Abstract: An inkjet printer that has an array of ink chambers, each with a nozzle, a droplet stem anchor and a thermal actuator. The thermal actuator generates a vapor bubble in the ink chamber to eject ink through the nozzle. The thermal actuator has a plurality of heater elements connected in parallel with a cross bracing structure extending between the heater elements. The cross bracing structure also providing the droplet stem anchor. During use, the vapor bubble generated by the thermal actuator grows until it vents to atmosphere through the nozzle and the ink ejected from the nozzle is attached to the droplet stem anchor by an ink stem until the stem breaks and the ejected ink forms a separate drop.

Abstract: A printer includes a heating roller unit that heats recording paper at a position downstream of a recording head, which is provided at an upstream position, in the direction of the transportation of the recording paper. The recording head ejects ink to the recording paper that is transported from an upstream side to a downstream side. The heating roller unit is disposed along the direction of the width of the recording paper, which intersects with the transportation direction thereof. The heating roller unit is divided into a plurality of areas in the width direction. Heat applied by first areas of the plurality of areas to the recording paper is different from heat applied by second areas, which are adjacent to the first areas in the width direction, to the recording paper.

Abstract: A heater stack includes first strata configured to support and form a fluid heater element responsive to energy from repetitive electrical activation and deactivation to fire repetitive cycles of heating and ejecting fluid from an ejection chamber above the fluid heater element and second strata overlying the first strata and contiguous with the ejection chamber to provide protection of the fluid heater element. The first strata includes a substrate and a heater substrata overlying the substrate and including a resistive layer having lateral portions spaced apart, a central portion extending between the lateral portions and defining the fluid heater element, and transitional portions interconnecting the central portion and lateral portions and elevating the central portion relative to the lateral portions and above the substrate to form a gap between the lateral portions and between the central portion and substrate insulating the substrate from the fluid heater element.

Abstract: A unit cell for an inkjet printhead includes a substrate that defines an ink inlet passage, the substrate incorporating drive circuitry. Side walls are arranged on the substrate. A nozzle plate is arranged on the side walls such that the nozzle plate and the side walls define an ink chamber in fluid communication with the inlet passage. The nozzle plate defines an aperture in fluid communication with the ink chamber. A heater element is connected to the drive circuitry. The heater element is configured to generate a bubble of ink to be ejected from the aperture on receipt of an electrical signal from the drive circuitry. The heater element is suspended in the ink chamber such that, when ink is supplied to the chamber, the heater element is immersed in the ink. The heater element is configured so that a collapse point of the bubble is at a position spaced from the heater element.

Abstract: A reliable print head with improved reliability is less likely to be damaged by possible cavitation in ink inside a bubbling chamber. A plurality of ink supply paths through which the ink is supplied to the bubbling chamber are connected to the bubbling chamber. Communication positions where the plurality of ink supply paths communicate with the energy acting chamber are formed such that distances from a heater formation surface of the communication positions are different from each other along a direction orthogonal to the heater formation surface.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a substrate including a plurality of nozzle arrays formed by arranging nozzles having heat generating elements generating thermal energy for discharging a liquid, and a plurality of common liquid chambers formed along the plurality of nozzle arrays and supplies the liquid to the plurality of nozzle arrays, the substrate being divided into a plurality of substrate portions by the plurality of common liquid chambers. The substrate includes a first substrate portion having a first nozzle array among the plurality of nozzle arrays and a second substrate portion having a second nozzle array different from the first nozzle array and a thermal capacity larger than that of the first substrate portion, and a heating area of the first heat generating element provided in the first nozzle array is smaller than that of the second heat generating element provided in the second nozzle array.

Abstract: A thermal bend actuator including: a pair of electrical contacts positioned at one end of the actuator; an active beam connected to the electrical contacts and extending longitudinally away from the contacts, the active beam defining a bent current flow path between the contacts; and a passive beam fused to the active beam. When a current is passed through the active beam, the active beam heats and expands relative to the passive beam, resulting in bending of the actuator. The active beam includes a resistive heating bar having a relatively smaller cross-sectional area than any other part of the current flow path. Heating of the active beam is concentrated in the heating bar.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a fluid ejector structure includes: a chamber; a bridge spanning at least part of the chamber; a channel through which fluid may enter the chamber; a fluid ejector element on the bridge; and an outlet through which fluid may be ejected from the chamber at the urging of the fluid ejector element. The outlet is disposed opposite the fluid ejector element across a depth of the chamber and the chamber, ejector element and outlet are configured with respect to one another such that substantially all of the fluid in the chamber is ejected through the outlet upon actuation of the ejector element.

Abstract: A droplet discharge head including a nozzle substrate having nozzle openings, a cavity substrate having discharge chambers that communicate with the nozzle openings and discharge droplets from the nozzle openings, a reservoir substrate having a reservoir concave portion that serves as a reservoir which communicates commonly with the discharge chambers. The reservoir substrate is provided between the nozzle substrate and the cavity substrate and a resin thin film is formed on a whole inner face of the reservoir concave portion and on a bottom face of a second concave portion. The second concave portion is provided in a peripheral of the reservoir concave portion and has a depth which is smaller than the depth of the reservoir concave portion. The resin thin film is cut circularly so as to surround the reservoir concave portion, and a part of the resin thin film serves as a diaphragm buffering pressure variation. serves as a diaphragm buffering pressure variation.

Abstract: Provided is a nozzle arrangement for an ink jet printer. The arrangement includes a wafer substrate with a layer of drive circuitry, said substrate defining an ink supply channel through the substrate leading to an ink chamber with a roof defining an ink ejection port. The arrangement also includes an ink ejection arrangement for ejecting ink from the ink chamber via the port, said ink ejection arrangement having four symmetrically arranged thermal bend actuators each connected to a respective side to ensure that the roof is operatively displaced in a rectilinear manner during ink ejection.

Abstract: A fluid ejection device with a firing chamber from which fluid is ejected, a heating element that heats fluid in the firing chamber and, drive circuitry for the heating element having a field effect transistor (FET). At least part of the firing chamber overlaps the FET when viewed in a direction parallel to the direction of fluid ejection, and the firing chamber and the FET is separated by a layer of insulating material.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a head group having a plurality of heads provided with supply ports for supplying liquid to the heads, the heads being arranged in a nozzle-array direction and ejecting the liquid therefrom to form an image; and a heating portion that heats the liquid to be supplied to the head group, the heating portion being disposed between the supply ports of the heads located at opposite ends in the nozzle-array direction.

Abstract: A printhead is provided having nozzles and heaters having heater elements and electrodes connecting current from a power source to the heater elements to heat, and form gas bubbles in, liquid within the nozzles which causes ejection of the liquid from the nozzles. The heaters are formed of layers of a single material. A first layer of the single material has portions of different thickness respectively defining the heater elements and electrodes. A second layer of the single material overlaying and spaced from the first layer has a single thickness defining the electrodes.

Abstract: A recording element substrate includes a recording element array including a plurality of recording elements, a drive circuit configured to drive the recording elements, and a heater located to surround the recording element array as viewed in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the recording element substrate and located above or below a capacitive element or a resistive element included in the drive circuit as viewed on a cross section of the recording element substrate.

Abstract: There is disclosed a printhead integrated circuit (IC) which comprises a plurality of nozzles and one or more heater elements 10 corresponding to each nozzle. Each heater element 10 is configured to heat a bubble forming liquid 11 in the printhead to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble 12 therein. The generation of the bubble 12 causes the ejection of a drop of an ejectable liquid (such as ink) through an ejection aperture 5 in each nozzle, to effect printing. In each nozzle, the heater element 10 requires an electrical pulse with a voltage less than 8 volts and a duration less than 1.5 microseconds, to form the vapor bubble that causes the ejection of the drop. With the realization that drive pulse voltages above, say, 12 volts are not a fixed parameter of printhead design, the benefits of low voltage printhead operation can be incorporated into a design that yields efficiencies that negate the circumstances that created the initial demand for high voltage operation.

Abstract: A die for a thermal drop-on-demand fluid-ejection device includes thermal firing resistors, low-side switches, and high-side switches. The thermal firing resistors are organized over resistor groups such that each thermal firing resistor is located within only one of the resistor groups. The resistor groups are lesser in number than the thermal firing resistors. Each thermal firing resistor has a first end and a second end. The low-side switches are equal in number to the thermal firing resistors. Each low-side switch connects the second end of a corresponding thermal firing resistor to a low voltage. The high-side switches are equal in number to the resistor groups. Each high-side switch connects the first ends of the thermal firing resistors of a corresponding resistor group to power providing a voltage greater than the low voltage.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head includes recording element substrates each including at least one nozzle array and heat generating resistors, a common liquid chamber having introducing and discharging ports, and a supporting member mounting the recording element substrates and in which a plurality of individual liquid chambers for supplying the ink to respective recording element substrates and a plurality of ink inlet ports for supplying the ink from the common liquid chamber to respective individual liquid chambers are formed. The individual liquid chambers are arranged in a direction of flow of the ink from the ink introducing port toward the discharging port. At least in a most upstream individual liquid chamber with respect to the direction, a center line of an associated inlet port with respect to the direction is located downstream of a center line of the upstream individual liquid chamber with respect to the direction.

Abstract: On a liquid ejection head substrate, an upper protective layer, as well as coming into contact with a resin layer of a path forming member having an ejection opening, comes into contact with ink in a heat generating portion inside the channel formed. The upper protective layer contains iridium and silicon. The upper protective layer is configured so that, at a surface in contact with the ink and resin layer, Ir100-XSiX attains a 15 at. %?X?30 at. % silicon content rate, and that X approaches zero as a position in the upper protective layer approaches an adhesion layer. As a result, at the interface where the upper protective layer comes into contact with the path forming member, by the silicon attaining the heretofore described content rate, it is possible to improve the adhesion with the path forming member made of resin compared with a case of using iridium alone.

Abstract: An inkjet nozzle assembly comprises: a nozzle chamber for containing ink, the nozzle chamber having a nozzle opening defined in a roof thereof; and a bubble-forming heater element positioned in the nozzle chamber. The heater element is suspended in the nozzle chamber and parallel with a plane of the roof. The heater element is comprised of solid material having a total mass of less than 10 nanograms.

Abstract: A data transmission circuit that converts parallel data signals into a serial data signal to transmit the serial data signal includes a clock generation circuit, an output circuit, and a shift register circuit for securely conducting data communication among internal elements regardless of the improvement in data transfer rate, the increase in manufacturing variance, the variation in power supply voltage and temperature, and the like. The clock generation circuit generates a clock signal. The output circuit is provided to output the serial data signal. The shift register circuit acquires the parallel data signals and sequentially transfers the acquired parallel data signals to the output circuit in a bitwise manner with the use of a shift operation synchronized with the clock signal from the clock generation circuit.

Abstract: A printhead IC with an array of nozzles 3. A chamber 7 and a heater 14 correspond to each nozzle respectively. The heater has a heater element 10 extending between a pair of electrodes 15. The heater element 10 is suspended in the chamber 7 by the electrodes 15 to heat printing fluid and generate a vapour bubble to cause a drop of the printing fluid to eject through the nozzle 3. Integrated circuit metalization layers corresponding to each of the nozzles supply electrical energy to the heater 14. The heater 14 and the integrated circuit metalization layers 23 are substantially planar and at least partially overlapping, the metallization layers electrically connected to the heater electrodes 15 by vias, the cross sectional area of all the vias being greater than 50% of the surface area of one side of the heater 14. A relatively large number of vias lowers the electrical resistance between the electrodes and the CMOS metalization layers.

Abstract: The landing precision of ink drops is improved to improve the image quality and increase the printing speed. An inkjet print head ejects ink supplied from an ink supply port from a plurality of ejection ports respectively connecting to ink paths having different flow resistances by using energy generated by a plurality of electrothermal transducer elements respectively corresponding to the plurality of the ejection ports, wherein each of the plurality of the ejection ports connected to the ink paths having a low ink flow resistance is arranged so that the center of each of the plurality of the ejection ports is positioned farther away from the ink supply port to the center of the corresponding electrothermal transducer element than each of the plurality of the ejection ports connected to the ink paths having a high ink flow resistance.

Abstract: A nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead includes a substrate defining an ink inlet; a plurality of posts extending from the substrate; a roof portion defining an ejection port, the roof portion supported by the plurality of posts; a plurality of vanes extending from the substrate and arranged to form a wall of a chamber around the ink inlet; and a plurality of thermal bend actuators respectively positioned at a base of each vane, each thermal bend actuator having a fixed end in the vicinity of one of the plurality of posts and a displaceable end opposite the fixed end. The plurality of thermal bend actuator are adapted to bend said vanes inwards with respect to the chamber in an iris-type manner to reduce a volume of the chamber, whereby ink is ejected from the chamber via the ejection port.

Abstract: In an ink jet head using a thermal energy for ejecting ink, this invention aims to reliably and uniformly remove kogations deposited on a heat application portion in contact with the ink. To realize this objective, the upper protective layer is arranged in an area including the heat application portion so that it can be electrically connected to serve as an electrode which causes an electrochemical reaction with the ink. The upper protective layer is formed of a material containing a metal which is dissolved by the electrochemical reaction and which does not form, on heating, an oxide film which hinders the dissolution. With this arrangement, a reliable electrochemical reaction can be produced to dissolve a surface layer of the upper protective layer, thereby removing kogations on the heat application portion reliably and uniformly.

Abstract: A thermal bend actuator includes: a first active cantilever beam for connection to drive circuitry, the first beam having a bent planar beam element; a second passive cantilever beam fused to the first beam; a conduction pad sandwiched between the first and second beams; and first and second adjacent electrode contacts positioned at one side of the actuator. A first end of the beam element is connected to the first contact and a second end of the beam element is connected to the second contact.

Abstract: A method of producing an ink jet printhead includes steps of forming a substrate having defined therein a nozzle chamber for receiving and storing a fluid, the chamber fed at one side by an inlet passage; forming a nozzle plate in-situ on the substrate to define a nozzle opening on an opposite side of the nozzle chamber to the inlet passage; and forming first and second heater elements suspended between the nozzle opening and the inlet passage, the heater elements having two opposite planar sides and positioned to be in direct thermal contact with the fluid stored in the nozzle chamber at both opposed planar sides. The first heater element is formed on a different layer to the second heater element. The first heater element is formed with a surface area larger than that the second heater element.

Abstract: A thermal bend actuator comprising: (a) a pair of electrical contacts positioned at one end of the actuator; (b) an active beam connected to the electrical contacts and extending longitudinally away from the contacts, the active beam defining a bent current flow path between the contacts; and (c) a passive beam fused to the active beam. When a current is passed through the active beam, the active beam heats and expands relative to the passive beam, resulting in bending of the actuator. The active beam comprises a resistive heating bar having a relatively smaller cross-sectional area than any other part of the current flow path. Heating of the active beam is concentrated in the heating bar.

Abstract: Provided is an inkjet nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead. The arrangement includes a wafer substrate defining sidewalls and a roof portion to form an ink chamber, the roof portion further defining a nozzle aperture, as well as a heater element suspended inside the ink chamber for thermal expansion and subsequent ejection of ink from the chamber via the nozzle aperture. The arrangement also includes a nozzle rim defined about the aperture on the roof portion, said rim having an inner and an outer lip to facilitate ink drop misdirection during ink ejection to minimise cavitation corrosion of the heater element.

Abstract: An inkjet printer head includes a substrate, an insulating layer having a groove and disposed on the substrate, a heating member having a concavely curved upper surface and disposed on an upper portion of the groove, an electrode to make contact with the heating member to apply electric current to the heating member, a chamber layer disposed on the heating member, and a nozzle layer having one or more nozzles and disposed on the chamber layer. According to the inkjet printer head, the heating member has a curved structure to increase a length of the heating member, so that resistance of the heating member can be increased. Thus, the heating member can stably operate regardless of current variation applied thereto, and the printing work can be performed.

Abstract: A micro-electromechanical ejection mechanism is disclosed for ejecting an ink droplet. The mechanism has a wafer substrate and an ink chamber formed on the wafer substrate. The ink chamber has an ink ejection nozzle formed in a roof thereof and an ink inlet port formed in a floor thereof. A paddle device is arranged inside the ink chamber between the inlet port and the ejection nozzle A bi-layer thermal actuator coil is also included with a first end thereof fast with the substrate and a second end connected to the paddle device. Heating of the thermal actuator coil displaces the paddle device, causing ejection of an ink droplet through the ink ejection nozzle.

Abstract: Provided are a printing head and an inkjet printing apparatus, which eject liquid droplets without leaving behind any bubble in each nozzle, thus having an enhanced durability. An ejection port of the printing head includes a first ejection port part communicating with the atmosphere and a second ejection port part having a cross-section orthogonal to an ejection direction being larger than a cross-section of the first ejection port part orthogonal to the ejection direction, and being formed between the energy effect chamber and the first ejection port part. In addition, the second ejection port part is formed to be eccentric to an electrothermal transducing element in an ink supply direction in which ink is supplied from an ink supplying port to the bubbling chamber.

Abstract: An inkjet nozzle assembly includes a nozzle chamber comprising a floor and a roof. The roof has a nozzle opening defined therein, and a moving portion moveable towards the floor. The assembly further comprises a thermal bend actuator, defining at least part of the moving portion of the roof, for ejecting ink through the nozzle opening. The thermal bend actuator comprises an upper first beam for connection to drive circuitry and a lower second beam mechanically cooperating with the first beam, such that when a current is passed through the first beam, the first beam expands relative to the second beam resulting in bending of the moving portion towards the floor of the nozzle chamber.

Abstract: A printhead includes a substrate defining a plurality of ink inlet channels; a drive circuitry layer; and a plurality of nozzle arrangements. Each nozzle arrangement comprises a wall portion bounding a respective ink inlet channel, a crown portion defining an ink outlet, and a skirt portion depending from the crown portion. The crown, skirt and wall portions define a nozzle chamber. The printhead further includes an elongate actuator provided within the nozzle chamber and connected to the crown portion at one end and anchored to the substrate at an opposite end; and conductive pads provided at the anchor point of the elongate actuator, the conductive pads being provided between the elongate actuator and the substrate. The elongate actuator receives electrical signals from the drive circuitry via the conductive pads, and upon receipt of electrical signals from the drive circuitry, displaces towards and away from the substrate.

Abstract: Provided is a method of operating a nozzle chamber. The nozzle chamber has a wafer defining a chamber with an ink ejection port and ink supply channel along with a plurality of radially positioned actuators about the port. Each actuator has an internal serpentine core arranged in signal communication with a CMOS layer on the wafer. The method includes the steps of supplying the chamber with ink via the ink supply channel, and passing current through the serpentine cores for a predetermined period of time. The current produces thermal expansion of the actuators into the chamber to increase a chamber ink pressure to eject ink from the ejection port.

Abstract: A micro-electromechanical integrated circuit device comprises a substrate; drive circuitry positioned on the substrate; and a plurality of elongate actuators. Each actuator comprises a fixed end portion fast with the substrate, a free end portion that is spaced from the substrate, and a heating circuit that is connected to the drive circuitry to heat the actuator. A portion of the actuator is formed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion such that the material is capable of performing work by thermal expansion. The heating circuit is positioned to generate differential thermal expansion and contraction when heated and cooled to cause reciprocal displacement of the free end portion of the actuator. Each actuator is a laminated structure having a first metal layer and a dielectric layer, the first metal layer being interposed between the dielectric layer and the substrate and defining the heating circuit.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for dispensing liquid are disclosed. The method includes the steps of storing one or more liquids in a thermal inkjet print head and providing a well plate having at least one well. At least one of the liquids is dispensed from the thermal inkjet print head into at least one well. The volume of the dispensed liquid is a fraction of the total required volume of the liquid in the at least one well, and the dispensing step is performed multiple times to dispense the required volume of the at least one liquid in at least one well.

Abstract: An inkjet nozzle assembly comprises a nozzle chamber having a floor and a roof, the roof having a nozzle opening defined therein. A moving portion defines part of the roof so that the moving portion is moveable towards the floor. A thermal actuator defines part of the moving portion. The thermal actuator comprises a first active beam for connection to drive circuitry and a second passive beam mechanically cooperating with the first beam, such that when a current is passed through the first beam, the first beam expands relative to the second beam resulting in bending of the actuator. The first active beam is disposed on an upper surface of the passive beam relative to the floor.

Abstract: A thermal bend actuator comprises an active beam for connection to drive circuitry and a passive beam mechanically cooperating with the active beam. When a current is passed through the active beam, the active beam expands relative to the passive beam resulting in bending of the actuator. The passive beam comprises a first layer comprised of silicon nitride and a second layer comprised of silicon dioxide. The second layer is sandwiched between the first layer and the active beam to provide thermal insulation for the first layer.

Abstract: A printhead assembly is provided for a printer system. The printhead assembly includes an elongate substrate defining a channel and spaced apart sets of ink supply holes. An ink distribution arrangement is located within the channel and is configured to distribute ink to the sets of ink supply holes. A first plate is in engagement with the substrate to hold the ink distribution arrangement within the channel. A power supply arrangement is also located within the channel. A second plate is in engagement with the substrate so that the power supply arrangement is sandwiched between the plates and held within the channel.

Abstract: Embodiments of a heating element of a fluid ejection device are disclosed.

Abstract: Provided is a micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead. The arrangement includes a substrate defining an inverted pyramidal ink chamber with a vertex thereof terminating at an ink supply channel through the substrate, said substrate having a layer of CMOS drive circuitry. The arrangements also includes a roof structure connected to the drive circuitry layer and covering the ink chamber, the roof structure defining a fluid ejection nozzle rim above said chamber in addition to ink flow guide rails to minimize wicking along the nozzle rim according to surface tension effects of ink in the chamber. Also included is a plurality of actuators displaceable with respect to, and radially spaced about, the nozzle rim, and in between, the guide rails.

Abstract: An ejection nozzle assembly is provided having a substrate defining a fluid supply passage, drive circuitry on the substrate, a chamber on the drive circuitry and in fluid communication with the fluid supply passage and an ejection port, an ejection member disposed between the fluid supply passage and the ejection port, and a heater element electrically coupled to the drive circuitry and the ejection member for causing ejection of fluid from the ejection port.

Abstract: An ink jet printhead with an array of nozzles unit cells 1. Each of the unit cells having one or more heaters 10 configured to form a gas bubble 12 in ejectable liquid held in the nozzle chamber. The generation of the bubble 12 causes the ejection of a drop 16 of an ejectable liquid (such as ink) through an ejection aperture 5 in each nozzle 3, to effect printing. The nozzle unit cells 1 are manufactured using semiconductor and micro mechanical techniques such that the spacing between adjacent nozzle apertures 5 in the printhead is less than 100 microns. With the use of semiconductor and micro mechanical manufacturing techniques, the dimension of the nozzles structures can be kept relatively small without significant increases in manufacturing costs. Therefore, the nozzle density in the printhead can be increased for greater printing resolution.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes plural ejection outlets for ejecting droplets; liquid flow paths in fluid communication with the ejection outlets; and a liquid supply opening for supplying the liquid to the liquid flow paths. The ejection outlets include first and second ejection outlets disposed at least at one side of the liquid supply opening and are staggered. The first ejection outlets are nearer to the liquid supply opening than the second ejection outlets. Each of first recording elements corresponding to the first ejection outlets includes one rectangular heat generating resistor having a long side extending along a direction crossing with an arranging direction of the ejection outlets. Each of second recording elements corresponding to the second ejection outlets comprises plural rectangular heat generating resistors which are adjacent to each other at long sides thereof and are electrically connected in series.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling temperature profiles in ejection mechanisms is provided. A heater includes a first resistor segment having an electrical resistivity, a second resistor segment; and a coupling segment positioned between the first resistor segment and the second resistor segment. The coupling segment has an electrical resistivity, wherein the ratio of the resistivity of the coupling segment to the resistivity of the first resistor segment is substantially zero. Alternatively, the first resistor segment has an electrical conductivity and the coupling segment has an electrical conductivity, wherein the electrical conductivity of the coupling segment is greater than the electrical conductivity of the first resistor segment.

Abstract: A nozzle arrangement for an ink jet printhead. The nozzle arrangement includes a wafer substrate arrangement defining an ink inlet channel and a first wall surrounding the ink inlet channel; a movable ink ejection structure defining an ink ejection port and a second wall surrounding the first wall so that the wafer substrate arrangement and ink ejection structure together define a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet channel and the ink ejection port; and a plurality of thermal bend actuators movably coupling the ink ejection structure to the wafer substrate arrangement. Each actuator includes an arm for moving the ink ejection structure responsive to an applied electrical signal, whereby a volume of the nozzle chamber is varied. Each wall is endless.

Abstract: The present invention provides, in order to hermetically seal more surely a gap between a back surface of a liquid discharge substrate and a front surface of a support member, and an electrode portion etc. without adversely affecting discharge performance, wherein a liquid discharge head includes, first sealing resin coated on a portion between the liquid supply port and the pad on the support surface so as to surround a tip end portion at the liquid supply port of the support member and second sealing resin for sealing a gap between the support member and the liquid discharge substrate, and a peripheral part of the liquid supply port.

Abstract: A printhead integrated circuit including a MEMS layer having a plurality of nozzle assemblies and a CMOS layer having control circuitry. Each nozzle assembly includes a heater element for ejecting ink and sensing a temperature of the nozzle assembly. The control circuitry modifies operation of the heater elements in response to a sensed temperature exceeding a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A thermal inkjet printhead includes a plurality of bonding pads to which an external voltage is applied, a plurality of common wires connected to the each of the bonding pads, respectively, a plurality of individual wires connected to each of the common wires, respectively, and heaters connected to each of the individual wires, respectively, to generate ink bubbles by heating ink, wherein each of the common wires includes a first metal layer and a first metal bump which are formed on the first metal layer.

Abstract: A droplet generator (100, 600, 700) having a bubble purging fluidic architecture comprises a firing chamber (110, 610, 710); an inlet (155, 655) fluidically connecting the firing chamber (110, 610, 710) to a fluid reservoir (140, 640, 740); and an outlet (120, 400, 620, 720) configured to pass fluid droplets being ejected from the firing chamber (110, 610, 710). The geometry of the outlet (120, 400, 620, 720) and the geometry of the inlet (155, 655) are configured such that the outlet (120, 400, 620, 720) geometry has a substantially lower barrier to expansion or motion of a bubble (300, 310, 410) than the inlet (155, 655) geometry.