Abstract: A thermal inkjet printhead has an array of nozzle arrangements provided for ejecting ink. Each nozzle arrangement includes a substrate assembly defining an ink inlet passage. A nozzle chamber structure extends from the substrate assembly to define a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet passage. The nozzle chamber structure defines an aperture through which ink in the nozzle chamber can be ejected. A pair of parallel heater elements extends from the nozzle chamber structure and into the nozzle chamber, and can be supplied with current so that ink in the nozzle chamber is ejected out through the aperture. Each heater element is shaped to define at least one broken annulus, in turn, comprising said at least one arcuate portion.

Abstract: A unit cell for a thermal inkjet printhead includes a substrate portion that defines an ink supply passage; drive circuitry and interconnect layers positioned on the substrate portion; a nozzle plate defining a nozzle; side walls depending from the nozzle plate and positioned on the substrate portion to define an ink chamber; and a heater element connected to the drive circuitry and positioned intermediate the nozzle plate and the substrate portion, the heater element being suspended in the ink chamber in alignment with the nozzle and being shaped to be symmetrical about two planes that intersect along an axis extending through a centre of the nozzle. The drive circuitry is partially on one side of the ink chamber with a remainder of the drive circuitry on an opposite side.

Abstract: The invention provides for a nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printer. The arrangement includes a wafer substrate defining a chamber with an ink inlet and ejection port, the substrate having a micro-electromechanical drive layer. The arrangement also includes a paddle dividing the chamber into an ink chamber and a nozzle chamber, and an actuating arm coupled to the paddle. The arm includes an outer arm portion mechanically linked to an inner arm portion via posts electrically isolating the inner arm portion from the outer arm portion. The arm is pivotal with respect to the substrate during operative electrical thermal expansion of the inner arm portion displacing the paddle towards the ejection port.

Abstract: A nozzle arrangement for use in an integrated circuit device is provided. The nozzle arrangement comprises a wafer substrate, a nozzle chamber wall disposed on the substrate, which with a roof wall defines a nozzle chamber, the roof wall forming an ejection port that is in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber, an inlet channel which extends through the substrate to the nozzle chamber, a thermal actuator having an actuating arm that extends through an opening in the nozzle chamber wall into the nozzle chamber for ejection of fluid from the ejection port, and a sealing structure depending from the actuating arm within the nozzle chamber wall opening. The sealing structure, nozzle chamber wall and roof wall are complementarily configured so as to form fluidic seals therebetween within the nozzle chamber wall opening.

Abstract: A fuse element can be reliably blown and data that corresponds to whether or not the fuse element has been blown can be stored with high reliability. A resistor element is provided in a circuit through which an electric current flows to blow the fuse element in the ink jet printing head. The resistor element adjusts the electric current so that, in the process of blowing the fuse element, the current continues to flow for a predetermined duration even after a maximum current has passed through the fuse element. The predetermined duration is longer than a period from a time point when the electric current rises to a time point when the electric current reaches the maximum current.

Abstract: Provided is an inkjet printhead having an array of ink chambers formed on a planar support surface of a wafer substrate. Each ink chamber in the array has a nozzle, a thermal actuator for ejecting ink through the nozzle and a droplet stem anchor. The thermal actuator has two sections with higher resistance than the remainder of the thermal actuator. The droplet stem anchor is positioned between the two sections with higher resistance of the thermal actuator.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes an array of nozzles extending substantially a width of a print media fed through the inkjet printer; and a plurality of heater elements each corresponding to a nozzle, each heater element being formed substantially of titanium nitride and suspended in direct contact with a bubble forming liquid with the bubble forming liquid surrounding the heater element. Each heater element has a mass of less than 10 nanograms, and sized to heat the bubble forming liquid above a boiling point thereof upon application of 200 nJ or less of energy to each heater element.

Abstract: Provided is a printhead having a plurality of nozzles formed on a wafer substrate. Each nozzle has a fluid chamber for holding printing fluid, the fluid chamber having an ejection port, a fluid inlet defined in the wafer substrate for supplying the fluid chamber with printing fluid, and a heater element suspended in the fluid chamber. The heater element has a mass of less than 10 nanograms. Upon application of electrical energy to the heater element, a vapour bubble is formed in the printing fluid, thereby ejecting the fluid via the ejection port.

Abstract: MEMS devices and methods of fabrication thereof are described. In one embodiment, the MEMS device includes a bottom alloy layer disposed over a substrate. An inner material layer is disposed on the bottom alloy layer, and a top alloy layer is disposed on the inner material layer, the top and bottom alloy layers including an alloy of at least two metals, wherein the inner material layer includes the alloy and nitrogen. The top alloy layer, the inner material layer, and the bottom alloy layer form a MEMS feature.

Abstract: An ink jet printhead has a plurality of nozzles and a bubble forming chamber corresponding to each of the nozzles respectively. The bubble forming chambers are adapted to contain a bubble forming liquid and a heater element is disposed in each of the bubble forming chambers respectively. The heater elements are configured for thermal contact with the bubble forming liquid and, a pair of electrodes for each of the heater elements are positioned adjacent each other such that the heater element provides a single current path between the electrodes of each pair. Each of the heater elements has a double omega shape in which a smaller, inner omega shape is concentric with, and encircled by, a larger, outer omega shape.

Abstract: A printhead integrated circuit that has an array of ink chambers, each having a nozzle and an actuator for ejecting ink through the nozzle. The nozzle has a nozzle rim defining a nozzle aperture and a localized irregularity on the nozzle rim extending toward the centre of the nozzle aperture.

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 printhead nozzle array includes groups of nozzle assemblies configured to eject respective colored inks. Each group has its nozzle assemblies arranged in rows. Each nozzle assembly includes a common substrate assembly. A nozzle is configured to contain ink and defines a nozzle opening through which the ink can be ejected. The nozzle includes a static wall portion extending from the substrate assembly and a movable crown portion defining the nozzle opening. An actuator extends from the substrate assembly. A lever arm extends from the actuator and is fast with the crown portion so that, upon actuation of the actuator, the lever arm moves the crown portion relative to the static wall portion to eject the ink out through the nozzle opening.

Abstract: A micro-fluid ejection assembly and method therefor. The micro-fluid ejection assembly includes a silicon substrate having a fluid supply slot therein. The fluid supply slot is formed by an etch process conducted on a substrate using, a first etch mask circumscribing the fluid supply slot, and a second etch mask applied over a functional layer on the substrate.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead that has a nozzle layer defining an array of nozzle apertures, each nozzle aperture having an associated heater element positioned for heating the ejectable liquid above its boiling point to form a vapor bubble to eject a drop of the ejectable liquid through the nozzle aperture. The nozzle aperture is less than 5 microns thick in the drop ejection direction.

Abstract: A method for forming an element substrate which includes a substrate, an ink supply port penetrating substrate and energy supplying means for supplying ejection energy to ink introduced through ink supply port, the method includes a step of forming the energy supplying means on the substrate, then; a step of thinning the substrate, and then; an ink supply port forming step of forming the ink supply port in the substrate.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead and a method of manufacturing the inkjet printhead. The inkjet printhead includes a substrate including a trench formed to a predetermined depth in an upper portion of the substrate and an ink feed hole formed through a bottom surface of the trench to supply ink, an etch stop layer formed of a metal and formed on an inner surface of the trench, a plurality of heaters, to create bubbles by heating ink, formed on the substrate, a plurality of electrodes, to apply a current to the plurality of heaters, formed on the substrate, a chamber layer stacked on the substrate and including a plurality of ink chambers formed above respective heaters to receive ink from the ink feed hole via the trench, and a nozzle layer stacked on the chamber layer and including a plurality of nozzles to eject ink from the plurality of ink chambers.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead with multiple actuators in respective ink chambers, where a plurality of the actuators activate simultaneously from the same drive signal. By replacing a single relatively large chamber with two or more smaller chambers, such that the separate actuators are in the same driver circuit (either in series or parallel), each nozzle ejects drops of smaller volume, and having different misdirections. Smaller drops with differing misdirections are less likely to create any visible artefacts.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead with planar thermal actuators, with contacts directly deposited onto the CMOS electrodes and suspended heater element, which avoids hotspots caused by vertical or inclined surfaces so that the contacts can be much smaller structures without acceptable increases in resistive losses. Low resistive losses preserves the efficient operation of a suspended heater element and the small contact size is convenient for close nozzle packing on the printhead.

Abstract: A printhead is provided having a plurality of nozzles and heating circuitry for heating an ejectable liquid to cause ejection of the ejectable liquid from the nozzles. The heating circuitry is configured such that the energy required to be applied thereto to cause the ejection causes heating of the ejectable liquid of less than 40 degrees Celsius above ambient temperature.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead is disclosed. The printhead includes a substrate, nozzle chambers formed on the substrate, and at least one heater element suspended in each nozzle chamber.

Abstract: An ink drop ejection device with a bubble forming chamber for holding an ejectable liquid, a nozzle in fluid communication with the bubble forming chamber, and at least one heater element in the bubble forming chamber for thermal contact with the bubble forming liquid. Heating the heater element to a temperature above the boiling point of the bubble forming liquid forms a gas bubble to eject a drop of the ejectable liquid through the nozzle. The bubble forming chamber has a circular cross section and the heater element has arcuate sections that are concentric with the circular cross section.

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: An inkjet printhead comprising: an array of ink chambers, each having a nozzle, an elongate actuator for ejecting ink through the nozzle; wherein, the nozzle has an elongate shape with its long dimension aligned with that of the elongate actuator.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead having an array of ink chambers is disclosed. Each ink chamber has a nozzle and a heater element for generating vapour bubbles to eject ink through the nozzle. The heater element has multiple current paths connected in parallel. Each current path has at least one portion with a reduced cross-section relative to the remainder of the current path. A cross bracing structure is also provided for connecting intermediate portions of the current paths.

Abstract: This image generating apparatus comprises a control portion printing a print image by predicting an ambient temperature in an apparatus body substantially reaching a constant level after continuously printing the same print image from the data quantity of the print image and adding a heat quantity corresponding to the difference between the predicted ambient temperature in the apparatus body and a printing-time ambient temperature in the apparatus body detected by a second temperature sensor to a heat quantity of a thermal head decided in response to a printing-time temperature of the thermal head detected by a first temperature sensor.

Abstract: A micro-fluid ejection device, such as an inkjet printhead, includes a substrate, a heater chip on the substrate, a structure on the substrate for supplying ink to the heater chip and a nozzle plate on the heater chip. The heater chip has a plurality of electrically-activatable spaced apart heater elements that can be repetitively subjected to momentary electrical activation and deactivation so as to cause cyclical heating and cooling of ink in the heater chip resulting in repetitive ejection of drops of ink by the nozzle plate on the heater chip. The device also includes a thermal control system in the heater chip being self-managed by operation of a control loop defined by the thermal control system internally of the heater chip and substrate for sensing and limiting the variation of the temperature of the substrate during cyclical operation of the heater elements of the heater chip.

Abstract: A heating element of a printhead has a conductive layer deposited over a substrate, and a resistive layer deposited over and in electrical contact with the conductive layer.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead with multiple actuators and respective nozzles in each chamber, so that each actuator activates simultaneously from the same drive signal. By puffing multiple actuators in a single chamber, and providing each actuator with a corresponding nozzle (or nozzles), each nozzle ejects drops of smaller volume, and having different misdirections. Smaller drops with differing misdirections are less likely to create any visible artifacts.

Abstract: A fluid ejection device that has a firing chamber from which heated fluid is ejected, a heating element that heats fluid in the firing chamber and drive circuitry for the heating element. At least part of the drive circuitry is positioned within 60 microns of the heating element.

Abstract: A printhead integrated circuit comprising a substrate having a plurality of nozzle assemblies. A nozzle plate has a plurality of nozzles openings defined therein and each nozzle opening corresponds to a respective nozzle assembly. Each nozzle assembly havs a respective nozzle chamber and a heater element positioned in the nozzle chamber. Each heater element is suspended in the nozzle chamber and parallel with a plane of the nozzle plate. The integrated circuit includes drive circuitry for controlling actuation of the heater elements. Each heater element includes solid material having a thickness of at least 0.25 microns and a mass of less than 10 nanograms.

Abstract: An apparatus includes nozzles and an ink passage. Each nozzle includes a pressure chamber which houses an electrothermal transducer provided on a substrate to apply ejection energy to ink, an ink ejection orifice which faces the electrothermal transducer, and an ink passage along which the ink is supplied to the pressure chamber. The ink supply port is provided on the substrate and communicates with the ink passages. A distance between a center of gravity of the electrothermal transducer and the ink supply port differs between the nozzles which are next to each other. In at least one of the nozzles, a center of gravity of the ink ejection orifice is shifted from that of the electrothermal transducer in a direction toward the ink supply port by an amount which is increased as the distance increases.

Abstract: A printhead with drive circuitry for a heating element. At least part of the drive circuitry is positioned proximate to and within 60 microns of the heating element. Moving the drive circuitry within 60 microns of the heating element enhances the nozzle packing on the printhead substrate and improves its energy efficiency.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a substrate, on which are formed energy generating members for generating energy to be used for the discharge of a liquid through a discharge port, and a precious metal protective layer for protecting the energy generating members, an inorganic adhesive layer formed of at least one material selected from titanium, titanium nitride, tantalum nitride and chromium nitride, the inorganic adhesive layer being closely adhered to the precious metal protective layer, an organic adhesive layer made of an organic material, and a flow path formation member, serving as a wall of a flow path communicating with the discharge port. The substrate, the inorganic adhesive layer, the adhesive layer and the flow path formation member are bonded to the substrate in this order.

Abstract: A high resolution printhead for an ink jet printer. The printhead includes a semiconductor substrate containing at least one ink feed edge and a plurality of ink ejection actuators spaced a distance from the ink feed edge. Each of the ink ejection actuators has an aspect ratio ranging from about 1.5:1 to about 6:1. A nozzle plate is attached to the semiconductor substrate. The nozzle plate contains a plurality of nozzle holes, ink chambers and ink channels laser ablated in the nozzle plate corresponding to the plurality of ink ejection actuators. Adjacent nozzle holes are spaced apart with a pitch ranging from about 600 to about 1200 dpi. The distance from the ink feed edge is substantially the same for each of the ink ejection actuators.

Abstract: An inkjet nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle chamber for containing ink, the chamber having a nozzle opening and an ink inlet; a pair of electrical contacts positioned at one end of the assembly and connected to drive circuitry; and a thermal bend actuator for ejecting ink through the nozzle opening, the actuator comprising: an active beam connected to the electrical contacts and extending longitudinally away from the contacts, the active beam defining a bent current flow path between the contacts; and a passive beam fused to the active beam, such that when a current is passed through the active beam, the active beam heats and expands relative to the passive beam resulting in bending of the actuator, wherein the actuator has a working face for generating a positive pressure pulse in the ink during the bending of the actuator, the working face having an area of less than 800 square microns.

Abstract: A printer system is provided having a printhead which has nozzles, a bubble forming chamber corresponding to each nozzle, and heater elements disposed in each chamber each configured for thermal contact with a bubble forming liquid such that heating heater elements to a temperature above the boiling point of the bubble forming liquid forms a gas bubble that causes the ejection of a drop of an ejectable liquid through the nozzles. Each heater element is an elongate strip suspended between corresponding electrodes on opposite sides of the chamber. Each strip has a cross-section with a lateral dimension different than that of each other strip of the corresponding chamber and at least triple that of the thickness of that strip. The thickness of each strip is less than 0.3 microns. The heater elements and electrodes are arranged so that the electrodes are non-coincident with the electrodes of the other heater elements.

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: Micro-fluid ejection devices, methods for making micro-fluid ejection heads, and micro-fluid ejection heads, including a micro-fluid ejection head. One such micro-fluid ejection head has relatively high resistance thin film heaters adjacent to a substrate. The thin film material comprises silicon, metal, and carbon (SiMC wherein M is a metal). Each thin film heater has a sheet resistance ranging from about 100 to about 600 ohms per square and a thickness ranging from about 100 to about 800 Angstroms.

Abstract: An ink jet print head substrate capable of precisely blowing fuse element to store data reliably is provided. An ink jet print head incorporating such a substrate and an ink jet printing apparatus are also provided. The interlayer insulating film formed over the fuse element is made of a material that has a lower melting point than the material of the fuse element and which forms a cavity therein by heat produced when the fuse elements is blown.

Abstract: A printhead is provided having a plurality of nozzles and a plurality of heater elements each for heating an ejectable liquid to cause ejection of a drop of the ejectable liquid from a respective one of the nozzles. Each heater element is configured such that the energy required to be applied thereto to cause ejection of the drop is less than the energy required to heat a volume of the ejectable liquid equal to the volume of the drop to a temperature less than 40 degrees Celsius above ambient temperature.

Abstract: A ink drop ejection device that has a nozzle and a bubble forming chamber for holding ejectable liquid. At least one heater element is suspended in the bubble forming chamber to heat the ejectable liquid to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble therein. The generation of the bubble causes the ejection of a drop of the ejectable liquid (such as ink) through the nozzle to effect printing. The heater element is configured such that the strain of thermal expansion is not relieved by bending about its thinnest cross sectional dimension.

Abstract: An inikjet printhead including an ink chamber. The ink chamber includes a nozzle defined in a first wall and an ink inlet aperture for introducing ink into the ink chamber. Also provided is a movable circular paddle positioned within the ink chamber for ejecting ink from the nozzle, the movable circular paddle having an annular upturned edge surface. An annular rim edge is positioned internally adjacent a cylindrical wall of the ink chamber, the annular upturned edge surface and the annular rim edge defining an annular aperture between the nozzle and the ink inlet aperture. The paddle can also incorporate a plurality of truncated pyramids circularly positioned adjacent the annular upturned edge surface.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording head includes a discharge-port portion including a first discharge-port portion continuing from a discharge port, and a second discharge-port portion communicating the first discharge-port portion with a bubble generation chamber. The second discharge-port portion has an end surface that includes a border portion bordering the first discharge-port portion and is parallel to a main surface of an element substrate. The cross-sectional area of the second discharge-port portion, anywhere from an opening surface facing the bubble generation chamber to an end surface facing the first discharge-port portion, that is parallel to the main surface of the element substrate, is larger than the area of the border portion. The cross-section of the opening surface of the second discharge-port portion has a length in a direction perpendicular to an arrangement direction of the discharge ports that is greater than its length in a direction parallel to the arrangement direction.

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 is comprised of first and second layers, and the second layer is sandwiched between the first layer and the active beam. The second layer is relatively more thermally insulating than the first layer.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead has nozzles and respective heater elements. A print engine controller actuates the heater elements to eject ink through the corresponding nozzle. During use, the print engine controller actuates each of the heater elements at least once every decap time. The decap time is a predetermined time period in which the viscosity of the ejectable liquid at the nozzle increases to a threshold, at which ejection fails and the nozzle clogs.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead comprising: an array of ink chambers, each having a nozzle and a thermal actuator for generating vapour bubbles to eject ink through the nozzle; wherein, the thermal actuator has a pair of contacts and at least two parallel current paths between the contacts, each of the current paths having a plurality of heater elements for nucleating a vapour bubble.

Abstract: There is disclosed a printhead integrated circuit (IC) which comprises a plurality of nozzles and one or more heater elements 10 corresponding to each nozzle. Each heater element 10 is configured to heat a bubble forming liquid 11 in the printhead to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble 12 therein. The generation of the bubble 12 causes the ejection of a drop of an ejectable liquid (such as ink) through an ejection aperture 5 in each nozzle, to effect printing. In each nozzle, the heater element 10 requires an electrical pulse with a voltage less than 8 volts and a duration less than 1.5 microseconds, to form the vapor bubble that causes the ejection of the drop. With the realization that drive pulse voltages above, say, 12 volts are not a fixed parameter of printhead design, the benefits of low voltage printhead operation can be incorporated into a design that yields efficiencies that negate the circumstances that created the initial demand for high voltage operation.

Abstract: The arrays of independently-addressable resistors are commonly used to control miniature elements. The invention proposes solving the problem caused by the loss of power dissipated in the addressed resistor by choosing, for this resistor, a material with a negative thermal coefficient resistance, which enables the addressing output of this resistor to be increased.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording head includes a discharge-port portion including a first discharge-port portion continuing from a discharge port, and a second discharge-port portion communicating the first discharge-port portion with a bubble generation chamber. The second discharge-port portion has an end surface that includes a border portion bordering the first discharge-port portion and is parallel to a main surface of an element substrate. The cross-sectional area of the second discharge-port portion, anywhere from an opening surface facing the bubble generation chamber to an end surface facing the first discharge-port portion, that is parallel to the main surface of the element substrate, is larger than the area of the border portion. The cross section of the opening surface of the second discharge-port portion has a length in a direction perpendicular to an arrangement direction of the discharge ports that is greater than its length in a direction parallel to the arrangement direction.