Abstract: A printer includes a printhead and a source of fluid. The printhead includes a nozzle. The fluid is under pressure sufficient to eject a column of the fluid through the nozzle. The fluid has a temperature. An asymmetric thermal modulator is associated with the nozzle and includes a structure that transiently lowers the temperature of a first portion of the fluid as the fluid is ejected through the nozzle and a structure that transiently raises the temperature of a second portion of the fluid as the fluid is ejected through the nozzle.

Abstract: A printhead includes a droplet-forming heater operable in a first state to form droplets from a fluid stream having a first volume traveling along a path direction and in a second state to form droplets from the fluid stream having a second volume traveling along the path direction. A droplet deflector system is positioned relative to the droplet-forming heater, which applies a force to the droplets traveling along the path direction, whereby the droplets having the first volume diverge from the path direction by a greater extent than do the droplets having the second volume. A droplet-steering heater is adapted to selectively asymmetrically apply heat to the stream such that the path direction is changed.

Abstract: A flexible electronic display device is provided comprising a substrate; an imaging layer zone; a transparent superstrate; and a thermal control layer. The device is able to resist thermal deformation caused by the heating generated by the operation of the display.

Abstract: A printer includes a printhead and a source of liquid. The printhead includes a nozzle bore. The liquid is under pressure sufficient to eject a column of the liquid through the nozzle bore. The liquid has a temperature. A thermal modulator is associated with the nozzle bore. The thermal modulator is operable to transiently lower the temperature of the liquid as the liquid is ejected through the nozzle bore.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of operating a thermal actuator for a micromechanical device, especially a liquid drop emitter for use in an ink jet printhead, is disclosed. The disclosed thermal actuator includes a base element and a cantilevered element including a thermo-mechanical bender portion extending from the base element to a free end tip. The thermo-mechanical bender portion includes a barrier layer constructed of a dielectric material having low thermal conductivity, a first deflector layer constructed of a first electrically resistive material having a large coefficient of thermal expansion, and a second deflector layer constructed of a second electrically resistive material having a large coefficient of thermal expansion wherein the barrier layer is bonded between the first and second deflector layers.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of operating a thermal actuator for a micromechanical device, especially a liquid drop emitter for use in an ink jet printhead, is disclosed. The disclosed thermal actuator includes a base element and a cantilevered element including a thermo-mechanical bender portion extending from the base element to a free end tip. The thermo-mechanical bender portion includes a barrier layer constructed of a dielectric material having low thermal conductivity, a first deflector layer constructed of a first electrically resistive material having a large coefficient of thermal expansion, and a second deflector layer constructed of a second electrically resistive material having a large coefficient of thermal expansion wherein the baffler layer is bonded between the first and second deflector layers.

Abstract: An apparatus for a thermal actuator for a micromechanical device, especially a liquid drop emitter such as an ink jet printhead, is disclosed. The disclosed thermal actuator comprises a base element and a cantilevered element extending from the base element and normally residing at a first position before activation. The cantilevered element includes a first layer constructed of an electrically resistive material, such as titanium aluminide, patterned to have a first resistor segment and a second resistor segment each extending from the base element; a coupling device that conducts electrical current serially between the first and second resistor segments; and a second layer constructed of a dielectric material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion and attached to the first layer.

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: An actuator is made by depositing an electrode layer on an initial layer. A patterned layer of sacrificial material is formed on the first electrode layer such that a region of the first electrode layer is exposed through the subsequent layer. A second electrode layer is deposited and patterned on the subsequent layer. Then, a third patterned layer of sacrificial material is formed on the second electrode layer with an opening there through to the exposed region of the first electrode layer. A structure is deposited, patterned and planarized on the third layer expose a surface of the third layer. A third electrode layer is deposited and patterned on the planarized structure and the exposed surface of the third layer. The sacrificial material is partially removed, whereby the first electrode layer, the structure, and the third electrode layer are free to move together relative to the second electrode layer.

Abstract: An apparatus for a thermal actuator for a micromechanical device, especially a liquid drop emitter such as an ink jet printhead, is disclosed. The disclosed thermal actuator comprises a base element and a cantilevered element including a thermo-mechanical bending portion extending from the base element and a free end portion residing in a first position. The thermo-mechanical bending portion has a base end width, wb, adjacent the base element and a free end width, wf, adjacent the free end portion wherein the base end width is substantially greater than the free end width. The thermal actuator further comprises apparatus adapted to apply a heat pulse directly to the thermo-mechanical bending portion causing the deflection of the free end portion of the cantilevered element to a second position. The width of the thermo-mechanical bending portion may reduce substantially monotonically as a function of the distance away from the base element or in at least one step reduction.

Abstract: An apparatus for a thermal actuator for a micromechanical device, especially a liquid drop emitter such as an ink jet printhead, is disclosed. The disclosed thermal actuator comprises a base element and a cantilevered element including a thermo-mechanical bending portion extending from the base element and a free end portion residing in a first position. The thermo-mechanical bending portion has a base end width, wb, adjacent the base element and a free end width, wf, adjacent the free end portion wherein the base end width is substantially greater than the free end width. The thermal actuator further comprises apparatus adapted to apply a heat pulse directly to the thermo-mechanical bending portion causing the deflection of the free end portion of the cantilevered element to a second position. The width of the thermo-mechanical bending portion may reduce substantially quadratically or in an inverse power fashion as a function of the distance away from the base element or in at least one step reduction.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of operating a thermal actuator for a micromechanical device, especially a liquid drop emitter such as an ink jet printhead, is disclosed. The disclosed thermal actuator comprises a base element and a cantilevered element including a thermo-mechanical bender portion extending from the base element to a free end tip. The thermo-mechanical bender portion includes a barrier layer constructed of a dielectric material having low thermal conductivity, a first deflector layer constructed of a first electrically resistive material having a large coefficient of thermal expansion, and a second deflector layer constructed of a second electrically resistive material having a large coefficient of thermal expansion wherein the barrier layer is bonded between the first and second deflector layers.

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: An apparatus for a thermal actuator for a micromechanical device, especially a liquid drop emitter such as an ink jet printhead, is disclosed. The disclosed thermal actuator comprises a base element and a cantilevered element extending from the base element and normally residing at a first position before activation. The cantilevered element includes a first layer constructed of an electrically resistive material, such as titanium aluminide, patterned to have a first resistor segment and a second resistor segment each extending from the base element; a coupling device that conducts electrical current serially between the first and second resistor segments; and a second layer constructed of a dielectric material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion and attached to the first layer.

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: An apparatus for and method of operating a thermal actuator for a micromechanical device, especially a liquid drop emitter such as an ink jet printhead, is disclosed. The disclosed thermal actuator comprises a base element and a cantilevered element including a thermo-mechanical bender portion extending from the base element to a free end tip. The thermo-mechanical bender portion includes a barrier layer constructed of a dielectric material having low thermal conductivity, a first deflector layer constructed of a first electrically resistive material having a large coefficient of thermal expansion, and a second deflector layer constructed of a second electrically resistive material having a large coefficient of thermal expansion wherein the barrier layer is bonded between the first and second deflector layers.

Abstract: In a printing liquid droplet ejector, a liquid holding unit in a cavity has a volume sufficient to hold some of the printing liquid in the cavity and is mechanically translatable toward an opening in a nozzle. The liquid holding unit is volumetrically alterable to reduce its volume to cause at least some of the printing liquid held by the unit to be expelled from the unit, to in turn cause either printing liquid expelled from the unit or other printing liquid in the cavity to be ejected from the opening as at least one droplet, when the unit is mechanically translated toward the opening.

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: An apparatus for and method of operating a thermal actuator for a micromechanical device, especially a liquid drop emitter such as an ink jet printhead, is disclosed. The disclosed thermal actuator comprises a base element and a cantilevered element including a thermo-mechanical bender portion extending from the base element to a free end tip. The thermo-mechanical bender portion includes a barrier layer constructed of a dielectric material having low thermal conductivity, a first deflector layer constructed of a first electrically resistive material having a large coefficient of thermal expansion, and a second deflector layer constructed of a second electrically resistive material having a large coefficient of thermal expansion wherein the barrier layer is bonded between the first and second deflector layers. The thermo-mechanical bender portion further has a base end adjacent the base element and a free end adjacent the free end tip.