Flow Path Patents (Class 347/65)
  • Patent number: 9290004
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a head body configured to eject liquid, a flow path member including a liquid flow path for supplying the liquid to the head body, and a circuit substrate held by the flow path member and including a temperature detection unit configured to detect a temperature. The flow path member includes a detection region, which has a thermal resistance lower than a thermal resistance of other regions and which is provided in a part of a partition wall that partitions the liquid flow path. The circuit substrate is fixed to the flow path member in a state in which the temperature detection unit faces the detection region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshige Owaki, Katsuhiro Okubo, Haruhisa Uezawa
  • Patent number: 9283590
    Abstract: A fluid ejection apparatus (20, 220, 320, 420, 520, 620, 720, 820, 920, 1020, 1120, 1220, 1320, 1420, 1490, 1720, 1820) and method eject a droplet of fluid using a drop generator (46, 246, 1546) receiving fluid from a passage (44, 244, 1344, 1444, 1494, 1544, 1744) having an inlet (54, 254, 1554) adjacent a fluid slot (40, 240, 1540) and an outlet (56, 256, 1556) spaced from the inlet (54, 254, 1554) and adjacent the fluid slot (40, 240, 1540). Fluid is drawn through a filter (50, 250, 650, 1550) with a pump (48, 248, 1548) within the passage (44, 244, 1344, 1444, 1494, 1544, 1744) that pumps the fluid towards the inlet (54, 254, 1554) to the drop generator (46, 246, 1546).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Alexander N. Govyadinov, Paul A. Richards
  • Patent number: 9275963
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a wafer, at least one nonmetal oxide layer, a pad, a passivation layer, an isolation layer, and a conductive layer. The wafer has a first surface, a second surface, a third surface, a first stage difference surface connected between the second and third surfaces, and a second stage difference surface connected between the first and third surfaces. The nonmetal oxide layer is located on the first surface of the wafer. The pad is located on the nonmetal oxide layer and electrically connected to the wafer. The passivation layer is located on the nonmetal oxide layer. The isolation layer is located on the passivation layer, nonmetal oxide layer, the first, second and third surfaces of the wafer, and the first and second stage difference surfaces of the wafer. The conductive layer is located on the isolation layer and electrically contacts the pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: XINTEC INC.
    Inventors: Yung-Tai Tsai, Shu-Ming Chang, Chun-Wei Chang, Chien-Hui Chen, Tsang-Yu Liu, Yen-Shih Ho
  • Patent number: 9259921
    Abstract: First heating is started at a first time point, and a second heating having higher heating energy than the first heating is started at a second time point subsequent to the first time point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroaki Shirakawa, Yosuke Ishii, Taku Yokozawa, Mitsutoshi Nagamura, Yuhei Oikawa, Hiroaki Komatsu
  • Patent number: 9259754
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to microfluidic refill cartridges and methods of assembling same. The microfluidic refill cartridges include a microfluidic delivery member that includes a filter for filtering fluid passed therethrough. The filter may be configured to block particles above a threshold size to prevent blockage in the nozzles. For instances, particles having a dimension that is larger than the diameter of the nozzles can block or reduce fluid flow through the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD, STMICROELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Simon Dodd, Joe Scheffelin, Dana Gruenbacher, Teck Khim Neo, Dave Hunt, Faiz Sherman
  • Patent number: 9259926
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes an energy generating element that generates energy for ejecting a liquid; a plurality of electroconductive protective films that are disposed so as to cover at least the energy generating element and that are in contact with the liquid; and an electrifying unit that is capable of electrifying the plurality of electroconductive protective films in such a way that surfaces of the electroconductive protective films in contact with the liquid serve as anodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenji Yabe
  • Patent number: 9254652
    Abstract: A piezoelectric layer is integrally formed in such a way that opening portions of a plurality of pressure chambers in a flow channel forming member are covered. In a region that corresponds to a position between adjacent pressure chambers in the piezoelectric layer, a hollow that penetrates the piezoelectric layer or that has a relatively thin thickness in the piezoelectric layer is formed along the sides of the opening of each of the pressure chambers. The hollow is formed to avoid a region along a corner of the pressure chamber in the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shiro Yazaki
  • Patent number: 9227403
    Abstract: An ink jet head includes a chamber unit including a pressure chamber formed to hold ink, and a nozzle plate unit. The nozzle plate includes a vibrating plate forming a bottom wall of the pressure chamber, a driving element that is provided on a bottom surface of the vibrating plate and configured to cause a volume of the pressure chamber to be changed by deforming the vibrating plate upon application of voltage to the driving element, and a protective layer disposed on a bottom surface of the vibrating plate and a bottom surface of the driving element. The protective layer has a first thickness between a bottom surface thereof and the bottom surface of the vibrating plate and second thickness between a bottom surface thereof and the bottom surface of the driving element, and the first thickness is greater than the second thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuhei Yokoyama, Ryutaro Kusunoki, Ryuichi Arai
  • Patent number: 9211703
    Abstract: Approaches to remove bubbles from ink in an ink jet printer are described. Bubble removal may be implemented using at least one temperature dependent element disposed along an ink flow path. The temperature dependent element is configured to change shape responsive to a change in ink temperature. The change in shape causes a volumetric change in a portion of the ink flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Julie E. Steinbrenner, Eric J. Shrader
  • Patent number: 9211721
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a fluid ejection device includes a die substrate having first and second fluid slots along opposite substrate sides and separated by a substrate central region. First and second internal columns of closed chambers are associated with the first and second slots, respectively, and the internal columns are separated by the central region. Fluidic channels extending across the central region fluidically couple closed chambers from the first internal column with closed chambers from the second internal column. Pump actuators in each closed chamber pump fluid through the channels from slot to slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Alexander Govyadinov, Craig Olbrich, Brian M Taff
  • Patent number: 9205650
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a substrate and a channel wall member on a surface of the substrate. The channel wall member serves as a wall of a channel through which a liquid flows. The channel wall member comprises a photosensitive resin. The channel wall member includes a first region and a second region that are arranged in a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate. The first region of the channel wall member has a higher crosslink density than the second region of the channel wall member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seiichiro Yaginuma, Kazuhiro Asai, Kenji Fujii
  • Patent number: 9205651
    Abstract: A fluidic structure formed in a film, including a particle filter formed at a bottom surface of the film having a depth less than a thickness of the film, a cavity fluidically connected to the particle filter extending from a top of the particle filter to a top surface of the film, an inlet fluidically connected to and positioned adjacent to the cavity, the inlet having a depth less than or equal to a thickness of the film and extending to the top surface of the film, and a body port extending from the top surface of the film into some depth of the film , the body port fluidically connected to the inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: John R. Andrews, Terrance L. Stephens, Ruander Cardenas
  • Patent number: 9120310
    Abstract: A recording element substrate includes a substrate; an insulating layer disposed on the substrate; a plurality of heating portions which are arranged on the insulating layer and which produce thermal energy used to eject a liquid; and a plurality of heat conduction members, each being located between adjacent heating portions with respect to an arrangement direction of the heating portions, the heat conduction members being located between the substrate side principal surface of the insulating layer and the heating portion side principal surface of the insulating layer and having higher thermal conductivity than the insulating layer. The heat conduction members are in contact with a heat conduction layer which has higher thermal conductivity than the insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuzuru Ishida, Hirokazu Komuro, Ichiro Saito, Makoto Sakurai, Takahiro Matsui
  • Patent number: 9096061
    Abstract: A droplet discharge head includes a plurality of pressure chambers which communicate with a plurality of nozzles which discharge droplets, respectively; at least one common supply passage which supplies liquid to the pressure chambers; at least one common return passage which communicates with the pressure chambers and to which a part of the liquid in the pressure chambers is returned; and a plurality of energy-generating elements which generate pressure in the pressure chambers, wherein the droplet discharge head circulates liquid supplied from the common supply passage to the pressure chambers to the common return passage and discharges droplets from the nozzles when pressure is generated in the pressure chambers by the energy-generating elements, and the common supply passage and the common return passage are arranged on the same side with respect to the pressure chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Takafumi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9090084
    Abstract: A fluid ejection device including, at least, one recirculation system is disclosed. Such recirculation system contains, at least, one drop generator, recirculation channels that include an inlet channel, an outlet channel and a connection channel and a fluid feedhole that communicates with the drop generator via the inlet channel and the outlet channel of the recirculation channel. Also disclosed are inkjet pen containing it and method of using it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Alexander Govyadinov, Erik D. Torniainen, David P. Markel
  • Patent number: 9073331
    Abstract: A fluid path structure is manufactured by way of an aligning step of aligning a first resin part with a second resin part by inserting a projection formed on the first resin part into a corresponding hole formed in the second resin part and a welding step of welding joint surfaces of the first resin part and the second resin part, thereby forming a fluid path. The aligning step is executed so as to narrow the gap between the projection and the hole to a minimum at a base side of the projection relative to a half of the height of the hole and the welding step is executed only at the base side of the projection relative to the half of the height of the hole so as to make the lateral surface of the projection only partially contact with the lateral surface of the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryo Shimamura
  • Patent number: 9067228
    Abstract: A fluid ejection apparatus includes a substrate having a plurality of fluid passages for fluid flow and a plurality of nozzles fluidically connected to the fluid passages, a plurality of actuators positioned on top of the substrate to cause fluid in the plurality of fluid passages to be ejected from the plurality of nozzles, and a protective layer formed over at least a portion of the plurality of actuators, the protective layer having an intrinsic permeability to moisture less than 2.5×10?3 g/m·day.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Christoph Menzel, Andreas Bibl, Paul A. Hoisington
  • Patent number: 9044945
    Abstract: An inkjet nozzle device includes a main chamber having a floor, a roof and a perimeter wall extending between the floor and the roof. The main chamber includes: a firing chamber having a nozzle aperture defined in the roof and an actuator for ejection of ink through the nozzle aperture; an antechamber for supplying ink to the firing chamber, the antechamber having a main chamber inlet defined in the floor; and a baffle structure partitioning the main chamber to define the firing chamber and the antechamber, the baffle structure extending between the floor and the roof. The firing chamber and the antechamber have a common plane of symmetry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd.
    Inventor: Angus John North
  • Patent number: 9033482
    Abstract: A fluid dispenser is disclosed herein. An example of such a fluid dispenser includes a housing configured to store a quantity of fluid and an ejection assembly configured to controllably emit the fluid through a nozzle. The fluid dispenser also includes a fluid chamber configured both to supply a quantity of the fluid to the ejection assembly and to define a fluid flow path between the housing and the ejection assembly. The fluid dispenser further includes a filter positioned in the fluid flow path and configured both to conduct the fluid from the housing to the fluid chamber and to restrain particles in the fluid from entering the fluid chamber. The filter is further configured to define a bubble flow path that facilitates conduction of bubbles from the fluid chamber to the housing. Additional features of this fluid dispenser are disclosed herein, as are other examples of fluid dispensers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Arun Agarwal, Paul Richards, Galen Cook
  • Publication number: 20150124025
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head, including a first support member including a flow path for supplying liquid and an opening communicating with the flow path; at least one second support member that includes an individual liquid chamber communicating with the opening and is arranged on the first support member along the flow path; and a recording element substrate including an energy-generating element for generating energy for ejecting the liquid, and a supply port for supplying the liquid to the energy-generating element, the supply port communicating with the individual liquid chamber, the recording element substrate being supported by a back surface of the second support member with respect to an opposite surface thereof facing the first support member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Yamada, Shuzo Iwanaga, Ryohei Goto, Takatsugu Moriya, Zentaro Tamenaga
  • Patent number: 9022529
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a pressure chamber substrate formed of silicon where a pressure chamber is formed, and a communication plate penetrated by communication holes in a plate thickness direction, in which the pressure chamber partitioned by partition walls formed of crystal orientation planes being formed in the recording head through etching. Acute angle portions are formed, by the partition walls intersecting with each other at an acute angle, in both end portions of the pressure chamber in a first direction, and a first step is disposed in the middle of each of the acute angle portions in an etching direction. Parts of the communication holes are arranged at positions superimposed on the acute angle portions in a bonding surface and remaining parts of the communication holes are arranged on outer sides in the first direction with respect to the acute angle portions such that a second step is formed in a communication portion between the pressure chamber and the communication holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Takaai, Yuma Fukuzawa, Yoichi Naganuma
  • Publication number: 20150116427
    Abstract: Provided is a sealant for use in ink jet recording heads, comprising a cationically polymerizable resin; a fluorine-containing compound that is liquid at a temperature in a range of 20° C.±15° C.; and a cationic polymerization initiator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Satoshi Tsutsui, Etsuko Sawada, Yohei Hamade
  • Patent number: 9004651
    Abstract: An ink jet printhead including a thermo-pneumatic actuator array for ejecting ink from an array of nozzles. The actuator array may include a plurality of channels in fluid communication with a plurality of working fluid chambers. After completing formation of the actuator array, working fluid may be injected into a working fluid inlet on an exterior of the actuator array and into the plurality of working fluid chambers through the plurality of channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J. Nystrom, Andrew W. Hays
  • Patent number: 9004652
    Abstract: An ink jet printhead including a thermo-pneumatic actuator array for ejecting ink from an array of nozzles. The actuator array may include the use of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) semiconductor wafer including a device layer, a handle layer, and a dielectric layer that physically separates the device layer from the handle layer to simplify printhead formation. During an exemplary process, the SOI wafer is attached to a heater wafer and a nozzle plate is attached to the dielectric layer such that, during use of the printhead, the device layer functions as an actuator membrane. Deflection of the device layer during use of the printhead creates a pressure within an ink chamber which causes ejection of ink from one of the nozzles of the array of nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J. Nystrom, Andrew W. Hays, Peter M. Gulvin
  • Patent number: 8998375
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a recording element substrate provided with elements formed on one surface of the substrate for generating energy for ejecting liquid as well as first and second supply ports each piercing between both surfaces of the substrate for supplying the liquid to the elements; and a support member provided with first and second liquid storage portions, first and second communication paths that respectively allow the first and the second supply ports to communicate with the first and second liquid storage portions, the support member supporting the other surface of the substrate. The length of the first communication path is longer than that of the second communication path. The horizontal cross-sectional area of the first communication path in a direction perpendicular to the liquid supply direction is larger than that of the second communication path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromasa Amma, Kyosuke Toda
  • Patent number: 8998387
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of working a small recess portion. In the method, prior to press-forming small recess portions arrayed in a row by pressing a predetermined number of pieces of aligned male dies to a metal base plate, the metal base plate is previously formed with a highly rigid portion at a predetermined portion at a vicinity of an imaginary line extending in a row direction along end portions of predicted press portions to which the respective male dies are pressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hideyuki Ogawa, Koichi Saito, Nagamitsu Takashima, Katsunori Ono
  • Patent number: 8991975
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a substrate having a supply port that is a through-hole for supplying liquid; an energy generating element for generating energy to be used for ejecting the liquid; a first film that covers the energy generating element; a second film formed on the first film; and a flow path forming member bonded to the substrate, for forming a flow path for supplying the liquid supplied from the supply port to an ejection orifice. When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the substrate, an end portion of the first film extends inwardly from an opening edge of the supply port, and an end portion of the second film is located between the opening edge of the supply port and the end portion of the first film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yosuke Takagi, Yuichiro Akama, Kenji Fujii, Mitsuru Chida
  • Patent number: 8991981
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a head chip in which two or more nozzle groups are disposed, a first inlet that communicates with one of the nozzle groups and a second inlet that communicates with the other nozzle group a wiring member that is disposed between the first second inlets, a first connection flow path that is connected to the first inlet, a second connection flow path that is connected to the second inlet, and a wiring substrate to which the wiring member is connected between the first connection flow path and the second connection flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumi Enomoto, Shunsuke Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8991051
    Abstract: This invention is a manufacturing method of a liquid discharge head that includes a substrate having a plurality of discharge energy generating elements that generate energy that is utilized for discharging a liquid, and a discharge port forming member that constitutes a discharge port group including a plurality of discharge ports that discharge the liquid and flow paths that communicate with the discharge port group. The manufacturing method includes (1) disposing a photosensitive resin as material of the discharge port forming member on or above the substrate, and (2) forming an exposure pattern of the discharge port group using ultraviolet light in the photosensitive resin. In the aforementioned (2), the discharge port group is divided in a longitudinal direction and exposed, and the exposures are respectively performed so that regions in which there is a high degree of telecentricity face each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shin Ishimatsu, Kenji Fujii, Toshiaki Kurosu, Takanobu Manabe, Chiaki Muraoka, Sayaka Takahashi, Yukuo Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20150062253
    Abstract: The invention provides a liquid ejection head including a substrate and a flow path forming member on the substrate, the flow path forming member forming an ejection orifice from which a liquid is ejected and a liquid flow path. The flow path forming member is formed of an inorganic material, contains at least a flow path side wall portion forming a side of the liquid flow path and has a member covering a substrate side end part of an inner wall of the flow path side wall portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventor: Hiroshi Higuchi
  • Patent number: 8967771
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a communication hole that has a first opening which communicates with a pressure chamber side where pressure is applied to a supplied liquid at one end and a second opening which communicates with a nozzle side ejecting the liquid to which the pressure is applied at the other end, and communicates the pressure chamber and the nozzle with each other, an opening area of the second opening being larger than an opening area of the first opening. An inclined surface that is directed to the second opening is provided on a side where a distance between an edge of the first opening and an edge of the second opening in the first direction is shorter than on the other end side so that stagnation in the flow of the liquid and reduction in bubble discharge are prevented and stable liquid ejection is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hajime Nakao
  • Patent number: 8951815
    Abstract: A method for producing a liquid-discharge-head substrate includes a step of preparing a silicon substrate including, at a front-surface side of the silicon substrate, an energy generating element; a step of forming a first etchant introduction hole on the front-surface side of the silicon substrate; a step of supplying a first etchant into the first etchant introduction hole formed on the front-surface side of the silicon substrate, and supplying a second etchant to a back-surface side of the silicon substrate; a step of stopping the supply of the second etchant; and a step of, after the supply of the second etchant has been stopped, forming a liquid supply port extending through front and back surfaces of the silicon substrate by the supply of the first etchant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryotaro Murakami, Shuji Koyama, Keisuke Kishimoto, Kenta Furusawa
  • Patent number: 8944569
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes: a recording element substrate including a discharge port group for discharging liquid and a supply port for supplying the liquid to the discharge port group; a supporting member including a liquid chamber for storing the liquid therein, the supporting member being configured to support the recording element substrate; a flow path formed between the liquid chamber and the supply port and configured to allow the liquid to flow therethrough along a main surface of the recording element substrate on which the supply port opens; and a plurality of through holes communicating the liquid chamber with the flow path. A sum of opening areas of the plurality of through holes per unit area is greater in a region having relatively high temperature than that in a region having relatively low temperature in an in-plane direction of the main surface of the recording element substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takatsugu Moriya, Ryohei Goto, Kazuhiro Yamada, Shuzo Iwanaga
  • Patent number: 8939551
    Abstract: A liquid dispensing system includes a liquid dispenser array structure that includes a functional liquid transfer region located between a liquid dispensing channel and a liquid return channel. A first liquid supply provides a carrier liquid that flows continuously through the dispensing channel, functional liquid transfer region, and return channel during a drop dispensing operation. Liquid dispensers, located on a common substrate, include a second liquid supply that provides a functional liquid, immiscible in the carrier liquid, to the dispensing channel. A drop formation device, associated with an interface of the supply channel and the dispensing channel, is selectively actuated to form discrete functional liquid drops in the flowing carrier liquid. A receiver conveyance mechanism and the functional liquid transfer region are positioned relative to each other such that functional liquid drops are applied to a receiver while the carrier liquid flows through the functional liquid transfer region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Hrishikesh V. Panchawagh, Thomas W. Palone
  • Patent number: 8939556
    Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes a flexible membrane, an adhesive layer, a piezoelectric material layer, and first and second electrically conductive layers. The adhesive layer and the piezoelectric material layer include edge regions and central regions. A surface of the edge region of the piezoelectric material layer is coplanar with a surface of the edge region of the adhesive layer. The first electrically conductive layer is between the piezoelectric material layer and the adhesive layer such that a surface of the first electrically conductive layer is coplanar with the surface of the edge region of the piezoelectric material layer and the surface of the edge region of the adhesive layer. The second electrically conductive layer is over the surface of the edge region of the piezoelectric material layer, the surface of the edge region of the adhesive layer, the surface of the first electrically conductive layer, and the flexible membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Pollard, Tsuyoshi Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20150022591
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a plurality of recording element substrates that each include an energy generating element generating energy utilized for ejecting a liquid and that each have a supply port through which the liquid is supplied to the energy generating element, a plurality of support members that each have a flow passage communicating with a corresponding one of the supply ports and that each support a corresponding one of the plurality of recording element substrates, a base substrate that supports the plurality of support members, and a heat insulating member disposed between the flow passages and the base substrate. In the liquid ejection head, a thermal conductivity of the support members is equal to or greater than a thermal conductivity of the recording element substrates, and a thermal conductivity of the heat insulating member is less than a thermal conductivity of the base substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Yamada
  • Patent number: 8936355
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head suppresses erosion of silicon substrates by liquid, and whereby suppresses leakage of liquid, discharging failure of liquid droplets, and peeling-off of laminated substrates. The liquid ejecting head includes at least a nozzle plate on which nozzle openings for discharging liquid are provided, and a flow path formation substrate on which a pressure generation chamber communicating with the nozzle openings is provided. The nozzle plate is formed with a silicon substrate. At least the flow path formation substrate and the nozzle plate are bonded to each other after providing a tantalum oxide film formed by atomic layer deposition on the entire surfaces including a bonded surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kosuke Wakamatsu, Nobuhiro Naito, Satoshi Nagatoya, Michiya Nakamura, Takeshi Yasoshima
  • Patent number: 8936354
    Abstract: A liquid dispensing system includes a liquid dispenser array structure. A first liquid supply provides a carrier liquid that flows continuously through an outlet of a liquid dispensing channel during a drop dispensing operation. A plurality of liquid dispensers, located on a common substrate, includes a second liquid supply that provides a functional liquid, immiscible in the carrier liquid, to the liquid dispensing channel through a liquid supply channel. A drop formation device, associated with an interface of the liquid supply channel and the liquid dispensing channel, is selectively actuated to form discrete drops of the functional liquid in the carrier liquid flowing through the liquid dispensing channel. A receiver conveyance mechanism and the liquid dispenser array structure are positioned relative to each other such that the discrete drops of the functional liquid are applied to a receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Hrishikesh V. Panchawagh, Thomas W. Palone, Jeremy M. Grace, Michael A. Marcus, Carolyn R. Ellinger, Kathleen M. Vaeth
  • Patent number: 8936353
    Abstract: A liquid dispenser array structure includes a liquid dispensing channel. A first liquid supply provides a carrier liquid that flows continuously through an outlet of the liquid dispensing channel during a drop dispensing operation. A plurality of liquid dispensers, located on a common substrate, includes a liquid supply channel and a second liquid supply that provides a functional liquid, immiscible in the carrier liquid, to the liquid dispensing channel through the liquid supply channel. A drop formation device, associated with an interface of the liquid supply channel and the liquid dispensing channel, is selectively actuated to form a discrete drop of the functional liquid in the carrier liquid flowing through the liquid dispensing channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Hrishikesh V. Panchawagh, Thomas W. Palone, Jeremy M. Grace, Michael A. Marcus, Carolyn R. Ellinger, Kathleen M. Vaeth
  • Patent number: 8926848
    Abstract: Provided are a method of forming a through hole, which can inhibit misalignment between central axes of holes in both surfaces of a substrate, which is free from metal contamination, and which inhibits notching so as to improve the dimensional accuracy, the method including: preparing a silicon substrate; preparing a supporting substrate for supporting the silicon substrate; fixing the silicon substrate and the supporting substrate to form a composite substrate; and carrying out dry etching to the composite substrate from a silicon substrate side of the composite substrate toward a supporting substrate side of the composite substrate to form a through hole in the silicon substrate, in which the supporting substrate in the preparing a supporting substrate has a hole formed at a region corresponding to a region of the through hole to be formed in the silicon substrate, on a surface of the supporting substrate facing the silicon substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichi Ikarashi
  • Patent number: 8919931
    Abstract: An ink jet head is provided which includes: nozzles forming a predetermined array; liquid chambers respectively provided for the nozzles; pressure generation elements respectively provided for the liquid chambers which respectively discharge liquid in the liquid chambers; individual supply flow paths which respectively supply the liquid to the liquid chambers; a common supply flow path that is connected to each individual supply flow path and supplies the liquid into each individual supply flow path; and a liquid supply unit that circulates the liquid of the common supply flow path so as to make the liquid flow in one direction in the common supply flow path. The common supply flow path has a shape in which a cross-sectional area is increased and decreased at a predetermined interval. Each individual supply flow path is provided at a position where the cross-sectional area of the common supply flow path is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuyo Yokota
  • Patent number: 8905523
    Abstract: According to a liquid ejecting head, it is possible to suppress erosion of a vibrating plate by liquid, suppress generation of variation in a vibrating property, and realize a thin head. The liquid ejecting head includes a flow path formation substrate on which a pressure generation chamber communicating with nozzle openings for discharging liquid is provided, an elastic film which is provided on one surface side of the flow path formation substrate and seals the pressure generation chamber, and a piezoelectric actuator which is a pressure generation unit which is provided on the elastic film to deform the elastic film. A tantalum oxide film which is formed by atomic layer deposition is provided at least on an inner wall of the pressure generation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Nagatoya, Nobuhiro Naito
  • Patent number: 8899727
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a head body configured to eject liquid, a flow path member including a liquid flow path for supplying the liquid to the head body, and a circuit substrate held by the flow path member and including a temperature detection unit configured to detect a temperature. The flow path member includes a detection region, which has a thermal resistance lower than a thermal resistance of other regions and which is provided in a part of a partition wall that partitions the liquid flow path. The circuit substrate is fixed to the flow path member in a state in which the temperature detection unit faces the detection region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshige Owaki, Katsuhiro Okubo, Haruhisa Uezawa
  • Patent number: 8894187
    Abstract: A liquid application device includes: a liquid discharge head having a structure in which nozzles for performing droplet ejection of a functional liquid onto a substrate are aligned in a row in a predetermined direction, and including liquid chambers connected to the nozzles respectively and piezoelectric elements which are provided correspondingly to the liquid chambers and serve to pressurize the liquid in the liquid chambers; a relative movement unit for causing relative movement between the substrate and the liquid discharge head; and a droplet ejection control unit for operating the piezoelectric elements so as to cause the liquid to land discretely on the substrate, and controlling operation of the piezoelectric elements according to each of groups formed by grouping the nozzles correspondingly to the structure of the liquid discharge head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Kodama, Tadashi Omatsu, Satoshi Wakamatsu, Kunihiko Kodama
  • Patent number: 8894183
    Abstract: A process, which produces a liquid ejection head including a recording element substrate having a principal surface and a support member having a color separation wall for ink flow paths and an outer wall, the substrate being narrower than the support member, a plane formed by conducting translation of a lower side of a substrate outer surface perpendicularly to the principal surface having an intersection with an outer wall top surface at a position distant from an inner edge of the outer wall top surface by an outward distance, includes applying an adhesive onto top surfaces of the outer and color separation walls such that a surface height of the adhesive at the intersection is higher than that at a position distant from an inner edge of the color separation wall top surface by the outward distance, and bonding and fixing the substrate to the support member with the adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masatoshi Ohira
  • Patent number: 8894186
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus is provided which can suppress bubbles from remaining in liquid flow paths. The liquid ejecting apparatus includes a head that includes a flow path member in which a plurality of ink flow paths are formed, a head main body to which ink is supplied form the flow path member and which ejects the ink to a recording sheet, and a moving element that causes the head to perform a reciprocating moving motion on the recording sheet in the X direction. In the plurality of ink flow paths, the longest ink flow path has the smallest Y direction component on an XY surface (a horizontal surface) of the plurality of ink flow paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Keiji Hara, Isamu Togashi
  • Patent number: 8888250
    Abstract: A thermal bubble jetting device including a substrate. A superoleophobic, textured surface is positioned on the substrate. The textured surface comprises one or more gaps configured for holding a gas. A receptacle is positioned in fluid communication with the textured surface. Both an inlet and nozzle are in fluid communication with the receptacle. The device includes a heater mechanism configured to expand a gas in the one or more gaps so as to sufficiently increase pressure in the receptacle to force liquid through the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Kock-Yee Law, Jun Ma, Hong Zhao, Peter M. Gulvin
  • Patent number: 8888252
    Abstract: A print head die (30) includes slot ribs (41) having edges (62, 64) with triangular notches. In one embodiment, the print head die is formed by dry etching from a first side (50) of a wafer (30) a series of spaced openings (220) completely through the wafer (30) and separated by ribs (41) followed by wet etching the wafer (30) from a second opposite side (44) to recess the ribs (41) from the second side (44).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Siddhartha Bhowmik, Swaroop K. Kommera, Manish Giri, Robert N. K. Browning, Charles Gustav Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20140327721
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head capable of more efficiently ejecting ink and an inkjet printing apparatus are provided. The liquid ejection head has a block member which surrounds at least a part of an effective bubble-generating region involved with heat generation in a heat-generating element and which is formed so as to protrude from the heat-generating element in a direction in which a liquid is ejected. The block member is arranged in a position where a distance of a position of an inner end part from an outer end part of the effective bubble-generating region is +2 ?m or less, with an outward direction being set to be positive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki NAKAGAWA, Takatsuna Aoki, Kazuhiro Yamada, Yumi Komamiya, Ryo Kasai
  • Patent number: 8877290
    Abstract: A method for producing a liquid-ejection head includes forming molds on or above the substrate, the molds being used as mold members for forming the plurality of liquid chambers; forming the flow-passage-forming member by depositing an inorganic material on or above the substrate and the molds by chemical vapor deposition, the flow-passage-forming member having depressed portions each formed in an area between an adjacent pair of the liquid-chamber side walls in which the molds are not formed; forming a water-repellent layer on the orifice plate; forming filling members in the depressed portions by applying a filling material to the flow-passage-forming member having the water-repellent layer formed thereon to fill the depressed portions with the filling material; forming the ejection ports in the flow-passage-forming member; and removing the molds after forming the ejection ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaya Uyama