Abstract: Ink jet printhead comprising a driving and encoding circuit (20) having a grid-like structure, including a plurality of inputs (24), a plurality of selecting elements (12), a plurality of actuating elements (I1) and at least one identifying element (21) of said printhead. Each identifying element (21) is associated with a corresponding selecting element (12) and corresponds to nodes arranged along a row or column of said grid-like structure, and is scanned, together with said actuating elements (11), during a preliminary checking step.

Abstract: A thermal ink jet printhead (40) for the emission of droplets of ink on a print medium (46) comprises a reservoir (103) containing ink (142), a die (61), a slot (102) engraved in said die (61) and a plurality of ejectors (73), each of which in turn comprises a chamber (74), a resistor (27) and a nozzle (56), each of said chambers (74) being put in fluid communication with said slot (102) through a plurality of elementary ducts (72) lying on a different plane from the bottom (67) of said chamber (74).

Abstract: An actuating assembly (50) for ink jet printheads consists of a silicon die (61), which comprises a groove (45) and a lamina (64), and of a structure (75) produced monolithically in the same production process. The actuating assembly (50) comprises a microhydraulics (63), the latter in turn comprising a plurality of channels (67) and chambers (57), made inside the structure (75) by means of a sacrificial metallic layer (54). A conducting layer (26) forms a single interconnected equipotential network used as the electrode during the processes of electrochemical etch stopping on the groove (45), of electrodeposition of the sacrificial layer (54) and of the latter's subsequent removal.

Abstract: Pressure sensor with an integrated structure comprising a support (33, 133, 233) and a silicon die (11), which lies substantially on the same plane as the upper surface (37, 137, 237) of the support and is integrated in a seat (34, 134, 234) made in the thickness of the support. On the inside face (23) of the die (11), in contact with the fluid the pressure of which has to be measured, is a protective layer.

Abstract: A monolithic thermal ink jet printhead (40) comprising a groove (45), a plurality of chambers (74) and nozzles (56) is manufactured by means of steps of: (203, 205) partially etching the groove (45) by means of a “dry” process and a “wet” process; (210) depositing a plurality of sacrificial layers (54); (212) obtaining a plurality of casts (156); (216) completing the etching of the groove (45) by means of an electrochemical process; and (220) removing the casts (156) and the sacrificial layers (54) in such a way as to obtain a plurality of nozzles (56) and chambers (74).

Abstract: A thermal ink jet printhead (40) for the emission of droplets of ink on a print medium (46) comprises a reservoir (103) containing ink (142), a die (61), a slot (102) engraved in said die (61) and a plurality of ejectors (73), each of which in turn comprises a chamber (74), a resistor (27) and a nozzle (56), each of said chambers (74) being put in fluid communication with said slot (102) through a plurality of elementary ducts (72) lying on a different plane from the bottom (67) of said chamber (74).

Abstract: Process for protectively coating against aggressive liquids hydraulic microcircuits made in a resin (32), particularly for an ink jet printhead, consisting of: a9 disposing of a silicon substrate (20) comprising a sacrificial layer (26) of copper, deposited on the substrate and defining the inner shape of the hydraulic microcircuits (35, 36, 37); b) depositing on top of the outer surface of the sacrificial layer (26), by means of an electrochemical process, at least one protective, metallic coating layer (30); c) applying on the sacrificial layer (26) a non-photosensitive epoxy or polyamide resin (32), having a predetermined thickness and suitable for completely covering the sacrificial layer (26); d) effecting a polymerization of the resin (32) to increase its mechanical resistance to mechanical and thermal stresses and performing a planarization of the outer surface (33) of the resin (32), by means of a mechanical lapping and simultaneous chemical treatment; e) removing the sacrificial layer (26) through a

Abstract: The chambers (42) and each corresponding ink feeding duct (56), made in a structural layer of photosensitive resin (38), are delimited by a flat bottom wall (36) made of a protective layer (34, 36) of tantalum and gold and an upper wall (44), consisting of a substantially concave surface, including at least one ejection nozzle (46) and joined to the bottom wall along a continuous perimetral line (52), in which the inner shape of each of the chambers (42) and of each of the feeding ducts (56) represents the complementary impression of the outer form of a sacrificial layer (57), obtained from a controlled and non-contained growth of a metal, deposited starting from the dimensions of the layer of gold (36), laid on top of the layer of tantalum (34).

Abstract: A substrate (10; 110; 210; 310) for an ink jet printhead comprising: at least three slots (12a, 12b, 12c) of elongated shape, oriented parallel to one another lengthwise in a vertical direction (13); three corresponding actuating banks (16a, 16b, 16c); a plurality of drive circuits (18); and a plurality of terminals (21, 21a, 21b), lesser in number than the ejection actuators (16), connected to the drive circuits (18) for receiving external signals, wherein at least two (12a, 12b) of the three slots are arranged side by side along the respective long edges in an upper portion (10a) of the substrate, and the third slot (12c) is arranged in a lower portion (10b) of the substrate, and wherein moreover the terminals (21) connected to the drive circuits are arranged in a line along the edges (11a, 11b) of the substrate (10) parallel to the slots and therefore to this given vertical direction (13). This substrate has a robust structure and is less likely to crack in the zone of the slots.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an ejection head (10) or ejector suitable for ejecting in the form of droplets (16) a liquid (14) conveyed inside the ejection head (10), comprising a step of producing, from a silicon wafer, a nozzle plate (12) having at least one ejection nozzle (13); a step of producing, from another silicon wafer, a substrate (11) having at least one actuator (15) for activating the ejection of the droplets of liquid through the nozzle (13); and a step of joining the nozzle plate (12) and the substrate (11) together to form the ejection head, wherein this joining step comprises the production of a junction (25), made by means of the anodic bonding technology, between the substrate (11) and the nozzle plate (12), in such a way that, in the area of this junction (25), the ejection head (10) does not present structural discontinuities, and also possesses a resistance to chemical corrosion by the liquid (14) contained in the ejection head (10) at least equal to that of the silicon constituting both

Abstract: On a die that has etchings on a surface, firstly a sheet of negative photoresist is laid down which, by means of an exposure and subsequent development, is left only above the etchings; then, upon the negative photoresist, a positive photoresist is applied, which is subjected to exposure and development to produce functional geometries deposited in thin film; subsequently the positive photoresist is removed in a “lift-off” operation, and the negative photoresist is taken off in a plasma operation, thus revealing the etchings.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a monolithic thermal ink jet printhead (40) comprising a plurality of chambers (74) and of nozzles (56), comprises steps of (206) depositing a plurality of sacrificial layers (31), of obtaining, by means of exposure and development operations, a plurality of casts (156), of (215) applying a structural layer (107), and subsequently steps of (225) removing the casts (156) and of (226) removing the sacrificial layers (31), in order to produce a plurality of chambers (74) and nozzles (56).

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a monolithic thermal ink jet printhead (40) comprising a plurality of chambers (74) and of nozzles (56), comprises steps of (206) depositing a plurality of sacrificial layers (31), of obtaining, by means of exposure and development operations, a plurality of casts (156), of (215) applying a structural layer (107), and subsequently steps of (225) removing the casts (156) and of (226) removing the sacrificial layers (31), in order to produce a plurality of chambers (74) and nozzles (56).

Abstract: The composite printhead (1) is made up of an active module (7), consisting of a thin plate (8) of silicon, on which a plurality of chambers (14) is produced, housing corresponding heating resistors (10), electrically connected through an interconnection network to corresponding external contact pads (37, 42), and of a support element (3) for the active module, in turn consisting of a portion of plate (22) of a rigid, insulating material, provided with an elongated slot shape, ink feeding duct (5), traversing the thickness of the support element (3). The active module (7) is built separately from the support element (3) and later mounted integrally upon the support element (3). Also mounted later to the support (3) is a frame (16) surrounding the active module (7) to provide hydraulic sealing. Finally the module (7) and the frame (16) are covered with a metallic or resin lamina (17), bearing an array of nozzles (18) aligned with and facing the ejection chambers (14).

Abstract: A monolithic thermal ink jet printhead (40) comprising a groove (45), a plurality of chambers (74) and nozzles (56) is manufactured by means of steps of: (203, 205) partially etching the groove (45) by means of a “dry” process and a “wet” process; (210) depositing a plurality of sacrificial layers (54); (212) obtaining a plurality of casts (156); (216) completing the etching of the groove (45) by means of an electrochemical process; and (220) removing the casts (156) and the sacrificial layers (54) in such a way as to obtain a plurality of nozzles (56) and chambers (74).

Abstract: This invention relates to a printhead in which a plurality of resistors are selectively activated by an external control circuit to produce the ejection of droplets of ink through nozzles located in correspondence with the resistors. Selection and activation are performed according to a matrix having a plurality of vertical lines corresponding to the number of resistors per group of nozzles and a plurality of horizontal lines corresponding to the number of groups of nozzles in the head. The groups of nozzles in the polychromatic head comprise real nozzles and fictitious nozzles, as a result of which the groups of nozzles have a regular layout, and are uniformly distributed and equivalent to the corresponding layout of a monochromatic head. With this solution, polychromatic heads having the same number and the same disposition of contacts with the external circuit and the same height as a monochromatic head can be manufactured simply.

Abstract: A thermal ink jet printhead (40) for the emission of drops of ink on a print medium (46) comprises a tank (103) containing ink (142), a lamina (67), a groove (45) and a plurality of ejectors (73), each of which comprises in turn a chamber (74) placed laterally with respect to the groove (45), and fluidly connected thereto by means of a plurality of elementary ducts (75) produced on said lamina (67).

Abstract: In an ink jet printhead, the ink feeding duct (2), passing through the thickness of the silicon substrate, and in hydraulic communication with the ejection cells (8) through an outlet area (2a) on the front surface (5) of the substrate (3), is built in three successive stages of erosion of the substrate (3), the first of which is performed on the rear surface (6) of the substrate, to produce a first cavity (24) having a depth (P1), and a further cavity (26) communicating and having a depth (P2), extending in the direction of the front surface (5), and presenting a back wall (28) separated from the front surface (5) by a diaphragm (30); the second stage is performed on the opposite front surface (5) to cut a channel (40) in the direction of the diaphragm (30), of depth (P4) and defining the contour of the outlet area (2a) on the front surface (5), and the third stage is performed from said rear surface (6) as a continuation of the erosion performed in the first stage, to remove the diaphragm (30) and open the

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an ejection head (10) or ejector suitable for ejecting in the form of droplets (16) a liquid (14) conveyed inside the ejection head (10), comprising a step of producing, from a silicon wafer, a nozzle plate (12) having at least one ejection nozzle (13); a step of producing, from another silicon wafer, a substrate (11) having at least one actuator (15) for activating the ejection of the droplets of liquid through the nozzle (13); and a step of joining the nozzle plate (12) and the substrate (11) together to form the ejection head, wherein this joining step comprises the production of a junction (25), made by means of the anodic bonding technology, between the substrate (11) and the nozzle plate (12), in such a way that, in the area of this junction (25), the ejection head (10) does not present structural discontinuities, and also possesses a resistance to chemical corrosion by the liquid (14) contained in the ejection head (10) at least equal to that of the silicon constituting both

Abstract: An actuating assembly (50) for ink jet printheads consists of a silicon die (61), which comprises a groove (45) and a lamina (64), and of a structure (75) produced monolithically in the same production process. The actuating assembly (50) comprises a microhydraulics (63), the latter in turn comprising a plurality of channels (67) and chambers (57), made inside the structure (75) by means of a sacrificial metallic layer (54). A conducting layer (26) forms a single interconnected equipotential network used as the electrode during the processes of electrochemical etch stopping on the groove (45), of electrodeposition of the sacrificial layer (54) and of the latter's subsequent removal.