Printhead integrated circuit comprising inkjet nozzles having moveable roof actuators

• US 7,104,631 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2005
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, McAvoy, Gregory John
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, An H.
• Application Number:
  US11/202,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20050270337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 347/54, 347/56, 347/61, 347/65
• US Class Current: 347/54
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14 Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1433 Structure of nozzle plates
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16 Production of nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• 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 2/1648 Production of print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• 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 2002/14475 characterised by nozzle shapes or number of orifices per chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/15 Moving nozzle or nozzle plate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 : Assembling formed circuit to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 : Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 : Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49156 : with selective destruction of conductive paths
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49401 : Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet

Abstract

A printhead integrated circuit is provided. The integrated circuit includes a substrate, a plurality of inkjet nozzles formed on the substrate and drive circuitry connected to the inkjet nozzles. Each inkjet nozzle includes a nozzle chamber for storing ink to be ejected, at least one moveable actuator paddle forming at least a portion of a first wall of the nozzle chamber and an ink ejection opening defined in the first wall. In use, actuation of the actuator paddle causes ejection of ink from the nozzle.

Claims

1. A printhead integrated circuit comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of inkjet nozzles formed on said substrate; and

drive circuitry connected to said inkjet nozzles,

wherein each inkjet nozzle comprises;

a nozzle chamber for storing ink to be ejected;

at least one moveable actuator paddle forming at least a portion of a first wall of said nozzle chamber; and

an ink ejection opening defined in said first wall,

wherein said at least one actuator paddle is actuated by means of a thermal actuator device and whereby actuation of said at least one actuator paddle causes ejection of ink from said nozzle.

2. A printhead integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuation causes movement of said at least one actuator paddle into said nozzle chamber.

3. A printhead integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one actuator paddle comprises said thermal actuator device.

4. A printhead integrated circuit as claimed in claim 3, wherein said thermal actuator device comprises a conductive heating element in thermal contact with a second material.

5. A printhead integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first wall is a roof of said nozzle chamber.

6. A printhead integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an ink supply channel in fluid communication with each nozzle chamber.