Nozzle arrangement with inlet covering cantilevered actuator

• US 7,364,271 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2007
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• 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): JACKSON, JUANITA DIONNE
• Application Number:
  US11/754,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20070229601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 336 Days
• Field of Search: 347/20, 347/44, 347/47, 347/54, 347/56, 347/61, 347/62, 347 63- 65, 60527-529
• US Class Current: 347/54
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/055 Devices for absorbing or preventing back-pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14048 Movable member in the chamber
• 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 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 : Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/041 : Electromagnetic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/15 : Moving nozzle or nozzle plate
• 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 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

Abstract

A nozzle arrangement is provided for an inkjet printhead. The nozzle arrangement includes a substrate assembly defining an ink inlet channel. A nozzle extends from the substrate assembly. The nozzle defines a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet channel and a ink ejection port in fluid communication with the chamber. A cantilevered actuator extends into the ink inlet chamber and terminates in a paddle at its free end that can cover the ink inlet channel. The actuator includes a heater element which can be activated to bend the actuator so that the paddle ejects ink in the nozzle chamber through the ink ejection port.

Claims

1. A nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead, the nozzle arrangement comprising:

a substrate assembly defining an ink inlet channel;

a nozzle extending from the substrate assembly, and defining a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet channel and an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the chamber; and

a cantilevered actuator extending into the nozzle chamber and terminating in a paddle at its free end which is configured to completely cover the ink inlet channel, the actuator comprising a heater element which can be activated to bend the actuator so that the paddle ejects ink in the nozzle chamber through the ink ejection port.

2. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate assembly incorporates a drive circuitry layer coupled to the heater element.

3. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heater element is arranged to define a pair of opposed and elongate serpentine portions extending, side by side, along the actuator.

4. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nozzle chamber tapers inwardly and linearly from the ink inlet channel to the ink ejection port.

5. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate assembly incorporates a substrate, a drive circuitry layer positioned on the substrate, and a passivation layer positioned on the drive circuitry layer.

6. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nozzle is generally box shaped, and comprises a continuous rectangular wall and a substantially flat roof supported by the wall.

7. A inkjet printhead comprising a plurality of nozzle arrangements as claimed in claim 6, wherein each adjacent pair of nozzle arrangements share a common portion of the wall.