Printhead for use with a pulsating pressure ink supply

• US 7,270,399 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2006
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• 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): Do; An H.
• Application Number:
  US11/525,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20070013742A1
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 347/54, 347/65, 347/84, 347/85
• US Class Current: 347/54
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0005 Curl smoothing, i.e. smoothing down corrugated printing material, e.g. by pressing means acting on wrinkled printing material
• 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 2/1629 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 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• 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 2202/21 : Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 : Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• 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 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 1/2112 : using still video cameras
• 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: H04N 5/7458 : the modulator being an array of deformable mirrors, e.g. digital micromirror device [DMD]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/932 : for electronic or optoelectronic application

Abstract

A printhead includes a substrate that defines a plurality of ink inlet channels. Drive circuitry is positioned on the substrate. A pair of sets of nozzle arrangements is positioned on the substrate. Each nozzle arrangement has a nozzle mounted on the substrate and defines an ink chamber in fluid communication with a respective ink supply channel. The nozzle defines an ink ejection port through which ink in the ink chamber can be ejected. A micro-electromechanical shutter is located within the ink chamber and is connected to the drive circuitry. The shutter is displaceable between a closed position to shut off the supply of ink to the ink chamber from the ink supply channel and an open position to permit ink to flow into the ink chamber on receipt of an electrical drive signal from the drive circuitry. The shutters of the nozzle arrangements in each set are configured to shut off the supply of ink to their respective ink chambers concurrently.

Claims

1. A printhead comprising

a substrate that defines a plurality of ink inlet channels;

drive circuitry positioned on the substrate; and

a pair of sets of nozzle arrangements positioned on the substrate, each nozzle arrangement comprising;

a nozzle mounted on the substrate and defining an ink chamber in fluid communication with a respective ink supply channel, the nozzle defining an ink ejection port through which ink in the ink chamber can be ejected; and

a micro-electromechanical shutter attached to an actuator, the shutter and the actuator located wholly within the ink chamber and connected to the drive circuitry, the shutter being displaceable using the actuator between a closed position to shut off the supply of ink to the ink chamber from the ink supply channel and an open position to permit ink to flow into the ink chamber on receipt of an electrical drive signal from the drive circuitry;

wherein

the shutters of the nozzle arrangements in each set are configured to shut off the supply of ink to their respective ink chambers concurrently.

2. A printhead as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printhead further comprises a transducer which upon actuation is arranged to move with respect to the substrate, the transducer and the substrate defining an ink reservoir there-between which is in fluid communication with each ink supply channel.

3. A printhead as claimed in claim 2, wherein the shutters and transducer are operable so that, when the shutters in one of the sets are open, the transducer can be moved toward and then away from the substrate to eject ink from the nozzle arrangements in that set.

4. A printhead as claimed in claim 3, wherein the transducer is operable so that, subsequent to ejection of ink, the transducer can be moved toward the substrate to refill the ink chambers of that set with ink.

5. A printhead as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transducer comprises a piezoelectric transducer.

6. A printhead as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shutters are configured so that operation of the shutters in one set is independent of the operation of the shutters in the other set.

7. A printhead as claimed in claim 1, wherein each actuator comprises a coil which can be uncoiled upon heating, the coil having a heater element connected to the drive circuitry to be heated on receipt of an electrical signal from the drive circuitry.