Printhead chip with nozzle arrangement for color printing

• US 7,416,275 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2005
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• 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): Meier; Stephen D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MRUK, GEOFFREY S
• Application Number:
  US11/048,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20050134649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 347/47, 347 40- 43, 347/54
• US Class Current: 347/42
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 2201/00 Polymeric substrate or laminate
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/08 by flames
• 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 2/04571 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 2/04591 Width of the driving signal being adjusted
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04596 Non-ejecting pulses
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14 Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
• 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 2/1639 : 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: Y10T 29/49345 : Catalytic device making

Abstract

A printhead chip suitable for a pagewidth color printhead assembly is provided. The printhead chip comprises a substrate defining a plurality of ink supply channels, and a plurality of ink-ejecting nozzles arranged on the substrate in fluid communication with the ink supply channels. The nozzles are arranged in groups, with each group of nozzles being in fluid communication with a respective ink supply channel. The groups of nozzles are arranged in at least three rows, each row of nozzles receiving ink of the same color.

Claims

1. A printhead integrated circuit, suitable for a pagewidth color printhead assembly, said printhead integrated circuit comprising

a substrate defining a plurality of ink supply channels;

and

a plurality of ink-ejecting nozzles arranged on the substrate in fluid communication with the ink supply channels, the nozzles being arranged in groups, with each group of nozzles being in fluid communication with a respective ink supply channel and the groups of nozzles being arranged in at least three rows, each row of nozzles receiving ink of the same color;

wherein the nozzles of each group are arranged along two rows so that the nozzles of a group generate two adjacent lines of print and wherein each row has a width, and wherein pivoted actuator arms of adjacent nozzles of neighbouring groups are nested together on the substrate so that said two rows are laterally and longitudinally offset with a nozzle of a first row is interposed both laterally and longitudinally between adjacent nozzles of a second row adjacent to the first row.

2. A printhead integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, in which the groups of nozzles are arranged in first order sets of three rows of groups.

3. A printhead integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, in which the nozzles in each group are arranged in two nozzle rows which are offset with respect to each other so that one row of nozzles in a row of groups generates one of odd and even numbered dots of one line of print while the other row of nozzles generates the other of odd and even numbered dots of an adjacent line of print.

4. A printhead assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which each nozzle incorporates a micro-electromechanical ink ejection mechanism to facilitate the ejection of ink drops.

5. A printhead assembly as claimed in claim 4, in which control circuitry is positioned on the substrate and is connected to the ink ejection mechanisms, the control circuitry being configured to provide the ink ejection mechanisms with necessary actuating signals.