Ink printhead nozzle arrangement with thermal bend actuator

• US 7,192,120 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2005
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zamtec Limited (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, McAvoy, Gregory John
• Primary Examiner(s): Do; An H.
• Application Number:
  US11/084,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20050162480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 347/54, 347/65, 347/56
• US Class Current: 347/54
• 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 2/1623 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 29/49401 Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet

Abstract

An ink jet printhead nozzle arrangement having an ink chamber formed in a wafer substrate and one wall of the chamber having at least one flexible portion. The ink ejection port is formed centrally on the wall with a rim surrounding it. The wall is adapted to move independently of the rim such that upon heating of the flexible portion of the wall, the wall bends into the ink chamber forcing ink therein out through the ejection port.

Claims

1. An ink jet printhead nozzle arrangement comprising:

a wafer substrate

an ink chamber formed therein;

an ink ejection port formed by a substantially centrally located rim on a wall of said chamber; and

at least one flexible portion located on said wall outside of said centrally located rim;

whereby the wall is adapted to move independently of said rim such that upon actuation the at least one flexible portion moves the wall into said ink chamber forcing ink therein, out through the said ink ejection port; and

wherein the said at least one flexible portion of said wall is made from material having a thermal expansion suitable to cause the wall to bend into said ink chamber upon heating of the at least one flexible portion of the wall.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein a heating element is located in conductive contact with each flexible portion of the wall.

3. The arrangement according to claim 2 wherein the heating element is serpentine in shape to allow for unhindered expansion of the flexible wall portion.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein an ink inlet channel formed in said wafer substrate and is in communication with said ink chamber.

5. The arrangement according to claim 4 wherein the ink inlet channel enters into said ink chamber opposite the said wall.