Abstract: Method for manufacturing a sidewall actuatable, high density channel array for an ink jet printhead. A first surface of a main body portion formed from an active material is conductively bonded to a first surface of a first intermediate body portion formed from an active material. A plurality of parallel grooves are then machined through the first intermediate body portion and part of the main body portion to form a plurality of channels separated by a corresponding plurality of sidewall actuators comprised of a first sidewall section formed from an active material and a second sidewall section formed from an active material. A top body portion is then conductively mounted to the intermediate body portion.

Abstract: A high density ink jet printhead is fabricated by first forming a body subassembly comprising a piezoelectric main block having metallic layers disposed on opposite first and second sides thereof, and piezoelectric sheets secured to front portions of the metallic layers. Using a precision dicing saw, a first spaced series of parallel grooves, longitudinally extending between the front and rear ends of the subassembly, are cut into the first side of the subassembly. The subassembly is then placed, groove side down, in a support fixture having mirrors secured thereto and positioned adjacent the opposite ends of the grooves. Reflections of opposite groove ends in the mirrors are then used as line-of-sight guides to position the saw which is then used to form a second series of grooves in the second subassembly side which are in precise lateral alignment with the first series of grooves.

Abstract: Spherical solder drops having precise and accurate shape are formed by an ejection device and solidified to form solder balls for making solder pastes. The diameters of the solidified solder balls are determined by an excitation signal applied to the ejection device and changes in the diameter of the orifice in the ejection device. A solder paste is produced by mixing solidified solder balls of a single diameter or a combination of several different diameters with a carrier.

Abstract: The operation of U type drop-on-demand ink jet printheads are enhanced by selectively incorporating therein volume modifying tapers in the ink carrying channels, means for electrically isolating portions of the actuators thereof, and/or forming a variable layer of conductive material between the upper and lower sidewall portions therefore.

Abstract: An integrated multi-color drop-on-demand type ink jet printhead. The printhead includes a main body portion and a plurality of generally parallel, longitudinally extending ink-carrying channels arranged into at least two channel arrays. A manifold corresponding to each of the at least two channel arrays and in communication with each of the ink-carrying channels of the corresponding array is formed in the main body portion. Ink is supplied to each of the at least two channel arrays from a corresponding ink source, each of which is filled with a different color of ink.

Abstract: An ink jet printhead includes of a lower body part having a base section and a plurality of generally parallel spaced projections extending upwardly therefrom and an upper body part having a top section and a corresponding plurality of generally parallel spaced projections extending downwardly therefrom. The top sides of the lower body projections are conductively mounted to the bottom sides of the upper body projections to form sidewalls which define a plurality of ink-carrying channels. Strips of a conductive adhesive mount the lower and upper body projections together and a controller is electrically connected to the strips to selectively impart either a positive, zero, or negative voltage to each strip. The lower body part is formed using a piezoelectric material poled in a first direction generally perpendicular to the channels and the upper body part is formed using a piezoelectric material also poled in the first direction.

Abstract: Solder interconnection arrays for joining a plurality of metallic surfaces located on a first surface to a plurality of metallic surfaces located on a second surface are provided which reduce the amount of stress on particular areas of the interconnect array caused by shear forces between the surfaces.

Abstract: A length mode drop on demand type ink jet print head includes a lower body portion formed of an active piezoelectric material and an upper body formed from an inactive material. The lower body portion, which includes a plurality of longitudinally extending projections, is poled in a first direction generally orthogonal to both its longitudinal and vertical axes. The upper body portion also includes a plurality of longitudinally extending projections. The lower and upper body portions are mated such that the lower and upper body projections are spaced interdigitally with each other. By mating the lower and upper body portions in this manner, a plurality of ink-carrying channels are formed. The ink jet print head further includes a controller for selectively applying an electric field across each of the lower body projections in the poling direction.

Abstract: A method for film coated passivation of individual grooves or channels in an array of closely spaced grooves or channels of a workpiece, for example, ink channels in a printhead employed in an ink jet printer device; includes the steps of placing the workpiece on a rotation plate having a rotational center, securing the workpiece to the rotation plate with the grooves directed radially outward from the rotational center of the rotation plate, placing resin upon the workpiece in the vicinity of the grooves, and spinning the rotation plate to cause the resin to migrate along the surfaces of the grooves and thereby coating them.

Abstract: An ink jet printhead for a drop-on-demand type ink jet printing system. The printhead includes a base section having a series of generally parallel spaced projections extending longitudinally therealong, a series of intermediate sections conductively mounted on a top side of a corresponding one of the series of base section projections and a top section conductively mounted to a top side of each of the series of intermediate sections.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing solidified solder balls and for ejecting generally spherical-shaped drops of liquid solder through a controlled atmosphere to impact on a surface to be wetted is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a preload reservoir to hold and maintain solder in a liquid state, an ejection chamber to hold and maintain the solder in a liquid state, a connection between the preload reservoir and the ejection chamber to allow liquid solder in the preload reservoir to be transferred to the ejection chamber while maintaining the oxides in the preload reservoir, a device to pressurize the ejection chamber with an inert gas and an ejection device operatively connected to receive liquid solder from the ejection chamber and to eject generally spherical-shaped drops of liquid solder to a specific location on a surface to be wetted. Structure is included to provide an atmosphere of inert gas between the ejection device and the specific location on a surface to be wetted.

Abstract: A sidewall actuated channel array for a high density ink jet printhead. The sidewall actuator includes a top wall, a bottom wall and at least one elongated liquid confining channel defined by the top wall, the bottom wall and sidewalls. The actuator sidewall is comprised of a first actuator sidewall section formed of a piezoelectric material poled in a first direction perpendicular to a first channel and attached to the top wall, a second actuator sidewall section attached to the first sidewall section and the bottom wall, and means for applying an electric field across the first actuator sidewall section and perpendicular to the direction of polarization. When the electric field is applied across the first sidewall section, the actuator sidewall engages in a motion which produces an ink ejecting pressure pulse in the channel.

Abstract: A method of forming an outwardly tapered orifice for a fully assembled ink jet printhead. A main body portion and a cover plate for an ink jet printhead are mounted together such that the cover plate covers an ink-carrying channel which axially extends through the main body portion. First and second light beams capable of ablating the material used to form the cover plate are generated and an ink-carrying channel communicating orifice extending through the cover plate and tapering outwardly from a front side of the cover plate to a back side of the cover plate is formed by directing the first and second light beams at the front side of the cover plate at first and second angles, respectively, whereby the first and second light beams form the outwardly tapered orifice.

Abstract: Metallic surfaces are soldered together without using flux or solvents. The metallic surfaces are maintained in an atmosphere of inert gas and cleaned with a laser. An ejection device deposits drops of liquid solder on a predetermined one of the metallic surfaces and the metallic surfaces are moved relative to each other so that the solidified solder contacts the other metallic surface. The metallic surfaces and the solidified solder are then heated until the solidified solder reflows and joins the metallic surfaces.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing greater precision placement and control of the delivery of laser energy during laser surgery is disclosed and includes a pulse-controlled dye delivery system which may be coordinated with the delivery of laser energy to predetermined tissue. The pulse-controlled dye delivery system comprises at least one ejection head capable of ejecting drops of liquid dye with the diameter of each drop being less than two hundred microns. The dye is responsive to the wavelength of energy delivered by the laser performing the surgery to convert the laser energy from the surgical laser to tissue thermal energy. Circuitry is provided for precisely activating the dye delivery system and the laser energy source such that optimal conditions for successful outcome of the surgery may be achieved.

Abstract: A method of making apparatus for dispensing very small and precise amounts of fluids is disclosed which includes forming a main body with a bore formed coaxially therethrough, attaching a first housing to the main body such that the bores thereof are coaxial, attaching a driver device to the first housing, attaching a second housing to the main body such that the driver device is enclosed by the second housing, attaching a weight to the end of the first housing and applying heat to the first housing at a predetermined location between the weight and the second housing, whereby the end of the first housing is pulled away from the main body to form a tapered end portion on the first housing.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system for printing and dispensing chemical reagents in precisely controlled volumes onto a medium at a precisely controlled location. A jetting tube, comprising an orifice at one end and a fluid receiving aperture at the other end, is concentrically mounted within a cylindrical piezo-electric transducer. The fluid receiving aperture is connected to a reservoir containing a selected reagent by means of a filter. The reservoir may be pressurized by a regulated air supply. An electrical signal of short duration is applied to the transducer. The pulse causes the transducer and the volume defined by the jetting tube to expand, thereby drawing in a small quantity of reagent fluid. The cessation of the pulse causes the transducer and the volume of the jetting tube to de-expand, thereby causing at least a substantially uniformly sized droplet of reagent fluid to be propelled through the orifice.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing serialization of printed circuit boards and flex circuits during the normal process of manufacture of the boards and circuits is disclosed and includes a print module which prints the serializing information on the surface of the photoresist material with a fluid, which blocks the passage of ultraviolet radiation, before the photoresist material is exposed to ultraviolet radiation through the photomask. If a negative-acting photoresist material is used, the serializing information is reverse printed on the surface of the negative-acting photoresist material. If a positive-acting photoresist material is used, the serializing information is printed on the surface of the positive-acting photoresist material.