Nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead incorporating a protective structure

• US 7,771,017 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2008
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• 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): Do; An H
• Application Number:
  US12/015,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20080111861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 347/47, 347/50, 347/54, 347/56, 347/65
• US Class Current: 347/47
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1626 etching
• 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 2/1648 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 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14475 characterised by nozzle shapes or number of orifices per chamber
• 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

This invention relates to a nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead. The nozzle arrangement includes a substrate defining a nozzle chamber bounded by walls and a roof which defines an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber, said substrate having a CMOS drive circuitry layer thereon. Also included is an ink-ejecting member positioned in the nozzle chamber, the member being displaceable towards the ink ejection port so that a resultant fluctuation in ink pressure within the nozzle chamber results in an ejection of ink from the ink ejection port. The arrangement also includes at least one work-transmitting structure that is displaceable with respect to the substrate and is connected to the ink-ejecting member so that displacement of the work transmitting structure results in displacement of the ink-ejecting member. The arrangement further has an actuator that is connected to the work-transmitting structure, the actuator being capable of displacing the work transmitting structure upon receipt of an electrical drive signal from the CMOS drive circuitry, and a covering formation with walls defining an air chamber in which the actuator is positioned, the roof, the work transmitting structure and the covering formation together defining a protective structure for the nozzle arrangement.

Claims

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

a substrate defining a nozzle chamber bounded by walls and a roof which defines an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber, said substrate having a CMOS drive circuitry layer thereon;

an ink-ejecting member positioned in the nozzle chamber, the member being displaceable towards the ink ejection port so that a resultant fluctuation in ink pressure within the nozzle chamber results in an ejection of ink from the ink ejection port;

at least one work-transmitting structure that is displaceable with respect to the substrate and is connected to the ink-ejecting member so that displacement of the work transmitting structure results in displacement of the ink-ejecting member;

an actuator that is connected to the work-transmitting structure, the actuator being capable of displacing the work transmitting structure upon receipt of an electrical drive signal from the CMOS drive circuitry; and

a covering formation with walls defining an air chamber in which the actuator is positioned, the roof, the work transmitting structure and the covering formation together defining a protective structure for the nozzle arrangement.

2. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, having an ink inlet channel defined through the substrate, the ink inlet channel opening into the nozzle chamber.

3. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein the nozzle chamber walls are configured so that the nozzle chamber is generally rectangular in plan view, with the nozzle chamber walls including a pair of opposed sidewalls, a distal end wall and a proximal end wall.