Abstract: A binary pagewidth printhead without substantial grayscale capability includes an array of adjacent printhead segments that are distributed across the pagewidth printhead so that adjacent segments overlap at their ends by a predetermined distance. A plurality of printing pixels extending along each segment have physical differences that effect substantially non-uniform transfer functions that decrease toward the ends of segments over the overlap distance. The physical characteristics of the printing pixels are such the their transfer functions vary linearly over the overlap distance. The physical characteristics of the printing pixels may be such the their transfer functions increase monotonically from a small value at the ends of the printhead segments to a larger value away from the ends of the printhead segments. The physical characteristics of the printing pixels in a central portion of each segment are preferably uniform such the their transfer functions are constant over the central portions.

Abstract: A method for forming an ink jet nozzle plate includes providing a structure having a top substrate layer, a bottom substrate layer, and a buried layer disposed between the top substrate layer and the bottom substrate layer; providing a composite mask over the top substrate layer having a cavity mask which provides openings and a bore mask having openings which are entirely within the openings of the cavity mask and extend to the top substrate layer; anisotopically etching through the bore mask openings through top substrate layer and the buried layer into a portion of the bottom substrate layer; removing the bore mask and etching the top and bottom substrate layers without substantially affecting the buried layer to extend the openings in the top substrate layer and the bottom substrate layer; removing the cavity mask and attaching the top substrate layer to a base provided with ink delivery channels with correspond to the openings in the buried layer; and removing the bottom substrate layer.

Abstract: Ink printing printer with gutter cleaning structure and method of assembling the printer. The printer includes a print head (10) having a surface (14) thereon, the surface (14) including an orifice region (18) having at least one ink-ejection orifice (16), a first gutter (22) disposed proximate one side of the orifice region (18) adapted for connection to a source of a cleaning fluid, and a second gutter (24) disposed proximate an opposite side of the orifice region (18) adapted for connection to a receiver for the cleaning fluid. A cover member (40) is positionable opposite the orifice region (18) and the gutters (22,24) for forming a sealed enclosure (42) thereof defining a cavity (44) sized to allow fluid flow therethrough from the first gutter (22) over the orifice region (18) to the second gutter (24).

Abstract: An image forming method including a print head having plurality of micromachined ink channel pistons, and method of assembling the method and print head. The method comprises a piston for pressurizing an ink body so that an ink meniscus extends from the ink body. An ink droplet separator is also provided for lowering surface tension of the meniscus as the meniscus extends from the ink body. The extended meniscus severs from the ink body to form an ink droplet as the droplet separator lowers the surface tension to a predetermined value.

Abstract: A method for forming an ink jet nozzle plate includes providing a structure having a top substrate layer, a bottom substrate layer, and a buried layer disposed between the top substrate layer and the bottom substrate layer; providing a patterned bore mask having openings which extend to the top substrate layer; anisotropically etching through the openings through the top substrate layer, the buried layer, and into a portion of the bottom substrate layer; providing a bore liner into the openings formed through the top substrate layer, the buried layer, and into the etched portion of the bottom substrate layer; removing the bore mask and providing a cavity mask having openings aligned with the bore liners; anisotropically etching the top substrate layer to expose the bore liners; and removing the cavity mask and providing an ink jet nozzle plate layer over the top substrate layer and extending to be in contact with the bore liners to form bore regions in the ink jet nozzle plate layer; attaching the ink jet noz

Abstract: A mechanical grating device for diffracting an incident light beam has a base which defines a surface. A spacer layer is provided above the base, said spacer layer defining an upper surface of said spacer layer. A longitudinal channel is formed in said spacer layer, said channel having a first and second opposing side walls and a bottom. The side walls are substantially vertically disposed with respect to the bottom, and said channel having a constant cross section along the entire length of the mechanical grating device. A plurality of spaced apart deformable ribbon elements are disposed parallel to each other and span the channel. The deformable ribbon elements are fixed to the upper surface of the spacer layer on each side of the channel.

Abstract: A method for forming an ink jet nozzle plate includes providing a structure having a top substrate layer, a bottom substrate layer, and a buried layer disposed between the top substrate layer and the bottom substrate layer; selectively etching the top substrate layer to form a plurality of spaced ink cavities in the top substrate layer exposing portions of the buried layer; removing by etching the bottom substrate layer and bonding a base having ink delivery channels over the top substrate layer, with at least one channel corresponding to each ink cavity to thereby form the ink jet nozzle plate; and providing a mask having a plurality of openings over the buried layer and etching through such mask openings through the buried layer to the ink cavities to provide at least one bore region corresponding to each ink cavity to provide ink ejection access to such ink cavities so that the buried layer has portions which overhang the ink cavity.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a mechanical grating device is presented. The device consists of a plurality of parallel-suspended ribbons that are deformed using, for example, an electrostatic force to actuate alternate ribbons. Actuation is a deformation of the ribbon resulting from an applied voltage to affect the height of the ribbons above a substrate.

Abstract: An electro-mechanical grating device for diffracting an incident light beam has a base which defines a surface. A spacer layer is provided above the base, said spacer layer defining an upper surface of said spacer layer. A longitudinal channel is formed in said spacer layer. A plurality of spaced apart deformable ribbon elements are disposed parallel to each other and span the channel. The deformable ribbon elements define a ribbon structure which comprises at least one layer of a single material. The ribbon elements and the electro-mechanical grating device are formed so that charge build-up in layers of the electro-mechanical grating device can be avoided during operation of the device.

Abstract: To compensate for droplet placement errors, a continuous ink jet printer includes a heater having a plurality of selectively independently actuated sections which are positioned along respectively different portions of the nozzle bore's perimeter. An actuator selectively activates none, one, or a plurality of the heater sections such that: actuation of heater sections associated with only a portion of the entire nozzle bore perimeter produces an asymmetric application of heat to the stream to control the direction of the stream between a print direction and a non-print direction, and simultaneous actuation of different numbers of heater sections associated with only a portion of the entire nozzle bore perimeter produces corresponding different asymmetric application of heat to the stream to thereby control the direction of the stream between one print direction and another print direction.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling an ink jet printer includes a substrate; an ink delivery channel below the substrate; and a nozzle bore through the substrate and opening into the ink delivery channel to establish an ink flow path. A resistive heater has an upper surface above the upper surface of the substrate and defines a symmetrical radially-outward heater perimeter edge. Ink tends to form a meniscus on the upper surface of the heater, the meniscus tending to pin at the heater perimeter edge. A plurality of electrodes make contact with the heater at spaced-apart positions below the perimeter edge. The ink may flow in a continuous stream from the nozzle bore. The heater defines a plurality of sections, each section having a pair of electrodes.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling ink in a continuous ink jet printer in which a continuous stream of ink is emitted from a nozzle includes a nozzle bore to establish a continuous stream of ink; a heater having a plurality of selectively independently actuated sections which are positioned along respectively different portions of the nozzle bore; a variable power source for the heater sections; and an actuator adapted to selectively activate none, one, or a plurality of said heater sections with an adjustable amount of power such that actuation of heater sections associated with only a portion of the entire nozzle bore perimeter produces an asymmetric application of heat to the stream to control the direction and the amount of deflection of the stream as a function of the amount of power of the activated heater sections.

Abstract: A method for forming an ink jet nozzle plate with ink jet nozzles, including providing a first mold formed with spaced-apart recesses; providing inlay material in the spaced-apart recesses; attaching a base to the inlay material; separating the first mold from the inlay material and the base, thereby forming a final mold having a plurality of inlay material protrusions over the base, the protrusions and base defining the shape and the size of the ink jet nozzles; providing plate forming material between the protrusions and over the base in the final mold; and releasing the plate forming material to form an ink jet nozzle plate having a plurality of ink jet nozzles.

Abstract: A method for forming an ink jet nozzle plate includes providing a buried layer over a bottom substrate layer; providing and patterning a top substrate layer over the buried layer and having openings having inclined walls; providing an ink jet nozzle plate layer over the patterned top substrate layer and into the openings formed in the patterned top substrate layer, the ink jet nozzle plate layer contacting the buried layer; attaching the ink jet nozzle plate layer to a base having ink delivery channels; removing by etching the bottom substrate layer; and providing bore regions into the ink jet nozzle plate layer with each bore region corresponding to a delivery channel.

Abstract: Multi-fluidic cleaning for an ink jet print head (10) and a method for assembling the same. The print head (10) has a surface (14) defining at least one orifice (16) therethrough, the at least one orifice (16) being susceptible to being obstructed by contaminants. A cleaning assembly (22) of the invention is disposed proximate the surface (14) for directing a flow of fluid along the surface (14) and across the at least one orifice (16) to clean contaminants from the surface (14) and the at least one orifice (16). The cleaning assembly (22) includes a cup (24) sealingly surrounding the at least one orifice (16), the cup (24) defining a cavity (26) therein.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling ink in an ink jet printer includes a print head of the type wherein ink forms a meniscus above a nozzle bore and spreads along an upper surface of the print head. The print head includes a substrate having an upper surface; an ink delivery channel below the substrate; and a nozzle bore through the substrate and opening below the substrate into the ink delivery channel to establish an ink flow path. A source of pressurized ink communicates with the ink delivery channel such that ink tends to form a meniscus on the upper surface of the heater. A resistive heater lies about at least a portion of the nozzle bore, the heater having an upper surface which is coplanar with a surrounding portion of the upper surface of the substrate, whereby the print head is flat in regions along an ink-to-solid contact line of the meniscus.

Abstract: An electronic camera for producing a digital image and a multimode microfluidic printing device for printing such digital image including a parallel associative interface structure having an image sensor in the camera for producing digital images and a microfluidic printing device including a plurality of colored ink reservoirs including several reservoirs for containing different colorants and a plurality of colorant delivery chambers. Circuitry responds to digital image produced by the sensor for image processing the digital image produced by the image sensor for controlling the microfluidic printing device to deliver colorants from the delivery chambers to an image transfer position. An image receiving medium is delivered to such medium to produce a visual image of the digital image.

Abstract: A colorant transfer printhead for viewing or delivering color segments to a receiver is disclosed. The colorant transfer printhead includes a color segment assembly having a plurality of assembly channels each corresponding to a particular color channel, a plurality of color source layers for delivering different colorants to the assembly channels; and the colorant transfer printhead causes the delivered colorants in the assembly channels to be transferred to the receiver.

Abstract: A colorant transfer printhead for viewing or delivering color segments to a receiver, including a plurality of color channels, a structure for delivering the color segments to each of the color channels; and a structure for moving a top element disposed over the color channels from a blocked position to an unblocked position to control the transfer of the color segments and for moving the receiver into contact with the color channels for transfering the color segments onto the receiver.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating a receiver from a micro-fluidic contact print head after ink image pixels have been printed by the print head on the receiver, including a print head having a plurality of ink channels for delivering ink to the receiver when the receiver is in ink transfer contact with the print head; air plenums which are associated with each ink channel and a member defining an air channel for conducting air to the air plenum; and the apparatus is effective after the ink has been transferred from the plurality of ink channels to the receiver for causing air to be delivered from the air channel into the air plenum to exert a pressure which causes the separation of the receiver from the print head.