Abstract: A printhead and a method of manufacturing a printhead are provided. The printhead includes a polymeric substrate including a surface. Portions of the polymeric substrate define a liquid chamber. A material layer is disposed on the surface of the polymeric substrate. Portions of the material layer define a nozzle bore. The nozzle bore is in fluid communication with the liquid chamber.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a printhead includes providing a polymeric substrate having a surface; providing a patterned material layer on the surface of the polymeric substrate; and removing at least some of the polymeric substrate not covered by the patterned material layer using an etching process.

Abstract: An inkjet apparatus and method are provided. The inkjet printing apparatus includes a dual row of ink orifices in an integral inkjet printhead. The method provides ink streams with more nozzles per inch in the widthwise direction on a paper without alignment problems and without the need to utilize very small droplets of ink.

Abstract: A printhead and a method of manufacturing a printhead are provided. The printhead includes a polymeric substrate including a surface. Portions of the polymeric substrate define a liquid chamber. A material layer is disposed on the surface of the polymeric substrate. Portions of the material layer define a nozzle bore. The nozzle bore is in fluid communication with the liquid chamber.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a printhead includes providing a polymeric substrate having a surface; providing a patterned material layer on the surface of the polymeric substrate; and removing at least some of the polymeric substrate not covered by the patterned material layer using an etching process.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a printhead includes providing a polymeric substrate having a surface; providing a patterned material layer on the surface of the polymeric substrate; and removing at least some of the polymeric substrate not covered by the patterned material layer using an etching process.

Abstract: The invention provides an inkjet printhead comprising a lateral flow device nozzle plate, at least one ink nozzle in said plate, and an integral superstructure, containing a gutter, integral to said nozzle plate. A method of using the inkjet printhead is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink jet printhead comprising a monolithic printhead with an integral gutter system wherein said gutter system is provided with an end wall adjacent to the ink stream and wherein the side of the wall adjacent the ink direction is generally parallel to the ink direction through said print head.

Abstract: An inkjet apparatus and method are provided. The inkjet printing apparatus includes a dual row of ink orifices in an integral inkjet printhead. The method provides ink streams with more nozzles per inch in the widthwise direction on a paper without alignment problems and without the need to utilize very small droplets of ink.

Abstract: A continuous stream ink jet printer is provided having an ink droplet forming mechanism for ejecting a stream of ink droplets having a selected one of at least two different volumes toward a print medium and a droplet deflector and ink conduit which are integrally formed to the printhead for producing a flow of gas that interacts with the ink droplet stream to separate droplets having different volumes and collects all droplets not used for printing. The provision of integrally forming the gutter system with the droplet forming mechanism eliminates the requirement to align an external gutter system upon full print engine assembly.

Abstract: A printhead includes a multi-crystalline silicon substrate including a surface with portions of the multi-crystalline silicon substrate defining a liquid channel. A nozzle plate structure is disposed on the surface of the multi-crystalline silicon substrate with portions of the nozzle plate structure defining a nozzle. The nozzle is in fluid communication with the liquid channel. A drop forming mechanism is associated with the nozzle plate structure and is controllably operable to form either a liquid drop from a continuous liquid stream flowing through the nozzle or eject a liquid drop on demand from liquid present in the nozzle.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for imaging a media for receiving jetted ink, including a support, coated with a hydrophobic film, bearing a predetermined array of three dimensional cells composed of hydrophobic walls and a hydrophilic base, the cell walls being composed of a material that fused subsequent to printing to provide an overcoat layer.

Abstract: An ink jet print head is formed of a silicon substrate that includes an integrated circuit formed therein for controlling operation of the print head. The silicon substrate has one or more ink channels formed therein along the longitudinal direction of the noble array. An insulating layer or layers overlie the silicon substrate and has a series or an array of nozzle openings or bores formed therein along the length of the substrate and each nozzle opening communicates with an ink channel. The area comprising the nozzle openings forms a generally planar surface to facilitate maintenance of the printhead. A heater element is associated with each nozzle opening or bore for asymmetrically heating ink as ink passes through the nozzle opening or bore.

Abstract: A drop emission device includes a chamber having a nozzle orifice through which a drop of liquid can be emitted. A deformable electrode is associated with the chamber such that movement of the electrode in a first direction increases the chamber's volume and movement of the electrode in a second direction decreases the chamber's volume to emit a drop through the nozzle orifice. A fixed electrode opposes to the deformable electrode to define a second chamber there between such that control of relative voltage differences between the deformable and the fixed electrodes selectively moves the deformable electrode in the first or second directions. The variable volume is vented to a source of dielectric material through an opening in the fixed electrode. The ratio of the cross-sectional area of the opening to the perimeter of the opening is greater than 0.5 ?m, and is preferably about 5 ?m.

Abstract: An emission device for ejecting a liquid drop, and methods of operating and manufacturing same are provided. The device includes a structure defining a chamber volume adapted to receive a liquid and has a nozzle orifice through which a drop of received liquid can be emitted. The chamber volume defining structure includes a membrane portion having a plurality of individually deformable portions. A controller is adapted to selectively actuate at least one of the plurality of individually deformable portions of the membrane.

Abstract: A continuous ink jet print head is formed using a combination of traditional CMOS technology to form the various controlling electrical circuits on a silicon substrate having insulating layer(s) which provide electrical connections and a MEMS technology for forming nozzle openings. A blocking structure is formed in the insulating layer(s) between a first ink channel formed in the silicon substrate and a second ink channel formed in the insulating layer(s). The blocking structure causes ink to flow around the blocking structure and thereby develop lateral flow components to the liquid entering the second channel so that, for droplets selected for printing, as the stream of droplets emanates from the bore of the nozzle, there is provided a reduced amount of heat needed for operating a heating element adjacent each nozzle opening.

Abstract: An emission device for ejecting a liquid drop, and methods of operating and manufacturing same are provided. The device includes a structure defining a chamber volume adapted to receive a liquid and has a nozzle orifice through which a drop of received liquid can be emitted. The chamber volume defining structure includes a membrane portion having a plurality of individually deformable portions. A controller is adapted to selectively actuate at least one of the plurality of individually deformable portions of the membrane.

Abstract: A drop emission device includes a chamber having a nozzle orifice through which a drop of liquid can be emitted. A deformable electrode is associated with the chamber such that movement of the electrode in a first direction increases the chamber's volume and movement of the electrode in a second direction decreases the chamber's volume to emit a drop through the nozzle orifice. A fixed electrode opposes to the deformable electrode to define a second chamber there between such that control of relative voltage differences between the deformable and the fixed electrodes selectively moves the deformable electrode in the first or second directions. The variable volume is vented to a source of dielectric material through an opening in the fixed electrode. The ratio of the cross-sectional area of the opening to the perimeter of the fixed electrode is greater than 0.25 &mgr;m, and is preferably about 5 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A modulator for modulating an incident beam of light, includes a structure defining a cavity and having a base and side walls surrounding the base; a first plurality of equally spaced apart thermally deformable reflective members having opposing end edges integrally formed in the side walls of the structure above the cavity.

Abstract: A drop-on-demand liquid emission device, such as for example an ink jet printer, includes a member movable through a path for driving liquid from the device, wherein the speed at which the member moves is reduced over the time period that liquid is being expelled. During that time period, a portion of the liquid flows through a passage away from the nozzle orifice. According to a feature of the present invention, a variable flow restrictor increases the resistance to flow through the passage during the time period that liquid is being expelled; thereby tending to compensate for the reduction of the liquid-expulsion force over the time period. The result is a reduction of undesirable satellite droplets following a main drop.