Patent ID: 6079820
Filing Date: 2000-06-27
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An ink jet printhead comprising:a body having first and second opposite main faces with a plurality of pressure chambers and a corresponding plurality of nozzles provided in the body, each pressure chamber extending between the first main face of the body and one of the nozzles and each nozzle extending between one of the pressure chambers and the second main face of the body;a membrane having first and second main faces, said membrane being connected to the body with the second main face of the membrane facing the first main face of the body;a substantially planar actuator plate having first and second main faces parallel to the actuator plate, the second main face of the actuator element facing the first main face of the membrane, said actuator plate comprising a plurality of actuator elements separated from each other by slits in the actuator plate and positioned directly over respective pressure chambers;the actuator plate having active regions and inactive regions, the active regions forming the actuator body;each actuator element being operative to change the actuator element dimension perpendicular to the first and second main faces of the actuator plate upon application of a suitable voltage to the actuator element; anda support plate positioned between the second main face of the actuator plate and the first main face of the membrane, the support plate comprising first portions and second portions with said first portions being movable relative to the second portions perpendicular to the support plate, one of the first portions being situated between each actuator element and a respective one of the pressure chambers.