Baffled ink supply for reducing ink accelerations

• US 7,331,659 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• 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): Luu; Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOLOMON, LISA
• Application Number:
  US11/011,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20060033785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 347/86, 347/68, 347/84
• US Class Current: 347/85
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/0452 reducing demand in current or voltage
• 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 2/0457 Power supply level being detected or varied
• 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 2/14 Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16 Production of nozzles
• 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 2002/14491 : Electrical connection

Abstract

A printhead comprises a plurality of nozzle chambers that house an ink ejection actuator for ejecting ink from said nozzle chamber. An ink jet supply unit connects directly to the printhead which includes a storage chamber for holding ink and for communicating ink to the nozzle chambers. The ink supply unit has a series of spaced apart baffles disposed between the storage chamber and the nozzle chambers which is configured to reduce acceleration of the ink within the unit as may be induced by movement of the portable printer, whilst allowing for flows of the ink to the printhead in response to active demand from the printhead.

Claims

1. A printhead for a portable printer, the printhead comprising:

an elongate array of nozzle chambers, each nozzle chamber housing an ink ejection actuator for ejecting ink from said nozzle chamber; and

an elongate baffle unit connected directly to said nozzle chambers and including;

at least one elongate ink storage chamber for holding ink, the ink storage chamber having a series of spaced apart baffles disposed therein; and

an ink distribution manifold disposed between said ink storage chamber and said nozzle chambers for distributing ink therebetween, said ink distribution manifold tapering from a first width at an ink storage chamber side to a narrower second width at a nozzle chamber side; and

at least ink supply conduit arranged to engage with, and supply ink, to the ink storage chamber of the baffle unit,

wherein said series of spaced apart baffles are configured so as to reduce acceleration of the ink within the ink storage chamber as may be induced by movement of the portable printer, whilst allowing for flows of the ink to the nozzle chambers in response to active demand from said printhead.

2. A printhead according to claim 1, wherein the baffles are configured across the width of the elongate storage chamber.

3. A printhead according to claim 1, wherein each ink storage chamber holds a separate color ink.

4. A printhead according to claim 1, wherein the printhead is a printhead chip.

5. A printhead according to claim 1, wherein the ink storage chamber is constructed from molded components.

6. A printhead according to claim 5, constructed from two or more interconnected components.

7. A printhead according to claim 6, wherein the baffle unit includes three or more said ink storage chambers, each having said baffles disposed therein.

8. A printhead according to claim 7, wherein at least some of the baffles extend in directions transverse to the longitudinal extent of the printhead.

9. A printhead according to claim 5, wherein said components are injection molded.

10. A printhead according to claim 7, including a piercable wall portion in each said ink storage chamber for connection thereto of the ink supply conduit connecting to a bulk ink supply source.

11. A printhead according to claim 1, wherein said baffle unit includes a housing having a series of hydrophobically sealed breather holes.