Patent ID: 7597431
Filing Date: 2009-10-06
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An inkjet printhead comprising: an array of ink chambers, each chamber including a nozzle and an actuator located in each chamber for ejecting ink through the nozzle, wherein the array of ink chambers is defined by sidewalls extending between a nozzle plate and the underlying wafer substrate, one of the sidewalls of each chamber having an opening to allow ink to refill the chamber; an ink conduit between the nozzle plate and underlying wafer, the ink conduit being in fluid communication with the openings of a plurality of the ink chambers; and a plurality of ink inlets defined in the wafer substrate, wherein each of the ink conduits is in fluid communication with at least one of the ink inlets for receiving ink to supply to the ink chambers, wherein the inkjet printhead includes at least one priming feature extending through each of the ink inlets such that the surface tension of an ink meniscus at the respective ink inlet acts to draw the ink out of the inlet and partially along a flow path toward the ink chambers.