Abstract: Methods are disclosed for fabricating page wide Drop-on-Demand and continuous ink printheads in which the nozzle array, the heaters, their drivers and data carrying circuits are all integrated on the same non-silicon and non-semiconducting substrate.

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.

Abstract: Disclosed is media for receiving jetted ink comprising a support bearing a predetermined array of three dimensional cells composed of hydrophobic walls and having a hydrophilic base, the cross-section of the cells parallel to the support being of a size sufficiently small so as to increase the range of color density gradations attainable.

Abstract: Both an inkjet printer and method are provided for controlling inkjet printing on a receiver. The inkjet printer includes a printhead having at least one nozzle for ejecting a stream of ink droplets, a droplet deflector for generating a flow of gas that impinges on the stream of ejected droplets to deflect the trajectories of the droplets, and a controller for varying the velocity of the gas flow in order to vary the degree of trajectory deflection so the droplets intended to print on a particular pixel in the receiver land on top of one another without elongation despite relative movement between the printhead and the receiver. The printer provides improved image quality and productivity while reducing image artifacts.

Abstract: Disclosed is a media for receiving jetted ink, comprising a support bearing a predetermined array of three dimensional cells composed of hydrophobic cell walls and having a hydrophilic base, the cell walls being composed of a material capable of being fused subsequent to printing to provide an overcoat layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a media, and an imaging process employing the media, for receiving jetted ink containing imaging dye, comprising a support bearing a predetermined array of three dimensional cells composed of cell walls and having a hydrophilic base, the cross section of the cells parallel to the support being of a size sufficiently small so as to improve the range of color gradations attainable.

Abstract: Disclosed is media for receiving jetted ink comprising a support bearing a predetermined array of three dimensional cells composed of hydrophobic walls and having a hydrophilic base, the cross-section of the cells parallel to the support being of a size sufficiently small so as to increase the range of color density gradations attainable.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead for printing an image on a printing medium is provided that includes a substrate having an interior and a nozzle face, a plurality of nozzles having outlets in the nozzle face, an electronically-operated droplet deflector disposed adjacent to each of the nozzle outlets, and feedthroughs for connecting the droplet deflector to power and image data circuits through the substrate interior. The feedthroughs include bores disposed through the substrate for accommodating conductors connected between the droplet deflectors and power and image data control circuits of the printer. The feedthroughs may take the form of bores either coated or filled with electrically-conductive material. The use of feedthroughs through the printhead substrate avoids the manufacture of an undesirably high density of connectors and conductors on the nozzle face and facilitates the manufacture of smooth and flat nozzle faces which are easily cleaned during the printing operation by wiping mechanisms.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a pump [10] for pumping various primary fluids. A body is formed from silicon dies [102,104]. A primary fluid channel [110] is formed in the body and a primary fluid supply [122] is coupled to the primary fluid channel [110] to supply a primary fluid to the primary fluid channel [110]. A mechanism for introducing a secondary fluid to an interface region of the primary fluid channel [110] is formed in the body. An energy delivery device is formed in the body to deliver energy to an interface between region between the primary fluid and the secondary fluid to create a thermal gradient along the fluid interface. The thermal gradient results in a surface tension gradient along the interface. The primary fluid will move to compensate for the surface tension gradient. Various semiconductor fabrication processes can be used to form the elements on the body.

Abstract: A method for singulating a semiconductor silicon wafer (10) comprising a plurality of semiconductor dice (20) arranged along a multiplicity of intersecting streets (30). Initially, a layer of photoresist (15)is patterned on the backside of the wafer (10). The semiconductor silicon wafer (10) is then etched using dry etching methods. As such, slots (22) are etched through the silicon of the wafer (10) aligned to the streets (30) forming a perforation. Simultaneously, tethers (40) are formed between the slots (22) interconnecting the adjacent dice (20) in order to maintain the wafer (10) mechanically intact. Furthermore, a membrane comprising integrated circuitry on the silicon wafer (10) is formed. The dice (20) of the wafer (10) are then separated for various purposes along the perforations. This is accomplished by applying pressure, such as manual pressure, to the wafer (10) so as to sever the tethers (40) which interconnect the dice (20) at their region (50) of reduced dimension.

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 nozzle 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: Both an inkjet printer and method are provided for contone inkjet printing on a receiver. The inkjet printer includes a printhead having at least one nozzle for ejecting a stream of ink droplets, a droplet deflector for generating a flow of gas that impinges on the stream of ejected droplets to deflect the trajectories of the droplets, and a controller for varying the velocity of the gas flow in order to vary the degree of trajectory deflection so the droplets intended to print on a particular pixel in the receiver land on top of one another without elongation despite relative movement between the printhead and the receiver. The printer provides improved image quality and productivity while reducing image artifacts.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for drying a receiver media (30) in an ink jet printer. The apparatus generally comprises a means for creating a pressure differential between the upper surface (20) and the lower surface (50) of the receiver media (30), wherein the pressure at the lower surface (50) of the receiver media (30) is lower than the pressure at the upper surface (20) of the receiver media (30). The pressure differential-creating means may include a vacuum pump (70) adapted to generate a vacuum at the lower surface (50) of the receiver media (30) or an air pump (130) adapted to pass air currents (140) across the lower surface (50) of the receiver media (30) to cause a “Bernoulli effect”.

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 nozzle 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 continuous ink jet print head is formed of a silicon substrate that includes integrated circuits formed therein for controlling operation of the print head. An insulating layer or layers overlies the silicon substrate includes conductors at various levels to provide conductive paths for transmitting control signals for controlling the print head. The insulating layer or layers also has a series or an array of nozzle openings or bores formed therein along the length of the substrate to provide a substantially planar surface to facilitate cleaning of the printhead. Each nozzle opening is formed as an elongated bore that extends through the insulating layer or layers to the silicon substrate. A heater element is formed adjacent each nozzle opening and in proximity to the planar surface to provide asymmetric heating of the ink stream as it leaves the nozzle opening.

Abstract: A continuous ink jet printhead has a nozzle bore formed from a thin membrane that comprises an overhang from a relief portion of the substrate. The thin membrane of thickness t overhangs a relief portion of the substrate with a dimension OH. The nozzle bore has a respective diameter dimension D. The dimensions are characterized in that OH>=½ D; and wherein t<=0.33D.

Abstract: An ink jet print head is formed of a silicon substrate that includes integrated circuits formed therein for controlling operation of the print head. The silicon substrate has a series of ink channels formed therein along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle array. An insulating layer or layers overlying the silicon substrate 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 a respective ink channel. A series of rib structures is formed in the silicon substrate transverse to the longitudinal direction of the nozzle array for providing strength to the final silicon ship comprising the print head.

Abstract: A continuous ink jet print head is formed of a silicon substrate that includes integrated circuits formed therein for controlling operation of the print head. An insulating layer or layers overlies 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 is formed in a recess in the insulating layer or layers by a material depletion process such as etching. The process of etching defines the nozzle openings at locations where heater elements are formed in the insulating layer or layers during a conventional CMOS processing of the integrated circuits. The print head structure thereby provides for minimal post processing of the print head after the completion of the CMOS processing.

Abstract: A continuous ink jet print head is formed of a silicon substrate that includes integrated circuits formed therein for controlling operation of the print head. An insulating layer or layers overlies 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 is formed in a recess in the insulating layer or layers by a material depletion process such as etching. The process of etching defines the nozzle openings at locations where heater elements are formed in the insulating layer or layers during a conventional CMOS processing of the integrated circuits. The print head structure thereby provides for minimal post processing of the print head after the completion of the CMOS processing.

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 to heater elements associated with a nozzle and a MEMS technology for forming ink delivery cavities or channels and bores. A blocking structure is formed in the silicon substrate between an ink channel formed in the silicon substrate and a nozzle bore formed in the insulating layer(s). The blocking structure causes ink in an ink channel to flow around the blocking structure and thereby develop lateral flow components to the liquid entering the bore so that as the stream of fluid emanates from the bore the lateral flow components are a factor in allowing an increased stream deflection under the condition of asymmetric heating.