Inkjet nozzle arrangement incorporating a thermal bend actuator with an ink ejection paddle

• US 7,401,902 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2007
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• 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): JACKSON, JUANITA DIONNE
• Application Number:
  US11/779,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20070257965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 371 Days
• Field of Search: 347/20, 347/44, 347/47, 347/54, 347 56- 59, 347 61- 65, 347/67, 60527-529
• 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 2/1601 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 2/17503 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 2002/14435 : Moving nozzle made of thermal bend detached actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14475 : characterised by nozzle shapes or number of orifices per chamber
• 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 1/1626 : with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49083 : Heater type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 : Switch making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 : Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 : Contact or terminal manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49401 : Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet

Abstract

The present invention relates to a nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead. The nozzle arrangement includes a substrate assembly defining an ink inlet channel. A nozzle chamber structure extends from the substrate assembly. The nozzle chamber structure defines a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with an ink inlet channel and an ink ejection port through which ink from the nozzle chamber can be ejected. An ink ejection paddle extends across the nozzle chamber between the ink inlet channel and the ink ejection port. A thermal bend actuator is anchored to the substrate assembly at a location external the nozzle chamber and is coupled to the paddle so that, upon actuation, the paddle moves to eject ink in the nozzle chamber out 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 chamber structure extending from the substrate assembly and defining a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet channel and an ink ejection port through which ink from the nozzle chamber can be ejected;

an ink ejection paddle extending across the nozzle chamber between the ink inlet channel and the ink ejection port;

a thermal bend actuator anchored to the substrate assembly at a location external the nozzle chamber and coupled to the paddle so that, upon actuation, the paddle moves to eject ink in the nozzle chamber out through the ink ejection port;

an anchor which is anchored to the substrate assembly; and

an actuator arm that has a fixed end fixed to the anchor and a working end displaceable towards and away from the substrate upon receipt of a drive signal in the form of a current pulse emanating from the substrate assembly.

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

a silicon wafer substrate;

a drive circuitry layer positioned on the silicon wafer substrate and configured to generate the drive signal; and

a passivation layer positioned on the drive circuitry layer.

3. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a sealing structure that seals the nozzle chamber and is interposed between the working end of the actuator arm and an end portion of the paddle.

4. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the actuator comprises a motion-transmitting structure that interconnects the working end of the actuator arm and the end portion of the paddle.

5. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the motion-transmitting structure bridges the sealing structure so that the sealing structure is interposed between at least a portion of the motion-transmitting structure and the sealing structure.

6. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ink inlet channel is aligned with the ink ejection port.

7. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the paddle is dimensioned to correspond with the nozzle chamber.