Patent ID: 6491376
Filing Date: 2002-12-10
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A continuous ink jet printhead comprising:a substrate including an ink delivery channel having ink under pressure in a relief portion formed in the substrate, a thin membrane that comprises an overhang from the relief portion of the substrate, the thin membrane being substantially thinner than a thickness of the substrate and the overhang extending from the relief portion with a dimension OH; a nozzle bore which opens into the ink delivery channel to establish a continuous flow of ink in a stream from the nozzle bore, the nozzle bore being formed in the thin membrane at the overhang and having an exit opening with a respective diameter dimension, D; a heater adjacent the nozzle bore, the heater adapted to produce asymmetric heating to the stream of ink to control direction of the stream between a print direction and a non-print direction; and the nozzle bore being characterized by a dimensional relationship wherein the overhang dimension OH is related to the diameter dimension of the exit opening so that OH>=Â½ D; and wherein thickness, t, of the membrane within which the nozzle bore is formed is related to the diameter dimension of the exit opening so that t<=0.33D.