Patent ID: 6789880
Filing Date: 2004-09-14
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A jet in flow communications with a reservoir comprising:a substrate having a manifold for receiving fluid from the reservoir; an orifice layer disposed above the substrate so that a plurality of chambers are formed between the orifice layer and the substrate; and a plurality of nozzles that are disposed on the orifice layer and correspond to the plurality of chambers for ejecting the fluid in the chambers so as to form a plurality of droplets, each of the nozzles comprising: an orifice formed on the orifice layer; and at least three distinct heaters electrically connected to a driving circuit and disposed at a first side of the orifice and a second side of the orifice, at least two of the heaters disposed at one of either the first side or the second side, and at least one of the heaters disposed at the other of the first side and the second side, the driving circuit driving the heater(s) disposed at the first side to heat fluid to generate a first bubble in a corresponding chamber and driving the heater(s) disposed at the second side to heat fluid to generate a second bubble in the corresponding chamber; wherein each heater disposed at either the first side or the second side is connected in series to one of the heater(s) disposed at the other side, wherein the driving circuit is capable of independently driving or simultaneously driving each heater disposed on the same side of the orifice along with the corresponding heaters disposed on the other side of the orifice that are serially connected to the driven heaters; wherein the driving circuit drives the heaters selectively so that each of the nozzles is capable of ejecting droplets of different sizes.