Patent ID: 7083263
Filing Date: 2006-08-01
Classification: B41J,B82Y,G06K,G11C,H04N

Abstract:
1. A micro-electromechanical fluid ejection device which comprises a substrate containing drive circuitry; a nozzle chamber structure positioned on the substrate and defining a nozzle chamber and a fluid ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber; an elongate and cantilevered actuator that is fast with the substrate at a fixed end, the elongate actuator having a laminated structure of at least two layers with one of the layers defining an electrical heating circuit in electrical contact with the drive circuitry to be heated and to expand on receipt of an electrical signal from the drive circuitry and to cool and contract on termination of the signal, thereby to generate reciprocal movement of the actuator; and a fluid ejecting member fast with a free end of the actuator and positioned in the nozzle chamber to eject fluid from the fluid ejection port on said reciprocal movement of the actuator, the actuator extending through the nozzle chamber structure and the actuator and nozzle chamber structure defining complementary guide formations which are shaped so that movement of the fluid ejecting member is substantially linear.