Inkjet printhead having nozzle arrangements with ink spreading prevention rims

• US 7,537,314 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2008
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• 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): JACKSON, JUANITA DIONNE
• Application Number:
  US12/116,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20080211877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 347/20, 347/44, 347/47, 347/54, 347/56, 347 61- 65, 347/67, 60527-529
• 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 2/04553 detecting ambient temperature
• 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 2/04588 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 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1628 dry 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 2/175 : Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14362 : Assembling elements of heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14419 : Manifold
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 : Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49083 : Heater type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 : Assembling formed circuit to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 : Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/494 : Fluidic or fluid actuated device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49401 : Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet

Abstract

Provided is an inkjet printhead having a plurality of nozzle arrangements. Each nozzle arrangement includes walls defining an ink chamber. The chamber includes an ink supply channel and an ink ejection port with an ink spreading prevention rim. Each nozzle arrangement also includes a thermal actuator mechanism configured to operatively eject ink from the chamber via the ejection port. The ink spreading prevention rim defines a pit for preventing ink from flowing across a surface of the ink jet printhead and affecting operation of said printhead.

Claims

1. An inkjet printhead having a plurality of nozzle arrangements each comprising:

walls defining an ink chamber having an ink supply channel and an ink ejection port with an ink spreading prevention rim; and

a thermal actuator mechanism configured to operatively eject ink from the chamber via the ejection port, wherein the ink spreading prevention rim defines a pit for preventing ink from flowing across a surface of the ink jet printhead and affecting operation of said printhead.

2. The inkjet printhead of claim 1, wherein a nozzle rim and the ink spreading prevention rim are formed via a chemical mechanical planarization technique.

3. The inkjet printhead of claim 1, wherein the thermal actuator mechanism includes an end paddle attached to an actuator arm which pivots at a post proximate the ink chamber.

4. The inkjet printhead of claim 3, wherein the actuator arm includes two layers which are formed from a conductive material having a high degree of stiffness, said layers surrounding a central material layer.

5. The inkjet printhead of claim 4, wherein the conductive material includes titanium nitride.

6. The inkjet printhead of claim 4, wherein the two layers of the actuator arm are in thermal balance in a quiescent state.

7. The inkjet printhead of claim 4, wherein the actuator mechanism is actuated by electrical heating of one layer of the actuator arm to provide thermal bending to eject ink from the ink chamber.