Abstract: An actuator component for a droplet ejection head; wherein said actuator component comprises a substrate and one or more strips of piezoelectric material fixedly attached to said substrate; wherein said one or more strips of piezoelectric material comprise one or more layers of piezoelectric material, and an array of fluid chambers defined within said one or more strips of piezoelectric material and extending in an array direction; wherein said actuator component further comprises one or more cover parts; wherein the or each cover part extends in said array direction and is fixedly attached to at least one of a side face of one of said strips of piezoelectric material and/or at least a portion of said substrate; and wherein said one or more cover parts comprise a plurality of openings so as to enable fluid to be supplied to selected ones of said fluid chambers through said openings. Associated methods of manufacturing an actuator component for a droplet ejection head are also provided.

Abstract: A droplet deposition apparatus, such as an inkjet printhead, that includes an integrally-formed manifold component and one or more actuator components; these actuator components provide an first array of fluid chambers, each of which has a piezoelectric actuator element and a nozzle, with this piezoelectric actuator element being able to cause the release in a deposition direction of fluid droplets through the nozzle in response to electrical signals; the first array of fluid chambers extends in an array direction from a first longitudinal end to a second, opposite longitudinal end, this array direction being perpendicular to the deposition direction; in addition, the manifold component is elongate in the array direction and includes a first and second manifold chambers, with these manifold chambers extending side-by-side in the array direction and the first manifold chamber being fluidically connected to the second manifold chamber via each of the fluid chambers in the first array; the cross-sectional area o

Abstract: A droplet deposition apparatus, such as an inkjet printhead, that includes an integrally-formed manifold component and one or more actuator components; these actuator components provide an first array of fluid chambers, each of which has a piezoelectric actuator element and a nozzle, with this piezoelectric actuator element being able to cause the release in a deposition direction of fluid droplets through the nozzle in response to electrical signals; the first array of fluid chambers extends in an array direction from a first longitudinal end to a second, opposite longitudinal end, this array direction being perpendicular to the deposition direction; in addition, the manifold component is elongate in the array direction and includes a first and second manifold chambers, with these manifold chambers extending side-by-side in the array direction and the first manifold chamber being fluidically connected to the second manifold chamber via each of the fluid chambers in the first array; the cross-sectional area o

Abstract: A droplet deposition apparatus, such as an inkjet printhead, that includes an integrally-formed manifold component and one or more actuator components; these actuator components provide an first array of fluid chambers, each of which has a piezoelectric actuator element and a nozzle, with this piezoelectric actuator element being able to cause the release in a deposition direction of fluid droplets through the nozzle in response to electrical signals; the first array of fluid chambers extends in an array direction from a first longitudinal end to a second, opposite longitudinal end, this array direction being perpendicular to the deposition direction; in addition, the manifold component is elongate in the array direction and includes a first and second manifold chambers, with these manifold chambers extending side-by-side in the array direction and the first manifold chamber being fluidically connected to the second manifold chamber via each of the fluid chambers in the first array; the cross-sectional area o

Abstract: A droplet deposition apparatus, such as an inkjet printhead, that includes an integrally-formed manifold component and one or more actuator components; these actuator components provide an first array of fluid chambers, each of which has a piezoelectric actuator element and a nozzle, with this piezoelectric actuator element being able to cause the release in a deposition direction of fluid droplets through the nozzle in response to electrical signals; the first array of fluid chambers extends in an array direction from a first longitudinal end to a second, opposite longitudinal end, this array direction being perpendicular to the deposition direction; in addition, the manifold component is elongate in the array direction and includes a first and second manifold chambers, with these manifold chambers extending side-by-side in the array direction and the first manifold chamber being fluidically connected to the second manifold chamber via each of the fluid chambers in the first array; the cross-sectional area o

Abstract: A mechanical device for maintaining parallelism includes first, second, third and fourth bars. The first side surface of the first bar and the first side surface of the second bar are bridged by a first flexure, leaving a gap between the bottom surface of the first bar and the upper surface of the second bar; the second side surface of the second bar and the second side surface of the third bar are bridged by a second flexure, leaving a gap between the bottom surface of the second bar and the upper surface of the third bar; and the first side surface of the third bar and the first side surface of the fourth bar are bridged by a third flexure, leaving a gap between the bottom surface of the third bar and the upper surface of the fourth bar.

Abstract: A mechanical device for maintaining parallelism includes first, second, third and fourth bars. The first side surface of the first bar and the first side surface of the second bar are bridged by a first flexure, leaving a gap between the bottom surface of the first bar and the upper surface of the second bar; the second side surface of the second bar and the second side surface of the third bar are bridged by a second flexure, leaving a gap between the bottom surface of the second bar and the upper surface of the third bar; and the first side surface of the third bar and the first side surface of the fourth bar are bridged by a third flexure, leaving a gap between the bottom surface of the third bar and the upper surface of the fourth bar.