Inkjet printhead that incorporates feed back sense lines

• US 7,198,346 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2004
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Do; An H.
• Application Number:
  US11/006,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20050146566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 347/17, 347/40, 347/54, 347/56, 347/65, 347/60, 347/85
• US Class Current: 347/17
• 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 2/04573 Timing; Delays
• 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 2/04598 Pre-pulse
• 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 2/175 : Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 : Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 : Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 : Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 : Line printing

Abstract

An inkjet printhead includes an ink distribution assembly for connection to an ink supply and defines a plurality of ink outlets. An array of printhead chips is positioned on the ink distribution assembly. Each printhead chip includes a substrate that defines a plurality of ink supply passages in fluid communication with respective ink outlets. An array of nozzle arrangements is positioned on the substrate. Each nozzle arrangement defines a nozzle chamber connected to an ink supply passage and a nozzle connected to the nozzle chamber. A plurality of actuators is displaceable relative to the substrate to eject ink from respective nozzles. A plurality of feed back sense lines is connected to each printhead chip for providing a controller with data representing operating characteristics of each printhead chip.

Claims

1. An inkjet printhead which comprises:

an ink distribution assembly for connection to an ink supply and defining a plurality of ink outlets;

an array of printhead chips positioned on the ink distribution assembly, each printhead chip comprising;

a substrate that defines a plurality of ink supply passages in fluid communication with respective ink outlets;

an array of nozzle arrangements positioned on the substrate, each nozzle arrangement defining a nozzle chamber connected to an ink supply passage and a nozzle connected to the nozzle chamber; and

a plurality of actuators displaceable relative to the substrate to eject ink from respective nozzles; and

a plurality of feed back sense lines connected to each printhead chip for providing a controller with data representing operating characteristics of each printhead chip including temperature of the printhead chip, voltage available to each actuator, resistivity of a heater of each actuator, and a formed width of the heater of each actuator, the controller being configured to adjust timings of nozzle firing pulses in response to the fedback temperatures and to adjust pulse widths of the nozzle firing pulses in response to the fedback voltages, resitivities and widths.

2. An inkjet printhead as claimed in claim 1, in which the ink distribution assembly includes an ink storage arrangement connectable to the ink supply and a manifold positioned on the ink storage arrangement to receive ink from the ink storage arrangement, the manifold defining the plurality of ink outlets.

3. An inkjet printhead as claimed in claim 2, in which the ink storage arrangement is elongate, spans a print area and defines a number of longitudinally extending ink chambers.

4. An inkjet printhead as claimed in claim 3, in which the manifold defines a number of series of slots, each series in fluid communication with a respective ink chamber, the slots defining inwardly converging ink flow paths that open at the ink outlets.

5. An inkjet printhead as claimed in claim 2, in which the manifold defines an elongate recess into which the ink outlets open and in which each printhead chip is mounted.

6. An inkjet printhead as claimed in claim 1, in which a plurality of control logic and associated power transistor circuits are positioned on the substrate, each actuator being elongate and fast at one end to the substrate to be connected to a respective control logic and associated power transistor circuit to receive electrical signals from the circuit and to be displaced relative to the substrate on receipt of such signals.

7. An inkjet printhead as claimed in claim 6, in which a plurality of ink ejection members are positioned in respective nozzle chambers and connected to opposite ends of respective actuators such that displacement of the actuators results in the ejection of ink from respective ink ejection ports.

8. An inkjet printhead as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one temperature sensor is attached to each printhead chip, the, or each temperature sensor being connected to one of the feed back sense lines.