Ink jet printer nozzle assembly with micro-electromechanical paddles

• US 7,380,913 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• 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): Do; An H.
• Application Number:
  US11/442,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20070211112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 347/54, 347/56, 347/65
• US Class Current: 347/54
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04505 aiming at correcting alignment
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04516 preventing formation of satellite drops
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04518 reducing costs
• 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 2/04565 detecting heater resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/0457 Power supply level being detected or varied
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04571 detecting viscosity
• 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 2/0459 Height of the driving signal being adjusted
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04591 Width of the driving signal being adjusted
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04593 Dot-size modulation by changing the size of the drop
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04596 Non-ejecting pulses
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04598 Pre-pulse
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/155 : for line printing
• 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 2/1628 : 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 2/1646 : thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1648 : Production of print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14419 : Manifold
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 : Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 25/005 : for serial printing movements superimposed to character- or line-spacing movements

Abstract

An inkjet printer nozzle assembly includes a substrate. Drive circuitry is positioned on the substrate. A nozzle chamber structure extends from the substrate and defines a nozzle chamber into which ink can be fed and an ink ejection port though which the ink can be ejected. An elongate actuator assembly is fast with the substrate at one end to be connected to the drive circuitry and extends cantilever-fashion towards the nozzle chamber structure. A paddle is fast with an opposite free end of the actuator assembly, the paddle being positioned in the nozzle chamber so that displacement of the paddle serves to eject ink from the ink ejection port.

Claims

1. An inkjet printer nozzle assembly that comprises

a substrate;

drive circuitry positioned on the substrate;

a nozzle chamber structure extending from the substrate and defining a nozzle chamber into which ink can be fed and an ink ejection port though which the ink can be ejected;

an elongate actuator assembly fast with the substrate at one end to be connected to the drive circuitry and extending, cantilever-fashion towards the nozzle chamber structure; and

a paddle fast with an opposite free end of the actuator assembly, the paddle being positioned in the nozzle chamber so that displacement of the paddle serves to eject ink from the ink ejection port.

2. An inkjet printer nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which a post extends from the substrate and the actuator assembly is fast with the post.

3. An inkjet printer nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which both the nozzle chamber and the paddle are circular in plan profile.

4. An inkjet printer nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 2, in which the actuator assembly includes an actuator proximate the post and an actuator arm fast with, and extending from the post.

5. An inkjet printer nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 4, in which the actuator includes a heater element fast with one side of the actuator arm, and connected to the drive circuitry, the heater element being capable of thermal expansion when heated by an electrical current from the drive circuitry to deflect the actuator arm.

6. An inkjet printer nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nozzle chamber structure includes a roof and a sidewall depending from the roof, the roof defining the ink ejection port and an annular rim bounding the ink ejection port.

7. An inkjet printer nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate defines an ink inlet in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber.