Abstract: A bonding apparatus and method thereof to bond the bonding portions of an FPC cable to pads of a print head die in order to electrically connect the print head die of an ink jet print head assembly include a stage and a bonding tool. The print head die includes resistive heaters, signal lines connected to the resistive heaters, and electrical pads to connect the signal lines to an outside of the print head die to the FPC cable having conductors having bonding portions facing the pads. The print head die is supported on the stage with the pads facing upward. The bonding tool includes a tip that press bonding portions of the FPC cable against corresponding pads of the print head die placed on the stage, and heats the bonding portions in contact with the pads to bond the bonding portion to the pads.

Abstract: An ink cartridge includes ink chambers storing ink, a sealing member sealing the ink chambers provided with ink injection openings injecting ink into the ink chambers and air inflow openings through which the ink chambers communicate with an outside of the ink chambers, a cover member forming air inflow passageways between the air inflow openings and the outside of the ink chambers in cooperation with the sealing member and sealing the ink injection openings, an ink blocking part first blocking the ink from being discharged through the air inflow passageways in cooperation with the air inflow openings, and an ink storage part storing the ink passing through the air inflow openings and the ink blocking part to prevent the ink from being discharged through the air inflow passageways.

Abstract: An ink cartridge for an ink jet printer is provided. The provided ink cartridge has an ink reservoir and a housing for covering the ink reservoir with a negative pressure maintenance unit therebetween, to maintain the inner pressure of the ink reservoir under a negative pressure. Since the negative pressure maintenance unit does not contact ink in the ink reservoir, the negative pressure maintenance unit does not corrode. In addition, the negative pressure maintenance unit is installed between the housing and the ink reservoir while occupying a small space, and thus improving the filling efficiency of ink in the ink reservoir.

Abstract: A microactuator using a shape memory alloy includes a substrate in which a space portion is formed, and a vibration plate which is installed on an upper surface of the substrate to cover the space portion, including a thin film formed of the shape memory alloy and at least one thin film on which a compressive residual stress acts. The vibration plate is initially transformed to bend to the space portion or to bend to be opposite to the space portion due to a bending moment caused by a compressive residual stress with respect to a first neutral axis, when the shape memory alloy is phase-transformed due to temperature rise.

Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a main body containing an ink absorbent body at an inside thereof and filled with ink, an ink head chip disposed at a lower portion of the main body to spray the ink onto a printing paper, an ink feeding pipe disposed at an inside of the lower portion of the main body to feed the ink in the main body to the ink head chip, and a pressure rib protruding from a bottom of the main body toward the ink absorbent body by a height higher than the ink feeding pipe to press the ink absorbent body contacting the pressure rib before coming in contact with the ink feeding pipe.

Abstract: An ink cartridge including a container body formed at a lower end of an ink supply pipe and containing ink therein, a porous body disposed inside the container body for containing ink, and a head portion protruding under the container body for having the ink supply pipe formed in a predetermined length and having a head chip supplied with ink from the pipe and spraying the ink on a sheet of paper disposed thereon. The head portion has a groove which is formed by withdrawing a slide core when forming the container body in order to form the ink supply pipe.

Abstract: A monolithic bubble ink jet print head includes an anti-curing-deformation part formed at at least one of an inner surface of a nozzle plate or a chamber/nozzle plate forming ink chambers and an outer surface of the nozzle plate or the chamber/nozzle plate forming a front or outer surface of the printer head to prevent an abnormal deformation from being generated in the nozzle plate or the chamber/nozzle plate during a curing process. A fabrication method of a monolithic bubble-ink jet print head includes forming a sacrificial photo resist mold having a flow channel structure including ink chambers and restrictors on the substrate, forming a chamber/nozzle plate having an anti-curing-deformation part and nozzles on the sacrificial photo resist mold, removing the sacrificial photo resist mold from the substrate over which chamber/nozzle plate is formed, and curing the substrate from which the sacrificial photo resist mold is removed.

Abstract: A multi-chamber ink cartridge for an ink-jet printer, the ink cartridge including a printhead to eject ink droplets on a printing medium; a unitary body comprising: first, second and third ink chambers formed by “T”-shaped vertical walls in the unitary body, and first, second, and third ink channels respectively connected to a lower portion of each of the ink chambers to supply ink to the printhead; and a flexible printed circuit to apply an electrical signal to nozzles of the printhead; wherein the first chamber is disposed perpendicular to the second chamber and the third chamber, and the printhead is disposed on a lower portion of the unitary body which corresponds to the second and third chambers.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a monolithic ink-jet printhead includes a heating element which generates bubbles by heating ink is formed on a surface of the substrate, and a negative photoresist which is coated to a predetermined thickness on the substrate on which the heating element is formed. Next, a portion, which forms a sidewall of an ink passage forming wall surrounding an ink chamber and a restrictor, of the negative photoresist is flush exposed to light and cured using a first photomask in which patterns of the ink chamber and the restrictor of the ink passage are formed. Subsequently, a second portion which forms an upper wall of the ink passage forming wall of the negative photoresist is exposed to the light using a second photomask in which the pattern of a nozzle is formed, and the second portion is exposed to the light by only a predetermined thickness. Last, an uncured portion of the negative photoresist is dissolved and removed using solvent.

Abstract: An ink-jet cartridge includes a cartridge body forming an ink reservoir, a standpipe coupled to one side of the ink reservoir, a printhead formed under an ink supply passage formed by the standpipe, through which ink from the ink reservoir is ejected onto a printing medium in a droplet shape, and a filter which covers a top portion of the standpipe. The filter is formed in a convex shape protruding toward the printhead. Ink particles and bubbles flowing from the ink reservoir to the printhead are filtered out, bubbles which may flow from the printhead to the ink reservoir, move to edges of the filter, and the ink is smoothly supplied to the printhead.

Abstract: A flexible printed circuit board connected to a printer head having at least one heater discharging ink, the flexible printed circuit board including: at least one voltage supplying terminal selectively supplying an operating voltage to the at least one heater in response to receiving a printing command signal from a printer; at least one first cable connected at each end to the at least one voltage supplying terminal and at least one first bonding pad, respectively, transferring the operating voltage to the at least one heater; at least one grounded terminal; and at least one second cable connected at each end to the at least one grounded terminal and at least one second bonding pad, respectively, in which the at least one second cable is divided into at least two portions at a predetermined position and a first portion of the at least two divided portions is provided along one side of the at least one first cable, and a second portion of the at least two divided portions is provided along the other side of

Abstract: An ink-jet printer includes an ink cartridge and a carriage. The ink cartridge includes an ink reservoir storing ink, a housing to cover the ink reservoir, a panel-shaped spring disposed between the ink reservoir and the housing, and a strip connected to the panel-shaped spring having sides exposed to an outside of the housing movable when the panel-shaped spring is deformed. Indicator patterns are formed at ends of the sides of the strip to indicate an amount of ink remaining. The ink cartridge also includes strip covers to detect the amount of ink remaining in the ink reservoir; and a carriage on which the ink cartridge is mounted. The carriage includes a detecting unit optically detecting a movement of the strip through an indicator window formed on the strip cover.

Abstract: An ink cartridge, in which an appropriate negative pressure is maintained, includes a foam chamber generating a negative pressure and having foam contained inside, an ink filter and an ink head disposed therein and a lower part partially inclined, an ink chamber, to store ink, formed at one side of the foam chamber and separated from the foam chamber by a partition having an opening to provide a connection to the foam chamber, and a cartridge cover having an ink injection port formed thereon and covering top of the ink chamber and the foam chamber, wherein a lower part of the foam is formed to be larger than an inner shape of the foam chamber so that the foam around the ink filter is more compressed than the foam around the opening. The foam chamber has a lower part having one or more inclines and the lower part of the foam chamber is inclined downward from the opening to the ink filter. A lower part of the foam has one or more inclines.

Abstract: An ink cartridge including a foam chamber generating negative pressure, with an air passage formed from an upper end thereof toward a lower end, an ink filter and an ink head. A part of a bottom of the foam chamber slopes down and the foam is disposed inside the foam chamber. An ink chamber storing ink is disposed at one side of the foam chamber and is divided from the foam chamber by a partition having a connecting opening connecting the ink chamber with the foam chamber. A cartridge cover closes upper ends of the ink chamber and foam chamber and has an ink inlet. The air passage is formed vertically and close to the partition and the air passage is disposed to slope such that a lower end thereof inclines toward the partition more than an upper end. Further, it is the connecting opening is formed at a lowest end of the partition and the ink filter is disposed at a position lower than the connecting opening.

Abstract: An ink cartridge including at least one first chamber storing an ink, at least one second chamber having an air inflow hole formed at an upper portion thereof to be exposed to an ambient air and an ink supply portion formed at a lower portion thereof and having an ink supply port supplying an ink, the second chamber expanding with a negative pressure generating medium storing the ink, an intermediate partition having a connecting hole defined in a lower portion thereof connecting the first and the second chambers to each other, the intermediate partition dividing the first and the second chamber, and a connecting hole blockage preventing structure formed with respect to the connecting hole, at least preventing the negative pressure generating medium adjacent to the connecting hole from being partially compressed and providing an additional air-liquid transfer space with respect to the connecting hole, to thereby prevent the connecting hole from being blocked with the negative pressure generating medium expand

Abstract: A bubble-jet type ink-jet printhead has a structure in which a base plate, a barrier wall, and a nozzle plate are stacked. The base plate includes a substrate on which a recess is formed to a predetermined depth, an adiabatic layer formed on the substrate, a heater which is formed on the adiabatic layer and generates a thermal energy, and a passivation layer which is formed on the heater and passivates the heater. The barrier wall is stacked on the base plate, defines an ink chamber, which is disposed on the recess and has a recessed bottom surface, and defines an ink passage which communicates with the ink chamber. The nozzle plate is stacked on the barrier wall, has nozzles through which ink is ejected, and is formed at a location corresponding to a center of the ink chamber.

Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a main body containing an ink absorbent body at an inside thereof and filled with ink, an ink head chip disposed at a lower portion of the main body to spray the ink onto a printing paper, an ink feeding pipe disposed at an inside of the lower portion of the main body to feed the ink in the main body to the ink head chip, and a pressure rib protruding from a bottom of the main body toward the ink absorbent body by a height higher than the ink feeding pipe to press the ink absorbent body contacting the pressure rib before coming in contact with the ink feeding pipe.

Abstract: An ink cartridge is provided with a main body divided into an ink chamber filled with ink and a foam chamber receiving an ink absorbent body, an ink head chip disposed at a lower portion of the foam chamber to spray the ink onto a printing paper, a partition forming a passage with a bottom of the main body to pass ink and air therethrough, and dividing an inside of the main body into the ink chamber and foam chamber, and an ink feeding pipe disposed lower than the passage and at a lower portion of the foam chamber to feed the ink in the foam chamber to the ink head chip.

Abstract: A monolithic bubble ink jet print head and a fabrication method thereof. The print head includes a substrate having a resistance body to heat ink and an ink supply opening penetrating through the substrate, and a chamber/nozzle plate that is formed on the substrate by patterning a photo resist by a photolithography process using a single photo mask having at least two light transmission rates, so that a flow channel structure of an ink chamber, a restrictor, an ink supply channel and a nozzle are simultaneously formed. The fabrication method includes providing a substrate having a resistance body formed on an upper surface thereof to heat ink, forming a photo resist on the substrate having the resistance body, exposing the photo resist to light by using a single photo mask having at least two light transmission rates, and developing the photo resist exposed to the light.

Abstract: An ink-jet cartridge includes a cartridge body forming an ink reservoir, a standpipe coupled to one side of the ink reservoir, a printhead formed under an ink supply passage formed by the standpipe, through which ink from the ink reservoir is ejected onto a printing medium in a droplet shape, and a filter which covers a top portion of the standpipe. The filter is formed in a convex shape protruding toward the printhead. Ink particles and bubbles flowing from the ink reservoir to the printhead are filtered out, bubbles which may flow from the printhead to the ink reservoir, move to edges of the filter, and the ink is smoothly supplied to the printhead.