Monolithic inkjet printhead with high nozzle count

• US 7,488,051 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Issued: 02/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephens; Juanita D
• Application Number:
  US10/683,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20040218194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,946 Days
• Field of Search: 347 12- 13, 347/42, 347/44, 347/47, 347/49, 347/54, 347 56- 59, 347 61- 65, 347/67, 347/20, 347/40
• US Class Current: 347/40
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14314 Structure of ink jet print heads with electrostatically actuated membrane
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet 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: 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: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• 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

Inkjet printheads with very large numbers of nozzles are disclosed. Various structures are shown where the number of nozzles fabricated on a single printhead chip is as high as 19,200.

Claims

1. An inkjet printhead comprising:

a monolithic wafer substrate with a planar surface supporting more than 5000 drop ejection apparati, each drop ejection apparati having a chamber, an actuator and a nozzle respectively, the nozzles are all formed in a nozzle wall defining an array of apertures that are coplanar and parallel to the planar surface, and the chambers each have at least one side wall extending from the nozzle wall toward the planar surface of the monolithic wafer substrate;

wherein,

the nozzle wall and all the at least one side walls are intergrally formed.

2. An inkjet printhead as claimed in claim 1 wherein more than seven thousand five hundred of said drop ejection apparati are fabricated on the monolithic wafer substrate.

3. An inkjet printhead as claimed in claim 1 wherein more than ten thousand of said drop ejection apparati are fabricated on the monolithic wafer substrate.

4. An inkjet printhead as claimed in claim 1 wherein more than fifteen thousand of said drop ejection apparati are fabricated on the monolithic wafer substrate.

5. An inkjet printhead as claimed in claim 1 wherein the monolithic wafer substrate has an ink supply surface opposite the planar surface supporting the drop ejection apparati, the ink supply surface having openings for receiving ink and conduits extending through the monolithic wafer substrate to supply ink to the drop ejection apparati.