Pagewidth inkjet printhead incorporating an array of nozzle arrangements

• US 7,004,563 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2004
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• 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): NGUYEN, LAMSON D
• Application Number:
  US10/949,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20050041063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 347/12, 347/13, 347/40, 347/42, 347/43
• US Class Current: 347/42
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04528 aiming at warming up the head
• 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 2/04573 Timing; Delays
• 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 2/1626 etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1628 dry 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 2/1639 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 2/175 : Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 : Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 : Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 : Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 : Line printing

Abstract

A pagewidth inkjet printhead includes a substrate that defines a plurality of ink inlet passages and incorporates drive circuitry. A plurality of substantially identical nozzle arrangements is positioned on the substrate. Each nozzle arrangement is generally elongate with an ink ejection port in fluid communication with an ink inlet channel at one end. The nozzle arrangements form an array on the substrate, the array being defined by replicating one nozzle arrangement on a grid according to a replication hierarchy that includes an initial acute angle rotation relative to a print media feed direction.

Claims

1. A pagewidth inkjet printhead that comprises

a substrate that defines a plurality of ink inlet passages and incorporates drive circuitry;

and

a plurality of substantially identical nozzle arrangements positioned on the substrate, each nozzle arrangement being generally elongate with an ink ejection port in fluid communication with an ink inlet channel at one end, wherein

the nozzle arrangements form an array on the substrate, the array being defined by replicating one nozzle arrangement on a grid according to a replication hierarchy that includes an initial acute angle rotation relative to a print media feed direction, in which each nozzle arrangement comprises

an elongate actuator that is connected to or integral with the substrate at a first end, the elongate actuator including a heating circuit that is capable of imparting thermal differential expansion and contraction to the elongate actuator to generate reciprocating movement of a second end of the actuator towards and away from the substrate;

nozzle chamber walls positioned on the substrate to define a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with a respective ink inlet passage and the ink ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber; and

an ink ejection member positioned in the nozzle chamber and connected to or intregral with the second end of the actuator such that in use, said reciprocating movement of the second end of the actuator results in the ejection of ink from the ink ejection port.

2. A pagewidth inkjet printhead as claimed in claim 1, in which the replication hierarchy includes an initial rotation of substantially 45 degrees.

3. A pagewidth inkjet printhead as claimed in claim 2, in which the array includes at least one set of corresponding pairs of nozzle arrangements, the replication hierarchy including a rotation through substantially 180 degrees of one of the nozzle arrangements of each pair.

4. A pagewidth inkjet printhead as claimed in claim 3, in which the array includes a number of sets of corresponding pairs of nozzle arrangements, each set being in fluid communication with ink inlet passages for carrying ink of a color associated with that set.

5. A pagewidth inkjet printhead as claimed in claim 4, in which a predetermined number of nozzle arrangements are in fluid communication with a single ink inlet passage, the replication hierarchy including a replication of said predetermined number of nozzle arrangements a predetermined number of times to form at least one group of nozzle arrangements.

6. A pagewidth inkjet printhead as claimed in claim 5, which includes a number of printhead chips that are positioned to span a print medium in use, each printhead chip incorporating one of said groups of nozzle arrangements.