Patents by Inventor Wei-Fu Lai

Wei-Fu Lai has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8376524
    Abstract: A thermal inkjet printhead chip structure includes a substrate, an oxide layer formed on the substrate, at least one driver circuitry each including a source, a drain and a gate and formed on the substrate and further surrounded by the oxide layer, a dielectric layer, a buffer layer, a resistive layer and a conductive layer. The dielectric layer is formed on the driver circuitry and has openings formed therethrough to expose the source and drain. The buffer layer is formed on the dielectric layer, covering the source and drain and connected to the source and drain. The resistive layer is formed on the buffer layer and has at least one heating area. The resistive layer extends above the source and drain and is connected to the source and drain. The conductive layer is formed on the resistive layer and exposes the heating area. A manufacturing method also is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: International United Technology Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Francis Chee-Shuen Lee, Wei-Fu Lai, Ming-Ling Lee
  • Patent number: 8191995
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a printhead for thermal inkjet printing and the printing method thereof. The printhead includes: a substrate having a plurality of orifices with a firing element in each of said plurality of orifices, wherein said plurality of orifices are arranged in a single column, and said printhead is disposed at an angle to a horizontal direction along which said printhead scans; and firing circuits for energizing said plurality of firing elements to eject ink on a printing medium by respectively transmitting a plurality of firing signals to said plurality of firing elements. According to the present invention, the print speed and resolution can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Francis Chee-Shuen Lee, Wei-Fu Lai
  • Patent number: 8033626
    Abstract: An ink jet printhead module adapted for use in a printing apparatus, the ink jet printhead module being capable of receiving address signals and chip selection signals from a printhead drive unit of the printing apparatus. The printhead module includes chip control circuits, each being capable of receiving the address signals and receiving a corresponding one of the chip selection signals. Each chip control circuit includes switching circuits and an ink jetting circuit set. Each switching circuit is capable of receiving a corresponding one of the address signals and the corresponding one of chip selection signals and outputting a switching signal. An ink jetting circuit set includes ink jetting circuits, each being capable of receiving the switching signal from the corresponding switching circuit electrically coupled to the ink jetting circuit and determining whether or not to jet out ink based on the received switching signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: International United Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hung-Lieh Hu, Jui-Hua Hu, Francis Chee-Shuen Lee, Wei-Fu Lai
  • Publication number: 20110157281
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a printhead for thermal inkjet printing and the printing method thereof. The printhead comprises: a substrate having a plurality of orifices with a firing element in each of said plurality of orifices, wherein said plurality of orifices are arranged in a single column, and said printhead is disposed at an angle to a horizontal direction along which said printhead scans; and a firing circuits for energizing said plurality of firing elements to eject ink on a printing medium by respectively transmitting a plurality of firing signals to said plurality of firing elements. According to the present invention, the print speed and resolution can be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited
    Inventors: Francis Chee-Shuen Lee, Wei-Fu Lai
  • Patent number: 7922276
    Abstract: An ink jet printhead module including multiple chip control circuits is provided. The ink jet printhead module is capable of receiving multiple address signals and multiple chip selection signals from a printhead drive unit of the printing apparatus. Each of the chip control circuits is capable of receiving the address signals and a corresponding one of the chip selection signals. Each of the chip control circuits includes multiple switching circuits and an ink jetting circuit set. Each of the switching circuits is capable of receiving a corresponding one of the address signals and the corresponding one of the chip selection signals and outputting a switching signal. The ink jetting circuit set includes multiple ink jetting circuits. Each of the ink jetting circuits is capable of receiving the switching signal from the corresponding switching circuit and determining whether or not to jet out ink based on the received switching signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: International United Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hung-Lieh Hu, Jui-Hua Hu, Francis Chee-Shuen Lee, Wei-Fu Lai
  • Publication number: 20110074847
    Abstract: An ink jet printhead module adapted for use in a printing apparatus, the ink jet printhead module being capable of receiving address signals and chip selection signals from a printhead drive unit of the printing apparatus. The printhead module includes chip control circuits, each being capable of receiving the address signals and receiving a corresponding one of the chip selection signals. Each chip control circuit includes switching circuits and an ink jetting circuit set. Each switching circuit is capable of receiving a corresponding one of the address signals and the corresponding one of chip selection signals and outputting a switching signal. An ink jetting circuit set includes ink jetting circuits, each being capable of receiving the switching signal from the corresponding switching circuit electrically coupled to the ink jetting circuit and determining whether or not to jet out ink based on the received switching signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: International United Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hung-Lieh Hu, Jui-Hua Hu, Francis Chee-Shuen Lee, Wei-Fu Lai
  • Patent number: 7740341
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead including a substrate, a plurality of heaters, multiple pairs of leads, an ink chamber layer, and a nozzle plate is provided. The substrate has a top surface and a plurality of ink channels through the substrate in the direction substantially vertical to the top surface. The heaters, the multiple pairs of leads, and the ink chamber layer are disposed on the surface of the substrate. The multiple pairs of leads are electrically coupled to the corresponding heaters respectively, and the heaters are respectively adjacent to the corresponding ink channels. The ink chamber layer has a plurality of ink chambers which respectively expose the corresponding heaters and the corresponding ink channels. The nozzle plate is disposed on the ink chamber layer and has a plurality of nozzles through the nozzle plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: International United Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Francis Chee-Shuen Lee, Ming-Ling Lee, Wei-Fu Lai, Jia-Lin Chen
  • Publication number: 20090141087
    Abstract: A thermal inkjet printhead chip structure includes a substrate, an oxide layer formed on the substrate, at least one driver circuitry each including a source, a drain and a gate and formed on the substrate and further surrounded by the oxide layer, a dielectric layer, a buffer layer, a resistive layer and a conductive layer. The dielectric layer is formed on the driver circuitry and has openings formed therethrough to expose the source and drain. The buffer layer is formed on the dielectric layer, covering the source and drain and connected to the source and drain. The resistive layer is formed on the buffer layer and has at least one heating area. The resistive layer extends above the source and drain and is connected to the source and drain. The conductive layer is formed on the resistive layer and exposes the heating area. A manufacturing method also is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventors: Francis Chee-Shuen LEE, Wei-Fu Lai, Ming-Ling Lee
  • Patent number: 7367657
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead chip includes a substrate, transistors, isolation structures, a dielectric layer, a resistive layer and conductive sections. Each transistor includes a gate, a source, a drain and a gate oxide disposed between the gate and the substrate. The isolation structures are on the substrate surface and isolate the transistors. The dielectric layer covers the transistors and the isolation structures, and has openings exposed the source and the drain. Several heating regions are in the resistive layer that is on the dielectric layer. In the conductive sections, the first conductive section is on the resistive layer and exposes the heating regions for forming several heating devices. Each heating device has resistance less than 95 ohm and power density less than 2 GW/m2; the second conductive section and the third conductive section are electrically coupled to the drain and the source through the openings of the dielectric layer respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: International United Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Francis Chee-Shuen Lee, Jui-Hua Hu, Jia-Lin Chen, Wei-Fu Lai
  • Publication number: 20080001981
    Abstract: An ink jet printhead module including multiple chip control circuits is provided. The ink jet printhead module is capable of receiving multiple address signals and multiple chip selection signals from a printhead drive unit of the printing apparatus. Each of the chip control circuits is capable of receiving the address signals and a corresponding one of the chip selection signals. Each of the chip control circuits includes multiple switching circuits and an ink jetting circuit set. Each of the switching circuits is capable of receiving a corresponding one of the address signals and the corresponding one of the chip selection signals and outputting a switching signal. The ink jetting circuit set includes multiple ink jetting circuits. Each of the ink jetting circuits is capable of receiving the switching signal from the corresponding switching circuit and determining whether or not to jet out ink based on the received switching signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL UNITED TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hung-Lieh Hu, Jui-Hua Hu, Francis Chee-Shuen Lee, Wei-Fu Lai
  • Publication number: 20070268336
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead including a substrate, a plurality of heaters, multiple pairs of leads, an ink chamber layer, and a nozzle plate is provided. The substrate has a top surface and a plurality of ink channels through the substrate in the direction substantially vertical to the top surface. The heaters, the multiple pairs of leads, and the ink chamber layer are disposed on the surface of the substrate. The multiple pairs of leads are electrically coupled to the corresponding heaters respectively, and the heaters are respectively adjacent to the corresponding ink channels. The ink chamber layer has a plurality of ink chambers which respectively expose the corresponding heaters and the corresponding ink channels. The nozzle plate is disposed on the ink chamber layer and has a plurality of nozzles through the nozzle plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2007
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL UNITED TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Francis Chee-Shuen Lee, Ming-Ling Lee, Wei-Fu Lai, Jia-Lin Chen
  • Publication number: 20070242092
    Abstract: An ink jet printhead control circuit is provided. The ink jet printhead control circuit includes at least a nozzle firing circuit and a nozzle firing control circuit. The nozzle firing circuit includes a switch and a heating resistor. The switch and the heating resistor are coupled in series between a power voltage level and a predetermined voltage level. The nozzle firing control circuit is electrically coupled to the nozzle firing circuit, and receives a selection signal and an address signal. When the address signal and the selection signal are enabled, the nozzle firing circuit is controlled to apply the power voltage level to turn on the switch to drive the heating resistor so that droplets of ink are jetted out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL UNITED TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wei-Fu Lai, Fu-Sheng Huang, Francis Chee-Shuen Lee
  • Publication number: 20060238576
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead chip includes a substrate, transistors, isolation structures, a dielectric layer, a resistive layer and conductive sections. Each transistor includes a gate, a source, a drain and a gate oxide disposed between the gate and the substrate. The isolation structures are on the substrate surface and isolate the transistors. The dielectric layer covers the transistors and the isolation structures, and has openings exposed the source and the drain. Several heating regions are in the resistive layer that is on the dielectric layer. In the conductive sections, the first conductive section is on the resistive layer and exposes the heating regions for forming several heating devices. Each heating device has resistance less than 95 ohm and power density less than 2 GW/m2; the second conductive section and the third conductive section are electrically coupled to the drain and the source through the openings of the dielectric layer respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2005
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Inventors: Francis Lee, Jui-Hua Hu, Jia-Lin Chen, Wei-Fu Lai
  • Patent number: D648785
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Francis Chee-Shuen Lee, Wei-Fu Lai