Abstract: An accessory mounting system for a vehicle includes spaced apart fixing elements adhesively attached at a surface of a vehicle windshield. A frame has receiving portions that are spaced apart from one another in a manner that corresponds with the spacing apart of the fixing elements, and each of the receiving portions is configured to receive a respective and corresponding one of the fixing elements. Elongated portions of the fixing elements are at least partially received in respective and corresponding ones of the receiving portions of the frame and cooperate with the receiving portions to attach the frame at the windshield. The frame includes structure for receiving an accessory thereat. The accessory includes a camera and, when the accessory is received at the structure of the frame, the line of vision of the camera passes through an aperture existing in the frame.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a thermal bend actuator comprises the steps of: (a) depositing a first layer comprised of silicon nitride onto a sacrificial scaffold; (b) depositing a second layer comprised of silicon dioxide onto the first layer; (c) depositing an active beam layer onto the second layer; (d) etching the active beam layer, the first layer and the second layer to define the thermal bend actuator; and (e) releasing the thermal bend actuator by removing the sacrificial scaffold.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with an accessory module system for a vehicle, the system comprising an accessory module assembly for location against an interior of a vehicle windscreen and which defines a plurality of sites for the modular location of one or more electronic accessories or the like, in particular for communicating with and/or through the vehicle windscreen, the accessory module system also including a cover assembly for location between the windscreen and a rigid frame assembly forming part of the accessory module assembly, the cover assembly being resiliently deformable in order to be capable of closely conforming to the shape of the windscreen.

Abstract: A method of actuating a thermal bend actuator having an active beam fused to a passive beam. The method comprises passing an electrical current through the active beam so as to cause thermoelastic expansion of the active beam relative to the passive beam and bending of the actuator. The current is delivered in an actuation pulse having a pulse width of less than 0.2 microseconds.

Abstract: A stationary pagewidth inkjet printhead has one or more nozzle rows extending along a longitudinal axis of the printhead. Each nozzle is configured to fire a droplet of ink at a plurality of predetermined different dot positions along the longitudinal axis, such that a printed dot density exceeds a nozzle density of the printhead.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead includes: a substrate having a drive circuitry layer; a plurality of nozzle assemblies disposed on an upper surface of the substrate and arranged in one or more nozzle rows extending longitudinally along the printhead; a nozzle plate extending across the printhead; and a conductive track disposed on the nozzle plate which extends longitudinally along the printhead and parallel with the nozzle rows. The conductive track is connected to a common reference plane in the drive circuitry layer via a plurality of conductor posts extending between the drive circuitry layer and the conductive track.

Abstract: A method of printing at a dot density exceeding a nozzle density in a stationary pagewidth printhead. The method includes the steps of: (i) advancing a print medium transversely past the stationary printhead at a rate of one line per one line-time; and (ii) firing droplets of ink from predetermined nozzles in a nozzle row to create successive lines of print. Some or all of the predetermined nozzles fire droplets of ink at a plurality of predetermined different dot positions along a longitudinal axis of the printhead during one line-time, such that the printed dot density in each line of print exceeds the nozzle density.

Abstract: A stationary pagewidth inkjet printhead is comprised of a plurality of printhead integrated circuits butted end-on-end across the pagewidth. The printhead includes one or more nozzle rows extending along a longitudinal axis of the printhead, each nozzle row comprising a plurality of nozzles. One or more of the nozzles are configured to fire a droplet of ink at a plurality of predetermined different dot positions along the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A stationary pagewidth inkjet printhead has one or more nozzle rows extending along a longitudinal axis of the printhead. Each nozzle is configurable to fire a droplet of ink at a plurality of predetermined different dot positions along the longitudinal axis, and each nozzle has an associated primary dot position. The printhead is configured to compensate for a dead nozzle by printing from a selected functioning nozzle positioned in a same nozzle row as the dead nozzle. The selected functioning nozzle is configured to fire some ink droplets at the primary dot position associated with the dead nozzle and to fire some ink droplets at its own primary dot position.

Abstract: A stationary pagewidth inkjet printhead has one or more nozzle rows extending along a longitudinal axis of the printhead. The printhead is comprised of a plurality of printhead modules having first and second opposite ends butted across a width of a page. Each butting pair of printhead modules defines a common join region, wherein a nozzle pitch across the join region exceeds one nozzle pitch, one nozzle pitch being defined as a minimum longitudinal distance between a pair of nozzles in a same nozzle row. A first nozzle positioned at the first end of a first printhead module in a butting pair is configured to fire ink droplets into a respective join region.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead integrated circuit (IC) includes: a substrate having a drive circuitry layer; a plurality of nozzle assemblies disposed on an upper surface of the substrate and arranged in one or more nozzle rows extending longitudinally along the printhead IC; a nozzle plate extending across the printhead IC; and a conductive track fused to the nozzle plate which extends longitudinally along the printhead IC and parallel with the nozzle rows. The conductive track is connected to a common reference plane in the drive circuitry layer via a plurality of conductor posts extending between the drive circuitry layer and the conductive track.

Abstract: A printhead integrated circuit includes one or more nozzle rows extending along a longitudinal axis thereof. The printhead IC has first and second ends for butting engagement with other printhead ICs so as to define a pagewidth printhead. Each nozzle has an associated primary dot position, wherein a first nozzle positioned at the first end is configured to fire some ink droplets skewed towards the first end in addition to firing some ink droplets at its own primary dot position.

Abstract: A printhead integrated circuit (IC) for a stationary pagewidth printhead, includes nozzle rows extending along a longitudinal axis thereof. A length of a printable zone corresponding to the nozzle row is longer than a length of the nozzle row.

Abstract: A method of compensating for a dead nozzle in a stationary pagewidth printhead. The method includes the steps of: (i) identifying the dead nozzle; (ii) selecting a functioning nozzle in a same nozzle row as the dead nozzle; and firing ink droplets from the selected functioning nozzle at a primary dot position associated with the dead nozzle.

Abstract: An inkjet nozzle assembly having: a nozzle chamber for containing ink, the nozzle chamber including a floor and a roof having a nozzle opening defined therein; and a plurality of moveable paddles defining part of the roof. The plurality of paddles are actuable to cause ejection of an ink droplet from the nozzle opening. Each paddle includes a thermal bend actuator, and each actuator is independently controllable via respective drive circuitry such that a direction of droplet ejection from the nozzle opening is controllable by independent movement of each paddle.

Abstract: A method of controlling a direction of droplet ejection from an inkjet nozzle having a plurality of moveable paddles, the method includes the steps of: (i) actuating a first thermal bend actuator via respective first drive circuitry such that a respective first paddle bends towards a floor of the nozzle chamber; (ii) actuating a second thermal bend actuator via respective second drive circuitry such that a respective second paddle bends towards a floor of the nozzle chamber; and (iii) thereby ejecting a droplet of ink. Actuation of the first and second thermal bend actuators is independently controlled via the first and second drive circuitry so as to control the direction of droplet ejection.

Abstract: A thermal bend actuator includes: an active beam for connection to drive circuitry; and a passive beam mechanically cooperating with the active beam, such that when a current is passed through the active beam, the active beam expands relative to the passive beam, resulting in bending of the actuator. The passive beam has first and second layers with the second layer sandwiched between the first layer and the active beam. The first layer is thicker than the second layer.

Abstract: A thermal bend actuator comprises an active beam for connection to drive circuitry and a passive beam mechanically cooperating with the active beam. When a current is passed through the active beam, the active beam expands relative to the passive beam resulting in bending of the actuator. The passive beam comprises a first layer comprised of silicon nitride and a second layer comprised of silicon dioxide. The second layer is sandwiched between the first layer and the active beam to provide thermal insulation for the first layer.

Abstract: A method of configuring a printhead to eject ink droplets of a predetermined volume. The method includes the steps of: (i) providing a printhead having a plurality of bend-actuated nozzles assemblies; (ii) varying a bulk hydrostatic pressure of ink supplied to the printhead so as to vary a volume of ejected ink droplets; (iii) determining an optimal bulk hydrostatic ink pressure corresponding to the predetermined volume; and (iv) configuring an ink supply system to supply ink to the printhead at the optimal bulk hydrostatic ink pressure.

Abstract: A MEMS integrated circuit comprises: a silicon substrate having a passivated CMOS layer, a MEMS layer disposed on the passivated CMOS layer, and a polymer layer disposed on the MEMS layer. The CMOS layer comprises drive circuitry for actuating actuator devices in the MEMS layer and the polymer layer comprises a polymerized siloxane.