Composite Ejector Patents (Class 347/63)
  • Patent number: 7470001
    Abstract: A thermal inkjet printhead. The inkjet printhead includes a heater that heats an ink in an ink chamber to generate a bubble, conductors to supply an electric current to the heater, and a bubble separation wall protuberantly formed on the heater to protect the heater by inducing an extermination position of a bubble when the bubble generated by the heater shrinks and dissipates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kyong-il Kim, Su-ho Shin
  • Patent number: 7470005
    Abstract: The invention provides for a nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printer. The nozzle arrangement includes a substrate defining a chamber with an ink inlet and ejection port, said substrate having a CMOS drive layer, and a paddle dividing said chamber into an ink chamber and a nozzle chamber. The arrangement also includes an actuating arm coupled to the paddle by means of a paddle extension portion and a bridging portion, said arm having an outer arm portion mechanically linked to an inner arm portion via posts electrically isolating the inner arm portion from said 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7469995
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead integrated circuit includes a multi-layer substrate that defines a plurality of ink inlet passages and incorporates drive circuitry. Side walls extend from the substrate. A nozzle plate is positioned on the side walls and, together with the side walls, defines a plurality of nozzle chambers in fluid communication with respective ink inlet passages and nozzles in fluid communication with respective nozzle chambers. At least one heater element is suspended in each nozzle chamber and is connected to the drive circuitry to be heated on receipt of an electrical signal from the drive circuitry to form a gas bubble in ink in the nozzle chamber so that a drop of ink is ejected from the nozzle chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20080316276
    Abstract: A printhead integrated circuit (IC) for an inkjet printer. The printhead IC has a wafer substrate with drive circuitry and a plurality of nozzle arrangements located thereon. Each nozzle arrangement includes nozzle chamber structures defining a nozzle chamber and an ink ejection nozzle in fluid communication with said nozzle chamber, as well as an elongate actuator attached to the substrate for displacement towards and away from the substrate in response to actuating signals from the drive circuitry. Each arrangement also includes an ink ejection member attached to the actuator, the ejection member being positioned for acting on ink within the nozzle chamber to eject a drop of ink from the ink ejection nozzle. Each elongate actuator further includes an actuator arm of a laminated structure comprising a resiliently flexible inner layer, a conductive layer and a compensation layer, the inner layer being interposed between the conductive and compensation layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20080309731
    Abstract: A printing head is provided in which a distance between an ejection port face of the printing head and a print medium is reduced to improve an ink ejection accuracy during a printing operation. The printing head of the present invention is a back shooting-type printing head. The heater and an electrode connected thereto are formed at the back face of the substrate. The electrode and an in-support-base wiring for supplying electricity to the heater via the electrode are connected to each other at the back face side of the substrate. The substrate and the support base have therebetween a liquid chamber wall member including therein a space. The substrate, the support base, and the liquid chamber wall member constitute a liquid chamber that communicates with the ejection port and that stores ink supplied to the ejection port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Riichi Saito, Yasutomo Watanabe, Akira Yamamoto, Shuzo Iwanaga
  • Patent number: 7465027
    Abstract: The invention relates to a nozzle arrangement for a printhead integrated circuit, the arrangement having walls defining a chamber and a roof with an ink ejection port defined in a substrate that incorporates drive circuitry. The arrangement further includes a motion transmitting structure formed on the substrate and having an effort formation, a lever arm formation and a load formation. The lever arm formation is interposed between the effort formation and the load formation. A resiliently deformable sealing structure is interposed between the lever arm formation and the substrate to permit pivotal movement of the lever arm formation with respect to the substrate. A thermal bend actuator is connected to the drive circuitry and is reciprocally displaceable with respect to the substrate on receipt of a signal from said drive circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7465037
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead that has an array of ink chambers, each having an ink refill aperture, a nozzle and an actuator for ejecting ink through the nozzle, and, a fluid flow rectifying valve at the ink refill aperture for providing less hydraulic resistance to ink flowing into the chamber than ink flowing out of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Inventors: Mehdi Azimi, Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20080303873
    Abstract: A printhead is provided for an inkjet printer. The printhead includes a wafer assembly supporting rows of ink ejection nozzles. Each nozzle includes a nozzle structure defining a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with an ink ejection port. A cantilevered thermal actuator terminates in a free end over an ink supply channel. The thermal actuator includes a serpentine heater layer connected to a CMOS drive circuitry layer of the wafer assembly. The CMOS drive circuitry layer is configured to actuate the thermal actuator and reciprocate the actuator to eject ink in the nozzle chamber out through the ink ejection port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20080284824
    Abstract: A pagewidth printhead has a controller. The printhead also has a plurality of microelectromechanical nozzle arrangements controlled by the controller. Each nozzle arrangement includes side walls located on a wafer substrate with a roof portion attached to said walls to define a printing fluid chamber, the roof portion defining an ejection port. Each arrangement also includes an inlet defined in the substrate to supply the fluid chamber with printing fluid, and a plurality of heater elements suspended between the side walls in the fluid chamber, so that when electrical actuation energy is applied to respective heater elements a vapour bubble is formed in the fluid leading to a pressure increase in the chamber thereby ejecting the fluid via the ejection port. The controller is configured to actuate respective heater elements individually to facilitate weighted ink drop volumes to be ejected from the nozzle arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7452058
    Abstract: A substantially planar fluid ejection actuator and methods for manufacturing substantially planar fluid ejection actuators for micro-fluid ejection heads. One such fluid ejection actuator includes a conductive layer adjacent to a substrate that is configured to define an anode segment spaced apart from a cathode segment. A thermal barrier segment is disposed between the anode and cathode segments. A substantially planar surface is defined by the anode segment, and the thermal barrier segment. A resistive layer is applied adjacent to the substantially planar surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Wilson Cornell, Yimin Guan, Burton Lee Joyner, II
  • Patent number: 7452474
    Abstract: In order to form a more homogenous heat generating resistive layer, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a substrate for an ink jet recording head having a support which has an insulative layer on its surface, a pair of electrode layers disposed on the surface of the support, and a heat generating resistive layer which continuously covers the pair of electrode layers and a section between the pair of electrode layers. The method includes the step of forming an electrode layer on the support and the step of forming the pair of electrode layers by etching the electrode layer. In the step of forming the pair of electrode layers by etching the electrode layer, by etching a surface portion of the insulative layer positioned between the pair of insulative layers, a recess is formed in the surface portion of the insulative layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirokazu Komuro, Teruo Ozaki, Shuji Koyama, Kousuke Kubo, Makoto Terui, Kazuhiro Hayakawa, Ryoji Kanri, Masataka Kato
  • Publication number: 20080278546
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead with an array of ink chambers, each having a nozzle, an actuator for ejecting ink through the nozzle, an inlet opening allowing ink to refill the chamber and a filter structure at the inlet opening. The filter structure has rows of obstructions extending transverse to the flow direction through the opening. The rows are spaced along the flow direction and the obstructions in each row being spaced such that they are out of registration with the obstructions in an adjacent row with respect to the flow direction. Filtering the ink as it enters the chamber removes the contaminants and bubbles but it also retards ink flow into the chamber. The present invention uses a filter structure that has rows of obstructions in the flow path. The rows are offset with respect to each other to induce turbulence. This has a minimal effect on the nozzle refill rate but the air bubbles or other contaminants are likely to be retained by the obstructions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7445317
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead that has an array of ink chambers, each having a nozzle, a droplet stem anchor and an actuator for ejecting ink through the nozzle. During use, the ink ejected from the nozzle is attached to the droplet stem anchor by an ink stem until the stem breaks so that the ejected ink forms a separate drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Matthew Taylor Worsman, Mehdi Azimi, Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20080259130
    Abstract: There is provided a substrate for an inkjet printing head and a method for manufacturing the same, in which the substrate has a structure that different kinds of metals do not come into contact with ink or moisture. For this purpose, the structure is constituted such that a diffusion preventing layer for mainly protecting a lower layer among power wiring metals is covered by a metal layer for mainly supplying power, in connection with its upper surface and at least part of a side surface. Herewith, since a single metal appears on a surface of the power wiring including up to its side surface, even circumstance occurs of coming into contact with the ink or the moisture, a battery reaction accompanied by difference of ionization tendency is not generated, and thus corrosion or short-circuit of the power wiring is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Ibe, Hirokazu Komuro, Takuya Hatsui, Keisuke Kishimoto, Hiroto Komiyama
  • Publication number: 20080259131
    Abstract: Micro-fluid ejection heads and methods for extending the life of micro-fluid ejection heads. One such micro-fluid ejection head includes a substrate having a plurality of thermal ejection actuators. Each of the thermal ejection actuators has a resistive layer and a protective layer thereon. A flow feature member is adjacent the substrate and defines a fluid feed channel, a fluid chamber associated with at least one of the actuators and in flow communication with the fluid feed channel, and a nozzle. The nozzle is offset to a side of the chamber opposite the feed channel. A polymeric layer having a degradation temperature of less than about 400° C. overlaps a portion of the at least one actuator associated with the fluid chamber and positioned less than about five microns from at least an edge of the at least one actuator opposite the fluid feed channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Robert W. CORNELL, James Harold POWERS, Shirish Padmakar MULAY, Robert L. CORNELL
  • Publication number: 20080259132
    Abstract: Provided is an inkjet printhead for a printer, the printhead having a plurality of micro-electromechanical nozzle assemblies. Each nozzle assembly includes a substrate defining an ink inlet channel and an arm fast with a thermal actuator itself fast with said substrate via an anchor arrangement. Each nozzle assembly also includes a nozzle on the substrate defining an ink aperture over the ink inlet channel, with a nozzle rim of the nozzle being inwardly displaceable by the actuator to eject ink from the aperture. The nozzle has a skirt portion and an inwardly directed lip that forms a fluidic seal in a complementary manner between the ink aperture and the thermal actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20080252696
    Abstract: Provided is a printhead for an inkjet printer. The printhead has a plurality of micro-electromechanical ejection mechanisms arranged in a wafer substrate, with each mechanism having chamber walls and a roof formed on top of said substrate to define an ink chamber. One wall of the chamber defines a slot therein. The mechanism also includes an ink supply channel defined through the substrate to said chamber. The mechanism includes a bi-layer thermal actuator coil fast with the substrate and ending in a strut extending through the slot, said strut fast with a paddle device within the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2008
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20080246820
    Abstract: A nozzle is provided for an inkjet printhead. The nozzle includes a wafer assembly defining an ink supply channel. A chamber roof layer is supported by the wafer assembly. The chamber roof layer defines a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the ink supply channel and a nozzle aperture through which ink in the nozzle chamber can be ejected. A thermal actuator is sandwiched between the wafer assembly and the chamber roof layer. The thermal actuator includes a heater element which, upon actuation, ejects ink from the nozzle chamber out through the nozzle aperture. The chamber roof layer defines an external patterned surface surrounding the nozzle aperture, the patterned surface being configured to inhibit dust particles from sticking to the chamber roof layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20080246819
    Abstract: A printhead is provided for an inkjet printer. The printhead includes a plurality of nozzle arrangements arranged in staggered rows. Each nozzle arrangement includes a substrate assembly defining an ink inlet channel. A static nozzle chamber wall extends from the substrate assembly and surrounds the ink inlet channel. A movable roof structure defines a movable nozzle chamber wall surrounding the static nozzle chamber wall. The movable nozzle chamber wall, together with the static nozzle chamber wall, defines a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet channel. The roof structure further defines an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber. A thermal actuator includes an anchor located outside the static nozzle chamber wall and a plurality of actuator arms extending from the anchor to the roof structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7431431
    Abstract: A thermal inkjet printhead with heater elements formed from a self passivating transition metal nitride, but it oxidizes readily. By introducing an additive that allows the metal nitride to self passivate, the heater element forms a surface oxide layer, where the oxide has a low diffusion coefficient for oxygen so as to provide a barrier to further oxidation. With enhanced oxidation resistance, coatings to protect the heater from oxidative failure become unnecessary and the energy needed to form a bubble is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Angus John North, Gregory John McAvoy, Jennifer Mia Fishburn
  • Patent number: 7431434
    Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes a fluid chamber, a fluid restriction communicated with the fluid chamber, and a fluid channel communicated with the fluid restriction, wherein a width of the fluid restriction is in a range of approximately 8 microns to approximately 16 microns, and a length of the fluid restriction is in a range of approximately 5 microns to approximately 20 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Arun K Agarwal, Julie J Cox, Jules G Moritz, Ozgur Yildirim
  • Publication number: 20080239012
    Abstract: An inkjet printer has a pagewidth printhead with a plurality of nozzle arrangements. Each nozzle arrangement includes a substrate with an inlet channel etched therethrough, and nozzle chamber walls and a roof to define an ink chamber, with an ink ejection port defined in the roof inline with the inlet channel. The nozzle arrangement includes a thermal actuating arm inside the chamber, an upper side of the arm defining a displacement area that acts on ink in the chamber to eject ink via the ejection port. The displacement area is greater than half an area of the ink ejection port but less than twice the area of the ink ejection port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20080231665
    Abstract: The inkjet printhead includes substrate having an ink feed hole formed to supply ink, a chamber layer stacked on the substrate, and including a plurality of main ink chambers formed therein with the ink feed hole therebetween and a plurality of compensation ink chambers formed therein between the main ink chambers that face each other; and a nozzle layer stacked on the chamber layer, and including a plurality of main nozzles corresponding to the main ink chambers and a plurality of compensation nozzles corresponding to the compensation ink chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Moon-chul Lee, Myong-jong Kwon, Yong-seop Yoon, Jin-wook Lee, Yong-won Jeong, Donk-sik Shim
  • Patent number: 7423073
    Abstract: A radiation curable resin composition having improved flexibility. The radiation curable composition having from about 5 to about 50 weight percent of a difunctional polymeric compound; from about 1 to about 10 weight percent of a photoinitiator; from about 1 to about 10 weight percent of a flexibilizer agent, wherein the flexibilizer agent has a molecular weight ranging from about 400 to about 10,000; and about 30 to about 90 weight percent of the non-photoreactive solvent, wherein the weight percents are based on the total weight of the resin composition. Ink jet print heads and ink jet printing apparatusess comprising ink jet print heads utilizing the radiation curable resin compositions are also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Mrvos, Girish S. Patil, Karthik Vaideeswaran
  • Patent number: 7419257
    Abstract: An ink jet recording method and an ink jet recording apparatus permitting image formation with a high degree of color reproducibility while alleviating the influences of the ink-absorbency of the recording medium and the base color is to be provided. A transfer drum is applied a reaction liquid, and inks of different colors are applied by recording heads to the area applied the reaction liquid to form a coagulated ink image on the transfer drum. Ahead of the step to transfer this coagulated ink image to the recording medium, white ink is applied to at least the area of the transfer drum to which ink dots are to be applied or at least the area to which ink dots are to be applied out of the area of the recording medium to which the coagulated ink image is to be transferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Mouri, Hiroshi Taniuchi
  • Patent number: 7419250
    Abstract: A micro-electromechanical device for ejecting liquid, such as ink, having a plurality of nozzle arrangements, each nozzle arrangement having a nozzle chamber, an actuator for ejecting the liquid from the nozzle chamber, and a heater to raise the temperature of the liquid to a predetermined temperature prior to ejection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20080198202
    Abstract: A microfluidic architecture is disclosed. The microfluidic architecture includes a substrate having an edge and a thin film stack established on at least a portion of the substrate adjacent the edge. The thin film stack includes a non-conducting layer and a seed layer, where the seed layer is positioned such that a portion of the non-conducting layer is exposed. A chamber layer is established on at least a portion of the seed layer. The non-conducting layer, the seed layer, and the chamber layer define a microfluidic chamber. A layer having a predetermined surface property is electroplated on the chamber layer and on at least one of another portion of the seed layer and the exposed portion of the non-conducting layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventors: Mohammed Shaarawi, Kenneth Hickey, Will O'Reilly
  • Patent number: 7413915
    Abstract: Methods of micro-machining a semiconductor substrate to form through fluid feed slots therein. One method includes providing a semiconductor substrate wafer having a thickness greater than about 500 microns and having a device side and a back side opposite the device side. The back side of the wafer is mechanically ground to provide a wafer having a thickness ranging from about 100 up to about 500 microns. Dry etching is conducted on the wafer from a device side thereof to form a plurality of reentrant fluid feed slots in the wafer from the device side to the back side of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Krawczyk, Andrew L. McNees, Richard L. Warner
  • Patent number: 7413289
    Abstract: Micro-fluid ejection heads and methods for extending the life of micro-fluid ejection heads. One such micro-fluid ejection head includes a substrate having a plurality of thermal ejection actuators. Each of the thermal ejection actuators has a resistive layer and a protective layer thereon. A flow feature member is adjacent the substrate and defines a fluid feed channel, a fluid chamber associated with at least one of the actuators and in flow communication with the fluid feed channel, and a nozzle. The nozzle is offset to a side of the chamber opposite the feed channel. A polymeric layer having a degradation temperature of less than about 400° C. overlaps a portion of the at least one actuator associated with the fluid chamber and positioned less than about five microns from at least an edge of the at least one actuator opposite the fluid feed channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert W. Cornell, James Harold Powers, Shirish Padmakar Mulay, Robert L. Cornell
  • Patent number: 7410247
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head including at least one head chip including a plurality of heating elements on a surface of a substrate, a nozzle sheet having nozzles disposed on the respective heating elements, a barrier layer disposed between the head chip and the nozzle sheet, reservoirs disposed between the heating elements and the nozzle sheet, the reservoirs being defined by part of the barrier layer, a common flow path communicating with the reservoirs, and a liquid storage chamber disposed on at least one region of the surface of the substrate excluding a region on which the reservoirs are disposed, the liquid storage chamber being defined by part of the barrier layer and communicating with the common flow path and the reservoirs, the liquid storage chamber storing liquid such that part of the nozzle sheet is in contact with the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takeo Eguchi, Manabu Tomita, Kazuyasu Takenaka, Takaaki Miyamoto, Shogo Ono
  • Patent number: 7407272
    Abstract: An ink jet head substrate, an ink jet head and method of manufacturing the ink jet head substrate. The ink jet head substrate includes a supporting structure and at least one heat-generating resistor disposed on the supporting structure to generate a thermal energy to eject ink and made of metal carbon nitride. The metal carbon nitride is represented as a chemical formula of MxCyNz where M is metal, X is within about 20 through 80, Y is within about 3 through 25, and Z is within about 10 through 60, when X+Y+Z=100. Further, the heat-generating resistor has a resistivity of 300˜2000 ??·Cm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Sik Min, Sung-Joon Park, Young-Ung Ha
  • Patent number: 7393084
    Abstract: For improving adhesion between a protective layer having a portion coming into contact with ink in a substrate for an ink jet head, and a resin layer thereby ensuring reliability in quality over a prolonged period, the invention provides a substrate for an ink jet head including a heat-generating resistor constituting a heat generating portion, an electrode wiring electrically connected with the heat-generating resistor and an upper protective layer provided on the heat-generating resistor and the electrode wiring across an insulating protective layer, wherein after forming an upper protective layer in which a Ta layer is laminated on a layer formed by a TaCr alloy, said Ta layer is selectively patterned and selectively removed so that the liquid flow path member is formed in a portion where the layer formed by said TaCr alloy is exposed by said removing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ichiro Saito, Sakai Yokoyama, Teruo Ozaki, Toshiyasu Sakai
  • Patent number: 7390078
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a micro-fluid ejection head for a micro-fluid ejection device. The head includes a semiconductor substrate, a fluid ejection actuator supported by the semiconductor substrate, a nozzle member containing nozzle holes attached to the substrate for expelling droplets of fluid from one or more nozzle holes in the nozzle member upon activation of the ejection actuator. The substrate further includes a thermal insulating barrier layer between the semiconductor substrate and the fluid ejection actuator. The thermal insulating barrier layer includes a porous, substantially impermeable material having a thermal conductivity of less than about 1 W/m-K.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Byron V. Bell, Robert W. Cornell, Yimin Guan, Burton L. Joyner, II
  • Patent number: 7390079
    Abstract: A device mounting structure includes: a base; a unit having a mounting area on which a device is mounted; a projection formed on a face of the unit; a first wiring disposed on the unit and between a top part of the projection and the mounting area; a groove provided in the base, the groove incorporating at least part of the projection; and a second wiring disposed at a bottom part of the groove in the base and electrically connected to the first wiring. The first wiring has a resin layer containing metallic particles, and a metal film on the resin layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Yoda
  • Patent number: 7387370
    Abstract: A microfluidic architecture is disclosed. The microfluidic architecture includes a substrate having an edge and a thin film stack established on at least a portion of the substrate adjacent the edge. The thin film stack includes a non-conducting layer and a seed layer, where the seed layer is positioned such that a portion of the non-conducting layer is exposed. A chamber layer is established on at least a portion of the seed layer. The non-conducting layer, the seed layer, and the chamber layer define a microfluidic chamber. A layer having a predetermined surface property is electroplated on the chamber layer and on at least one of another portion of the seed layer and the exposed portion of the non-conducting layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Mohammed S. Shaarawi, Kenneth Hickey, Will O'Reilly
  • Patent number: 7380914
    Abstract: A fluid ejection assembly includes a first layer, and a second layer positioned on a side of the first layer. The second layer has a side adjacent the side of the first layer and includes barriers defining a fluid chamber on the side, a drop ejecting element formed within the fluid chamber, and a thermal conduction path extended between the fluid chamber and the barriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Hector Jose Lebron, Paul Crivelli, Scott W. Hock
  • Patent number: 7377629
    Abstract: The present invention can suppress penetration of dust and foreign particles into a nozzle of an ink jet recording head, and can manufacture and make functional a structure therefor in an economic manner and with high reliability. An ink discharge energy generating element which generates energy for discharging ink is formed on the surface of an Si substrate. The Si substrate comprises an ink supply port which communicates ink from the rear face side of the substrate to the front face side of the substrate. The ink supply port comprises a filter structure having a plurality of minute through-holes formed on the Si substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junichi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7377625
    Abstract: In a method for producing an ink-jet recording head, a plurality of through-holes is formed in a heat storage layer formed on one surface of a silicon substrate, subsequently, heating elements are formed, and a protective layer is formed on the substrate. A passage-forming member forming discharge ports and ink passages is formed on the protective layer and an ink supply port is then formed by anisotropic etching from the other surface of the silicon substrate. In this step, since the protective layer serves as an etching stop layer, the passage-forming member is not in contact with an etchant. Subsequently, the protective layer formed in the through-holes is removed so that the ink supply port includes a filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuji Koyama, Kenji Fujii, Shingo Nagata, Jun Yamamuro
  • Patent number: 7377621
    Abstract: An inkjet printer has a plurality of ink ejection nozzles. Each nozzle includes a paddle (5) located in a chamber (2) which is moveable in a forward direction between a rest state and an ejection state, for ejecting fluid from the chamber through an outlet port (11) as it moves from the rest state to the ejection state. The paddle (5) is positioned to substantially close an inlet port (3) when in the rest state and the paddle (5) and the inlet port (3) define an aperture (16) between themselves. The paddle (5) includes means (12) to reduce fluid flow through the aperture (16) toward the inlet port (3) as the paddle (5) moves from the rest state to the ejection state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20080117261
    Abstract: The invention relates to a micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead. The nozzle arrangement includes a substrate defining an inverted pyramidal ink chamber with an ink supply channel leading through the substrate, the substrate having a layer of drive circuitry. The arrangement also includes a roof structure connected to the drive circuitry layer and covering the ink chamber, the roof structure defining a fluid ejection nozzle rim above said chamber in addition to ink flow guide rails to minimize wicking along the nozzle rim according to surface tension effects of ink in the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Gregory John McAvoy
  • Patent number: 7374275
    Abstract: An ink jet head circuit board is provided which has heaters to generate thermal energy for ink ejection as they are energized. This circuit board has the heaters formed with high precision to reduce their areas. It also has provisions to protect the electrode wires against corrosion and prevent a progress of corrosion. The substrate is deposited with the thin first electrodes made of a corrosion resistant metal. This is further deposited with the resistor layer. The second electrodes made of aluminum are deposited to overlap the first electrodes to form the heater without causing large dimensional variations among the heaters. With this construction, if a defect should occur in a protective layer on or near the heater, a progress of corrosion can effectively be prevented because the material of the resistor layer is more resistant to encroachment than aluminum and the first electrodes are corrosion resistant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuaki Shibata, Kenji Ono, Teruo Ozaki, Satoshi Ibe, Ichiro Saito, Sakai Yokoyama, Toshiyasu Sakai
  • Patent number: 7370941
    Abstract: An inkjet printer has a plurality of ink ejection nozzles. Each nozzle includes a paddle (5) located in a chamber (2) which is moveable in a forward direction between a rest state and an ejection state, for ejecting fluid from the chamber through an outlet port (11) as it moves from the rest state to the ejection state. The paddle (5) is positioned to substantially close an inlet port (3) when in the rest state and the paddle (5) and the inlet port (3) define an aperture (16) between themselves. The paddle (5) includes means (12) to reduce fluid flow through the aperture (16) toward the inlet port (3) as the paddle (5) moves from the rest state to the ejection state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7364267
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head can eject very fine droplets on the order of sub-picoliters. The liquid ejection head is provided with an ejection port for ejecting liquid as liquid droplets and comprises an energy generating element arranged vis-à-vis the ejection port to generate ejection energy to be applied to the liquid. No head-constituting member exists in the space formed by translating the area of the energy generating element toward the ejection port. The meniscus surface of the ejection port receives impact energy from the energy generating element. With this arrangement, droplets of the liquid are ejected from the central part of the meniscus surface having an area smaller than the meniscus surface so that they break the meniscus section at or near the central part thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiaki Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20080094455
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead heater including a plurality of unit heater layers each including a first nitride layer and a second nitride layer stacked on the first nitride layer, and an inkjet printhead including the heater, and a method of manufacturing an inkjet printhead heater including stacking a plurality of unit heater layers, each including a substrate having a first nitride layer and a second nitride layer stacked on the first nitride layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-hyun LEE, Sang-jun Choi, Hyung-jin Bae, Chan-bong Jun
  • Patent number: 7360871
    Abstract: An inkjet drop ejection apparatus formed on a substrate by lithographic etching and deposition techniques. The ink inlet, the actuator and the nozzle being formed in three separate planes respectively, each plane being parallel to the plane of the substrate, such that, the actuator is between the inlet and the nozzle. By forming the actuator directly between the inlet and the nozzle, both sides of the actuator contact the ink as it flows to the nozzle. This enhances the heat transfer from the actuator to the ink, which is then removed with the ejected drop. By removing the heat with the drop, it does not conduct to the substrate and cause cross talk. With the inlet, actuator and nozzle vertically stacked with respect to the plane of the substrate, the ink can be fed to the chamber from the back of the wafer rather than to the sides of the chambers. Without the ink supply channels adjacent the chambers, the nozzle density on the face of the substrate is greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7354131
    Abstract: Methods of forming a nozzle plate include forming a first reverse imageable positive photoresist layer on the substrate and protecting an area thereof adjacent an ink ejection element from ultraviolet energy while exposing other than the protected area to such energy. Thereafter, the non-protected area is rendered insoluble by heating. Thereafter, the protected area is exposed to ultraviolet energy to weaken its structure for later removal. A second reverse imageable positive resist layer gets formed on the first layer and exposed to ultraviolet energy in a region directly above the ink ejection element. In a single step, both the protected area of the first layer and the non-protected region of the second layer are removed to form an ink flow feature, a bubble chamber or an orifice of the nozzle plate. The remainders of the first and second layers become blanket exposed to ultraviolet energy and cured in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventor: Girish S. Patil
  • Publication number: 20080079781
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead and a method of manufacturing the same. The inkjet printhead may include a substrate through which an ink feed hole to supply ink is formed, a chamber layer stacked above the substrate and including a plurality of ink chambers filled with ink supplied from the ink feed hole, and a nozzle layer stacked on the chamber layer, wherein a plurality of nozzles through which ink is ejected and a plurality of via holes are formed in the nozzle layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-sik Shim, Yong-seop Yoon, Moon-chul Lee, Chan-bong Jun, Hyung Choi, Yong-won Jeong
  • Patent number: 7347532
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for forming nozzles in a microelectromechanical device. The nozzles are formed in a layer prior to the layer being bonded onto another portion of the device. Forming the nozzles in the layer prior to bonding enables forming nozzles that have a desired depth and a desired geometry. Selecting a particular geometry for the nozzles can reduce the resistance to ink flow as well as improve the uniformity of the nozzles across the microelectromechanical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Dimatix, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenfang Chen, Andreas Bibl, Paul A. Hoisington
  • Patent number: 7347534
    Abstract: A printhead for an inkjet printer, the printhead comprising: a printhead integrated circuit having an array of ink ejection nozzles formed on a substrate; a plurality of ink feed conduits for establishing fluid communication with at least one ink storage compartment; and, a polymer sealing film between the ink feed conduits and the printhead integrated circuits, the polymer film having an array of apertures such that the ejection nozzles are in fluid communication with the ink feed conduits; wherein, the polymer sealing film is more than 25 microns thick.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Christopher Hibbard, Paul Ian Mackey, Norman Micheal Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson
  • Publication number: 20080043065
    Abstract: An inkjet material dispenser system includes a printhead member. According to one exemplary embodiment, the printhead member includes at least one drop ejector including an insulating stack layer and a top orifice surface defining an orifice, wherein a ratio of a diameter of the orifice to a height of the insulating stack layer (O/L ratio) is at least 1.0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Nielsen, Craig A. Olbrich, Richard W. Seaver, David R. Otis