Patent ID: 7524032
Filing Date: 2009-04-28
Classification: B41J,G06K,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An inkjet nozzle assembly that comprises a substrate; a drive circuitry layer positioned on the substrate, the substrate and the drive circuitry layer defining an ink inlet channel; a support structure extending from the substrate and spaced from the ink inlet channel; an elongate actuator assembly fast with the support structure at a fixed end and extending towards the ink inlet channel and connected to the drive circuitry layer to be reciprocally displaceable towards and away from the substrate; an ink chamber structure positioned on the substrate and defining an ink chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet channel and an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the ink chamber; and an ink ejection member positioned in the ink chamber and reciprocally displaceable to eject ink from the ink ejection port, the ink ejection member being connected to the actuator assembly at a moving end of the actuator assembly, the ink chamber structure being shaped to accommodate the ink ejection member, wherein the actuator assembly is comprised of a structural portion and a heating portion, the heating portion defining a resistive heating element with a relatively reduced volume proximate the support to enhance resistive heating proximate the support.