Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator for an ink jet printhead, including: a block body of piezoelectric material having a bottom face through which the mechanical energy of the actuator is transferred to a receiving member, said body having an active portion adjacent to the bottom face as well as an inactive portion; a layered structure of alternating signal electrodes and common electrodes arranged in the active portion substantially in parallel with the bottom face and separated by layers of the piezoelectric material; a layered structure of alternating auxiliary electrodes and common electrodes arranged in the inactive portion, substantially in parallel with the bottom face and separated by layers of the piezoelectric material; at least one signal lead electrode formed on a first side face of said block body of piezoelectric material and interconnecting the signal electrodes; a ground lead electrode formed on a second side face opposite to the first side face and interconnecting the common electrodes; and an aux

Abstract: An actuating device for a multi-nozzle ink jet printhead, which includes a linear array of electromechanical transducers some of which are configured as actuator fingers associated with the nozzles of the printhead while others are configured as support fingers disposed between the actuator fingers, wherein each transducer has a first and a second electrode and is adapted to expand and contract in accordance with a voltage applied between the first and second electrodes, wherein the totality of the transducers consists of at least one group which includes a plurality of actuator fingers and a plurality of support fingers, and control circuit are associated with each group for applying a voltage that depends on the number of active actuator fingers in this group, to the first electrodes of all support fingers of the group.

Abstract: An actuating device for a multi-nozzle ink jet printhead, which includes a linear array of electromechanical transducers some of which are configured as actuator fingers associated with the nozzles of the printhead while others are configured as support fingers disposed between the actuator fingers, wherein each transducer has a first and a second electrode and is adapted to expand and contract in accordance with a voltage applied between the first and second electrodes, wherein the totality of the transducers consists of at least one group which includes a plurality of actuator fingers and a plurality of support fingers, and control means are associated with each group for applying a voltage that depends on the number of active actuator fingers in this group, to the first electrodes of all support fingers of the group.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator having a body with a front face, a rear face opposite to the front face, and second side faces opposite to one another, the body being formed by several active layers of piezoelectric material with internal electrodes intervening therebetween, wherein the internal electrodes include a first group of electrodes extending to the rear face of the body and connected to a first external electrode, and a second group of electrodes extending to the front face of the body and connected to a second external electrode, wherein the electrodes of the first group extend to the first side face of the block and are buried in the block near the second side face thereof, and the electrodes of the second group extend to the second side face of the block and are buried in the block near the first side face.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator for an ink jet printhead, including: