Nozzle arrangement with a pivotal wall coupled to a thermal expansion actuator

• US 7,581,816 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2007
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zamtec Limited (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:
  US11/782,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20080018708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 347/54, 347/56, 347/67
• US Class Current: 347/54
• 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 2/1601 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 2202/21 : Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 : Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• 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: 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

Abstract

A nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead includes a substrate assembly defining an ink inlet channel. A nozzle chamber structure defines a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet channel. The nozzle chamber structure includes a roof defining an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber. A pivotal wall is pivotally mounted with respect to the nozzle chamber structure. A paddle is cantilevered to the wall and extends into the nozzle chamber. An anchor extends from the substrate assembly at a location external the nozzle chamber. A thermal expansion actuator forms a bridge between the anchor and the pivotal wall which, upon actuation, expands to pivot the wall so that the paddle ejects 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 defining a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet channel, the nozzle chamber structure comprising a roof defining an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber;

a pivotal wall which is pivotally mounted with respect to the nozzle chamber structure;

a paddle fast with the wall in a cantilever manner and extending into the nozzle chamber;

an anchor extending from the substrate assembly at a location external the nozzle chamber; and

a thermal expansion actuator forming a bridge between the anchor and the pivotal wall which, upon actuation, expands to pivot the wall so that the paddle ejects ink in the nozzle chamber out through the ink ejection port.

2. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nozzle chamber structure has a plurality of planar walls so that the nozzle chamber is of box-like shape.

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

4. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermal expansion actuator is of a conductive material and is shaped to define part of a heating circuit.

5. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermal expansion actuator has a pair of arms that are interconnected by a bridge portion.

6. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the paddle defines a plurality of reinforcing ribs to strengthen the paddle.

7. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivotal wall terminates in a sealing member configured to accommodate pivotal movement of the wall whilst impeding ink leakage from the nozzle chamber.