Abstract: A printhead for an inkjet printer that has a printhead integrated circuit (IC) with an array of nozzles for ejecting ink, and a support structure for mounting the printhead IC within the printer. The support structure has ink conduits for supplying the array of nozzles with ink, the ink conduits have a meniscus anchor for pinning part of an advancing meniscus of ink to divert the advancing meniscus from a path the advancing meniscus would otherwise take. If a printhead consistently fails to prime correctly because a meniscus pins at one or more points, then the advancing meniscus can be directed so that the advancing meniscus does not contact these critical points. Deliberately incorporating a discontinuity into an ink conduit immediately upstream of the problem area can temporarily pin to the meniscus and skew the meniscus to one side of the conduit and away from the undesirable pinning point.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a film used in attaching a printhead integrated circuit to an ink supply manifold is disclosed. An adhesive polymeric film having a protective liner is provided. Photoresist is then deposited onto the protective liner, and the photoresist is photopatterned. Ink supply holes are etched through the adhesive polymeric film and the protective liner, with the photoresist acting as a mask for the etching. Finally, the protective liner including the photoresist is removed from the adhesive polymeric film after the etching step is complete.

Abstract: A MEMS vapor bubble generator with a chamber for holding liquid and a heater positioned in the chamber for heating the liquid above its bubble nucleation point to form a vapor bubble; wherein, the heater has a microstructure with a grain size less than 100 nanometers.

Abstract: A thermal inkjet printhead of the roof shooter type that slightly offsets the nozzle aperture centroid from the heater element centroid to correct drop trajectory misdirection caused by vapor bubble asymmetries.

Abstract: An ink coupling for connecting an inkjet printer and a replaceable cartridge configured to not drip ink upon detachment. The coupling has a cartridge valve on the cartridge side of the coupling and a printer conduit on the printer side of the coupling. The cartridge valve and the printer conduit having complementary formations configured to form a coupling seal when brought into engagement. The cartridge valve is biased closed and configured to open when brought into engagement with the printer conduit. Upon disengagement, the coupling seal breaks after the cartridge valve closes, and an ink meniscus forms and recedes from the complementary formations as they separate, the cartridge valve having external surfaces configured so that the meniscus travels across the external surfaces and only pins itself to the printer conduit surfaces.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fluidic arrangement for a printer. The arrangement includes an ink tank for storing ink, and an ink distribution assembly in fluid communication with the ink tank for supplying printhead integrated circuits (ICs) positioned thereon with ink from the ink tank. The arrangement also includes a valve arranged in an ink line between the ink distribution assembly and the ink tank, said valve configured to isolate ink in the ink tank from the printhead ICs whenever the printer is powered down. Further included is a pump located downstream from the ink distribution assembly, and a sump arranged in fluid communication with the pump for receiving excess ink from the ink distribution assembly.

Abstract: A filter for an inkjet printer that has a chamber divided into an upstream section and a downstream section by a filter membrane. An inlet conduit establishes fluid communication between an ink supply and the upstream section. An outlet conduit establishes fluid communication between the downstream section and a printhead. During use at least part of the inlet conduit is elevated relative to the filter membrane. By elevating the inlet conduit relative to the filter membrane, it acts as a bubble trap to retain bubbles that would otherwise obstruct the filter. This allows the filter size to be reduced for a more compact overall design.

Abstract: An inkjet printer that has an elongate array of nozzles for ejecting ink, a plurality of ejection actuators, each configured to eject ink through one of the nozzles respectively, a plurality of ink conduits aligned with a longitudinal extent of the elongate array of nozzles, the ink conduits extending adjacent the elongate array for supplying the array of nozzles with ink and, a plurality of pulse dampers positioned along each of the ink conduits, each pulse damper being individually in fluid communication with one of the ink conduits and each containing a volume of gas for compression by pressure pulses in the ink conduits. A pressure pulse moving through an elongate printheads, such as a pagewidth printhead, can be damped at any point in the ink flow line. However, the pulse will cause nozzle flooding as it passes the nozzles in the printhead integrated circuit, regardless of whether it is subsequently dissipated at the damper.

Abstract: An inkjet nozzle assembly has a chamber with a nozzle opening for ejecting a liquid, a heater element disposed in the chamber, and a dielectric layer sandwiched between the heater element and a wall of the chamber. The dielectric layer has a thermal product of less than 1495 Jm?2K?1s?1/2. The thermal product is defined as (?Ck)1/2, where ? is the density of the layer, C is specific heat of the layer and k is thermal conductivity of the layer.

Abstract: A MEMS vapor bubble generator includes a chamber for holding liquid; and a heater positioned in the chamber, the heater being formed using a sputtering technique. The heater is formed from a superalloy material. The superalloy material of the heater is in direct contact with the liquid, without any intervening protective coating. The superalloy has a crystalline structure with a grain size less than 100 nano-metres. The superalloy is MCrAlX, where M is one or more of Ni, Co, Fe with M contributing at least 50% by weight, Cr contributing between 8% and 35% by weight, Al contributing more than zero but less than 8% by weight, and X contributing less than 25% by weight, with X consisting of zero or more other elements, preferably including but not limited to Mo, Re, Ru, Ti, Ta, V, W, Nb, Zr, B, C, Si, Y, Hf.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a film for attachment of one or more printhead integrated circuits to an ink supply manifold is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing an adhesive polymeric film having a protective liner; (b) depositing photoresist onto the protective liner; (c) photopatterning the photoresist to define a plurality of openings positioned for etching supply holes through the film; (d) etching the plurality of ink supply holes through the film, the photoresist acting as a mask for the etch; and (e) removing the protective liner having the photoresist deposited thereon.

Abstract: A printhead is provided for an inkjet printer that has a print engine controller for receiving print data and sending it to the printhead. The printhead has a printhead IC for ejecting ink and a support structure for mounting the printhead IC in the printer adjacent a paper path. The printhead IC is mounted on a face of the support structure that, in use, faces the paper path. A flexible printed circuit board (flex PCB) that has contacts for receiving print data mounted to the support structure on a face that does not face the paper path. The bent section reduces the likelihood of trace cracking by holding the flex PCB at a set radius rather than allowing the flex to follow an irregular curve and thereby risking localized points of high stress on the traces.

Abstract: A thermal inkjet printhead with generally planar heater elements disposed in respective bubble forming chambers such that they are bonded on one side to the chamber so that the other side faces into the chamber. Each heater element receives an energizing pulse to heat ejectable liquid above its boiling point to form a gas bubble on the side facing into the chamber, whereby the gas bubble causes the ejection of a drop of the ejectable liquid from the nozzle. The chamber has a dielectric layer proximate the side of the heater element bonded to the chamber. The dielectric layer has a thermal product less than 1495 Jm?2K?1s?1/2, the thermal product being (?Ck)1/2, where ? is the density of the layer, C is specific heat of the layer and k is thermal conductivity of the layer. The present invention reduces the drop ejection energy and the heat dissipation into the printhead IC by improving the thermal isolation between the heater and the substrate.

Abstract: An inkjet printer that has an elongate array of nozzles for ejecting ink and ink conduits for supplying the array of nozzles with ink. The ink conduits are aligned with the longitudinal extent of the elongate array and have a plurality of pulse dampers individually in fluid communication with the ink conduits. Each pulse damper contains a volume of gas for compression by pressure pulses in the ink conduits, distributed along the length of the elongate array. A pressure pulse moving through an elongate printheads, such as a pagewidth printhead, can be damped at any point in the ink flow line. However, the pulse will cause nozzle flooding as it passes the nozzles in the printhead integrated circuit, regardless of whether it is subsequently dissipated at the damper. By incorporating a number of pulse dampers into the ink supply conduits immediately next to the nozzle array, any pressure spikes are damped at the site where they would otherwise cause detrimental flooding.

Abstract: A MEMS vapor bubble generator with a chamber for holding liquid and a heater positioned in the chamber for heating the liquid above its bubble nucleation point to form a vapour bubble; wherein, the heater is formed from a superalloy.

Abstract: A printhead for an inkjet printer, that has a printhead IC with an array of nozzles for ejecting ink and a support structure for mounting the printhead IC in the printer adjacent a paper path. The printhead IC is mounted on a face of the support structure that, in use, faces the paper path. A flexible printed circuit board (flex PCB) has drive circuitry for operating the array of nozzles on the printhead IC. The drive circuitry has circuit components connected by traces in the flex PCB, and contacts for receiving print data from the print engine controller. The flex PCB being mounted to the support structure at the contacts onto a face that does not face the paper path such that the flex PCB extends through a bent section between the printhead IC and the contacts. The printhead IC and the circuit components are adjacent each other and separated from the contacts by the bent section of the flex PCB.

Abstract: An inkjet printer that has an elongate array of nozzles for ejecting ink and ink conduits for supplying the array of nozzles with ink. The ink conduits are aligned with the longitudinal extent of the elongate array and have a plurality of pulse dampers individually in fluid communication with the ink conduits. Each pulse damper contains a volume of gas for compression by pressure pulses in the ink conduits, distributed along the length of the elongate array. A pressure pulse moving through an elongate printheads, such as a pagewidth printhead, can be damped at any point in the ink flow line. However, the pulse will cause nozzle flooding as it passes the nozzles in the printhead integrated circuit, regardless of whether it is subsequently dissipated at the damper. By incorporating a number of pulse dampers into the ink supply conduits immediately next to the nozzle array, any pressure spikes are damped at the site where they would otherwise cause detrimental flooding.

Abstract: An inkjet printer that has a printhead with an array of ejection devices for ejecting drops of liquid onto a media substrate. Each of the ejection devices having a chamber for holding liquid, a nozzle in fluid communication with the chamber and a heater positioned in the chamber for contact with the liquid such that resistive heating of the heater generates a vapour bubble that ejects a drop of the liquid through the nozzle. The printer also has a controller for receiving print data and generating drive pulses to energize the heaters in accordance with the print data. The controller increases the drive pulse energy during the printhead lifetime.

Abstract: A thermal inkjet printhead of the roof shooter type that slightly offsets the nozzle aperture centroid from the heater element centroid to correct drop trajectory misdirection caused by vapor bubble asymmetries.

Abstract: A thermal inkjet printhead with generally planar heater elements disposed in respective bubble forming chambers such that they are bonded on one side to the chamber so that the other side faces into the chamber. Each heater element receives an energizing pulse to heat ejectable liquid above its boiling point to form a gas bubble on the side facing into the chamber, whereby the gas bubble causes the ejection of a drop of the ejectable liquid from the nozzle. The chamber has a dielectric layer proximate the side of the heater element bonded to the chamber. The dielectric layer has a thermal product less than 1495 Jm?2 K?1s?1/2, the thermal product being (?Ck)1/2, where ? is the density of the layer, C is specific heat of the layer and k is thermal conductivity of the layer. The present invention reduces the drop ejection energy and the heat dissipation into the printhead IC by improving the thermal isolation between the heater and the substrate.