Abstract: Pillars are formed in a fully integrated thermal inkjet printhead to prevent particles from entering into a nozzle chamber along an ink refill channel. The pillars are formed after a step of applying a thin film structure to a substrate. At one step, pits are etched through the thin film structure. At another step, material for an orifice layer is deposited into the pits. At another step, a firing chamber is etched into the orifice layer. At another step, a trench is etched into the backside of the wafer in the vicinity of the filled pits. The material filling each pit is not removed and remains in place to define the respective pillars. Two or more pillars are formed within the trench for each inkjet nozzle chamber. Alternatively pillars are formed by depositing material into the underside trench and performing photoimaging processes.

Abstract: A method of forming a fluid ejecting device such as an ink jet printing device that includes forming a plurality of fluid drop generators on a first surface of a silicon substrate, forming a partial fluid feed slot in the silicon substrate by deep reactive ion etching, and forming a fluid feed slot by wet etching the partial fluid feed slot.

Abstract: A method of mounting a fluid ejection device having a first plurality of pads on a carrier substrate having a corresponding second plurality of pads includes positioning the first plurality of pads with respect to the second plurality of pads, and melting solder between the first plurality of pads and the second plurality of pads. Melting the solder includes aligning the first plurality of pads with respect to the second plurality of pads with a solder reflow force and forming a fluidic boundary between the fluid ejection device and the carrier substrate with the solder.

Abstract: A fluid ejection device has a firing chamber with a feature disposed therewithin.

Abstract: A multilayer ceramic substrate includes ink channels for routing ink from a reservoir to a plurality of printhead dies. The ceramic substrate serves as a carrier substrate for the dies and as an ink manifold for routing ink. The ceramic substrate also serves to interconnect the printhead dies and provide electrical signal routing.

Abstract: Pillars are formed in a fully integrated thermal inkjet printhead to prevent particles from entering into a nozzle chamber along an ink refill channel. The pillars are formed after a step of applying a thin film structure to a substrate. At one step, pits are etched through the thin film structure. At another step, material for an orifice layer is deposited into the pits. At another step, a firing chamber is etched into the orifice layer. At another step, a trench is etched into the backside of the wafer in the vicinity of the filled pits. The material filling each pit is not removed and remains in place to define the respective pillars. Two or more pillars are formed within the trench for each inkjet nozzle chamber. Alternatively pillars are formed by depositing material into the underside trench and performing photoimaging processes.

Abstract: Pillars are formed in a fully integrated thermal inkjet printhead to prevent particles from entering into a nozzle chamber along an ink refill channel. The pillars are formed after a step of applying a thin film structure to a substrate. At one step, pits are etched through the thin film structure. At another step, material for an orifice layer is deposited into the pits. At another step, a firing chamber is etched into the orifice layer. At another step, a trench is etched into the backside of the wafer in the vicinity of the filled pits. The material filling each pit is not removed and remains in place to define the respective pillars. Two or more pillars are formed within the trench for each inkjet nozzle chamber. Alternatively pillars are formed by depositing material into the underside trench and performing photoimaging processes.

Abstract: An inkjet pen includes a multilayered platform, an electrical interconnection extending through the multilayered platform, and a plurality of printhead dies each mounted on the multilayered platform. The multilayered platform includes a first layer having an ink inlet defined therein, a second layer having a plurality of ink feed slots defined therein, and at least one third layer having an ink manifold defined therein. The ink manifold of the at least one third layer fluidically couples the ink inlet of the first layer with the ink feed slots of the second layer. Each of the printhead dies are mounted on the second layer of the multilayered platform and include an array of printing elements and an ink refill slot communicating with the array of printing elements. The ink refill slot of each of the printhead dies communicates with at least one of the ink feed slots of the multilayered platform, and each of the printhead dies are electrically coupled to the electrical interconnection.

Abstract: A printhead including a printhead substrate having at least one opening for providing a fluid path through the substrate and a thin film membrane formed on a second surface of the substrate. The thin film membrane includes a plurality of fluid feed holes, each fluid feed hole is located over the opening in the substrate. The thin film membrane, which extends over the opening, also has a plurality of fluid ejection elements and a plurality of conductive leads to the fluid ejection elements. All portions of the fluid ejection elements and conductive leads overlie the substrate.

Abstract: A monitoring system monitors a pressure wave developed in the surrounding ambient environment during inkjet droplet formation. The monitoring system uses either acoustic, ultrasonic, or other pressure wave monitoring mechanisms, such as a laser vibrometer, an ultrasonic transducer, or an accelerometer sensor, for instance, a microphone to detect droplet formation. One sensor is incorporated in the printhead itself, while others may be located externally. The monitoring system generates information used to determine current levels of printhead performance, to which the printer may respond by adjusting print modes, servicing the printhead, adjusting droplet formation, or by providing an early warning before an inkjet cartridge is completely empty. During printhead manufacturing, an array of such sensors may be used in quality assurance to determine printhead performance. An inkjet printing mechanism is also equipped for using this monitoring system, and a monitoring method is also provided.

Abstract: An ink jet print head having a substrate with an upper surface, and an ink supply conduit passing through the substrate. An array of independently addressable ink energizing elements are attached to the upper surface of the substrate. An orifice layer has a lower surface conformally connected to the upper surface of the substrate, and has an exterior surface facing away from the substrate. The orifice layer defines a plurality of firing chambers providing communication to the ink energizing elements, and each of the orifices is positioned in registration with a respective single ink energizing element. The exterior surface defines a plurality of nozzle apertures, each providing the upper terminus of a single firing chamber. Each of the firing chambers is laterally separated from all other firing chambers by a septum portion of the orifice layer.

Abstract: A printhead having reduced spray includes orifi from which ink is expelled by an ink ejector. The orifi employ an aperture at the outer surface of the orifice plate having an asymmetrical hourglass shape to cause the expelled ink drop to break off at the narrow end of the orifice aperture.

Abstract: A multilayer ceramic substrate includes ink channels for routing ink from a reservoir to a plurality of printhead dies. The ceramic substrate serves as a carrier substrate for the dies and as an ink manifold for routing ink. The ceramic substrate also serves to interconnect the printhead dies and provide electrical signal routing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving ink-jet print quality uses a print head having an array using a plurality of nozzles in sets in each drop generator mechanism. Where a conventional ink-jet pen fires a single droplet of ink at a pixel per firing cycle, the present invention fires a plurality of droplets at different subdivisions of pixels. The particular array design may vary from ink-to-ink or pen-to-pen. Each drop generator of a print head array includes a plurality of nozzles wherein each of the nozzles has an exit orifice with an areal dimension, and produces an ink droplet that produces a dot on adjacent print media wherein the dot has an areal dimension, less than the areal dimension of a pixel to be printed. Dots are printed in a pattern for each pixel wherein print quality is achieved that approximates a higher resolution print made by conventional ink-jet methodologies.

Abstract: Described herein is a monolithic printhead formed using integrated circuit techniques. Thin film layers, including ink ejection elements, are formed on a top surface of a silicon substrate. The various layers are etched to provide conductive leads to the ink ejection elements. At least one ink feed hole is formed through the thin film layers for each ink ejection chamber. A trench is etched in the bottom surface of the substrate so that ink can flow into the trench and into each ink ejection chamber through the ink feed holes formed in the thin film layers. The trench completely etches away portions of the substrate near the ink feed holes so that the thin film layers form a shelf in the vicinity of the ink feed holes. In one embodiment, the shelf supports the ink ejection elements. An orifice layer is formed on the top surface of the thin film layers to define the nozzles and ink ejection chambers.

Abstract: A printhead includes at least a first drop generator set and at least a second drop generator set. The first drop generator set includes a first type of drop generator, whereas the other drop generator sets include a second type of drop generator. The first and second types of drop generators are primarily different with regard to the drop weights they are capable of providing. Preferably, the first type of drop generator comprises a multi-nozzle configuration, whereas the second type comprises single nozzle configurations. In one embodiment, a first type of ink is ejected by the first type of drop generators and a second type of ink is ejected by the second type of drop generators. To prevent unwanted mixing of the black and color inks, a first orifice or nozzle layer is provided separate and apart from a second orifice layer. In this manner, a single printhead may be used for the delivery of both black and color inks.

Abstract: An inkjet pen includes a multilayered platform and a plurality of printhead dies each mounted on the multilayered platform. The multilayered platform includes a first layer having an ink inlet defined therein, a second layer having a plurality of ink feed slots defined therein, and at least one third layer having an ink manifold defined therein. As such, the ink manifold of the at least one third layer fluidically couples the ink inlet of the first layer with the ink feed slots of the second layer. Each of the printhead dies are mounted on the second layer of the multilayered platform and include an array of printing elements and an ink refill slot communicating with the array of printing elements, with each of the printing elements including a firing chamber and a feed channel communicating with the firing chamber.

Abstract: Pillars are formed in a fully integrated thermal inkjet printhead to prevent particles from entering into a nozzle chamber along an ink refill channel. The pillars are formed after a step of applying a thin film structure to a substrate. At one step, pits are etched through the thin film structure. At another step, material for an orifice layer is deposited into the pits. At another step, a firing chamber is etched into the orifice layer. At another step, a trench is etched into the backside of the wafer in the vicinity of the filled pits. The material filling each pit is not removed and remains in place to define the respective pillars. Two or more pillars are formed within the trench for each inkjet nozzle chamber. Alternatively pillars are formed by depositing material into the underside trench and performing photoimaging processes.

Abstract: An inkjet printing device is arranged to employ a first set of multiple nozzle drop generators activated by a first address signal and a second set of multiple nozzle drop generators activated by a second address signal. The multiple nozzles of each drop generator of the first set are arranged in a predetermined geometric pattern, each of which encompasses at least one nozzle of a drop generator of the second set. The ink ejectors of one drop generator of the first drop generator set are arranged in subgroups, one subgroup of which shares a switched power return with one subgroup of ink ejectors of one drop generator of the second drop generator set.

Abstract: Described herein is a monolithic printhead formed using integrated circuit techniques. Thin film layers, including ink ejection elements, are formed on a top surface of a silicon substrate. The various layers are etched to provide conductive leads to the ink ejection elements. At least one ink feed hole is formed through the thin film layers for each ink ejection chamber. In one embodiment, there are more ink feed holes than ink ejection chambers, so that more than one ink feed hole provides ink to each ink ejection chamber. A trench is etched in the bottom surface of the substrate so that ink can flow into the trench and into each ink ejection chamber through the ink feed holes formed in the thin film layers. An orifice layer is formed on the top surface of the thin film layers to define the nozzles and ink ejection chambers.