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US Patent # 7,669,973. Printhead having nozzle arrangements with radial actuators - Patents.com
United States Patent 7,669,973
A printhead for an inkjet printer has a wafer that defines a plurality of
nozzle chambers and ink supply channels in fluid communication with the
nozzle chambers to supply the nozzle chambers with ink. An ink ejection
port is associated with each nozzle chamber. A series of actuators is
associated with each nozzle chamber and is radially positioned with
respect to the nozzle chamber. The actuators are operable so that, when
activated, they are displaced into the nozzle chamber to generate an ink
meniscus at the ink ejection port and, when deactivated, return to an
original position resulting in the necking and breaking of the ink
meniscus to eject an ink drop.
12/277,295
Related U.S. Patent Documents Application NumberFiling DatePatent NumberIssue Date 12025605Feb., 20087465029 11655987Jan., 20077347536 11084752Mar., 20057192120 10636255Aug., 20036959981 09854703May., 20016981757 09112806Jul., 19986247790 Foreign Application Priority Data Jun 09, 1998
application Ser. No. 12/025,605 filed on Feb. 4, 2008, now issued U.S.
Pat. No. 7,465,029, which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.
11/655,987 filed Jan. 22, 2007, now issued U.S. Pat. No. 7,347,536, which
is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/084,752 filed Mar. 21,
2005, now issued U.S. Pat. No. 7,192,120, which is a Continuation of U.S.
application Ser. No. 10/636,255 filed Aug. 8, 2003, now issued U.S. Pat.
No. 6,959,981, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/854,703 filed May
14, 2001, now issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,981,757, which is a Continuation of
U.S. application Ser. No. 09/112,806 filed Jul. 10, 1998, now issued as
U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,790, all of which are herein incorporated by
Claims The invention claimed is: 1. A printhead for an inkjet printer, the printhead comprising a wafer that defines a plurality of nozzle chambers and ink supply channels in fluid communication with
the nozzle chambers to supply the nozzle chambers with ink; an ink ejection port associated with each nozzle chamber; and a series of actuators associated with each nozzle chamber and radially positioned with respect to the nozzle chamber, the
actuators being operable so that, when activated, they are displaced into the nozzle chamber to generate an ink meniscus at the ink ejection port and, when deactivated, return to an original position resulting in the necking and breaking of the ink
3. A printhead as claimed in claim 1, in which each actuator comprises an electrically conductive heater element in a layer of a plastics material, the heater element being positioned in the plastics material to cause uneven heating and
resulting uneven expansion so that the actuators bend into the nozzle chamber.
7. A printhead as claimed in claim 1, wherein bridges extend radially from a rim defining the ink ejection ports and between adjacent actuators. Description The following Australian provisional
patent applications are hereby incorporated by cross-reference. For the purposes of location and identification, US patent applications identified by their US patent application serial numbers (USSN) are listed alongside the Australian applications from
which the US patent applications claim the right of priority.
TABLE-US-00001 CROSS- REFERENCED US PATENT/PATENT AUSTRALIAN APPLICATION (CLAIMING PROVISIONAL RIGHT OF PRIORITY PATENT FROM AUSTRALIAN DOCKET APPLICATION NO. PROVISIONAL APPLICATION) NO. PO7991 6,750,901 ART01US PO8505 6,476,863 ART02US PO7988
6,788,336 ART03US PO9395 6,322,181 ART04US PO8017 6,597,817 ART06US PO8014 6,227,648 ART07US PO8025 6,727,948 ART08US PO8032 6,690,419 ART09US PO7999 6,727,951 ART10US PO8030 6,196,541 ART13US PO7997 6,195,150 ART15US PO7979 6,362,868 ART16US PO7978
6,831,681 ART18US PO7982 6,431,669 ART19US PO7989 6,362,869 ART20US PO8019 6,472,052 ART21US PO7980 6,356,715 ART22US PO8018 6,894,694 ART24US PO7938 6,636,216 ART25US PO8016 6,366,693 ART26US PO8024 6,329,990 ART27US PO7939 6,459,495 ART29US PO8501
6,137,500 ART30US PO8500 6,690,416 ART31US PO7987 7,050,143 ART32US PO8022 6,398,328 ART33US PO8497 7,110,024 ART34US PO8020 6,431,704 ART38US PO8504 6,879,341 ART42US PO8000 6,415,054 ART43US PO7934 6,665,454 ART45US PO7990 6,542,645 ART46US PO8499
6,486,886 ART47US PO8502 6,381,361 ART48US PO7981 6,317,192 ART50US PO7986 6,850,274 ART51US PO7983 09/113,054 ART52US PO8026 6,646,757 ART53US PO8028 6,624,848 ART56US PO9394 6,357,135 ART57US PO9397 6,271,931 ART59US PO9398 6,353,772 ART60US PO9399
6,106,147 ART61US PO9400 6,665,008 ART62US PO9401 6,304,291 ART63US PO9403 6,305,770 ART65US PO9405 6,289,262 ART66US PP0959 6,315,200 ART68US PP1397 6,217,165 ART69US PP2370 6,786,420 DOT01US PO8003 6,350,023 Fluid01US PO8005 6,318,849 Fluid02US PO8066
6,227,652 IJ01US PO8072 6,213,588 IJ02US PO8040 6,213,589 IJ03US PO8071 6,231,163 IJ04US PO8047 6,247,795 IJ05US PO8035 6,394,581 IJ06US PO8044 6,244,691 IJ07US PO8063 6,257,704 IJ08US PO8057 6,416,168 IJ09US PO8056 6,220,694 IJ10US PO8069 6,257,705
IJ11US PO8049 6,247,794 IJ12US PO8036 6,234,610 IJ13US PO8048 6,247,793 IJ14US PO8070 6,264,306 IJ15US PO8067 6,241,342 IJ16US PO8001 6,247,792 IJ17US PO8038 6,264,307 IJ18US PO8033 6,254,220 IJ19US PO8002 6,234,611 IJ20US PO8068 6,302,528 IJ21US PO8062
6,283,582 IJ22US PO8034 6,239,821 IJ23US PO8039 6,338,547 IJ24US PO8041 6,247,796 IJ25US PO8004 6,557,977 IJ26US PO8037 6,390,603 IJ27US PO8043 6,362,843 IJ28US PO8042 6,293,653 IJ29US PO8064 6,312,107 IJ30US PO9389 6,227,653 IJ31US PO9391 6,234,609
IJ32US PP0888 6,238,040 IJ33US PP0891 6,188,415 IJ34US PP0890 6,227,654 IJ35US PP0873 6,209,989 IJ36US PP0993 6,247,791 IJ37US PP0890 6,336,710 IJ38US PP1398 6,217,153 IJ39US PP2592 6,416,167 IJ40US PP2593 6,243,113 IJ41US PP3991 6,283,581 IJ42US PP3987
6,247,790 IJ43US PP3985 6,260,953 IJ44US PP3983 6,267,469 IJ45US PO7935 6,224,780 IJM01US PO7936 6,235,212 IJM02US PO7937 6,280,643 IJM03US PO8061 6,284,147 IJM04US PO8054 6,214,244 IJM05US PO8065 6,071,750 IJM06US PO8055 6,267,905 IJM07US PO8053
6,251,298 IJM08US PO8078 6,258,285 IJM09US PO7933 6,225,138 IJM10US PO7950 6,241,904 IJM11US PO7949 6,299,786 IJM12US PO8060 6,866,789 IJM13US PO8059 6,231,773 IJM14US PO8073 6,190,931 IJM15US PO8076 6,248,249 IJM16US PO8075 6,290,862 IJM17US PO8079
6,241,906 IJM18US PO8050 6,565,762 IJM19US PO8052 6,241,905 IJM20US PO7948 6,451,216 IJM21US PO7951 6,231,772 IJM22US PO8074 6,274,056 IJM23US PO7941 6,290,861 IJM24US PO8077 6,248,248 IJM25US PO8058 6,306,671 IJM26US PO8051 6,331,258 IJM27US PO8045
6,110,754 IJM28US PO7952 6,294,101 IJM29US PO8046 6,416,679 IJM30US PO9390 6,264,849 IJM31US PO9392 6,254,793 IJM32US PP0889 6,235,211 IJM35US PP0887 6,491,833 IJM36US PP0882 6,264,850 IJM37US PP0874 6,258,284 IJM38US PP1396 6,312,615 IJM39US PP3989
6,228,668 IJM40US PP2591 6,180,427 IJM41US PP3990 6,171,875 IJM42US PP3986 6,267,904 IJM43US PP3984 6,245,247 IJM44US PP3982 6,315,914 IJM45US PP0895 6,231,148 IR01US PP0869 6,293,658 IR04US PP0887 6,614,560 IR05US PP0885 6,238,033 IR06US PP0884
6,312,070 IR10US PP0886 6,238,111 IR12US PP0877 6,378,970 IR16US PP0878 6,196,739 IR17US PP0883 6,270,182 IR19US PP0880 6,152,619 IR20US PO8006 6,087,638 MEMS02US PO8007 6,340,222 MEMS03US PO8010 6,041,600 MEMS05US PO8011 6,299,300 MEMS06US PO7947
6,067,797 MEMS07US PO7944 6,286,935 MEMS09US PO7946 6,044,646 MEMS10US PP0894 6,382,769 MEMS13US
U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,275 by Sweet also discloses a process of a continuous ink jet printing including a step wherein the ink jet stream is modulated by a high frequency electro-static field so as to cause drop separation. This technique is
still utilized by several manufacturers including Elmjet and Scitex (see also U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,437 by Sweet et al).
difficult to fabricate Piezo- A piezoelectric Low power Very large Kyser et al electric crystal such as consumption area required for U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,398 lead lanthanum Many ink actuator Zoltan U.S. Pat. No. zirconate (PZT) is types can be
pressure to required IJ04 the ink, ejecting Full drops. pagewidth print heads impractical due to actuator size Requires electrical poling in high field strengths during manufacture Electro- An electric field is Low power Low Seiko Epson, strictive used
to activate consumption maximum strain Usui et all JP electrostriction in Many ink (approx. 0.01%) 253401/96 relaxor materials types can be Large area IJ04 such as lead used required for lanthanum Low thermal actuator due to zirconate titanate expansion
low strain (PLZT) or lead Electric field Response magnesium strength required speed is niobate (PMN). (approx. 3.5 V/.mu.m) marginal (~10 .mu.s) can be High voltage generated drive transistors without required difficulty Full Does not pagewidth print
require electrical heads poling impractical due to actuator size Ferro- An electric field is Low power Difficult to IJ04 electric used to induce a consumption integrate with phase transition Many ink electronics between the types can be Unusual
High zirconate titanate efficiency (PLZSnT) exhibit Electric field large strains of up strength of to 1% associated around 3 V/.mu.m with the AFE to can be readily FE phase provided transition. Electro- Conductive plates Low power Difficult to IJ02,
IJ04 static are separated by a consumption operate plates compressible or Many ink electrostatic fluid dielectric types can be devices in an (usually air). Upon used aqueous application of a Fast operation environment voltage, the plates The attract
each other electrostatic and displace ink, actuator will causing drop normally need to ejection. The be separated conductive plates from the ink may be in a comb Very large or honeycomb area required to structure, or achieve high stacked to increase
forces the surface area High voltage and therefore the drive transistors force. may be required Full pagewidth print heads are not competitive due to actuator size Electro- A strong electric Low current High voltage 1989 Saito et static pull field is
applied to consumption required al, U.S. Pat. No. on ink the ink, whereupon Low May be 4,799,068 electrostatic temperature damaged by 1989 Miura et attraction sparks due to air al, U.S. Pat. No. accelerates the ink breakdown 4,810,954 towards the
print Required field Tone-jet medium. strength increases as the drop size decreases High voltage drive transistors required Electrostatic field attracts dust Permanent An electromagnet Low power Complex IJ07, IJ10 magnet directly attracts a consumption
fabrication electro- permanent magnet, Many ink Permanent magnetic displacing ink and types can be magnetic causing drop used material such as ejection. Rare Fast operation Neodymium Iron earth magnets with High Boron (NdFeB) a field strength efficiency
required. around 1 Tesla can Easy High local be used. Examples extension from currents required are: Samarium single nozzles to Copper Cobalt (SaCo) and pagewidth print metalization magnetic materials heads should be used in the neodymium for long iron
boron family electromigration (NdFeB, lifetime and low NdDyFeBNb, resistivity NdDyFeB, etc) Pigmented inks are usually infeasible Operating temperature limited to the Curie temperature (around 540 K) Soft A solenoid Low power Complex IJ01, IJ05, magnetic
induced a consumption fabrication IJ08, IJ10, IJ12, core magnetic field in a Many ink Materials not IJ14, IJ15, IJ17 electro- soft magnetic core types can be usually present magnetic or yoke fabricated used in a CMOS fab from a ferrous Fast operation
such as NiFe, material such as High CoNiFe, or CoFe electroplated iron efficiency are required alloys such as Easy High local CoNiFe [1], CoFe, extension from currents required or NiFe alloys. single nozzles to Copper Typically, the soft pagewidth print
low the print-head, resistivity simplifying Pigmented materials inks are usually requirements. infeasible Magneto- The actuator uses Many ink Force acts as a Fischenbeck, striction the giant types can be twisting motion U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,929
Acoustic An acoustic wave Can operate Complex 1993 is generated and without a nozzle drive circuitry Hadimioglu et focussed upon the plate Complex al, EUP 550,192 drop ejection fabrication 1993 Elrod et region. Low al, EUP 572,220 efficiency
Poor control of drop position Poor control of drop volume Thermo- An actuator which Low power Efficient IJ03, IJ09, elastic relies upon consumption aqueous IJ17, IJ18, IJ19, bend differential Many ink operation IJ20, IJ21, IJ22, actuator thermal
expansion types can be requires a IJ23, IJ24, IJ27, upon Joule heating used thermal insulator IJ28, IJ29, IJ30, is used. Simple planar on the hot side IJ31, IJ32, IJ33, fabrication Corrosion IJ34, IJ35, IJ36, Small chip prevention can IJ37, IJ38, IJ39,
area required for be difficult IJ40, IJ41 each actuator Pigmented Fast operation inks may be High infeasible, as efficiency pigment particles CMOS may jam the compatible bend actuator voltages and currents Standard MEMS processes can be used Easy
extension from single nozzles to pagewidth print heads High CTE A material with a High force Requires IJ09, IJ17, thermo- very high can be generated special material IJ18, IJ20, IJ21, elastic coefficient of Three (e.g. PTFE) IJ22, IJ23, IJ24, actuator
thermal expansion methods of Requires a IJ27, IJ28, IJ29, (CTE) such as PTFE deposition PTFE deposition IJ30, IJ31, IJ42, polytetrafluoroethylene are under process, which is IJ43, IJ44 (PTFE) is development: not yet standard used. As high CTE chemical
vapor in ULSI fabs materials are deposition PTFE usually non- (CVD), spin deposition conductive, a coating, and cannot be heater fabricated evaporation followed with from a conductive PTFE is a high temperature material is candidate for (above
350.degree. C.) incorporated. A 50 .mu.m low dielectric processing long PTFE constant Pigmented bend actuator with insulation in inks may be polysilicon heater ULSI infeasible, as and 15 mW power Very low pigment particles input can provide power may
jam the 180 .mu.N force and consumption bend actuator 10 .mu.m deflection. Many ink Actuator motions types can be include: used Bend Simple planar Push fabrication Buckle Small chip Rotate area required for each actuator Fast operation High efficiency
CMOS compatible voltages and currents Easy extension from single nozzles to pagewidth print heads Conductive A polymer with a High force Requires IJ24 polymer high coefficient of can be generated special materials thermo- thermal expansion Very low
development elastic (such as PTFE) is power (High CTE actuator doped with consumption conductive conducting Many ink polymer) substances to types can be Requires a increase its used PTFE deposition conductivity to Simple planar process, which is about 3
orders of fabrication not yet standard magnitude below Small chip in ULSI fabs that of copper. The area required for PTFE conducting each actuator deposition polymer expands Fast operation cannot be when resistively High followed with heated. efficiency high temperature Examples of CMOS (above 350.degree. C.) conducting compatible processing dopants include: voltages and Evaporation Carbon nanotubes currents and CVD Metal fibers Easy deposition Conductive extension from techniques polymers
such as single nozzles to cannot be used doped pagewidth print Pigmented polythiophene heads inks may be Carbon granules infeasible, as pigment particles may jam the bend actuator Shape A shape memory High force is Fatigue limits IJ26 memory alloy such
as TiNi available maximum alloy (also known as (stresses of number of cycles Nitinol - Nickel hundreds of Low strain Titanium alloy MPa) (1%) is required developed at the Large strain is to extend fatigue Naval Ordnance available (more resistance
Laboratory) is than 3%) Cycle rate thermally switched High limited by heat between its weak corrosion removal martensitic state resistance Requires and its high Simple unusual stiffness austenic construction materials (TiNi) state. The shape of Easy The
latent the actuator in its extension from heat of martensitic state is single nozzles to transformation deformed relative pagewidth print must be to the austenic heads provided shape. The shape Low voltage High current change causes operation operation
ejection of a drop. Requires pre- stressing to distort the martensitic state Linear Linear magnetic Linear Requires IJ12 Magnetic actuators include Magnetic unusual Actuator the Linear actuators can be semiconductor Induction Actuator constructed with
materials such as (LIA), Linear high thrust, long soft magnetic Permanent Magnet travel, and high alloys (e.g. Synchronous efficiency using CoNiFe) Actuator planar Some varieties (LPMSA), Linear semiconductor also require Reluctance fabrication permanent
Synchronous techniques magnetic Actuator (LRSA), Long actuator materials such as Linear Switched travel is Neodymium iron Reluctance available boron (NdFeB) Actuator (LSRA), Medium force Requires and the Linear is available complex multi- Stepper
Actuator Low voltage phase drive (LSA). operation circuitry High current operation
separate the rows of the ink in the nozzle drop from the image by contact with the nozzle Monolithic print medium or a color print heads transfer roller. are difficult Electro- The drops to be Very simple Requires very Silverbrook, static pull printed
are print head high electrostatic EP 0771 658 A2 on ink selected by some fabrication can field and related manner (e.g. be used Electrostatic patent thermally induced The drop field for small applications surface tension selection means nozzle sizes is
actuator and the prevents the ink ink pusher pusher from Complex moving when a construction drop is not to be ejected. AUXILIARY MECHANISM (APPLIED TO ALL NOZZLES) None The actuator Simplicity of Drop ejection Most ink jets, directly fires the
construction energy must be including ink drop, and there Simplicity of supplied by piezoelectric and is no external field operation individual nozzle thermal bubble. or other Small physical actuator IJ01, IJ02, mechanism size IJ03, IJ04, IJ05,
required. IJ07, IJ09, IJ11, IJ12, IJ14, IJ20, IJ22, IJ23, IJ24, IJ25, IJ26, IJ27, IJ28, IJ29, IJ30, IJ31, IJ32, IJ33, IJ34, IJ35, IJ36, IJ37, IJ38, IJ39, IJ40, IJ41, IJ42, IJ43, IJ44 BASIC OPERATION MODE Oscillating The ink pressure Oscillating ink
Requires Silverbrook, ink oscillates, pressure can external ink EP 0771 658 A2 pressure providing much of provide a refill pressure and related (including the drop ejection pulse, allowing oscillator patent acoustic energy. The higher operating Ink
pressure applications stimulation) actuator selects speed phase and IJ08, IJ13, which drops are to The actuators amplitude must IJ15, IJ17, IJ18, be fired by may operate be carefully IJ19, IJ21 selectively with much lower controlled blocking or energy
Acoustic enabling nozzles. Acoustic reflections in the The ink pressure lenses can be ink chamber oscillation may be used to focus the must be achieved by sound on the designed for vibrating the print nozzles head, or preferably by an actuator in the
ink supply. Media The print head is Low power Precision Silverbrook, proximity placed in close High accuracy assembly EP 0771 658 A2 proximity to the Simple print required and related print medium. head Paper fibers patent Selected drops construction
may cause applications protrude from the problems print head further Cannot print than unselected on rough drops, and contact substrates the print medium. The drop soaks into the medium fast enough to cause drop separation. Transfer Drops are printed
High accuracy Bulky Silverbrook, roller to a transfer roller Wide range of Expensive EP 0771 658 A2 instead of straight print substrates Complex and related to the print can be used construction patent medium. A Ink can be applications transfer roller
can dried on the Tektronix hot also be used for transfer roller melt proximity drop piezoelectric ink separation. jet Any of the IJ series Electro- An electric field is Low power Field strength Silverbrook, static used to accelerate Simple print
required for EP 0771 658 A2 selected drops head separation of and related towards the print construction small drops is patent medium. near or above air applications breakdown Tone-Jet Direct A magnetic field is Low power Requires Silverbrook, magnetic
used to accelerate Simple print magnetic ink EP 0771 658 A2 field selected drops of head Requires and related magnetic ink construction strong magnetic patent towards the print field applications medium. Cross The print head is Does not Requires IJ06,
IJ16 magnetic placed in a require magnetic external magnet field constant magnetic materials to be Current field. The Lorenz integrated in the densities may be force in a current print head high, resulting in carrying wire is manufacturing
electromigration used to move the process problems actuator. Pulsed A pulsed magnetic Very low Complex print IJ10 magnetic field is used to power operation head field cyclically attract a is possible construction paddle, which Small print Magnetic
pushes on the ink. head size materials A small actuator required in print moves a catch, head which selectively prevents the paddle from moving.
TABLE-US-00004 ACTUATOR AMPLIFICATION OR MODIFICATION METHOD Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples None No actuator Operational Many actuator Thermal mechanical simplicity mechanisms Bubble Ink jet amplification is have insufficient
TABLE-US-00005 ACTUATOR MOTION Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Volume The volume of the Simple High energy is Hewlett- expansion actuator changes, construction in typically Packard Thermal pushing the ink in the case of required to
The actuator Suitable for Fabrication IJ12, IJ13, chip moves parallel to planar complexity IJ15, IJ33,, IJ34, surface the print head fabrication Friction IJ35, IJ36 surface. Drop Stiction ejection may still be normal to the surface. Membrane An
Poor out-of- ejects the ink. required, plane stiffness therefore low cost Bow The actuator bows Can increase Maximum IJ16, IJ18, (or buckles) in the the speed of travel is IJ27 middle when travel constrained energized. Mechanically High force rigid
TABLE-US-00006 NOZZLE REFILL METHOD Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Surface This is the normal Fabrication Low speed Thermal ink tension way that ink jets simplicity Surface jet are refilled. After Operational tension force
TABLE-US-00007 METHOD OF RESTRICTING BACK-FLOW THROUGH INLET Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Long inlet The ink inlet Design Restricts refill Thermal ink channel channel to the simplicity rate jet nozzle chamber is Operational May
IJ22,, IJ23-IJ34, which is required IJ36-IJ41, IJ44 to eject a certain volume of ink. The reduction in chamber pressure results in a reduction in ink pushed out through the inlet. Baffle One or more The refill rate Design HP Thermal baffles are placed
TABLE-US-00008 NOZZLE CLEARING METHOD Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Normal All of the nozzles No added May not be Most ink jet nozzle are fired complexity on sufficient to systems firing periodically, the print head displace
TABLE-US-00009 NOZZLE PLATE CONSTRUCTION Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Electro- A nozzle plate is Fabrication High Hewlett formed separately simplicity temperatures and Packard Thermal nickel fabricated from pressures are Ink jet
Silicon A separate nozzle High accuracy Two part K. Bean, micro- plate is is attainable construction IEEE machined micromachined High cost Transactions on from single crystal Requires Electron silicon, and precision Devices, Vol. bonded to the print
heads with thousands of nozzles. Monolithic, The nozzle plate is High accuracy Requires Silverbrook, surface deposited as a (<1 .mu.m) sacrificial layer EP 0771 658 A2 micro- layer using Monolithic under the nozzle and related machined standard VLSI
Low cost plate to form the patent using deposition Existing nozzle chamber applications VLSI techniques. processes can be Surface may IJ01, IJ02, litho- Nozzles are etched used be fragile to the IJ04, IJ11, IJ12, graphic in the nozzle plate touch IJ17,
IJ18, IJ20, processes using VLSI IJ22, IJ24, IJ27, lithography and IJ28, IJ29, IJ30, etching. IJ31, IJ32, IJ33, IJ34, IJ36, IJ37, IJ38, IJ39, IJ40, IJ41, IJ42, IJ43, IJ44 Monolithic, The nozzle plate is High accuracy Requires long IJ03, IJ05, etched a
TABLE-US-00010 DROP EJECTION DIRECTION Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Edge Ink flow is along Simple Nozzles Canon (`edge the surface of the construction limited to edge Bubblejet 1979 shooter`) chip, and ink drops No silicon High
TABLE-US-00011 INK TYPE Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Aqueous, Water based ink Environmentally Slow drying Most existing dye which typically friendly Corrosive ink jets contains: water, No odor Bleeds on All IJ series dye,
Very fast Odorous All IJ series Ethyl volatile solvent drying Flammable ink jets Ketone used for industrial Prints on (MEK) printing on various difficult surfaces substrates such such as aluminum as metals and cans. plastics Alcohol Alcohol based inks
Fast drying Slight odor All IJ series (ethanol, can be used where Operates at Flammable ink jets 2-butanol, the printer must sub-freezing and operate at temperatures others) temperatures Reduced below the freezing paper cockle point of water. An Low
cost example of this is in-camera consumer photographic printing. Phase The ink is solid at No drying High viscosity Tektronix hot change room temperature, time-ink Printed ink melt (hot melt) and is melted in instantly freezes typically has a
used temperature may ink jets point around 80.degree. C.. No paper be above the After jetting cockle occurs curie point of the ink freezes No wicking permanent almost instantly occurs magnets upon contacting No bleed Ink heaters the print medium occurs
soluble dies and have a pigments are sufficiently low required. viscosity. Slow drying Micro- A microemulsion Stops ink Viscosity All IJ series emulsion is a stable, self bleed higher than ink jets forming emulsion High dye water of oil, water, and
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