Manufacturing inkjet printheads with large numbers of nozzles

• US 7,155,823 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2003
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• 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): Tugbang; A. Dexter
• Application Number:
  US10/636,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20040031150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 298/901, 298/31, 298/46, 29/253.5, 347/47, 347/54, 438/21, 700/121, 700/95
• US Class Current: 29/890.1
• 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

A method of construction of an inkjet printhead having a large array of inkjet nozzle arrangements by defining a single inkjet nozzle arrangement for the ejection of ink from a single nozzle and utilizing a series of translations and rotations of the single inkjet nozzle arrangement to define all the inkjet nozzles of the inkjet print head. The utilizing step can comprise: initially forming those nozzles in a pod; forming a group of pods corresponding to each color utilized in the print head; forming a firing group of pods; forming a segment of the printhead; forming each segment of the print head. The inkjet nozzle arrangements can include a series of layers deposited and etch utilizing a mask.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating an inkjet printhead having an array of inkjet nozzle arrangements, said method comprising the steps of:

defining a single nozzle arrangement;

replicating the single nozzle arrangement at least once to define a pod of nozzles which are for the ejection of ink of one color;

replicating the pod at least once to define a podgroup;

replicating the podgroup at least once to define a segment of the printhead;

replicating the segment at least once to define and form the printhead; and

fabricating the inkjet nozzle arrangements with an integrated circuit fabrication technique carried out on a substrate;

wherein each nozzle arrangement is fabricated to incorporate CMOS drive circuitry and a micro electromechanical system connected to the CMOS drive circuitry to be actuated by the CMOS drive circuitry to displace in least one component of the micro electromechanical system relative to the substrate.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 including replicating said single nozzle arrangement to fill each pod of nozzles with two rows of nozzles of the nozzle arrangements, each row having the same number of nozzles, the nozzles being positioned to print a series of dots, numbered zero to n, where n+1 is the number of nozzles in each pod with one row of nozzles being positioned to print even numbered dots and the other row being positioned to print odd numbered dots.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 including replicating said single nozzle arrangement in a series of approximately 45 degree transforms so that the rows of nozzles in each pod are staggered with respect to each other.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 including replicating said singe nozzle arrangement so that a distance between consecutive nozzles is such that said series of dots can be printed with a resolution of over 1000 dpi.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 including replicating said single nozzle arrangement so that a distance between consecutive nozzles is such that said series of dots can be printed with a resolution of approximately 1600 dpi.

6. A method as claimed in claim 2, which includes replicating the pods so tat each podgroup has a number of pods that corresponds with a predetermined number of inks to be used with the printhead, replicating said predetermined number of podgroups to form a predetermined number of rows of pods, said predetermined number of rows corresponding to said predetermined number of inks, replicating said predetermined number of rows of podgroups to form a predetermined number of printhead segments, and replicating said predetermined number of printhead segments so that the printead segments span a width that corresponds to the width of the print medium to be used.