid ejection port in fluid communication with the ink chamber for enabling ejection of ink from the chamber by the portion upon actuation of the active anchor;

wherein the anchor point of at least one of the active and passive anchors is positioned between the nozzle chamber and the connection points.

2. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 1, wherein upon actuation, the moveable structure is moved within a first action plane.

3. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the movement includes a rotational component.

4. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the active anchor is configured to supply, upon actuation, a compressive force between its anchor point and connection point.

5. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the compressive force is supplied substantially parallel to the plane.

6. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the active and passive anchors are configured to bend during actuation of the active anchor due to a change in relative lengths as a result of thermal expansion of the active anchor, the bending contributing to a rotational component of movement of the moveable structure.

7. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the active anchor is a thermal actuator configured to expand due to self-heating when a current is passed therethrough.

8. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the active anchor is a thermal bend actuator.

9. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 1, including at least two of the passive anchors.

10. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 1, including at least two of the active anchors.

11. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the moveable structure is supported at least in part by the passive and active anchors.

12. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 11, wherein ink in the chamber provides fluidic support to the moveable structure by way of surface tension and/or fluid pressure.

13. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the fluid ejection port is disposed in the portion.

14. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the portion is configured to move towards the nozzle chamber upon actuation of the active anchor, thereby causing an increase in pressure in fluid within the nozzle chamber and corresponding expulsion of fluid from the chamber through the fluid ejection port.

15. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 1, where the fluid ejection port is disposed in a roof portion of the nozzle chamber and the portion being spaced away from the fluid ejection port prior to actuation, the nozzle arrangement being configured such that, upon actuation of the active anchor, the portion is urged towards the fluid ejection port, thereby causing fluid to be ejected from the nozzle chamber through the fluid ejection port.