Ink jet printhead having columnar arrays of transistor drive circuits

• US 7,080,893 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): JACKSON, JUANITA DIONNE
• Application Number:
  US11/111,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20050185021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 347/20, 347/44, 347/47, 347/54, 347/56, 347 61- 65, 347/67, 347/15, 347/40, 347/43, 347 57- 59, 60527-529, 310306-307, 337139-141, 25112901-12902, 251/129.06
• US Class Current: 347/43
• 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 2/1628 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 2/1637 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 2/1646 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 2002/14362 : Assembling elements of heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14419 : Manifold
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 : Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49083 : Heater type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 : Assembling formed circuit to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 : Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/494 : Fluidic or fluid actuated device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49401 : Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet

Abstract

An ink jet printhead is provided. The printhead comprises a printhead substrate including a plurality of thin film layers and at least three side by side columnar arrays of drop generators extending along a longitudinal extent. Each columnar array of drop generators provides ink drops of a different color and has at least 96 drop generators. Each columnar array of drop generators is separated from each other by at most 1060 micrometers. The printhead substrate also includes at least three columnar arrays of transistor drive circuits formed in the printhead substrate respectively adjacent the columnar arrays of drop generators for energizing the columnar arrays of drop generators.

Claims

1. An ink jet printhead, comprising:

a printhead substrate including a plurality of thin film layers;

at least three side by side columnar arrays of nozzle arrangements formed in said printhead substrate and extending along a longitudinal extent;

each columnar array of nozzle arrangements providing ink drops of a different color; and

at least three columnar arrays of transistor drive circuits formed in said printhead substrate respectively adjacent said columnar arrays of nozzle arrangements for energizing said columnar arrays of nozzle arrangements.

wherein a distance between consecutive nozzle arrangements is such that a series of dots can be printed with a resolution of over 1000 dpi.