US20100271429A1 - Ink ejection nozzle with oscillator and shutter arrangement - Google Patents

Ink ejection nozzle with oscillator and shutter arrangement Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20100271429A1
US20100271429A1 US12/832,941 US83294110A US2010271429A1 US 20100271429 A1 US20100271429 A1 US 20100271429A1 US 83294110 A US83294110 A US 83294110A US 2010271429 A1 US2010271429 A1 US 2010271429A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
ink
nozzle
ink ejection
shutter
nozzle chamber
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US12/832,941
Inventor
Kia Silverbrook
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Zamtec Ltd
Original Assignee
Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from AUPO7991A external-priority patent/AUPO799197A0/en
Priority claimed from AUPO8001A external-priority patent/AUPO800197A0/en
Priority claimed from US09/112,815 external-priority patent/US6247792B1/en
Application filed by Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd filed Critical Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
Priority to US12/832,941 priority Critical patent/US20100271429A1/en
Assigned to SILVERBROOK RESEARCH PTY LTD reassignment SILVERBROOK RESEARCH PTY LTD ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: SILVERBROOK, KIA
Publication of US20100271429A1 publication Critical patent/US20100271429A1/en
Assigned to ZAMTEC LIMITED reassignment ZAMTEC LIMITED ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: SILVERBROOK RESEARCH PTY. LIMITED AND CLAMATE PTY LIMITED
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F21/00—Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
    • G06F21/70—Protecting specific internal or peripheral components, in which the protection of a component leads to protection of the entire computer
    • G06F21/78—Protecting specific internal or peripheral components, in which the protection of a component leads to protection of the entire computer to assure secure storage of data
    • G06F21/79—Protecting specific internal or peripheral components, in which the protection of a component leads to protection of the entire computer to assure secure storage of data in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J11/00—Devices or arrangements  of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
    • B41J11/0005—Curl smoothing, i.e. smoothing down corrugated printing material, e.g. by pressing means acting on wrinkled printing material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/14—Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
    • B41J2/14427—Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/16—Production of nozzles
    • B41J2/1621—Manufacturing processes
    • B41J2/1623—Manufacturing processes bonding and adhesion
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/16—Production of nozzles
    • B41J2/1621—Manufacturing processes
    • B41J2/1626—Manufacturing processes etching
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/16—Production of nozzles
    • B41J2/1621—Manufacturing processes
    • B41J2/1626—Manufacturing processes etching
    • B41J2/1628—Manufacturing processes etching dry etching
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/16—Production of nozzles
    • B41J2/1621—Manufacturing processes
    • B41J2/1626—Manufacturing processes etching
    • B41J2/1629—Manufacturing processes etching wet etching
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/16—Production of nozzles
    • B41J2/1621—Manufacturing processes
    • B41J2/1631—Manufacturing processes photolithography
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/16—Production of nozzles
    • B41J2/1621—Manufacturing processes
    • B41J2/1632—Manufacturing processes machining
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/16—Production of nozzles
    • B41J2/1621—Manufacturing processes
    • B41J2/1635—Manufacturing processes dividing the wafer into individual chips
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/16—Production of nozzles
    • B41J2/1621—Manufacturing processes
    • B41J2/1637—Manufacturing processes molding
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/16—Production of nozzles
    • B41J2/1621—Manufacturing processes
    • B41J2/1637—Manufacturing processes molding
    • B41J2/1639—Manufacturing processes molding sacrificial molding
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/16—Production of nozzles
    • B41J2/1621—Manufacturing processes
    • B41J2/164—Manufacturing processes thin film formation
    • B41J2/1642—Manufacturing processes thin film formation thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/16—Production of nozzles
    • B41J2/1621—Manufacturing processes
    • B41J2/164—Manufacturing processes thin film formation
    • B41J2/1643—Manufacturing processes thin film formation thin film formation by plating
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/16—Production of nozzles
    • B41J2/1621—Manufacturing processes
    • B41J2/164—Manufacturing processes thin film formation
    • B41J2/1645—Manufacturing processes thin film formation thin film formation by spincoating
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/16—Production of nozzles
    • B41J2/1621—Manufacturing processes
    • B41J2/164—Manufacturing processes thin film formation
    • B41J2/1646—Manufacturing processes thin film formation thin film formation by sputtering
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/16—Production of nozzles
    • B41J2/1648—Production of print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
    • B41J2/17503—Ink cartridges
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
    • B41J2/17503—Ink cartridges
    • B41J2/17513—Inner structure
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
    • B41J2/17596—Ink pumps, ink valves
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F21/00—Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
    • G06F21/70—Protecting specific internal or peripheral components, in which the protection of a component leads to protection of the entire computer
    • G06F21/86—Secure or tamper-resistant housings
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K1/00—Methods or arrangements for marking the record carrier in digital fashion
    • G06K1/12—Methods or arrangements for marking the record carrier in digital fashion otherwise than by punching
    • G06K1/121—Methods or arrangements for marking the record carrier in digital fashion otherwise than by punching by printing code marks
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
    • G06K19/06—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
    • G06K19/06009—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code with optically detectable marking
    • G06K19/06037—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code with optically detectable marking multi-dimensional coding
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K7/00—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
    • G06K7/10—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
    • G06K7/14—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K7/00—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
    • G06K7/10—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
    • G06K7/14—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light
    • G06K7/1404—Methods for optical code recognition
    • G06K7/1408—Methods for optical code recognition the method being specifically adapted for the type of code
    • G06K7/1417—2D bar codes
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11C—STATIC STORES
    • G11C11/00—Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor
    • G11C11/56—Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
    • H04N1/21—Intermediate information storage
    • H04N1/2104—Intermediate information storage for one or a few pictures
    • H04N1/2112—Intermediate information storage for one or a few pictures using still video cameras
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
    • H04N1/21—Intermediate information storage
    • H04N1/2104—Intermediate information storage for one or a few pictures
    • H04N1/2112—Intermediate information storage for one or a few pictures using still video cameras
    • H04N1/2154—Intermediate information storage for one or a few pictures using still video cameras the still video camera incorporating a hardcopy reproducing device, e.g. a printer
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/222—Studio circuitry; Studio devices; Studio equipment
    • H04N5/262—Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects
    • H04N5/2628—Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/165—Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
    • B41J2/16585—Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2002/041—Electromagnetic transducer
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2202/00—Embodiments of or processes related to ink-jet or thermal heads
    • B41J2202/01—Embodiments of or processes related to ink-jet heads
    • B41J2202/21—Line printing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B82—NANOTECHNOLOGY
    • B82Y—SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
    • B82Y30/00—Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F2221/00—Indexing scheme relating to security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
    • G06F2221/21—Indexing scheme relating to G06F21/00 and subgroups addressing additional information or applications relating to security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
    • G06F2221/2129—Authenticate client device independently of the user
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N2101/00—Still video cameras
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/74—Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor
    • H04N5/7416—Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor involving the use of a spatial light modulator, e.g. a light valve, controlled by a video signal
    • H04N5/7458—Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor involving the use of a spatial light modulator, e.g. a light valve, controlled by a video signal the modulator being an array of deformable mirrors, e.g. digital micromirror device [DMD]
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S977/00—Nanotechnology
    • Y10S977/902—Specified use of nanostructure
    • Y10S977/932—Specified use of nanostructure for electronic or optoelectronic application

Abstract

An ink ejection nozzle includes an ink reservoir with an oscillator configured to oscillate ink pressure in the reservoir; a wafer assembly defining an ink supply channel in fluid communication with the ink reservoir; a nozzle chamber structure on the wafer assembly and defining a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the ink supply channel, and an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber; and a shutter positioned in the nozzle chamber and configured to shut the ink ejection port to the ejection of ink from the nozzle chamber. The shutter is moved by a thermoelastic actuator having a coiled serpentine heater.

Description

    CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
  • This is a Continuation Application of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/839,541 filed on Aug. 16, 2007, which is a Continuation Application of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/525,859 filed on Sep. 25, 2006, now issued U.S. Pat. No. 7,270,399, which is a Continuation Application of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/144,804 filed Jun. 6, 2005, now granted U.S. Pat. No. 7,144,098, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/693,990 filed Oct. 28, 2003, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,929,352, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/302,606 filed on Nov. 23, 2002, now issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,767, which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/855,094 filed May 14, 2001, now issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,123 which is a Continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/112,815 filed on Jul. 10, 1998, now issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,792, all of which is herein incorporated by reference.
  • The following Australian provisional patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference. For the purposes of location and identification, US patents/patent applications identified by their US patent/patent application serial numbers are listed alongside the Australian applications from which the US patents/patent applications claim the right of priority.
  • CROSS- US PATENT/PATENT
    REFERENCED APPLICATION
    AUSTRALIAN (CLAIMING RIGHT
    PROVISIONAL OF PRIORITY FROM
    PATENT AUSTRALIAN PROVISIONAL
    APPLICATION NO. APPLICATION) DOCKET NO.
    PO7991 6,750,901 ART01US
    PO8505 6,476,863 ART02US
    PO7988 6,788,336 ART03US
    PO9395 6,322,181 ART04US
    PO8017 6,597,817 ART06US
    PO8014 6,227,648 ART07US
    PO8025 6,727,948 ART08US
    PO8032 6,690,419 ART09US
    PO7999 6,727,951 ART10US
    PO8030 6,196,541 ART13US
    PO7997 6,195,150 ART15US
    PO7979 6,362,868 ART16US
    PO7978 6,831,681 ART18US
    PO7982 6,431,669 ART19US
    PO7989 6,362,869 ART20US
    PO8019 6,472,052 ART21US
    PO7980 6,356,715 ART22US
    PO8018 6,894,694 ART24US
    PO7938 6,636,216 ART25US
    PO8016 6,366,693 ART26US
    PO8024 6,329,990 ART27US
    PO7939 6,459,495 ART29US
    PO8501 6,137,500 ART30US
    PO8500 6,690,416 ART31US
    PO7987 7,050,143 ART32US
    PO8022 6,398,328 ART33US
    PO8497 7,110,024 ART34US
    PO8020 6,431,704 ART38US
    PO8504 6,879,341 ART42US
    PO8000 6,415,054 ART43US
    PO7934 6,665,454 ART45US
    PO7990 6,542,645 ART46US
    PO8499 6,486,886 ART47US
    PO8502 6,381,361 ART48US
    PO7981 6,317,192 ART50US
    PO7986 6,850,274 ART51US
    PO7983 09/113,054 ART52US
    PO8026 6,646,757 ART53US
    PO8028 6,624,848 ART56US
    PO9394 6,357,135 ART57US
    PO9397 6,271,931 ART59US
    PO9398 6,353,772 ART60US
    PO9399 6,106,147 ART61US
    PO9400 6,665,008 ART62US
    PO9401 6,304,291 ART63US
    PO9403 6,305,770 ART65US
    PO9405 6,289,262 ART66US
    PP0959 6,315,200 ART68US
    PP1397 6,217,165 ART69US
    PP2370 6,786,420 DOT01US
    PO8003 6,350,023 Fluid01US
    PO8005 6,318,849 Fluid02US
    PO8066 6,227,652 IJ01US
    PO8072 6,213,588 IJ02US
    PO8040 6,213,589 IJ03US
    PO8071 6,231,163 IJ04US
    PO8047 6,247,795 IJ05US
    PO8035 6,394,581 IJ06US
    PO8044 6,244,691 IJ07US
    PO8063 6,257,704 IJ08US
    PO8057 6,416,168 IJ09US
    PO8056 6,220,694 IJ10US
    PO8069 6,257,705 IJ11US
    PO8049 6,247,794 IJ12US
    PO8036 6,234,610 IJ13US
    PO8048 6,247,793 IJ14US
    PO8070 6,264,306 IJ15US
    PO8067 6,241,342 IJ16US
    PO8001 6,247,792 IJ17US
    PO8038 6,264,307 IJ18US
    PO8033 6,254,220 IJ19US
    PO8002 6,234,611 IJ20US
    PO8068 6,302,528 IJ21US
    PO8062 6,283,582 IJ22US
    PO8034 6,239,821 IJ23US
    PO8039 6,338,547 IJ24US
    PO8041 6,247,796 IJ25US
    PO8004 6,557,977 IJ26US
    PO8037 6,390,603 IJ27US
    PO8043 6,362,843 IJ28US
    PO8042 6,293,653 IJ29US
    PO8064 6,312,107 IJ30US
    PO9389 6,227,653 IJ31US
    PO9391 6,234,609 IJ32US
    PP0888 6,238,040 IJ33US
    PP0891 6,188,415 IJ34US
    PP0890 6,227,654 IJ35US
    PP0873 6,209,989 IJ36US
    PP0993 6,247,791 IJ37US
    PP0890 6,336,710 IJ38US
    PP1398 6,217,153 IJ39US
    PP2592 6,416,167 IJ40US
    PP2593 6,243,113 IJ41US
    PP3991 6,283,581 IJ42US
    PP3987 6,247,790 IJ43US
    PP3985 6,260,953 IJ44US
    PP3983 6,267,469 IJ45US
    PO7935 6,224,780 IJM01US
    PO7936 6,235,212 IJM02US
    PO7937 6,280,643 IJM03US
    PO8061 6,284,147 IJM04US
    PO8054 6,214,244 IJM05US
    PO8065 6,071,750 IJM06US
    PO8055 6,267,905 IJM07US
    PO8053 6,251,298 IJM08US
    PO8078 6,258,285 IJM09US
    PO7933 6,225,138 IJM10US
    PO7950 6,241,904 IJM11US
    PO7949 6,299,786 IJM12US
    PO8060 6,866,789 IJM13US
    PO8059 6,231,773 IJM14US
    PO8073 6,190,931 IJM15US
    PO8076 6,248,249 IJM16US
    PO8075 6,290,862 IJM17US
    PO8079 6,241,906 IJM18US
    PO8050 6,565,762 IJM19US
    PO8052 6,241,905 IJM20US
    PO7948 6,451,216 IJM21US
    PO7951 6,231,772 IJM22US
    PO8074 6,274,056 IJM23US
    PO7941 6,290,861 IJM24US
    PO8077 6,248,248 IJM25US
    PO8058 6,306,671 IJM26US
    PO8051 6,331,258 IJM27US
    PO8045 6,110,754 IJM28US
    PO7952 6,294,101 IJM29US
    PO8046 6,416,679 IJM30US
    PO9390 6,264,849 IJM31US
    PO9392 6,254,793 IJM32US
    PP0889 6,235,211 IJM35US
    PP0887 6,491,833 IJM36US
    PP0882 6,264,850 IJM37US
    PP0874 6,258,284 IJM38US
    PP1396 6,312,615 IJM39US
    PP3989 6,228,668 IJM40US
    PP2591 6,180,427 IJM41US
    PP3990 6,171,875 IJM42US
    PP3986 6,267,904 IJM43US
    PP3984 6,245,247 IJM44US
    PP3982 6,315,914 IJM45US
    PP0895 6,231,148 IR01US
    PP0869 6,293,658 IR04US
    PP0887 6,614,560 IR05US
    PP0885 6,238,033 IR06US
    PP0884 6,312,070 IR10US
    PP0886 6,238,111 IR12US
    PP0877 6,378,970 IR16US
    PP0878 6,196,739 IR17US
    PP0883 6,270,182 IR19US
    PP0880 6,152,619 IR20US
    PO8006 6,087,638 MEMS02US
    PO8007 6,340,222 MEMS03US
    PO8010 6,041,600 MEMS05US
    PO8011 6,299,300 MEMS06US
    PO7947 6,067,797 MEMS07US
    PO7944 6,286,935 MEMS09US
    PO7946 6,044,646 MEMS10US
    PP0894 6,382,769 MEMS13US
    • FIELD OF THE INVENTION
  • The present invention relates to an ink jet printer for use with a pulsating pressure ink supply.
    • BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  • Many different types of printing have been invented, a large number of which are presently in use. The known forms of print have a variety of methods for marking the print media with a relevant marking media. Commonly used forms of printing include offset printing, laser printing and copying devices, dot matrix type impact printers, thermal paper printers, film recorders, thermal wax printers, dye sublimation printers and ink jet printers both of the drop on demand and continuous flow type. Each type of printer has its own advantages and problems when considering cost, speed, quality, reliability, simplicity of construction and operation etc.
  • In recent years, the field of ink jet printing, wherein each individual pixel of ink is derived from one or more ink nozzles has become increasingly popular primarily due to its inexpensive and versatile nature.
  • Many different techniques on ink jet printing have been invented. For a survey of the field, reference is made to an article by J Moore, “Non-Impact Printing: Introduction and Historical Perspective”, Output Hard Copy Devices, Editors R Dubeck and S Sherr, pages 207-220 (1988).
  • Ink Jet printers themselves come in many different types. The utilisation of a continuous stream ink in ink jet printing appears to date back to at least 1929 wherein U.S. Pat. No. 1,941,001 by Hansell discloses a simple form of continuous stream electro-static ink jet printing.
  • U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,275 by Sweet also discloses a process of a continuous ink jet printing including the step wherein the ink jet stream is modulated by a high frequency electro-static field so as to cause drop separation. This technique is still used by several manufacturers including Elmjet and Scitex (see also U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,437 by Sweet et al)
  • Piezoelectric ink jet printers are also one form of commonly used ink jet printing device. Piezoelectric systems are disclosed by Kyser et. al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,398 (1970) which discloses a diaphragm mode of operation, by Zolten in U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,212 (1970) which discloses a squeeze mode of operation of a piezoelectric crystal, Stemme in U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,120 (1972) which discloses a bend mode of piezoelectric operation, Howkins in U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,601 which discloses a piezoelectric push mode actuation of the ink jet stream and Fischbeck in U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,590 which discloses a shear mode type of piezoelectric transducer element.
  • Recently, thermal ink jet printing has become an extremely popular form of ink jet printing. The ink jet printing techniques include those disclosed by Endo et al in GB 2007162 (1979) and Vaught et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,728. Both the aforementioned references disclose ink jet printing techniques rely upon the activation of an electrothermal actuator which results in the creation of a bubble in a constricted space, such as a nozzle, which thereby causes the ejection of ink from an aperture connected to the confined space onto a relevant print media. Printing devices using the electro-thermal actuator are manufactured by manufacturers such as Canon and Hewlett Packard.
  • As can be seen from the foregoing, many different types of printing technologies are available. Ideally, a printing technology should have a number of desirable attributes. These include inexpensive construction and operation, high speed operation, safe and continuous long term operation etc. Each technology may have its own advantages and disadvantages in the areas of cost, speed, quality, reliability, power usage, simplicity of construction operation, durability and consumables.
    • SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
  • According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an ink ejection nozzle includes an ink reservoir with an oscillator configured to oscillate ink pressure in the reservoir; a wafer assembly defining an ink supply channel in fluid communication with the ink reservoir; a nozzle chamber structure on the wafer assembly and defining a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the ink supply channel, and an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber; and a shutter positioned in the nozzle chamber and configured to shut the ink ejection port to the ejection of ink from the nozzle chamber. The shutter is moved by a thermoelastic actuator having a coiled serpentine heater.
    • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred forms of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
  • FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the construction of a single ink jet nozzle in accordance with the preferred embodiment;
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a single ink jet nozzle constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment;
  • FIG. 3 provides a legend of the materials indicated in FIGS. 4 to 16;
  • FIG. 4 to FIG. 16 illustrate sectional views of the manufacturing steps in one form of construction of an ink jet printhead nozzle; and
  • FIG. 17 shows a schematic, sectional end view of part of an ink jet nozzle array showing two nozzle arrangements of the array;
  • FIG. 18 shows the array with ink being ejected from one of the nozzle arrangements;
  • FIG. 19 shows a schematic side view of re-filling of the nozzle of the first nozzle arrangement; and
  • FIG. 20 shows operation of the array preceding commencement of ink ejection from the second of the illustrated nozzle arrangements.
    •  DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED AND OTHER EMBODIMENTS
  • In the preferred embodiment, an oscillating ink reservoir pressure is used to eject ink from ejection nozzles. Each nozzle has an associated shutter which normally blocks the nozzle. The shutter is moved away from the nozzle by an actuator whenever an ink drop is to be fired.
  • Turning initially to FIG. 1, there is illustrated in exploded perspective a single ink jet nozzle 10 as constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The exploded perspective illustrates a single ink jet nozzle 10. Ideally, the nozzles are formed as an array on a silicon wafer 12. The silicon wafer 12 is processed so as to have two level metal CMOS circuitry which includes metal layers and glass layers 13 and which are planarised after construction. The CMOS metal layer has a reduced aperture 14 for the access of ink from the back of silicon wafer 12 via an ink supply channel 15.
  • A bottom nitride layer 16 is constructed on top of the CMOS layer 13 so as to cover, protect and passivate the CMOS layer 13 from subsequent etching processes. Subsequently, there is provided a copper heater layer 18 which is sandwiched between two polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) layers 19,20. The copper layer 18 is connected to lower CMOS layer 13 through vias 25,26. The copper layer 18 and PTFE layers 19,20 are encapsulated within nitride borders e.g. 28 and nitride top layer 29 which includes an ink ejection port 30 in addition to a number of sacrificial etched access holes 32 which are of a smaller dimension than the ejection port 30 and are provided for allowing access of a etchant to lower sacrificial layers thereby allowing the use of the etchant in the construction of layers, 18,19,20 and 28.
  • Turning now to FIG. 2, there is shown a cutaway perspective view of a fully constructed ink jet nozzle 10. The ink jet nozzle uses an oscillating ink pressure to eject ink from ejection port 30. Each nozzle has an associated shutter 31 which normally blocks it. The shutter 31 is moved away from the ejection port 30 by an actuator 35 whenever an ink drop is to be fired.
  • The ports 30 are in communication with ink chambers which contain the actuators 35. These chambers are connected to ink supply channels 15 which are etched through the silicon wafer. The ink supply channels 15 are substantially wider than the ports 30, to reduce the fluidic resistance to the ink pressure wave. The ink channels 15 are connected to an ink reservoir. An ultrasonic transducer (for example, a piezoelectric transducer) is positioned in the reservoir. The transducer oscillates the ink pressure at approximately 100 KHz. The ink pressure oscillation is sufficient that ink drops would be ejected from the nozzle were it not blocked by the shutter 31.
  • The shutters are moved by a thermoelastic actuator 35. The actuators are formed as a coiled serpentine copper heater 23 embedded in polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) 19/20. PTFE has a very high coefficient of thermal expansion (approximately 770×10−6). The current return trace 22 from the heater 23 is also embedded in the PTFE actuator 35, the current return trace 22 is made wider than the heater trace 23 and is not serpentine. Therefore, it does not heat the PTFE as much as the serpentine heater 23 does. The serpentine heater 23 is positioned along the inside edge of the PTFE coil, and the return trace is positioned on the outside edge. When actuated, the inside edge becomes hotter than the outside edge, and expands more. This results in the actuator 35 uncoiling.
  • The heater layer 23 is etched in a serpentine manner both to increase its resistance, and to reduce its effective tensile strength along the length of the actuator. This is so that the low thermal expansion of the copper does not prevent the actuator from expanding according to the high thermal expansion characteristics of the PTFE.
  • By varying the power applied to the actuator 35, the shutter 31 can be positioned between the fully on and fully off positions. This may be used to vary the volume of the ejected drop. Drop volume control may be used either to implement a degree of continuous tone operation, to regulate the drop volume, or both. When data signals distributed on the printhead indicate that a particular nozzle is turned on, the actuator 35 is energized, which moves the shutter 31 so that it is not blocking the ink chamber. The peak of the ink pressure variation causes the ink to be squirted out of the nozzle 30. As the ink pressure goes negative, ink is drawn back into the nozzle, causing drop break-off. The shutter 31 is kept open until the nozzle is refilled on the next positive pressure cycle. It is then shut to prevent the ink from being withdrawn from the nozzle on the next negative pressure cycle.
  • Each drop ejection takes two ink pressure cycles. Preferably half of the nozzles 10 should eject drops in one phase, and the other half of the nozzles should eject drops in the other phase. This minimises the pressure variations which occur due to a large number of nozzles being actuated. Referring to FIGS. 17 to 20, the operation of the printhead is described in greater detail.
  • The printhead comprises an array of nozzle arrangements or nozzles 10, two of which are shown as 10.1 and 10.2 in FIG. 17. Each nozzle arrangement 10 has a chamber 58 in which its associated shutter 31 is arranged.
  • Each chamber 58 is in communication with an ink reservoir 60 via an ink supply channel 36. An ultrasonic transducer in the form of a piezoelectric transducer 62 is arranged n the ink reservoir 60.
  • As described above, each ink drop ejection takes two ink pressure cycles. The two ink pressure cycles are referred to as a phase. Half of the nozzles 10 should eject ink drops 64 (FIG. 18) in one phase with the other half of the nozzles ejecting ink drops in the other phase. Consequently, as shown in FIG. 17 of the drawings, the shutter 31.2 of the nozzle 10.2 is in an open position while the shutter 31.1 of the nozzle 10.1 is in its closed position. It will be appreciated that the nozzle 10.2 represents all the open nozzles of the array of the printhead while the nozzle 10.1 represents all the closed nozzles of the array of the printhead.
  • In a first pressure cycle, the transducer 62 is displaced in the direction of arrows 66 imparting positive pressure to the ink 57 in the reservoir 60 and, via the channels 36, the chambers 58 of the nozzles 10. Due to the fact that the shutter 31.2 of the nozzle 10.2 is open, ink in the ink ejection port 30.2 bulges outwardly as shown by the meniscus 68. After a predetermined interval, the transducer 62 reverses direction to move in the direction of arrows 70 as shown in FIG. 18 of the drawings. This causes necking, as shown at 72, resulting in separation of the ink drop 64 due to a first negative going pressure cycle imparted to the ink 57. In the second positive pressure cycle, as shown in FIG. 19 of the drawings, with the transducer moving again in the direction of arrow 66, the positive pressure applied to the ink results in a refilling of the chamber 58.2 of the nozzle 10.2. It is to be noted that the shutter 31.2 is still in an open position with the shutter 31.1 still being in a closed position. In this cycle, no ink is ejected from either nozzle 10.1 or 10.2. Before the second negative pressure cycle, as shown in FIG. 20 of the drawings, the shutter 31.2 moves to its closed position. Then, as the transducer 62 again moves in the direction of arrows 70 to impart negative pressure to the ink 57, a slight concave meniscus 74 is formed at both ink ejection ports 30.1 and 30.2 However, due to the fact that both shutters 31.1 and 31.2 are closed, withdrawal of ink from the chambers 58.1 and 58.2 of the nozzles 10.1 and 10.2, respectively, is inhibited.
  • The amplitude of the ultrasonic transducer can be altered in response to the viscosity of the ink (which is typically affected by temperature), and the number of drops which are to be ejected in the current cycle. This amplitude adjustment can be used to maintain consistent drop size in varying environmental conditions. The drop firing rate can be around 50 KHz. The ink jet head is suitable for fabrication as a monolithic page wide printhead. FIG. 2 shows a single nozzle of a 1600 dpi printhead in “up shooter” configuration.
  • Returning again to FIG. 1, one method of construction of the ink jet print nozzles 10 will now be described. Starting with the bottom wafer layer 12, the wafer is processed so as to add CMOS layers 13 with an aperture 14 being inserted. The nitride layer 16 is laid down on top of the CMOS layers so as to protect them from subsequent etchings.
  • A thin sacrificial glass layer is then laid down on top of nitride layers 16 followed by a first PTFE layer 19, the copper layer 18 and a second PTFE layer 20. Then a sacrificial glass layer is formed on top of the PTFE layer and etched to a depth of a few microns to form the nitride border regions 28. Next the top layer 29 is laid down over the sacrificial layer using the mask for forming the various holes including the processing step of forming the rim 40 on nozzle 30. The sacrificial glass is then dissolved away and the channel 15 formed through the wafer by means of utilisation of high density low pressure plasma etching such as that available from Surface Technology Systems.
  • One form of detailed manufacturing process which can be used to fabricate monolithic ink jet printheads operating in accordance with the principles taught by the present embodiment can proceed using the following steps:
  • 1. Using a double sided polished wafer 12, complete drive transistors, data distribution, and timing circuits using a 0.5 micron, one poly, 2 metal CMOS process 13. The wafer is passivated with 0.1 microns of silicon nitride 16. This step is shown in FIG. 4. For clarity, these diagrams may not be to scale, and may not represent a cross section though any single plane of the nozzle. FIG. 3 is a key to representations of various materials in these manufacturing diagrams, and those of other cross referenced ink jet configurations.
  • 2. Etch nitride and oxide down to silicon using Mask 1. This mask defines the nozzle inlet below the shutter. This step is shown in FIG. 5.
  • 3. Deposit 3 microns of sacrificial material 50 (e.g. aluminum or photosensitive polyimide)
  • 4. Planarize the sacrificial layer to a thickness of 1 micron over nitride. This step is shown in FIG. 6.
  • 5. Etch the sacrificial layer using Mask 2. This mask defines the actuator anchor point 51. This step is shown in FIG. 7.
  • 6. Deposit 1 micron of PTFE 52.
  • 7. Etch the PTFE, nitride, and oxide down to second level metal using Mask 3. This mask defines the heater vias 25, 26. This step is shown in FIG. 8.
  • 8. Deposit the heater 53, which is a 1 micron layer of a conductor with a low Young's modulus, for example aluminum or gold.
  • 9. Pattern the conductor using Mask 4. This step is shown in FIG. 9.
  • 10. Deposit 1 micron of PTFE 54.
  • 11. Etch the PTFE down to the sacrificial layer using Mask 5. This mask defines the actuator and shutter This step is shown in FIG. 10.
  • 12. Wafer probe. All electrical connections are complete at this point, bond pads are accessible, and the chips are not yet separated.
  • 13. Deposit 3 microns of sacrificial material 55. Planarize using CMP
  • 14. Etch the sacrificial material using Mask 6. This mask defines the nozzle chamber wall 28. This step is shown in FIG. 11.
  • 15. Deposit 3 microns of PECVD glass 56.
  • 16. Etch to a depth of (approx.) 1 micron using Mask 7. This mask defines the nozzle rim 40. This step is shown in FIG. 12.
  • 17. Etch down to the sacrificial layer using Mask 6. This mask defines the roof of the nozzle chamber, the nozzle 30, and the sacrificial etch access holes 32. This step is shown in FIG. 13.
  • 18. Back-etch completely through the silicon wafer (with, for example, an ASE Advanced Silicon Etcher from Surface Technology Systems) using Mask 7. This mask defines the ink inlets 15 which are etched through the wafer. The wafer is also diced by this etch. This step is shown in FIG. 14.
  • 19. Etch the sacrificial material. The nozzle chambers are cleared, the actuators freed, and the chips are separated by this etch. This step is shown in FIG. 15.
  • 20. Mount the printheads in their packaging, which may be a molded plastic former incorporating ink channels which supply the appropriate color ink to the ink inlets at the back of the wafer. The package also includes a piezoelectric actuator attached to the rear of the ink channels. The piezoelectric actuator provides the oscillating ink pressure required for the ink jet operation.
  • 21. Connect the printheads to their interconnect systems. For a low profile connection with minimum disruption of airflow, TAB may be used. Wire bonding may also be used if the printer is to be operated with sufficient clearance to the paper.
  • 22. Hydrophobize the front surface of the printheads.
  • 23. Fill the completed printheads with ink 57 and test them. A filled nozzle is shown in FIG. 16.
  • It would be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the present invention as shown in the preferred embodiment without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims (7)

  1. I/we claim:
  2. 1. An ink ejection nozzle comprising:
    an ink reservoir with an oscillator configured to oscillate ink pressure in the reservoir;
    a wafer assembly defining an ink supply channel in fluid communication with the ink reservoir;
    a nozzle chamber structure on the wafer assembly and defining a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the ink supply channel, and an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber; and
    a shutter positioned in the nozzle chamber and configured to shut the ink ejection port to the ejection of ink from the nozzle chamber, wherein
    the shutter is moved by a thermoelastic actuator having a coiled serpentine heater.
  3. 2. An ink ejection nozzle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oscillator includes an ultrasonic transducer.
  4. 3. An ink ejection nozzle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the ultrasonic transducer includes a piezoelectric transducer.
  5. 4. An ink ejection nozzle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wafer assembly includes:
    a silicon wafer;
    a CMOS layer positioned on the silicon wafer; and
    a protective passivation layer positioned on the CMOS layer.
  6. 5. An ink ejection nozzle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heater is embedded in polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
  7. 6. An ink ejection nozzle as claimed in claim 1, wherein a raised nozzle rim bounds the ink ejection port.
US12/832,941 1997-07-15 2010-07-08 Ink ejection nozzle with oscillator and shutter arrangement Abandoned US20100271429A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US12/832,941 US20100271429A1 (en) 1997-07-15 2010-07-08 Ink ejection nozzle with oscillator and shutter arrangement

Applications Claiming Priority (12)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AUPO7991 1997-07-15
AUPO7991A AUPO799197A0 (en) 1997-07-15 1997-07-15 Image processing method and apparatus (ART01)
AUPO8001 1997-07-15
AUPO8001A AUPO800197A0 (en) 1997-07-15 1997-07-15 Image creation method and apparatus (IJ17)
US09/112,815 US6247792B1 (en) 1997-07-15 1998-07-10 PTFE surface shooting shuttered oscillating pressure ink jet printing mechanism
US09/855,094 US6485123B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2001-05-14 Shutter ink jet
US10/302,606 US6644767B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2002-11-23 Ejection of ink using pulsating pressure and a movable shutter
US10/693,990 US6929352B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2003-10-28 Inkjet printhead chip for use with a pulsating pressure ink supply
US11/144,804 US7144098B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2005-06-06 Printer having a printhead with an inkjet printhead chip for use with a pulsating pressure ink supply
US11/525,859 US7270399B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2006-09-25 Printhead for use with a pulsating pressure ink supply
US11/839,541 US7753485B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2007-08-16 Ink ejection nozzle with oscillator and shutter arrangement
US12/832,941 US20100271429A1 (en) 1997-07-15 2010-07-08 Ink ejection nozzle with oscillator and shutter arrangement

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US11/839,541 Continuation US7753485B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2007-08-16 Ink ejection nozzle with oscillator and shutter arrangement

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20100271429A1 true US20100271429A1 (en) 2010-10-28

Family

ID=46257742

Family Applications (9)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US09/855,094 Expired - Fee Related US6485123B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2001-05-14 Shutter ink jet
US10/302,606 Expired - Fee Related US6644767B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2002-11-23 Ejection of ink using pulsating pressure and a movable shutter
US10/693,978 Expired - Fee Related US7147791B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2003-10-28 Method of fabricating an injket printhead chip for use with a pulsating pressure ink supply
US10/693,990 Expired - Fee Related US6929352B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2003-10-28 Inkjet printhead chip for use with a pulsating pressure ink supply
US11/144,804 Expired - Fee Related US7144098B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2005-06-06 Printer having a printhead with an inkjet printhead chip for use with a pulsating pressure ink supply
US11/525,859 Expired - Fee Related US7270399B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2006-09-25 Printhead for use with a pulsating pressure ink supply
US11/546,437 Expired - Fee Related US7341672B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2006-10-12 Method of fabricating printhead for ejecting ink supplied under pulsed pressure
US11/839,541 Expired - Fee Related US7753485B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2007-08-16 Ink ejection nozzle with oscillator and shutter arrangement
US12/832,941 Abandoned US20100271429A1 (en) 1997-07-15 2010-07-08 Ink ejection nozzle with oscillator and shutter arrangement

Family Applications Before (8)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US09/855,094 Expired - Fee Related US6485123B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2001-05-14 Shutter ink jet
US10/302,606 Expired - Fee Related US6644767B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2002-11-23 Ejection of ink using pulsating pressure and a movable shutter
US10/693,978 Expired - Fee Related US7147791B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2003-10-28 Method of fabricating an injket printhead chip for use with a pulsating pressure ink supply
US10/693,990 Expired - Fee Related US6929352B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2003-10-28 Inkjet printhead chip for use with a pulsating pressure ink supply
US11/144,804 Expired - Fee Related US7144098B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2005-06-06 Printer having a printhead with an inkjet printhead chip for use with a pulsating pressure ink supply
US11/525,859 Expired - Fee Related US7270399B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2006-09-25 Printhead for use with a pulsating pressure ink supply
US11/546,437 Expired - Fee Related US7341672B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2006-10-12 Method of fabricating printhead for ejecting ink supplied under pulsed pressure
US11/839,541 Expired - Fee Related US7753485B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2007-08-16 Ink ejection nozzle with oscillator and shutter arrangement

Country Status (1)

Country Link
US (9) US6485123B2 (en)

Families Citing this family (31)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6682174B2 (en) 1998-03-25 2004-01-27 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Ink jet nozzle arrangement configuration
US6513908B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2003-02-04 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Pusher actuation in a printhead chip for an inkjet printhead
US6648453B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2003-11-18 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Ink jet printhead chip with predetermined micro-electromechanical systems height
US7468139B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2008-12-23 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Method of depositing heater material over a photoresist scaffold
US7195339B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2007-03-27 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Ink jet nozzle assembly with a thermal bend actuator
US6855264B1 (en) * 1997-07-15 2005-02-15 Kia Silverbrook Method of manufacture of an ink jet printer having a thermal actuator comprising an external coil spring
US7556356B1 (en) 1997-07-15 2009-07-07 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Inkjet printhead integrated circuit with ink spread prevention
US7337532B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2008-03-04 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Method of manufacturing micro-electromechanical device having motion-transmitting structure
US7011390B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2006-03-14 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Printing mechanism having wide format printing zone
AUPP653998A0 (en) * 1998-10-16 1998-11-05 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Micromechanical device and method (ij46B)
US6582059B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2003-06-24 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Discrete air and nozzle chambers in a printhead chip for an inkjet printhead
US6247792B1 (en) * 1997-07-15 2001-06-19 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd PTFE surface shooting shuttered oscillating pressure ink jet printing mechanism
AUPP398798A0 (en) * 1998-06-09 1998-07-02 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Image creation method and apparatus (ij43)
US6485123B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2002-11-26 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Shutter ink jet
US6712453B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2004-03-30 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd. Ink jet nozzle rim
US20100277531A1 (en) * 1997-07-15 2010-11-04 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Printer having processor for high volume printing
US7465030B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2008-12-16 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Nozzle arrangement with a magnetic field generator
US6935724B2 (en) 1997-07-15 2005-08-30 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Ink jet nozzle having actuator with anchor positioned between nozzle chamber and actuator connection point
US6707230B2 (en) * 2001-05-29 2004-03-16 University Of North Carolina At Charlotte Closed loop control systems employing relaxor ferroelectric actuators
DE10234589A1 (en) * 2002-07-30 2004-02-12 Robert Bosch Gmbh Layer system used in the production of micro-electromechanical structures comprises a passivating layer consisting of an inorganic partial layer and a polymeric partial layer formed on a silicon layer
US7105131B2 (en) * 2002-09-05 2006-09-12 Xerox Corporation Systems and methods for microelectromechanical system based fluid ejection
US8491076B2 (en) 2004-03-15 2013-07-23 Fujifilm Dimatix, Inc. Fluid droplet ejection devices and methods
US7281778B2 (en) 2004-03-15 2007-10-16 Fujifilm Dimatix, Inc. High frequency droplet ejection device and method
EP1836056B1 (en) 2004-12-30 2018-11-07 Fujifilm Dimatix, Inc. Ink jet printing
JP4902971B2 (en) * 2005-06-27 2012-03-21 富士フイルム株式会社 Liquid discharge head
US7988247B2 (en) 2007-01-11 2011-08-02 Fujifilm Dimatix, Inc. Ejection of drops having variable drop size from an ink jet printer
US8251483B2 (en) * 2009-02-13 2012-08-28 Fujifilm Corporation Mitigation of shorted fluid ejector units
US8419169B2 (en) 2009-07-31 2013-04-16 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Inkjet printhead and method employing central ink feed channel
US8425787B2 (en) * 2009-08-26 2013-04-23 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Inkjet printhead bridge beam fabrication method
US8393702B2 (en) 2009-12-10 2013-03-12 Fujifilm Corporation Separation of drive pulses for fluid ejector
US9996857B2 (en) 2015-03-17 2018-06-12 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Systems and methods for variable data publication

Citations (32)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4350989A (en) * 1979-03-19 1982-09-21 Hitachi, Ltd. Ink-jet printing apparatus
US5113204A (en) * 1989-04-19 1992-05-12 Seiko Epson Corporation Ink jet head
US5666141A (en) * 1993-07-13 1997-09-09 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Ink jet head and a method of manufacturing thereof
US5719604A (en) * 1994-09-27 1998-02-17 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Diaphragm type ink jet head having a high degree of integration and a high ink discharge efficiency
US5828394A (en) * 1995-09-20 1998-10-27 The Board Of Trustees Of The Leland Stanford Junior University Fluid drop ejector and method
US6174050B1 (en) * 1995-04-26 2001-01-16 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Liquid ejection head with a heat generating surface that is substantially flush and/or smoothly continuous with a surface upstream thereto
US6188415B1 (en) * 1997-07-15 2001-02-13 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Ink jet printer having a thermal actuator comprising an external coil spring
US6247790B1 (en) * 1998-06-09 2001-06-19 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Inverted radial back-curling thermoelastic ink jet printing mechanism
US6283582B1 (en) * 1997-07-15 2001-09-04 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Iris motion ink jet printing mechanism
US6416167B1 (en) * 1997-07-15 2002-07-09 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Thermally actuated ink jet printing mechanism having a series of thermal actuator units
US20020089695A1 (en) * 1996-08-30 2002-07-11 Tsutomu Kubota Print control apparatus and method and storage medium
US6561627B2 (en) * 2000-11-30 2003-05-13 Eastman Kodak Company Thermal actuator
US6644786B1 (en) * 2002-07-08 2003-11-11 Eastman Kodak Company Method of manufacturing a thermally actuated liquid control device
US6682174B2 (en) * 1998-03-25 2004-01-27 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Ink jet nozzle arrangement configuration
US6685303B1 (en) * 2002-08-14 2004-02-03 Eastman Kodak Company Thermal actuator with reduced temperature extreme and method of operating same
US6866369B2 (en) * 1998-10-16 2005-03-15 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Printer with inkjet printhead having overlapping actuator and drive circuitry
US6874866B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2005-04-05 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Ink jet nozzle having an actuator mechanism with a movable member controlled by two actuators
US6880918B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2005-04-19 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Micro-electromechanical device that incorporates a motion-transmitting structure
US7077508B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2006-07-18 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Micro-electromechanical liquid ejection device with a thermal actuator that undergoes rectilinear motion
US7134745B2 (en) * 2002-11-23 2006-11-14 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Thermal ink jet printhead with low resistance connection to heater
US7264335B2 (en) * 2002-11-23 2007-09-04 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Ink jet printhead with conformally coated heater
US7287834B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2007-10-30 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Micro-electromechanical ink ejection device with an elongate actuator
US7322679B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2008-01-29 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Inkjet nozzle arrangement with thermal bend actuator capable of differential thermal expansion
US7364271B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2008-04-29 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Nozzle arrangement with inlet covering cantilevered actuator
US7465030B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2008-12-16 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Nozzle arrangement with a magnetic field generator
US7465029B2 (en) * 1998-06-09 2008-12-16 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Radially actuated micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangement
US7470003B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2008-12-30 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Ink jet printhead with active and passive nozzle chamber structures arrayed on a substrate
US7537301B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2009-05-26 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd. Wide format print assembly having high speed printhead
US7556355B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2009-07-07 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Inkjet nozzle arrangement with electro-thermally actuated lever arm
US7628471B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2009-12-08 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Inkjet heater with heater element supported by sloped sides with less resistance
US7753485B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2010-07-13 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Ink ejection nozzle with oscillator and shutter arrangement
US7850282B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2010-12-14 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead having dynamic and static structures to facilitate ink ejection

Family Cites Families (81)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB792145A (en) 1953-05-20 1958-03-19 Technograph Printed Circuits L Improvements in and relating to devices for obtaining a mechanical movement from theaction of an electric current
DE1648322A1 (en) 1967-07-20 1971-03-25 Vdo Schindling Measuring or switching element made of bimetal
CH495263A (en) 1968-07-03 1970-08-31 Battelle Memorial Inst Interna Fluid cushion support device
FR2188389B1 (en) 1972-06-08 1975-06-13 Cibie Projecteurs
FR2231076A2 (en) 1973-05-24 1974-12-20 Electricite De France Driving organ operated by thermal means - esp. for use in corrosive or dangerous environments formed by two metal strips
US4007464A (en) 1975-01-23 1977-02-08 International Business Machines Corporation Ink jet nozzle
DE2905063A1 (en) 1979-02-10 1980-08-14 Olympia Werke Ag Ink nozzle air intake avoidance system - has vibratory pressure generator shutting bore in membrane in rest position
US4458255A (en) 1980-07-07 1984-07-03 Hewlett-Packard Company Apparatus for capping an ink jet print head
JPS58112747A (en) 1981-12-26 1983-07-05 Fujitsu Ltd Ink jet recording device
JPS58116165A (en) 1981-12-29 1983-07-11 Canon Inc Ink injection head
DE3214791A1 (en) 1982-04-21 1983-10-27 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München WRITING DEVICE WORKING WITH LIQUID DROPS
US4423401A (en) 1982-07-21 1983-12-27 Tektronix, Inc. Thin-film electrothermal device
DE3245283A1 (en) 1982-12-07 1984-06-07 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München Arrangement for expelling liquid droplets
US4553393A (en) 1983-08-26 1985-11-19 The United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration Memory metal actuator
US4812792A (en) 1983-12-22 1989-03-14 Trw Inc. High-frequency multilayer printed circuit board
JPS6125849A (en) 1984-07-17 1986-02-04 Canon Inc Ink jet recording device
DE3430155A1 (en) 1984-08-16 1986-02-27 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München Indirectly heated bimetal
JPS61106259A (en) 1984-10-31 1986-05-24 Hitachi Ltd Ink droplet jet discharging device
SE447222B (en) 1984-12-21 1986-11-03 Swedot System Ab ELECTROMAGNETIC MANOVERABLE VALVE DEVICE, SPECIFICALLY FOR GENERATING DROPS IN A HYDRAULIC PRINTER
JPS61268453A (en) 1985-05-23 1986-11-27 Olympus Optical Co Ltd Ink jet printer head
US5258774A (en) 1985-11-26 1993-11-02 Dataproducts Corporation Compensation for aerodynamic influences in ink jet apparatuses having ink jet chambers utilizing a plurality of orifices
DE3716996A1 (en) 1987-05-21 1988-12-08 Vdo Schindling Deformation element
JPH01105746A (en) 1987-10-19 1989-04-24 Ricoh Co Ltd Ink jet head
JPH01115639A (en) 1987-10-30 1989-05-08 Ricoh Co Ltd Ink jet recording head
JPH01128839A (en) 1987-11-13 1989-05-22 Ricoh Co Ltd Inkjet recording head
US4855567A (en) 1988-01-15 1989-08-08 Rytec Corporation Frost control system for high-speed horizontal folding doors
JPH01257058A (en) 1988-04-07 1989-10-13 Seiko Epson Corp Ink jet head
DE3814150A1 (en) 1988-04-27 1989-11-09 Draegerwerk Ag VALVE ARRANGEMENT MADE FROM MICROSTRUCTURED COMPONENTS
JPH01306254A (en) 1988-06-03 1989-12-11 Seiko Epson Corp Ink jet head
JPH0250841A (en) 1988-08-12 1990-02-20 Seiko Epson Corp Ink jet head
JPH0292643A (en) 1988-09-30 1990-04-03 Seiko Epson Corp Ink jet head
IT1229927B (en) 1988-10-14 1991-09-16 Cipelletti Alberto Cae VANE PUMP.
JPH02108544A (en) 1988-10-19 1990-04-20 Seiko Epson Corp Inkjet printing head
US4864824A (en) 1988-10-31 1989-09-12 American Telephone And Telegraph Company, At&T Bell Laboratories Thin film shape memory alloy and method for producing
JP2697041B2 (en) 1988-12-10 1998-01-14 ミノルタ株式会社 Inkjet printer
JPH02162049A (en) 1988-12-16 1990-06-21 Seiko Epson Corp Printer head
JPH041051A (en) 1989-02-22 1992-01-06 Ricoh Co Ltd Ink-jet recording device
JPH02265752A (en) 1989-04-05 1990-10-30 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Ink-jet recording head
JPH0365348A (en) 1989-08-04 1991-03-20 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Ink jet head
US5255016A (en) 1989-09-05 1993-10-19 Seiko Epson Corporation Ink jet printer recording head
JP2746703B2 (en) 1989-11-09 1998-05-06 松下電器産業株式会社 Ink jet head device and method of manufacturing the same
JP2839345B2 (en) * 1989-09-11 1998-12-16 松下電器産業株式会社 Ink recording device
JPH03112662A (en) 1989-09-27 1991-05-14 Seiko Epson Corp Ink jet printer
JP2964618B2 (en) 1989-11-10 1999-10-18 セイコーエプソン株式会社 Head for inkjet printer
JPH03180350A (en) 1989-12-08 1991-08-06 Seiko Epson Corp Ink jet head
DE4005208C2 (en) 1990-02-20 1995-07-06 Loedige Maschbau Gmbh Geb Device with a drum rotating about an axis for coating material, in particular for film coating and / or sugar coating
JPH04118241A (en) 1990-09-10 1992-04-20 Seiko Epson Corp Amplitude conversion actuator for ink jet printer head
JPH04126255A (en) 1990-09-18 1992-04-27 Seiko Epson Corp Ink jet head
JPH04141429A (en) 1990-10-03 1992-05-14 Seiko Epson Corp Ink jet head
DE4031248A1 (en) 1990-10-04 1992-04-09 Kernforschungsz Karlsruhe MICROMECHANICAL ELEMENT
US5126755A (en) 1991-03-26 1992-06-30 Videojet Systems International, Inc. Print head assembly for ink jet printer
US5164740A (en) 1991-04-24 1992-11-17 Yehuda Ivri High frequency printing mechanism
JPH04353458A (en) 1991-05-31 1992-12-08 Brother Ind Ltd Ink jet head
JPH04368851A (en) 1991-06-17 1992-12-21 Seiko Epson Corp Magnetic field generating substrate and ink jet head equipped therewith
JPH0528765A (en) 1991-07-18 1993-02-05 Nec Home Electron Ltd Memory control circuit
GB9121851D0 (en) 1991-10-15 1991-11-27 Willett Int Ltd Device
JP3450349B2 (en) 1992-03-31 2003-09-22 キヤノン株式会社 Cantilever probe
JPH05318724A (en) 1992-05-19 1993-12-03 Seikosha Co Ltd Ink jet recorder
JP2615319B2 (en) 1992-09-17 1997-05-28 セイコープレシジョン株式会社 Inkjet head
JPH0691865A (en) 1992-09-17 1994-04-05 Seikosha Co Ltd Ink jet head
GB9302170D0 (en) 1993-02-04 1993-03-24 Domino Printing Sciences Plc Ink jet printer
JPH07137250A (en) * 1993-05-14 1995-05-30 Fujitsu Ltd Ultrasonic printer
IT1270861B (en) 1993-05-31 1997-05-13 Olivetti Canon Ind Spa IMPROVED INK JET HEAD FOR A POINT PRINTER
DE4328433A1 (en) 1993-08-24 1995-03-02 Heidelberger Druckmasch Ag Ink jet spray method, and ink jet spray device
DE19516997C2 (en) 1994-05-10 1998-02-26 Sharp Kk Ink jet head and method of manufacturing the same
JPH07314673A (en) 1994-05-27 1995-12-05 Sharp Corp Ink-jet head
JPH07314665A (en) 1994-05-27 1995-12-05 Canon Inc Ink jet recording head, recorder using the same and recording method therefor
JPH08142323A (en) 1994-11-24 1996-06-04 Sharp Corp Ink jet head and manufacture thereof
US5825385A (en) * 1995-04-12 1998-10-20 Eastman Kodak Company Constructions and manufacturing processes for thermally activated print heads
TW365578B (en) 1995-04-14 1999-08-01 Canon Kk Liquid ejecting head, liquid ejecting device and liquid ejecting method
JPH08336965A (en) 1995-06-14 1996-12-24 Sharp Corp Ink-jet head
DE69617540T2 (en) 1995-06-28 2002-05-23 Canon Kk Micro device for liquid jet recording head equipped therewith, liquid jet recording device with this liquid jet recording head
JPH09104109A (en) 1995-10-12 1997-04-22 Sharp Corp Ink jet head and production thereof
US6773092B1 (en) * 1996-07-05 2004-08-10 Aya Yoshihira Liquid discharging head and liquid discharging device
US5812159A (en) * 1996-07-22 1998-09-22 Eastman Kodak Company Ink printing apparatus with improved heater
JP3653348B2 (en) 1996-08-23 2005-05-25 三洋電機株式会社 Air conditioner
TW429218B (en) 1997-06-06 2001-04-11 Canon Kk A liquid discharging method, a liquid discharge head, and a liquid discharge apparatus
US6247792B1 (en) * 1997-07-15 2001-06-19 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd PTFE surface shooting shuttered oscillating pressure ink jet printing mechanism
KR100232853B1 (en) * 1997-10-15 1999-12-01 윤종용 Heating apparatus for inkjet printer head and method for fabricating thereof
JP2000141656A (en) 1998-11-09 2000-05-23 Ricoh Co Ltd Ink-jet head and its manufacture
US6474795B1 (en) * 1999-12-21 2002-11-05 Eastman Kodak Company Continuous ink jet printer with micro-valve deflection mechanism and method of controlling same

Patent Citations (46)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4350989A (en) * 1979-03-19 1982-09-21 Hitachi, Ltd. Ink-jet printing apparatus
US5113204A (en) * 1989-04-19 1992-05-12 Seiko Epson Corporation Ink jet head
US5666141A (en) * 1993-07-13 1997-09-09 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Ink jet head and a method of manufacturing thereof
US5719604A (en) * 1994-09-27 1998-02-17 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Diaphragm type ink jet head having a high degree of integration and a high ink discharge efficiency
US6174050B1 (en) * 1995-04-26 2001-01-16 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Liquid ejection head with a heat generating surface that is substantially flush and/or smoothly continuous with a surface upstream thereto
US5828394A (en) * 1995-09-20 1998-10-27 The Board Of Trustees Of The Leland Stanford Junior University Fluid drop ejector and method
US20020089695A1 (en) * 1996-08-30 2002-07-11 Tsutomu Kubota Print control apparatus and method and storage medium
US7077508B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2006-07-18 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Micro-electromechanical liquid ejection device with a thermal actuator that undergoes rectilinear motion
US7322679B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2008-01-29 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Inkjet nozzle arrangement with thermal bend actuator capable of differential thermal expansion
US6416167B1 (en) * 1997-07-15 2002-07-09 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Thermally actuated ink jet printing mechanism having a series of thermal actuator units
US7568791B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2009-08-04 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Nozzle arrangement with a top wall portion having etchant holes therein
US7901048B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2011-03-08 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Inkjet printhead with thermal actuator coil
US7901049B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2011-03-08 Kia Silverbrook Inkjet printhead having proportional ejection ports and arms
US7566114B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2009-07-28 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Inkjet printer with a pagewidth printhead having nozzle arrangements with an actuating arm having particular dimension proportions
US7891779B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2011-02-22 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Inkjet printhead with nozzle layer defining etchant holes
US7850282B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2010-12-14 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead having dynamic and static structures to facilitate ink ejection
US6874866B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2005-04-05 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Ink jet nozzle having an actuator mechanism with a movable member controlled by two actuators
US6880918B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2005-04-19 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Micro-electromechanical device that incorporates a motion-transmitting structure
US7628471B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2009-12-08 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Inkjet heater with heater element supported by sloped sides with less resistance
US7753485B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2010-07-13 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Ink ejection nozzle with oscillator and shutter arrangement
US7556355B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2009-07-07 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Inkjet nozzle arrangement with electro-thermally actuated lever arm
US7287834B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2007-10-30 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Micro-electromechanical ink ejection device with an elongate actuator
US6283582B1 (en) * 1997-07-15 2001-09-04 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Iris motion ink jet printing mechanism
US7364271B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2008-04-29 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Nozzle arrangement with inlet covering cantilevered actuator
US7401902B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2008-07-22 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Inkjet nozzle arrangement incorporating a thermal bend actuator with an ink ejection paddle
US7465030B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2008-12-16 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Nozzle arrangement with a magnetic field generator
US6188415B1 (en) * 1997-07-15 2001-02-13 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Ink jet printer having a thermal actuator comprising an external coil spring
US7641315B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2010-01-05 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Printhead with reciprocating cantilevered thermal actuators
US7470003B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2008-12-30 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Ink jet printhead with active and passive nozzle chamber structures arrayed on a substrate
US7641314B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2010-01-05 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Printhead micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangement with a motion-transmitting structure
US7549731B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2009-06-23 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Inkjet printer having a printhead with a bi-layer thermal actuator coil
US7537301B2 (en) * 1997-07-15 2009-05-26 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd. Wide format print assembly having high speed printhead
US6682174B2 (en) * 1998-03-25 2004-01-27 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Ink jet nozzle arrangement configuration
US7533967B2 (en) * 1998-06-09 2009-05-19 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printer with multiple actuator devices
US7465029B2 (en) * 1998-06-09 2008-12-16 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Radially actuated micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangement
US7669973B2 (en) * 1998-06-09 2010-03-02 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Printhead having nozzle arrangements with radial actuators
US6247790B1 (en) * 1998-06-09 2001-06-19 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Inverted radial back-curling thermoelastic ink jet printing mechanism
US7556351B2 (en) * 1998-10-16 2009-07-07 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Inkjet printhead with spillage pits
US6866369B2 (en) * 1998-10-16 2005-03-15 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Printer with inkjet printhead having overlapping actuator and drive circuitry
US6561627B2 (en) * 2000-11-30 2003-05-13 Eastman Kodak Company Thermal actuator
US6644786B1 (en) * 2002-07-08 2003-11-11 Eastman Kodak Company Method of manufacturing a thermally actuated liquid control device
US6685303B1 (en) * 2002-08-14 2004-02-03 Eastman Kodak Company Thermal actuator with reduced temperature extreme and method of operating same
US7520594B2 (en) * 2002-11-23 2009-04-21 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Inkjet printer with heater that forms symmetrical bubbles
US7467855B2 (en) * 2002-11-23 2008-12-23 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Inkjet printhead integrated circuit with non-buckling heater element
US7264335B2 (en) * 2002-11-23 2007-09-04 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Ink jet printhead with conformally coated heater
US7134745B2 (en) * 2002-11-23 2006-11-14 Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd Thermal ink jet printhead with low resistance connection to heater

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US20080303875A1 (en) 2008-12-11
US20030103097A1 (en) 2003-06-05
US6929352B2 (en) 2005-08-16
US20010045969A1 (en) 2001-11-29
US20040084405A1 (en) 2004-05-06
US6644767B2 (en) 2003-11-11
US7270399B2 (en) 2007-09-18
US6485123B2 (en) 2002-11-26
US20070029278A1 (en) 2007-02-08
US7753485B2 (en) 2010-07-13
US7144098B2 (en) 2006-12-05
US7147791B2 (en) 2006-12-12
US7341672B2 (en) 2008-03-11
US20070013742A1 (en) 2007-01-18
US20040227789A1 (en) 2004-11-18
US20050225607A1 (en) 2005-10-13

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US7942507B2 (en) Ink jet nozzle arrangement with a segmented actuator nozzle chamber cover
US7988262B2 (en) Fluid-ejecting integrated circuit utilizing electromagnetic displacement
US20100271429A1 (en) Ink ejection nozzle with oscillator and shutter arrangement
US20100149255A1 (en) Printhead nozzle arrangement having ink ejecting actuators annularly arranged around ink ejection port
US7901048B2 (en) Inkjet printhead with thermal actuator coil
US7705891B2 (en) Correction of distortions in digital images
US20070110967A1 (en) Print medium with one side defined by a rib-like structure
US20070070124A1 (en) Nozzle assembly incorporating a shuttered actuation mechanism
US7518642B2 (en) Method for manipulating and printing captured images
US20070296836A1 (en) Interconnected Camera System With Insertion Cards
US20090115819A1 (en) Micro-electromechanical fluid ejection mechanism having a shape memory alloy actuator

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: SILVERBROOK RESEARCH PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SILVERBROOK, KIA;REEL/FRAME:024655/0883

Effective date: 20070727

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO PAY ISSUE FEE

AS Assignment

Owner name: ZAMTEC LIMITED, IRELAND

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SILVERBROOK RESEARCH PTY. LIMITED AND CLAMATE PTY LIMITED;REEL/FRAME:028528/0174

Effective date: 20120503