Patents by Inventor Christopher Allen Craft

Christopher Allen Craft has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8158336
    Abstract: A method of making a micro-fluid ejection head structure and micro-fluid ejection heads made by the method. The method includes applying a tantalum oxide layer to a surface of a fluid ejection actuator disposed on a device surface of a substrate so that the tantalum oxide layer is the topmost layer of a plurality of layers including a resistive layer, and a protective layer selected from a passivation layer, a cavitation layer, and a combination of a passivation layer and a cavitation layer. The tantalum oxide layer has a thickness (t) that satisfies an equation t=(¼*W/n), wherein W is a wavelength of radiation from a radiation source, and n is a refractive index of the tantalum oxide layer. A photoimageable layer is also applied to the substrate. The photoimageable layer is imaged with the radiation source and then developed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Byron Vencent Bell, Christopher Allen Craft, Bryan Thomas Fannin, Burton Lee Joyner, II, Sean Terrence Weaver
  • Patent number: 7954926
    Abstract: A nozzle plate for a micro-fluid ejection head, a method of making a hydrophobic nozzle plate, and a method for improving the resiliency of a nozzle plate. The nozzle has a photoimageable hydrophobic polycyclic polyolefin layer derived from an epoxy functionalized polynorbornene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Michael Bertelsen, Christopher Allen Craft, Bryan Thomas Fannin, David Christopher Graham, Kelly Ann Killeen, Bart Allan Mansdorf, Sean Terrance Weaver, Xiaoming Wu
  • Publication number: 20100229392
    Abstract: A method of making a micro-fluid ejection head structure and micro-fluid ejection heads made by the method. The method includes applying a tantalum oxide layer to a surface of a fluid ejection actuator disposed on a device surface of a substrate so that the tantalum oxide layer is the topmost layer of a plurality of layers including a resistive layer, and a protective layer selected from a passivation layer, a cavitation layer, and a combination of a passivation layer and a cavitation layer. The tantalum oxide layer has a thickness (t) that satisfies an equation t=(¼*W/n), wherein W is a wavelength of radiation from a radiation source, and n is a refractive index of the tantalum oxide layer. A photoimageable layer is also applied to the substrate. The photoimageable layer is imaged with the radiation source and then developed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Byron Vencent Bell, Christopher Allen Craft, Bryan Thomas Fannin, Burton Lee Joyner, II, Sean Terrence Weaver
  • Patent number: 7784917
    Abstract: A method of making a micro-fluid ejection head structure and micro-fluid ejection heads made by the method. The method includes applying a tantalum oxide layer to a surface of a fluid ejection actuator disposed on a device surface of a substrate so that the tantalum oxide layer is the topmost layer of a plurality of layers including a resistive layer, and a protective layer selected from a passivation layer, a cavitation layer, and a combination of a passivation layer and a cavitation layer. The tantalum oxide layer has a thickness (t) that satisfies an equation t=(¼*W/n), wherein W is a wavelength of radiation from a radiation source, and n is a refractive index of the tantalum oxide layer. A photoimageable layer is also applied to the substrate. The photoimageable layer is imaged with the radiation source and then developed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Byron Vencent Bell, Christopher Allen Craft, Bryan Thomas Fannin, Burton Lee Joyner, II, Sean Terrence Weaver
  • Publication number: 20090185003
    Abstract: A nozzle plate for a micro-fluid ejection head, a method of making a hydrophobic nozzle plate, and a method for improving the resiliency of a nozzle plate. The nozzle has a photoimageable hydrophobic polycyclic polyolefin layer derived from an epoxy functionalized polynorbornene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Inventors: Craig Michael Bertelsen, Christopher Allen Craft, Bryan Thomas Fannin, David Christopher Graham, Kelly Ann Killeen, Bart Allan Mansdorf, Sean Terrance Weaver, Xiaoming Wu
  • Publication number: 20090091604
    Abstract: A method of making a micro-fluid ejection head structure and micro-fluid ejection heads made by the method. The method includes applying a tantalum oxide layer to a surface of a fluid ejection actuator disposed on a device surface of a substrate so that the tantalum oxide layer is the topmost layer of a plurality of layers including a resistive layer, and a protective layer selected from a passivation layer, a cavitation layer, and a combination of a passivation layer and a cavitation layer. The tantalum oxide layer has a thickness (t) that satisfies an equation t=(¼*W/n), wherein W is a wavelength of radiation from a radiation source, and n is a refractive index of the tantalum oxide layer. A photoimageable layer is also applied to the substrate. The photoimageable layer is imaged with the radiation source and then developed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventors: Byron Vencent Bell, Christopher Allen Craft, Bryan Thomas Fannin, Burton Lee Joyner, II, Sean Terrence Weaver