Printhead incorporating leveraged micro-electromechanical actuation

• US 7,258,425 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): JACKSON, JUANITA DIONNE
• Application Number:
  US11/442,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20060214988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 347/20, 347/44, 347/47, 347/54, 347/56, 347 61- 65, 347/67, 60527-529
• US Class Current: 347/54
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1601 Production of bubble jet print heads B41J2/1606, B41J2/162 take precedence
• 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 2/1629 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 2/1643 thin film formation by plating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1645 thin film formation by spincoating
• 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 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/041 : Electromagnetic transducer
• 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 2202/21 : Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 : Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 : with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 : in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 : Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 : Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 : by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 : multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/073 : Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 : using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 : 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/56 : using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2154 : the still video camera incorporating a hardcopy reproducing device, e.g. a printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 : Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 : Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 : Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49083 : Heater type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 : Switch making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 : Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 : Contact or terminal manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49401 : Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet

Abstract

A printhead for an inkjet printer comprises a substrate. A drive circuitry layer is positioned on the substrate. A plurality of micro-electromechanical ink ejection assemblies is formed on the substrate. Each ink ejection assembly includes a nozzle chamber structure that defines a nozzle chamber into which ink can be fed and an ink ejection port, in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber, through which ink can be ejected. A micro-electromechanical actuator is connected to the drive circuitry and is reciprocally displaceable towards and away from the substrate on receipt of an electrical signal from the drive circuitry. An ink ejecting member is positioned in the nozzle chamber and is reciprocally displaceable to eject ink from the ink ejection port. A lever mechanism is interposed between the actuator and the ink ejecting member to transfer reciprocal motion of the actuator to the ink ejecting member.

Claims

1. A printhead for an inkjet printer, the printhead comprising:

a substrate;

a drive circuitry layer positioned on the substrate; and

a plurality of micro-electromechanical ink ejection assemblies formed on the substrate, each ink ejection assembly comprising

a nozzle chamber structure that defines a nozzle chamber into which ink can be fed, and an ink ejection port, in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber, through which ink can be ejected;

a micro-electromechanical actuator connected to the drive circuitry and reciprocally displaceable towards and away from the substrate on receipt of an electrical signal from the drive circuitry;

an ink ejecting member positioned in the nozzle chamber and reciprocally displaceable to eject ink from the ink ejection port; and

a lever mechanism interposed between the actuator and the ink ejecting member to transfer reciprocal motion of the actuator to the ink ejecting member.

2. A printhead as claimed in claim 1, wherein each nozzle chamber structure has a roof that defines the ink ejection port and a well surrounding the ink ejection port so that ink spatter can collect in the well.

3. A printhead as claimed in claim 2, wherein each well is shaped so as to have rotational symmetry.

4. A printhead as claimed in claim 2, wherein each ink ejection port is defined by a rim positioned centrally with respect to the well.

5. A printhead as claimed in claim 1, wherein the micro-electromechanical actuator is configured to be thermally actuated with an electrical pulse from the drive circuitry.

6. A printhead as claimed in claim 1, in which each nozzle chamber structure includes sidewalls extending from the substrate, the lever mechanism being pivotally mounted to the sidewalls.

7. A printhead as claimed in claim 1, wherein each ink ejection assembly has a substantially rectangular plan profile.