With Thermal Force Ejection Patents (Class 347/56)
  • Patent number: 9073321
    Abstract: The printhead can include a nonwebbed diaphragm layer, an aperture plate layer, and a first webbed layer and a second webbed layer interposed between the diaphragm layer and the aperture plate layer. The nonwebbed diaphragm layer can be configured to deflect and eject ink from the print head during printing. The aperture plate layer can include a plurality of nozzles from which ink is ejected during printing. Each of the first and second webbed layers can include a first surface having a first surface area and comprising a plurality of first openings, a second surface opposing the first surface and comprising a plurality of second openings, and a web comprising a portion of the first surface, a portion of the second surface and a plurality of holes extending between the plurality of first and second openings. The printhead can be formed, in part, of alternating webbed and adjacent nonwebbed layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gary D. Redding, Mark A. Cellura
  • Patent number: 9056461
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a liquid discharge head which includes; a discharge port to discharge a liquid; and a substrate including: an energy generating element for generating thermal energy to discharge the liquid from the liquid discharge port; a pair of electrodes connected to the energy generating element for driving thereof; an insulating layer of an insulating material provided to cover the energy generating element; and a metal layer of a metal material provided corresponding to the energy generating element to cover the insulating layer; and a driver unit which sets a first potential of one of the pair of electrodes substantially equal to the potential of the liquid and a second potential of the other one of the pair of electrodes lower than the first potential to drive the energy generating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Sakurai, Hirokazu Komuro, Ichiro Saito, Yuzuru Ishida, Takeru Yasuda
  • Patent number: 9033470
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a fluid ejection device includes a substrate with a fluid slot and a membrane adhered to the substrate that spans the fluid slot. A resistor is disposed on top of the membrane over the fluid slot, and a fluid feed hole next to the resistor extends through the membrane to the slot. A shelf extends from the edge of the resistor to the edge of the feed hole, and a passivation layer covers the resistor and part the shelf. An etch-resistant layer is formed partly on the shelf and in between the fluid feed hole and the resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Sadiq Bengali, Galen P Cook, Michael W Cumbie, Robert K Messenger
  • Publication number: 20150124024
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a fluid ejection device includes a thin-film layer formed over a substrate, a chamber layer formed over the thin-film layer, the chamber layer defining a fluidic channel that leads to a firing chamber, a slot extending through the substrate and into the chamber layer through an ink feed hole in the thin-film layer, and a particle tolerant thin-film extension of the thin-film layer that protrudes into the slot from between the substrate and the chamber layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Rio Rivas, Ed Friesen, Kellie Susanne Jensen
  • Publication number: 20150109370
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a printhead substrate, including forming a metal pattern, including a portion forming a pair of electrodes, on an insulating member, forming a conductive film which covers the insulating member and the metal pattern, including a first portion forming a temperature detection element and a second portion except for the first portion, etching the second portion so as to form the pair of electrodes, and etching the first portion so as to form the temperature detection element which is connected to the pair of electrodes, wherein an etching amount in the etching the second portion is larger than a thickness of the conductive film, and an etching amount in the etching the first portion is smaller than the etching amount in the etching the second portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Ershad Ali Chowdhury, Takayuki Kimura, Kenji Makino
  • Publication number: 20150109371
    Abstract: In a liquid ejection head for ejecting liquid by using thermal energy, reduction of film thickness caused by elution of a protective layer when kogation on the protective layer is removed is uniformized and decrease in liquid ejection performance is suppressed. More specifically, a counter electrode is provided around a portion on which an ejection port of a flow path forming member is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Yuzuru Ishida, Sadayoshi Sakuma, Norihiro Yoshinari, Ichiro Saito, Maki Kato, Kenji Takahashi, Yoshinori Misumi
  • Patent number: 8998385
    Abstract: A thermal head including: a laminated substrate including a support substrate and an upper substrate at least one of which has a recess formed in a surface thereof; a heat generating resistor formed on a surface of the upper substrate in the laminated substrate at a position opposed to the recess; and a pair of electrode portions connected to each of both ends of a heat generating resistor, wherein the laminated substrate further includes: an intermediate metal layer sandwiched between the support substrate and the upper substrate and bonded thereto in a laminated state; and a surrounding metal layer formed of a metal material, the surrounding metal layer provided in contact with the intermediate metal layer and formed from a surface of the support substrate extending in a thickness direction thereof to a surface thereof opposite to a portion bonded to the upper substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Morooka, Keitaro Koroishi, Noriyoshi Shoji, Norimitsu Sanbongi
  • Patent number: 8993040
    Abstract: There is described a method for depositing at least one biological fluid onto a surface of a substrate, the method comprising the steps of (i) providing at least one thermal bubble jet printhead loaded with at least one biological fluid, (ii) positioning the printhead next to the substrate, and (iii) supplying the printhead with energy thereby depositing the biological fluid onto the surface. The printhead is supplied with an energy E such that E>1.6*Eth where Eth is the threshold energy of the printhead. There are also described an apparatus for depositing at least one biological fluid onto a surface of a substrate and a microarray obtained by carrying out the depositing method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Sicpa Holding SA
    Inventors: Giacomo Mabritto, Cristina Panciatichi, Oriana Rossotto, Tazio Sandri
  • Publication number: 20150062222
    Abstract: A fluid ejection device is described. In an example, the fluid ejection device includes a substrate having a chamber formed thereon to contain a fluid. A thin-film stack is formed on the substrate having a resistor formed under the chamber. A transistor is formed in the substrate and coupled to the resistor. A circuit is formed in the substrate coupled to a gate of the transistor to selectively cause the transistor either to supply a firing current to the resistor for ejecting the fluid from the chamber or to dissipate power to warm the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Adam L. Ghozeil, Robert N K Browning
  • Patent number: 8955953
    Abstract: An inkjet recording ink including a carbon black, a dispersant, a polyurethane resin particle, and water, where the carbon black is a channel black, a gas black, or a mixture of channel black and a gas black, and the polyurethane resin particle is an anionic self-emulsifying ether-based polyurethane resin particle, wherein the anionic self-emulsifying ether-based polyurethane resin particle has an acid value of 40 to 120 and a mass average molecular weight of 500 to 50,000, and an average primary particle diameter of 20 nm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Hakiri, Mitsuru Naruse, Shin Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20150035907
    Abstract: An inkjet nozzle device for symmetrically constrained bubble formation includes: a firing chamber having and an end wall, opposite sidewalls and a nozzle aperture defined in a roof thereof; a baffle plate positioned between the sidewalls of the firing chamber, such that a pair of firing chamber entrances are defined between side edges of the baffle plate and the sidewalls; and an elongate heating element bonded to a floor of the firing chamber, the heater element extending longitudinally between the baffle plate and the end wall. The baffle plate is wider than the heater element. Further, a centroid of the heater element coincides with a midpoint between the baffle plate and the end wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventor: Angus John North
  • Patent number: 8944550
    Abstract: A recent inkjet printing apparatus includes a large-capacitance capacitor to stabilize a heater power supply. The presence of this capacitor requires a long time to drop the heater voltage at the time of power shutdown or the like. For this reason, an unwanted heater current may flow during the drop. To solve this problem, in this embodiment, a high voltage logic circuit is provided near a printing element, and a terminal is provided so that a signal can directly be input to this circuit. Heater driving control is performed via the terminal. This makes it possible to reliably control the heater regardless of the logic power supply state even if the logic voltage abruptly drops at the time of power shutdown or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryo Kasai, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Makoto Takagi
  • Patent number: 8926848
    Abstract: Provided are a method of forming a through hole, which can inhibit misalignment between central axes of holes in both surfaces of a substrate, which is free from metal contamination, and which inhibits notching so as to improve the dimensional accuracy, the method including: preparing a silicon substrate; preparing a supporting substrate for supporting the silicon substrate; fixing the silicon substrate and the supporting substrate to form a composite substrate; and carrying out dry etching to the composite substrate from a silicon substrate side of the composite substrate toward a supporting substrate side of the composite substrate to form a through hole in the silicon substrate, in which the supporting substrate in the preparing a supporting substrate has a hole formed at a region corresponding to a region of the through hole to be formed in the silicon substrate, on a surface of the supporting substrate facing the silicon substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichi Ikarashi
  • Publication number: 20140354736
    Abstract: A method of making an inkjet print head may include forming, by sawing with a rotary saw blade, continuous slotted recesses in a first surface of a wafer. The continuous slotted recesses may be arranged in parallel, spaced apart relation, and each continuous slotted recess may extend continuously across the first surface. The method may further include forming discontinuous slotted recesses in a second surface of the wafer to be aligned and coupled in communication with the continuous slotted recesses to define alternating through-wafer channels and slotted recess portions. The method may further include selectively filling the residual slotted recess portions to define through-wafer ink channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Stewart
  • Publication number: 20140354735
    Abstract: A method of making inkjet print heads may include forming recesses in a first surface of a first wafer to define inkjet chambers. The method may also include forming openings extending from a second surface of the first wafer through to respective ones of the inkjet chambers to define inkjet orifices. The method may further include forming a second wafer including ink heaters, and joining the first and second wafers together so that the ink heaters are aligned within respective inkjet chambers to thereby define the inkjet print heads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Murray J. Robinson, Kenneth J. Stewart
  • Patent number: 8888250
    Abstract: A thermal bubble jetting device including a substrate. A superoleophobic, textured surface is positioned on the substrate. The textured surface comprises one or more gaps configured for holding a gas. A receptacle is positioned in fluid communication with the textured surface. Both an inlet and nozzle are in fluid communication with the receptacle. The device includes a heater mechanism configured to expand a gas in the one or more gaps so as to sufficiently increase pressure in the receptacle to force liquid through the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Kock-Yee Law, Jun Ma, Hong Zhao, Peter M. Gulvin
  • Patent number: 8888248
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid droplet jetting apparatus, including: a liquid droplet jetting head configured to include a liquid droplet jetting surface formed with a plurality of nozzles from which liquid droplets are jetted, an energy applying mechanism configured to apply a jetting energy to a liquid in each of the nozzles, and a driving device configured to drive the energy applying mechanism; a relative movement mechanism configured to relatively move, along the liquid droplet jetting surface, the liquid droplet jetting head and an object to be jetted; and a heat radiating member configured to be provided in the liquid droplet jetting head to radiate heat generated in the driving device. The heat radiating member includes a heat radiating surface which is positioned on a plane including the liquid droplet jetting surface or which projects toward the object as compared with the plane including the liquid droplet jetting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuhei Hiwada, Hiroto Sugahara
  • Patent number: 8864265
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a liquid ejection head including a plurality of ejection opening groups each constituted by two or more ejection openings and each forming one pixel by at least two liquid droplets ejected from the two or more ejection openings; a plurality of individual channels respectively connecting the plurality of ejection opening groups to a plurality of pressure chambers; a nozzle plate through which a plurality of nozzle holes extend; and an energy-applying portion applying energy to liquid in the plurality of pressure chambers, and a controller controlling the energy-applying portion. The controller controls the energy-applying portion in such a manner as to meet the following inequations: 0.85Ta?T?0.9Ta or 1.2Ta?T in a case of p/D?1.2, and 0.85Ta?T in a case of p/D>1.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keita Hirai, Atsushi Hirota
  • Patent number: 8857940
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a liquid ejection head including a plurality of ejection opening groups each constituted by two or more ejection openings and each forming one pixel by at least two liquid droplets ejected from the two or more ejection openings of a corresponding one of the plurality of ejection opening groups; a plurality of individual channels respectively connecting the plurality of ejection opening groups to a plurality of pressure chambers; and an energy-applying portion applying energy to liquid in the plurality of pressure chambers, and a controller controlling the energy-applying portion. The controller controls the energy-applying portion to form one pixel by using at least a first drive signal whose ejection period is a first ejection period and a second drive signal whose ejection period is a second ejection period different from the first ejection period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keita Hirai
  • Publication number: 20140292940
    Abstract: A process for preparing a dispersion comprising the stages: i) providing a dispersion comprising a particulate solid, a liquid medium and a dispersant having cross-linkable groups and a weight averaged molecular weight of from 1,000 to 70,000; and ii) cross-linking the dispersant in the presence of the particulate solid and the liquid medium thereby preparing a dispersion of an encapsulated particulate solid, wherein the cross-linking is performed such that 0.01 to 0.5 mmoles of cross-linkable groups in the dispersant are cross-linked per g of dispersant; said process also comprising at any stage: iii) adding a metal chelating agent to the dispersion; and after stage iii) the stage of: iv) removing at least some of the metal chelating agent from the dispersion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: Richard Cordwell, Gordon Ellis, Owen Lozman, Neil Tallant
  • Patent number: 8840237
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for printing a substrate (7) in a printing machine, in which ink is transferred from a flexible carrier (3) to the substrate (7) in accordance with a predefined pattern by energy being introduced into the ink through the flexible carrier (3) by a device for the introduction of energy, some of the ink evaporating in the area of action of the energy and, as a result, a drop of ink (67) being thrown onto the substrate (7) to be printed, this step being repeated at least once, ink being transferred at least partly to the substrate (7) at the same positions in order to intensify the pattern produced. The substrate is transported through the printing machine (1) during the printing and, after the transfer of ink in step (a), the device for the introduction of energy is controlled in such a way that, during the repetition in step (b), the ink is transferred at the same position again as in step (a). The invention further relates to a printing machine for implementing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Frank Kleine Jeager, Juergen Kaczun, Udo Lehmann
  • Publication number: 20140267502
    Abstract: The invention provides a liquid ejection head including a member in which an ejection orifice for ejecting a liquid is formed, and a substrate to which the member is joined. The substrate has a heat storage layer containing a silicon compound and an energy-generating element provided at a position corresponding to the ejection orifice for generating heat by electrification to eject the liquid from the ejection orifice. The energy-generating element has a laminate having a metal layer formed of tantalum or tungsten, an Si layer laminated on the metal layer and formed of silicon and an N layer laminated on the Si layer and formed of nitrogen, and the metal layer is in contact with the heat storage layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Sakurai, Takuya Hatsui, Souta Takeuchi, Takeru Yasuda, Soichiro Nagamochi
  • Patent number: 8833363
    Abstract: An ejection liquid capable of being stably ejected based on a system using thermal energy even if the liquid contains at least one selected from the group consisting of proteins and peptides, and a method and an apparatus for ejecting the liquid containing at least one selected from the group consisting of proteins and peptides using this system are provided. The applicability of the liquid for use in an inkjet system using thermal energy is improved by adding at least one selected from the group consisting of amino acids and salts thereof and a surfactant to an aqueous solution containing at least one selected from the group consisting of proteins and peptides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yohei Masada, Masaru Sugita, Hideki Kaneko, Takeshi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 8820892
    Abstract: Second etching is performed to the bottom through dry etching of a substrate to suppress image degradation even if an opening position of an ejection opening at a substrate end deviates. Provided is an inkjet printing head substrate including: a first surface, a second surface, and a plurality of ink supply openings, wherein the plurality of the heat resistive elements and the plurality of the ink supply openings are arranged in such a manner that each of distances between a heat resistive element closer to an inclined surface of the recessed portion in the inkjet printing head substrate among the plurality of the heat resistive elements and two ink supply openings adjacent to the heat resistive element is longer than each of distances between a heat resistive element closer to the center of the inkjet printing head substrate and two ink supply openings adjacent to the heat resistive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akiko Saito, Masataka Sakurai
  • Patent number: 8782895
    Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a droplet ejection head, a structure of a substrate having an energy-generating element that imparts energy to a liquid to eject a liquid droplet from an ejection orifice and an orifice plate having the ejection orifice formed therein are laminated through a flow channel member for forming a pattern of a liquid flow channel that is a region in which the liquid flows. At least one of a plate before being laminated and the flow channel member before being laminated has a void of at least one of a through-hole other than the ejection orifice and a recess in the face to be laminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 8770722
    Abstract: A liquid dispenser includes a first liquid supply that provides a carrier liquid under pressure that flows from the first liquid supply through a first liquid supply channel through a liquid dispensing channel through a liquid return channel and back to the first liquid supply continuously during a drop dispensing operation. A second liquid supply provides a functional liquid to the liquid dispensing channel through a second liquid supply channel. A drop formation device, associated with an interface of the second liquid supply channel and the liquid dispensing channel, is selectively actuated to form a discrete drop of the functional liquid in the carrier liquid flowing through the liquid dispensing channel. The functional liquid is immiscible in the carrier liquid. A drop ejection device is selectively actuated to divert the discrete drop of the functional liquid and a portion of the carrier liquid flowing through the liquid dispensing channel toward the outlet opening of the liquid dispensing channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Hrishikesh V. Panchawagh, Yonglin Xie, Carolyn R. Ellinger, Michael A. Marcus, Thomas W. Palone
  • Publication number: 20140184701
    Abstract: A liquid discharging head is configured including an element substrate and a flow path forming substrate which are joined. The element substrate includes a plurality of energy generating elements (electrothermal conversion elements) configured to generate thermal energy, and a supply port configured to supply liquid. The flow path forming substrate includes a plurality of discharging ports, a bubble generating chamber formed so as to include an energy generating element, and a supply path which connects the bubble generating chamber and the supply port. The upstream side of the discharging port in the direction of liquid flowing from the supply path to the bubble generating chamber, as viewed from a planar view, is formed in a semicircular shape, and the downstream side is formed in a semi-polygonal shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Iwano, Chiaki Muraoka, Yukuo Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8764166
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a main liquid ejecting head body, in which is formed a liquid flow channel through which a liquid flows, that ejects the liquid from a nozzle opening using a pressurizing unit; a driving board configured so as to supply power to the pressurizing unit; a connector provided at an end portion of the driving board; and a holding member configured so as to hold the driving board in a bent state and erected relative to one end surface of the main liquid ejecting head body. The holding member has a stopping portion that holds an end of the driving board in which the connector is provided, and the configuration is such that the stopping portion prevents the driving board from opening in the direction of the bend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Miyajima, Kimiyasu Otsuki
  • Patent number: 8757777
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head that includes a fluid channel formation substrate and pressure generation units. The fluid channel formation substrate is made of a silicon single crystal substrate having a crystal face orientation of. The fluid channel formation substrate has a plurality of separate flow channels that include at least pressure generation chambers demarcated by partition walls, each of the pressure generation chambers being in communication with a nozzle opening that ejects liquid drops. The fluid channel formation substrate further has a communication portion that is in communication with each of the separate flow channels. The pressure generation units are provided so as to correspond to the pressure generation chambers and generate a pressure change in the pressure generation chambers so as to cause ejection of liquid drops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Matsuzawa, Mutsuhiko Ota, Tetsushi Takahashi, Yasuyuki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8752924
    Abstract: A printhead includes a nozzle and a jet control element. The jet control element includes a continuous heater element positioned to surround the nozzle and a plurality of three or more electrical contacts in electrical communication with the continuous heater element. The plurality of three or more electrical contacts define a plurality of three or more continuous heater element portions that are actuatable with sufficient independence so as to control jet steering. The number of the continuous heater element portions equals the number of electrical contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: James A. Katerberg, Ronald J. Duke, Gilbert A. Hawkins
  • Patent number: 8740342
    Abstract: A test apparatus for a liquid drop emission apparatus having a plurality of emission mechanisms, the emission mechanisms each having a driving element configured to emit an ink drop from a nozzle, and an application switch coupled with a driving voltage source and the driving element in series, the application switch being configured to switch a driving voltage for emission of a liquid drop between being applied and not being applied to the driving element, the test apparatus including a test switch configured to make each of the emission mechanisms output a test voltage which appears between both ends of the application switch to a test terminal, the test apparatus including a failure deciding section configured to decide whether the emission mechanism is in failure or not on the basis of the test voltage outputted to the test terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Kitazawa
  • Publication number: 20140139591
    Abstract: An ink composition including one or more ester resins, the ink composition containing an optional colorant; at least one crystalline phase-change agent; an amorphous binder agent; and optionally one or more additives; where the at least one amorphous binder agent includes at least one ester compound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Adela GOREDEMA, Jennifer L. BELELIE, Rina CARLINI, Naveen CHOPRA, Kentaro MORIMITSU, Corey L. TRACY, Nathan M. BAMSEY
  • Patent number: 8721050
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head, contains: an energy generating element which generates thermal energy and contains a heat generation resistant layer and a pair of electrode layers whose end surfaces are separated from each other; an insulating layer covering the pair of electrode layers and the heat generation resistant layer and containing an insulating material; a protective layer provided above the insulating layer at least at a position corresponding to the energy generating element and containing a metal material containing iridium or ruthenium; and a covering layer provided at a position covering at least portions of the protective layer corresponding to the end surfaces of the pair of electrode layers in such a manner that a part of the protective layer is exposed and containing a metal material containing tantalum or niobium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuzuru Ishida, Maki Kato, Kenji Takahashi, Ichiro Saito
  • Patent number: 8721049
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead includes a plurality of nozzle chambers disposed on a substrate. Each nozzle chamber includes: a floor having an ink inlet defined therein; a roof having a nozzle aperture defined therein; sidewalls extending between the floor and the roof; and a heater element suspended in the nozzle chamber, the heater element being connected to corresponding electrodes so as to heat fluid within the nozzle chamber thereby forming a gas bubble in the fluid which causes ejection of fluid through the nozzle aperture. The ink inlet is laterally offset from the nozzle aperture and a plane of the heater is parallel with a plane of the roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Zamtec Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 8678557
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate structure for an ejection chip that includes a first substrate layer, a second substrate layer disposed beneath the first substrate layer, and an intermediate layer configured between the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer. The substrate structure also includes a plurality of fluid channels configured within the second substrate layer. Further, the substrate structure includes a plurality of fluid ports configured within the first substrate layer. At least one fluid port of the plurality of fluid ports is configured in alignment with a corresponding fluid channel of the plurality of fluid channels. Furthermore, the substrate structure includes a plurality of slots configured within the intermediate layer such that the at least one fluid port is in fluid communication with the corresponding fluid channel. Further disclosed is a method for fabricating the substrate structure and an ejection chip employing the substrate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jiandong Fang, James Mrvos
  • Patent number: 8678555
    Abstract: A method for preparing an integrated circuit or micro-electro-mechanical system chip sample for ion cross-section polishing is provided. The method includes preparing a polymer coating formulation. The polymer coating formulation includes a novolac epoxy resin, a bisphenol-A/epichlorhydrin epoxy resin, a photoacid generator, an adhesion promoter, and a mixture of acetophenone, cyclohexanone and butyrolactone organic solvents. The integrated circuit or micro-electro-mechanical system chip sample is encapsulated by the polymer coating formulation, wherein the chip sample is then ready for ion beam cross-section polishing. A cross-section sample of integrated circuit or micro-electro-mechanical system chip is prepared by polishing the obtained polymer encapsulated integrated circuit or micro-electro-mechanical system chip with ion beam cross-section polisher. The disclosed method allows the cross-section sample to be obtained at a reduced polishing time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Qing Zhang, Xiaoming Wu
  • Publication number: 20140078223
    Abstract: A printhead substrate, comprising an electrothermal transducer configured to heat a printing material, a first DMOS transistor configured to drive the electrothermal transducer, a MOS structure forming an anti-fuse element, a second DMOS transistor configured to write information in the anti-fuse element by causing an insulation breakdown of an insulating film of the MOS structure, and a driving unit consisted of at least one MOS transistor and configured to drive the second DMOS transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanobu Ohmura
  • Publication number: 20140063127
    Abstract: An inkjet ink composition includes (component A) C.I. Pigment Yellow 180, (component B) a fatty acid amide compound, and (component C) a high molecular weight dispersant. The method of producing an inkjet ink composition includes preliminary mixing (component A) C.I. Pigment Yellow 180 and (component B) a fatty acid amide compound to obtain a mixture, and mixing the mixture and (component C) a high molecular weight dispersant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tsutomu UMEBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20140063128
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a first unit configured to supply power, and a second unit including an input unit to which the power is input, a plurality of heaters connected to the input unit via a common power source line and configured to discharge liquid, an energization unit configured to energize the plurality of heaters, and a selection unit configured to select a target heater from the heaters for discharging liquid to be energized in turn by the energization unit for a period corresponding to a time interval at which liquid is discharged, wherein the selection unit further selects non-target heaters from the heaters to be energized different from the heater targeted for use for discharging liquid before and after the target heater is energized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryo Kasai, Nobuyuki Hirayama, Kengo Umeda
  • Publication number: 20140036002
    Abstract: A printing method includes supplying pigmented ink to inkjet printhead having array of dual feed thermal inkjet ejectors, wherein pigmented ink includes an aqueous carrier with pigment particle loading of at least 4 percent by weight and polymer loading of at least 1 percent by weight; ejecting a plurality of maintenance drops of pigmented ink from array of dual feed thermal inkjet ejectors prior to start of printing the image on recording medium; printing the image swath by swath by ejecting printing drops of pigmented ink on recording medium, wherein a plurality of printing swaths are required in order to complete printing of the image; and ejecting a plurality of maintenance drops of pigmented ink from array of dual feed thermal inkjet ejectors after a completion of printing the image on recording medium, wherein no maintenance drops are ejected between the start and the completion of printing of the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventors: Christopher Newell DELAMETTER, David Paul TRAUERNICHT, James West BLEASE, Thomas B. BRUST, John Andrew LEBENS
  • Publication number: 20140035976
    Abstract: A liquid ejection system includes a liquid ejector having a structure defining a chamber, the chamber including a first surface and a second surface, the first surface including a nozzle orifice; a resistive heater located on the second surface of the chamber opposite the nozzle orifice; a first liquid feed channel and a second liquid feed channel being in fluid communication with the chamber; and a segmented liquid inlet, a first segment of the liquid inlet being in fluid communication with the first liquid feed channel, and a second segment of the liquid inlet being in fluid communication with the second liquid feed channel; and a liquid supply comprising a liquid including a carrier fluid and a solids content that is greater than 5 percent by weight, wherein the liquid supply is fluidically connected to the segmented liquid inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventors: James West Blease, Christopher Newell Delametter, Thomas B. Brust, David Paul Trauernicht, John Andrew Lebens
  • Publication number: 20140022311
    Abstract: A thermal bubble jetting device including a substrate. A superoleophobic, textured surface is positioned on the substrate. The textured surface comprises one or more gaps configured for holding a gas. A receptacle is positioned in fluid communication with the textured surface. Both an inlet and nozzle are in fluid communication with the receptacle. The device includes a heater mechanism configured to expand a gas in the one or more gaps so as to sufficiently increase pressure in the receptacle to force liquid through the nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kock-Yee Law, Jun Ma, Hong Zhao, Peter M. Gulvin
  • Publication number: 20140022310
    Abstract: A liquid dispenser includes a first liquid chamber and a second liquid chamber. The first liquid chamber includes a nozzle. A heater is associated with the second liquid chamber. A flexible corrugated membrane is positioned to separate and fluidically seal the first liquid chamber and the second liquid chamber from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Inventors: Yonglin Xie, Qing Yang, James A. Katerberg
  • Publication number: 20140022312
    Abstract: An inkjet nozzle assembly includes: a nozzle chamber having a planar roof spaced apart from a floor, the roof having a nozzle aperture defined therein; and a heater element disposed in the nozzle chamber, the heater element being configured as a planar beam extending longitudinally and parallel with a plane of the roof. The nozzle aperture is elliptical having a centroid, a major axis and a minor axis, the major axis of the nozzle aperture is parallel with a longitudinal axis of the beam, the centroid of the nozzle aperture is offset from a longitudinal centroid of the planar beam, and the minor axis of the nozzle aperture overlaps with a whole width of the beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: ZAMTEC LIMITED
    Inventors: Angus John North, Kia Silverbrook, Brian Robert Brown, Samuel James Myers, Jennifer Mia Fishburn, Samuel George Malinson, Paul Justin Reichl
  • Publication number: 20130328973
    Abstract: The invention provides an ink for use in an ink jet recording process in which an ink is ejected from a recording head by the action of thermal energy, comprising a pigment, a water-soluble polyurethane polymer, a compound represented by a general formula (1) having a weight-average molecular weight of 1,000 or more and 8,500 or less, and a polyethylene oxide alkyl ether the alkyl group of which has 12 or more carbon atoms, wherein based on the total mass of the ink the content (mass %) of the compound represented by the general formula (1) is 0.4 times or more and 10.0 times or less in terms of mass ratio with respect to the content (mass %) of the polyethylene oxide alkyl ether.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kakikawa, Kouhei Nakagawa, Yuhei Shimizu, Takakazu Mizutani, Hideki Takayama
  • Publication number: 20130300803
    Abstract: The invention provides an ink containing a self-dispersion pigment in which a phosphonic acid group is bonded directly or through another atomic group to the surface thereof and a polyurethane polymer, wherein the surface charge amount of the self-dispersion pigment is 0.25 mmol/g or more and 0.42 mmol/g or less, and the polyurethane polymer has units respectively derived from a polyisocyanate, a polyether polyol having no acid group and a diol having an acid group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenichi Shiiba, Daiji Okamura, Kousuke Yamasaki
  • Publication number: 20130300805
    Abstract: An ink used for an inkjet recording method for discharging the ink from a recording head by an action of thermal energy contains self-dispersing carbon black, a polyurethane polymer having an acid value of 40 mg KOH/g or more, and an acryl polymer having an acid value of 100 mg KOH/g or more and 200 mg KOH/g or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shin-ichi Hakamada, Daiji Okamura, Kousuke Yamasaki, Yuki Nishino, Kenichi Shiiba
  • Publication number: 20130300804
    Abstract: The invention provides an ink containing a polyurethane polymer which has units respectively derived from a polyisocyanate, a polyether polyol having no acid group and a diol having an acid group and has an acid value of 40 mg KOH/g or more and 140 mg KOH/g or less, a carbon black and at least one antioxidant selected from compounds represented by the general formulae (1) to (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daiji Okamura, Kousuke Yamasaki, Kenichi Shiiba
  • Patent number: 8567933
    Abstract: A liquid dispenser is provided that includes a liquid supply channel, a liquid dispensing channel, and a liquid return channel. The liquid dispensing channel includes a wall. The wall includes a surface. A portion of the wall defines an outlet opening that includes a downstream edge relative to a direction of liquid flow through the liquid dispensing channel. The downstream edge is perpendicular to the surface of the wall of the liquid dispensing channel. A liquid is provided that flows from the liquid supply channel through the liquid dispensing channel to the liquid return channel. A liquid drop is caused to be ejected from the outlet opening of the liquid dispensing channel by selectively actuating a diverter member to divert a portion of the flowing liquid through the outlet opening of the liquid dispensing channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Yonglin Xie, Qing Yang
  • Patent number: RE44825
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to resolve the noise problem with the ink in an ink jet head without changing the substrate manufacturing process for the ink jet head, that is, increasing the cost on the manufacture, and without needs of disposing a noise countermeasure component on the side of the printer main device, or making the design change for the countermeasure. The present invention is characterized in that to prevent malfunction from arising by the noise, a hysteresis circuit to provide different input data threshold values upon rising and falling is provided on an input portion of the signal for a drive control logic system such as a drive input signal for a shift register and a latch circuit on the same substrate as that of the heating elements, the driver and the drive control logic circuit, utilizing a diffusion layer constituting a driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Imanaka, Tatsuo Furukawa, Kimiyuki Hayasaki, Hiroyuki Maru, Masaaki Izumida