Nozzle for an inkjet printer incorporating a plunger assembly

• US 7,387,365 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2007
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• 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:
  US11/740,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20070188556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 347/54, 347/56, 347/65
• US Class Current: 347/54
• 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 2/04563 detecting head temperature; Ink temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04585 controlling heads based on thermal bent actuators
• 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 2/14 Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14314 Structure of ink jet print heads with electrostatically actuated membrane
• 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 2/1626 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 2002/14346 : Ejection by pressure produced by thermal deformation of ink chamber, e.g. buckling
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14435 : Moving nozzle made of thermal bend detached actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14443 : Nozzle guard
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 : Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 : Line printing
• 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: G07F 7/08 : by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 : by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 : Card verification
• 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 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 is provided for an inkjet printer. The nozzle includes a cover defining a nozzle port. A substrate assembly is fast with the cover, and defines a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the nozzle port and into which ink can be supplied. A plate is fast with the substrate assembly and includes two electrically isolated ferromagnetic parts. A plunger assembly defines a solenoid channel in which a solenoid can be received. The plunger assembly includes a plunger and biasing means configured to bias the plunger into a spaced apart position with respect to the plate. The solenoid is located in register with the solenoid channel and can be coupled to a current supply so that, upon actuation, the solenoid induces movement of the plunger towards the plate to thereby increase ink pressure in the nozzle chamber and eject ink therein through the nozzle port.

Claims

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

a cover defining a nozzle port;

a substrate assembly fast with the cover, and defining a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the nozzle port and into which ink can be supplied;

a plate fast with the substrate assembly and comprising two electrically isolated ferromagnetic parts;

a plunger assembly comprising a plunger and biasing means configured to bias the plunger into a spaced apart position with respect to the plate, and defining a solenoid channel in which a solenoid can be received; and

the solenoid located in register with the solenoid channel and which can be coupled to a current supply so that, upon actuation, the solenoid induces movement of the plunger toward the plate to thereby increase ink pressure in the nozzle chamber and eject ink therein through the nozzle port.

2. A nozzle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate assembly comprises:

a silicon substrate; and

a drive circuitry layer configured to provide said current supply, formed on the substrate and coupled to the solenoid.

3. A nozzle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the substrate assembly further comprises an insulating layer defining part of the nozzle chamber and located between the plate and the drive circuitry layer.

4. A nozzle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the solenoid is fast with the plate.

5. A nozzle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the biasing means is fast with the substrate assembly.

6. A nozzle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nozzle port and nozzle chamber both have generally circular cross sectional areas.

7. A nozzle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plunger defines a plurality of apertures extending from the solenoid channel and through which ink can pass during said actuation.

8. A nozzle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said biasing means comprises a plurality of springs surrounding the plunger.

9. A nozzle as claimed in claim 8, wherein each spring is a torsion spring.