Printhead chip that incorporates micro-mechanical translating mechanisms

• US 7,040,738 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2005
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• 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): Stephens, Juanita D.
• Application Number:
  US11/026,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20050110842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 347/20, 347/44, 347/47, 347/54, 347/56, 347 61- 65, 347/67, 60527-529, 310306-307, 337139-141, 25112901-12902, 251/129.06
• 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 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• 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 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 printhead chip includes a substrate that incorporates a drive circuitry layer and defines a plurality of ink inlet channels. A plurality of nozzle chamber structures is positioned on the substrate. Each nozzle chamber structure defines a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with a respective ink inlet channel and an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber. A plurality of ink ejecting members is positioned in respective nozzle chambers. The ink ejecting members are displaceable towards and away from respective ink ejection ports to eject drops of ink from said ports. A plurality of actuators is connected to the drive circuitry. Each actuator includes a force transmitting portion that is substantially linearly displaceable upon receipt of a signal from the drive circuitry layer. A plurality of translating mechanisms is interposed between respective force transmitting portions and associated ink ejecting members such that displacement of the force transmitting portions results in said displacement of the respective ink ejecting members.

Claims

1. A printhead chip which comprises

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

a plurality of nozzle chamber structures positioned on the substrate, each nozzle chamber structure defining a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with a respective ink inlet channel and an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber;

a plurality of ink ejecting members positioned in respective nozzle chambers and displaceable towards and away from respective ink ejection ports to eject drops of ink from said ports;

a plurality of actuators connected to the drive circuitry, each actuator including a force transmitting portion that is substantially linearly displaceable upon receipt of a signal from the drive circuitry layer; and

a plurality of micro-mechanical translating mechanisms interposed between respective force transmitting portions and associated ink ejecting members such that displacement of the force transmitting portions results in said displacement of respective ink ejecting members.

2. A printhead chip as claimed in claim 1, in which each nozzle chamber structure includes nozzle chamber walls and a roof that spans the walls and defines the ink ejection port.

3. A printhead chip as claimed in claim 2, in which each actuator includes an anchor arrangement that is fast with the substrate and extends from the substrate, each force transmitting portion being a thermal expansion member extending from the substrate to be spaced from the substrate and defining a heating circuit electrically connected to the drive circuitry layer to receive an electrical signal from the drive circuitry layer so that the expansion member expands and subsequently contracts.

4. A printhead chip as claimed in claim 3, in which the translating mechanisms are lever mechanisms with the ink ejecting members providing a resistance and the expansion members providing an effort.

5. A printhead chip as claimed in claim 4, in which each lever mechanism includes a pivot member pivotally mounted in one of the walls of each respective nozzle chamber structure to define a fulcrum along a pivot line and interposed between respective pairs of associated expansion members and ink ejecting members so that expansion and subsequent contraction of the expansion members results in pivotal movement of the ink ejecting members towards and away from the respective roofs.

6. A printhead chip as claimed in claim 5, in which a distance between each fulcrum and a position of connection of each respective ink ejecting member to the respective pivot member is twenty to sixty times less than a length of each ink ejecting member to amplify movement of the expansion members at the ends of respective ink ejecting members, the ink ejection ports being positioned in general alignment with end portions of respective ink ejecting members.

7. A printhead chip as claimed in claim 6, in which the ink inlet channels are generally aligned with respective ink ejection ports so that said end portions are interposed between respective ink inlet channels and corresponding ink ejection ports.