Nozzle assembly incorporating a shuttered actuation mechanism

• US 7,357,488 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2006
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zamtec Limited (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Do; An H.
• Application Number:
  US11/604,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20070070124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 347/54, 347/65
• 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 2/1623 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 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]

Abstract

A nozzle assembly is provided for an inkjet printer. The assembly includes a wafer arrangement defining an ink supply channel. A border is constructed on the wafer arrangement and bounds the ink supply channel. A cover layer is constructed on the border to define a nozzle chamber. The cover layer also defines an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber. A shutter arrangement is constructed on the wafer arrangement and within the border. The shutter arrangement includes a thermal actuator which terminates in a shutter. The thermal actuator includes a coiled heater which, in use, can move the shutter with respect to the ink ejection port.

Claims

1. A nozzle assembly for an inkjet printer, the assembly comprising:

a wafer arrangement defining an ink supply channel;

a border constructed on the wafer arrangement and bounding the ink supply channel;

a cover layer constructed on the border to define a nozzle chamber, the cover layer defining an ink ejection port; and

a shutter arrangement constructed on the wafer arrangement and within the border, the shutter arrangement comprising a thermal actuator which terminates in a shutter, the thermal actuator comprising a coiled heater which, in use, can move the shutter with respect to the ink ejection port.

2. A nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coiled heater comprises a serpentine heating element sandwiched between a pair of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) layers.

3. A nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an ink reservoir which is in fluid communication with the ink supply channel; and

an ultrasonic transducer positioned in the reservoir.

4. A nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is a piezoelectric transducer which oscillates at approximately 100 kHz.

5. A nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wafer arrangement comprises a silicon wafer, a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) layer constructed on the silicon wafer and comprising CMOS circuitry, and a nitride layer constructed on top of the CMOS layer.

6. A nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the border and cover layers are formed from nitride material.

7. A nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ink supply channel is wider than the ejection port.

8. A nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shutter arrangement is arranged so that the shutter is normally in alignment with the ink ejection port and, upon actuation of the thermal actuator, is moved out of alignment with the ink ejection port by uncoiling the coiled heater.