Printhead and ink supply arrangement

• US 7,070,258 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2005
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• 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): Stephens, Juanita D.
• Application Number:
  US11/026,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20050110832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 347/40, 347/42, 347/44, 347/47, 347 49- 50, 347/54, 347/56, 347 61- 63, 347/65, 347/67, 347/20
• 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 2/04585 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 2/14427 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 2002/14419 : Manifold
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 : Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49346 : Rocket or jet device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49401 : Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet

Abstract

Microelectromechanical printheads are formed on a silicon wafer using etching technology similar that used in standard integrated circuit fabrication processes. The printheads include a very large number of micron-order ink inlet channels. A difficulty arises in accurately providing such a printhead with a reliable ink supply. The present invention addresses the above problem by providing an ink supply molding that includes a slot to receive the printhead. A plurality of ink supply passageways are formed in the ink supply molding of approximately 100 micron width. The ink supply molding is received into a baffle molding that includes ink conduits which in turn communicate with the ink supply passageway. In one embodiment a web of ink filtering material is disposed between the ink supply molding and the baffle molding.

Claims

1. A printhead and ink supply arrangement including:

a microelectromechanical page width printhead;

an ink supply molding including a slot into which said printhead is received, said molding defining a plurality of ink supply passageways in communication with ink inlets formed on the printhead; and

a baffle molding located about the ink supply molding and including ink conduits in communication with the ink supply passageways.

2. A printhead and ink supply molding according to claim 1, wherein a filter is located between the ink supply molding and the baffle molding.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the ink supply passageways have a width in the range of 50 microns to 150 microns.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said printhead is fastened within the slot by an adhesive.

5. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the baffle molding includes a series of pierceable end wall portions.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1, including an assembly to regulate the ingress of air into the baffle molding.

7. An arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the assembly to regulate the ingress of air into the baffle molding comprises a series of hydrophically sealed holes formed into a housing in which the baffle molding is located.

8. An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the film is positioned over the housing by protuberances formed upon the housing to engage corresponding apertures formed in the film.

9. An arrangement according to claim 6, including a film bearing conductive traces located to supply electrical signals to said print head.

10. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the baffle molding includes a series of baffles arranged to slow the flow of ink along the ink conduits in response to movement of the arrangement.

11. A printhead and ink supply arrangement including:

a microelectromechanical pagewidth printhead;

an ink supply molding including a slot into which said printhead is received, the molding defining a plurality of ink supply passageways in communication with ink inlets formed on the printhead;

a baffle molding located about the ink supply molding and including

ink conduits in communication with the ink supply passageways, and

a series of baffles arranged to slow the flow of ink along the ink conduits in response to movement of the arrangement;

a film bearing conduction paths to supply electrical signals to the printhead; and

a housing located about the baffle molding including protuberances engaging corresponding apertures formed in the film in order to accurately locate the conduction paths relative to the printhead.