Nozzle arrangement for a printhead integrated circuit

• US 7,611,227 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2008
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• 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): Stephens; Juanita D
• Application Number:
  US12/276,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20090073239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 345 Days
• Field of Search: 347/20, 347/44, 347/47, 347/54, 347/56, 347 61- 67
• 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

A nozzle arrangement for a printhead integrated circuit is disclosed. The arrangement includes an ink chamber having an ink ejection port, an ink ejecting member angularly displaceable within the ink chamber, a thermal bend actuator reciprocally displaceable upon receipt of a drive signal, a motion transmitting structure comprising an effort formation, a lever arm formation and a load formation, the lever arm formation being interposed between the effort formation and the load formation, the effort formation being connected to the thermal bend actuator and the ink election member being connected to the load formation, and a resiliently deformable sealing structure, interposed between a substrate upon which the nozzle arrangement is formed and the lever arm formation, to permit pivotal movement of the lever arm formation with respect to the substrate. Reciprocal displacement of the thermal bend actuator is converted into reciprocal displacement of the ink ejecting member through the motion transmitting structure, thereby ejecting ink that is in the ink chamber from the ink ejection port.

Claims

1. A nozzle arrangement for a printhead integrated circuit, the arrangement comprising:

an ink chamber having an ink ejection port;

an ink ejecting member angularly displaceable within said ink chamber;

a thermal bend actuator reciprocally displaceable upon receipt of a drive signal;

a motion transmitting structure comprising an effort formation, a lever arm formation and a load formation, the lever arm formation being interposed between the effort formation and the load formation, the effort formation being connected to the thermal bend actuator and the ink ejecting member being connected to the load formation; and

a resiliently deformable sealing structure, interposed between a substrate upon which said nozzle arrangement is formed and the lever arm formation, to permit pivotal movement of the lever arm formation with respect to the substrate,

wherein reciprocal displacement of said thermal bend actuator is converted into reciprocal displacement of the ink ejecting member through the motion transmitting structure, to eject ink in the ink chamber from the ink ejection port.

2. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, further comprising an ink inlet channel formed through the structure, wherein the ink inlet channel and the ink ejection port are aligned, and the ink ejecting member is disposed between the ink inlet channel and the ink ejection port.

3. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein said ink ejecting member has corrugations to strengthen the ink ejecting member against flexure during operation.

4. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein ink chamber comprises a distal end wall, a proximal end wall and a pair of opposed sidewalls to define a rectangular chamber, a roof defining a port nozzle rim and a recess positioned about the rim to inhibit ink spread.

5. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein the lever arm formation and a roof of the chamber together define ridges forming a fluidic seal during ink ejection, said ridges inhibiting ink spreading by providing suitable adhesion surfaces for a meniscus formed by the ink.