Nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead that incorporates a movement transfer mechanism

• US 7,517,057 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• 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): Nguyen; Thinh H
• Application Number:
  US11/513,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20070030310A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 347 40- 44, 347/56, 347/61, 347/67, 347/20
• US Class Current: 347/56
• 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

A nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead includes a substrate that incorporates drive circuitry and defines an ink inlet channel. At least one wall extends from the substrate. A roof is fast with the at least one wall and defines an ink ejection port which is in fluid communication with an ink chamber defined by the roof, the at least one wall and the substrate, the ink chamber being in fluid communication with the ink inlet channel. An ink ejection member is interposed between the ink inlet channel and the ink ejection port such that reciprocal movement of the ink ejection member causes ejection of ink from the ink ejection port. An actuator is connected to the drive circuitry at a fixed end and is configured so that a free end is displaced reciprocally with respect to the substrate on receipt of an electrical signal by the actuator from the drive circuitry. A movement transfer mechanism is interposed between the free end of the actuator and the ink ejection member such that reciprocal movement of the free end is transferred to the ink ejection member.

Claims

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

a substrate that incorporates drive circuitry and defines an ink inlet channel;

at least one wall extending from the substrate;

a roof fast with the at least one wall and defining an ink ejection port which is in fluid communication with an ink chamber defined by the roof, the at least one wall and the substrate, the ink chamber being in fluid communication with the ink inlet channel; and

an ink ejection member interposed between the ink inlet channel and the ink ejection port such that reciprocal movement of the ink ejection member causes ejection of ink from the ink ejection port;

an actuator which is connected to the drive circuitry at a fixed end and is configured so that a free end is displaced reciprocally with respect to the substrate on receipt of an electrical signal by the actuator from the drive circuitry; and

a movement transfer mechanism interposed between the free end of the actuator and the ink ejection member such that reciprocal movement of the free end is transferred to the ink ejection member.

2. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate is comprised of:

a silicon wafer substrate;

an electrical drive circuitry layer positioned on the silicon wafer substrate; and

an ink passivation layer positioned on the electrical drive circuitry layer.

3. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the electrical drive circuitry layer comprises CMOS drive circuitry to provide current to the actuator upon receipt of an enabling signal from a microprocessor.

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

5. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator is a thermal bend actuator which can bend upon heating with an electrical current to act on the movement transfer mechanism.

6. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 5, further comprising an anchor extending from the support and to which the fixed end of the thermal bend actuator is attached.

7. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the ink ejection member is in the form of a paddle located within the ink chamber, the paddle substantially spanning the ink chamber.

8. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1, in which the movement transfer mechanism is a lever mechanism with an effort formation fast with the free end of the actuator and a load formation fast with the ink ejection member.