Inkjet printer with low drop volume printhead

• US 7,934,799 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2010
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• 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): Do; An H
• Application Number:
  US12/712,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20100149268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 347/6, 347/7, 347/9, 347/11, 347/40, 347/54
• 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 2202/11 characterised by specific geometrical characteristics

Abstract

An inkjet printer with a printhead and an ink supply. The printhead has inkjet nozzles assemblies, which eject ink droplets having a drop volume of about 1 picoliter. The ink supply, which supplies ink to the nozzle assemblies, contains ink having a viscosity in the range of 0.7 to 15 centipoise and a surface tension in the range of 25 to 65 mN/m at a temperature of 25° C.

Claims

1. An inkjet printer comprising:

a printhead having a plurality of inkjet nozzles assemblies, wherein at least one of the plurality of nozzle assemblies ejects ink droplets having a drop volume of about 1 picoliter; and

,

an ink supply supplying ink to said nozzle assemblies, said ink having a viscosity in the range of 0.7 to 15 centipoise and a surface tension in the range of 25 to 65 mN/m at a temperature of 25°

C.

2. An inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein each of the inkjet nozzle assemblies comprises a chamber for holding a quantity of ink and a nozzle in fluid communication with the chamber.

3. An inkjet printer according to claim 2, wherein the nozzle is circular and has a radius of between 5.3 and 5.7 microns.

4. An inkjet printer according to claim 2, wherein the chamber has a height of from 10 to 13 microns.

5. An inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of inkjet nozzles assemblies comprises an actuator for ejecting the droplets.

6. An inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein the droplets ejected from the inkjet nozzles assemblies remove heat generated by actuation of the actuators.

7. An inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein the printhead is a pagewidth printhead.

8. An inkjet printer according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of inkjet nozzles assemblies are arranged on the printhead at an areal density sufficient to print at 1600 dpi.