Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US20080018711?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2015-02-01 11:15:32
Document Index: 195574515

Matched Legal Cases: ['ART01', 'ART02', 'ART03', 'ART04', 'ART06', 'ART07', 'ART08', 'ART09', 'ART10', 'ART13', 'ART15', 'ART16', 'ART18', 'ART19', 'ART20', 'ART21', 'ART22', 'ART24', 'ART25', 'ART26', 'ART27', 'ART29', 'ART30', 'ART31', 'ART32', 'ART33', 'ART34', 'ART38', 'ART42', 'ART43', 'ART45', 'ART46', 'ART47', 'ART48', 'ART50', 'ART51', 'ART52', 'ART53', 'ART56', 'ART57', 'ART59', 'ART60', 'ART61', 'ART62', 'ART63', 'ART65', 'ART66', 'ART68', 'ART69']

Patent US20080018711 - Printhead with a two-dimensional array of reciprocating ink nozzles - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA printhead is provided for an inkjet printer. The printhead includes a two-dimensional array of ink nozzle arrangements. Each nozzle arrangement includes a wafer portion defining both a nozzle chamber for storing ink and an ink supply channel in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber. A cover covers...http://www.google.com/patents/US20080018711?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US20080018711 - Printhead with a two-dimensional array of reciprocating ink nozzlesAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS20080018711 A1Publication typeApplicationApplication numberUS 11/865,680Publication dateJan 24, 2008Filing dateOct 1, 2007Priority dateJun 8, 1998Also published asUS6886917, US6959981, US6959982, US7147303, US7156495, US7168789, US7192120, US7284838, US7347536, US7374695, US7465029, US7562967, US7604323, US7669973, US7901055, US7938507, US7971969, US20040032460, US20040032461, US20040032462, US20050162480, US20050179740, US20050243136, US20060017783, US20070008374, US20070011876, US20070115328, US20080143792, US20090096834, US20090122113, US20090262166, US20100002055, US20100149255Publication number11865680, 865680, US 2008/0018711 A1, US 2008/018711 A1, US 20080018711 A1, US 20080018711A1, US 2008018711 A1, US 2008018711A1, US-A1-20080018711, US-A1-2008018711, US2008/0018711A1, US2008/018711A1, US20080018711 A1, US20080018711A1, US2008018711 A1, US2008018711A1InventorsKia Silverbrook, Gregory McAvoyOriginal AssigneeSilverbrook Research Pty LtdExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManClassifications (42), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetPrinthead with a two-dimensional array of reciprocating ink nozzlesUS 20080018711 A1Abstract A printhead is provided for an inkjet printer. The printhead includes a two-dimensional array of ink nozzle arrangements. Each nozzle arrangement includes a wafer portion defining both a nozzle chamber for storing ink and an ink supply channel in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber. A cover covers the nozzle chamber and defines a nozzle rim from which a plurality of supports extends outwardly. The cover includes a plurality of actuators extending inwardly toward the nozzle rim between respective pairs of adjacent supports and terminates in free ends. The actuators include internal heating elements which can be actuated so that the free ends reciprocate into and out of the nozzle chamber to eject ink out through the nozzle rim. Images(16) Claims(7)
1. A printhead for an inkjet printer, the printhead comprising a two-dimensional array of inkjet nozzle arrangements, each nozzle arrangement comprising: a wafer portion defining both a nozzle chamber for storing ink and an ink supply channel in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber; and a cover which covers the nozzle chamber and defines a nozzle rim from which a plurality of supports extends outwardly, the cover having a plurality of actuators extending inwardly toward the nozzle rim between respective pairs of adjacent supports and terminating in free ends, the actuators having internal heating elements which can be actuated so that the free ends reciprocate into and out of the nozzle chamber to eject ink out through the nozzle rim. 2. A printhead as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating elements are serpentine. 3. A printhead as claimed in claim 2, wherein the heating elements are serially connected together. 4. A printhead as claimed in claim 1, wherein each nozzle chamber tapers inwardly towards the ink supply channel. 5. A printhead as claimed in claim 1, wherein each actuator has a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) layer and an associated heater element embedded in the (PTFE) layer. 6. A printhead as claimed in claim 1, wherein each actuator has a petal formation extending toward the nozzle rim. 7. A printhead as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ink supply channel is in alignment with the nozzle rim.
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/520,577, filed on Sep. 14, 2006, which is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/202,332 filed Aug. 12, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,147,303, which is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/636,256 filed Aug. 8, 2003, now Issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,959,982, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/854,703 filed May 14, 2001, now Issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,981,757, which is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/112,806 filed on Jul. 10, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,790, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 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. US PATENT/ PATENT APPLICATION (CLAIMING RIGHT OF CROSS-REFERENCED PRIORITY FROM AUSTRALIAN AUSTRALIAN PROVISIONAL PATENT PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NO. APPLICATION) DOCKET NO. PO7991 6750901 ART01US PO8505 6476863 ART02US PO7988 6788336 ART03US PO9395 6322181 ART04US PO8017 6597817 ART06US PO8014 6227648 ART07US PO8025 6727948 ART08US PO8032 6690419 ART09US PO7999 6727951 ART10US PO8030 6196541 ART13US PO7997 6195150 ART15US PO7979 6362868 ART16US PO7978 6831681 ART18US PO7982 6431669 ART19US PO7989 6362869 ART20US PO8019 6472052 ART21US PO7980 6356715 ART22US PO8018 6894694 ART24US PO7938 6636216 ART25US PO8016 6366693 ART26US PO8024 6329990 ART27US PO7939 6459495 ART29US PO8501 6137500 ART30US PO8500 6690416 ART31US PO7987 7050143 ART32US PO8022 6398328 ART33US PO8497 7110024 ART34US PO8020 6431704 ART38US PO8504 6879341 ART42US PO8000 6415054 ART43US PO7934 6665454 ART45US PO7990 6542645 ART46US PO8499 6486886 ART47US PO8502 6381361 ART48US PO7981 6317192 ART50US PO7986 6850274 ART51US PO7983 09/113054 ART52US PO8026 6646757 ART53US PO8028 6624848 ART56US PO9394 6357135 ART57US PO9397 6271931 ART59US PO9398 6353772 ART60US PO9399 6106147 ART61US PO9400 6665008 ART62US PO9401 6304291 ART63US PO9403 6305770 ART65US PO9405 6289262 ART66US PP0959 6315200 ART68US PP1397 6217165 ART69US PP2370 6786420 DOT01US PO8003 6350023 Fluid01US PO8005 6318849 Fluid02US PO8066 6227652 IJ01US PO8072 6213588 IJ02US PO8040 6213589 IJ03US PO8071 6231163 IJ04US PO8047 6247795 IJ05US PO8035 6394581 IJ06US PO8044 6244691 IJ07US PO8063 6257704 IJ08US PO8057 6416168 IJ09US PO8056 6220694 IJ10US PO8069 6257705 IJ11US PO8049 6247794 IJ12US PO8036 6234610 IJ13US PO8048 6247793 IJ14US PO8070 6264306 IJ15US PO8067 6241342 IJ16US PO8001 6247792 IJ17US PO8038 6264307 IJ18US PO8033 6254220 IJ19US PO8002 6234611 IJ20US PO8068 6302528 IJ21US PO8062 6283582 IJ22US PO8034 6239821 IJ23US PO8039 6338547 IJ24US PO8041 6247796 IJ25US PO8004 6557977 IJ26US PO8037 6390603 IJ27US PO8043 6362843 IJ28US PO8042 6293653 IJ29US PO8064 6312107 IJ30US PO9389 6227653 IJ31US PO9391 6234609 IJ32US PP0888 6238040 IJ33US PP0891 6188415 IJ34US PP0890 6227654 IJ35US PP0873 6209989 IJ36US PP0993 6247791 IJ37US PP0890 6336710 IJ38US PP1398 6217153 IJ39US PP2592 6416167 IJ40US PP2593 6243113 IJ41US PP3991 6283581 IJ42US PP3987 6247790 IJ43US PP3985 6260953 IJ44US PP3983 6267469 IJ45US PO7935 6224780 IJM01US PO7936 6235212 IJM02US PO7937 6280643 IJM03US PO8061 6284147 IJM04US PO8054 6214244 IJM05US PO8065 6071750 IJM06US PO8055 6267905 IJM07US PO8053 6251298 IJM08US PO8078 6258285 IJM09US PO7933 6225138 IJM10US PO7950 6241904 IJM11US PO7949 6299786 IJM12US PO8060 6866789 IJM13US PO8059 6231773 IJM14US PO8073 6190931 IJM15US PO8076 6248249 IJM16US PO8075 6290862 IJM17US PO8079 6241906 IJM18US PO8050 6565762 IJM19US PO8052 6241905 IJM20US PO7948 6451216 IJM21US PO7951 6231772 IJM22US PO8074 6274056 IJM23US PO7941 6290861 IJM24US PO8077 6248248 IJM25US PO8058 6306671 IJM26US PO8051 6331258 IJM27US PO8045 6110754 IJM28US PO7952 6294101 IJM29US PO8046 6416679 IJM30US PO9390 6264849 IJM31US PO9392 6254793 IJM32US PP0889 6235211 IJM35US PP0887 6491833 IJM36US PP0882 6264850 IJM37US PP0874 6258284 IJM38US PP1396 6312615 IJM39US PP3989 6228668 IJM40US PP2591 6180427 IJM41US PP3990 6171875 IJM42US PP3986 6267904 IJM43US PP3984 6245247 IJM44US PP3982 6315914 IJM45US PP0895 6231148 IR01US PP0869 6293658 IR04US PP0887 6614560 IR05US PP0885 6238033 IR06US PP0884 6312070 IR10US PP0886 6238111 IR12US PP0877 6378970 IR16US PP0878 6196739 IR17US PP0883 6270182 IR19US PP0880 6152619 IR20US PO8006 6087638 MEMS02US PO8007 6340222 MEMS03US PO8010 6041600 MEMS05US PO8011 6299300 MEMS06US PO7947 6067797 MEMS07US PO7944 6286935 MEMS09US PO7946 6044646 MEMS10US PP0894 6382769 MEMS13US STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not applicable. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of inkjet printing and, in particular, discloses an inverted radial back-curling thermoelastic ink jet printing mechanism. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many different types of printing mechanisms have been invented, a large number of which are presently in use. The known forms of printers have a variety of methods for marking the print media with a relevant marking media. Commonly used forms of printing include offset printing, laser printing and copying devices, dot matrix type impact printers, thermal paper printers, film recorders, thermal wax printers, dye sublimation printers and ink jet printers both of the drop on demand and continuous flow type. Each type of printer has its own advantages and problems when considering cost, speed, quality, reliability, simplicity of construction and operation etc. In recent years the field of ink jet printing, wherein each individual pixel of ink is derived from one or more ink nozzles, has become increasingly popular primarily due to its inexpensive and versatile nature. Many different techniques of ink jet printing have been invented. For a survey of the field, reference is made to an article by J Moore, �Non-Impact Printing: Introduction and Historical Perspective�, Output Hard Copy Devices, Editors R Dubeck and S Sherr, pages 207-220 (1988). Ink Jet printers themselves come in many different forms. The utilization of a continuous stream of ink in ink jet printing appears to date back to at least 1929 wherein U.S. Pat. No. 1,941,001 by Hansell discloses a simple form of continuous stream electro-static ink jet printing. 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). Piezoelectric ink jet printers are also one form of commonly utilized ink jet printing device. Piezoelectric systems are disclosed by Kyser et. al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,398 (1970) which utilizes a diaphragm mode of operation, by Zolten in U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,212 (1970) which discloses a squeeze mode form of operation of a piezoelectric crystal, Stemme in U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,120 (1972) which discloses a bend mode of piezoelectric operation, Howkins in U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,601 which discloses a piezoelectric push mode actuation of the ink jet stream and Fischbeck in U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,590 which discloses a shear mode type of piezoelectric transducer element. Recently, thermal ink jet printing has become an extremely popular form of ink jet printing. The ink jet printing techniques include those disclosed by Endo et al in GB 2007162 (1979) and Vaught et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,728. Both the aforementioned references disclose ink jet printing techniques which rely on the activation of an electrothermal actuator which results in the creation of a bubble in a constricted space, such as a nozzle, which thereby causes the ejection of ink from an aperture connected to the confined space onto a relevant print media. Printing devices utilizing the electro-thermal actuator are manufactured by manufacturers such as Canon and Hewlett Packard. As can be seen from the foregoing, many different types of printing technologies are available. Ideally, a printing technology should have a number of desirable attributes. These include inexpensive construction and operation, high speed operation, safe and continuous long term operation etc. Each technology may have its own advantages and disadvantages in the areas of cost, speed, quality, reliability, power usage, simplicity of construction and operation, durability and consumables. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a nozzle arrangement for an ink jet printhead, the arrangement comprising: a nozzle chamber defined in a wafer substrate for the storage of ink to be ejected; an ink ejection port having a rim formed on one wall of the chamber; and a series of actuators attached to the wafer substrate, and forming a portion of the wall of the nozzle chamber adjacent the rim, the actuator paddles further being actuated in unison so as to eject ink from the nozzle chamber via the ink ejection nozzle. The actuators can include a surface which bends inwards away from the centre of the nozzle chamber upon actuation. The actuators are preferably actuated by means of a thermal actuator device. The thermal actuator device may comprise a conductive resistive heating element encased within a material having a high coefficient of thermal expansion. The element can be serpentine to allow for substantially unhindered expansion of the material. The actuators are preferably arranged radially around the nozzle rim. The actuators can form a membrane between the nozzle chamber and an external atmosphere of the arrangement and the actuators bend away from the external atmosphere to cause an increase in pressure within the nozzle chamber thereby initiating a consequential ejection of ink from the nozzle chamber. The actuators can bend away from a central axis of the nozzle chamber. The nozzle arrangement can be formed on the wafer substrate utilizing micro-electro mechanical techniques and further can comprise an ink supply channel in communication with the nozzle chamber. The ink supply channel may be etched through the wafer. The nozzle arrangement may include a series of struts which support the nozzle rim. The arrangement can be formed adjacent to neighbouring arrangements so as to form a pagewidth printhead.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED AND OTHER EMBODIMENTS In the preferred embodiment, ink is ejected out of a nozzle chamber via an ink ejection port using a series of radially positioned thermal actuator devices that are arranged about the ink ejection port and are activated to pressurize the ink within the nozzle chamber thereby causing the ejection of ink through the ejection port. Turning now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is illustrated the basic operational principles of the preferred embodiment. FIG. 1 illustrates a single nozzle arrangement 1 in its quiescent state. The arrangement 1 includes a nozzle chamber 2 which is normally filled with ink so as to form a meniscus 3 in an ink ejection port 4. The nozzle chamber 2 is formed within a wafer 5. The nozzle chamber 2 is supplied with ink via an ink supply channel 6 which is etched through the wafer 5 with a highly isotropic plasma etching system. A suitable etcher can be the Advance Silicon Etch (ASE) system available from Surface Technology Systems of the United Kingdom. A top of the nozzle arrangement 1 includes a series of radially positioned actuators 8, 9. These actuators comprise a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) layer and an internal serpentine copper core 17. Upon heating of the copper core 17, the surrounding PTFE expands rapidly resulting in a generally downward movement of the actuators 8, 9. Hence, when it is desired to eject ink from the ink ejection port 4, a current is passed through the actuators 8, 9 which results in them bending generally downwards as illustrated in FIG. 2. The downward bending movement of the actuators 8, 9 results in a substantial increase in pressure within the nozzle chamber 2. The increase in pressure in the nozzle chamber 2 results in an expansion of the meniscus 3 as illustrated in FIG. 2. The actuators 8, 9 are activated only briefly and subsequently deactivated. Consequently, the situation is as illustrated in FIG. 3 with the actuators 8, 9 returning to their original positions. This results in a general inflow of ink back into the nozzle chamber 2 and a necking and breaking of the meniscus 3 resulting in the ejection of a drop 12. The necking and breaking of the meniscus 3 is a consequence of the forward momentum of the ink associated with drop 12 and the backward pressure experienced as a result of the return of the actuators 8, 9 to their original positions. The return of the actuators 8,9 also results in a general inflow of ink from the channel 6 as a result of surface tension effects and, eventually, the state returns to the quiescent position as illustrated in FIG. 1. FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) illustrate the principle of operation of the thermal actuator. The thermal actuator is preferably constructed from a material 14 having a high coefficient of thermal expansion. Embedded within the material 14 are a series of heater elements 15 which can be a series of conductive elements designed to carry a current. The conductive elements 15 are heated by passing a current through the elements 15 with the heating resulting in a general increase in temperature in the area around the heating elements 15. The position of the elements 15 is such that uneven heating of the material 14 occurs. The uneven increase in temperature causes a corresponding uneven expansion of the material 14. Hence, as illustrated in FIG. 4(b), the PTFE is bent generally in the direction shown. In FIG. 5, there is illustrated a side perspective view of one embodiment of a nozzle arrangement constructed in accordance with the principles previously outlined. The nozzle chamber 2 is formed with an isotropic surface etch of the wafer 5. The wafer 5 can include a CMOS layer including all the required power and drive circuits. Further, the actuators 8, 9 each have a leaf or petal formation which extends towards a nozzle rim 28 defining the ejection port 4. The normally inner end of each leaf or petal formation is displaceable with respect to the nozzle rim 28. Each activator 8, 9 has an internal copper core 17 defining the element 15. The core 17 winds in a serpentine manner to provide for substantially unhindered expansion of the actuators 8, 9. The operation of the actuators 8, 9 is as illustrated in FIG. 4(a) and FIG. 4(b) such that, upon activation, the actuators 8 bend as previously described resulting in a displacement of each petal formation away from the nozzle rim 28 and into the nozzle chamber 2. The ink supply channel 6 can be created via a deep silicon back edge of the wafer 5 utilizing a plasma etcher or the like. The copper or aluminium core 17 can provide a complete circuit. A central arm 18 which can include both metal and PTFE portions provides the main structural support for the actuators 8, 9. Turning now to FIG. 6 to FIG. 13, one form of manufacture of the nozzle arrangement 1 in accordance with the principles of the preferred embodiment is shown. The nozzle arrangement 1 is preferably manufactured using microelectromechanical (MEMS) techniques and can include the following construction techniques: As shown initially in FIG. 6, the initial processing starting material is a standard semi-conductor wafer 20 having a complete CMOS level 21 to a first level of metal. The first level of metal includes portions 22 which are utilized for providing power to the thermal actuators 8, 9. The first step, as illustrated in FIG. 7, is to etch a nozzle region down to the silicon wafer 20 utilizing an appropriate mask. Next, as illustrated in FIG. 8, a 2 μm layer of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is deposited and etched so as to define vias 24 for interconnecting multiple levels. Next, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the second level metal layer is deposited, masked and etched to define a heater structure 25. The heater structure 25 includes via 26 interconnected with a lower aluminium layer. Next, as illustrated in FIG. 10, a further 2 μm layer of PTFE is deposited and etched to the depth of 11 m utilizing a nozzle rim mask to define the nozzle rim 28 in addition to ink flow guide rails 29 which generally restrain any wicking along the surface of the PTFE layer. The guide rails 29 surround small thin slots and, as such, surface tension effects are a lot higher around these slots which in turn results in minimal outflow of ink during operation. Next, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the PTFE is etched utilizing a nozzle and actuator mask to define a port portion 30 and slots 31 and 32. Next, as illustrated in FIG. 12, the wafer is crystallographically etched on a <111> plane utilizing a standard crystallographic etchant such as KOH. The etching forms a chamber 33, directly below the port portion 30. In FIG. 13, the ink supply channel 34 can be etched from the back of the wafer utilizing a highly anisotropic etcher such as the STS etcher from Silicon Technology Systems of United Kingdom. An array of ink jet nozzles can be formed simultaneously with a portion of an array 36 being illustrated in FIG. 14. A portion of the printhead is formed simultaneously and diced by the STS etching process. The array 36 shown provides for four column printing with each separate column attached to a different colour ink supply channel being supplied from the back of the wafer. Bond pads 37 provide for electrical control of the ejection mechanism. In this manner, large pagewidth printheads can be fabricated so as to provide for a drop-on-demand ink ejection mechanism. One form of detailed manufacturing process which can be used to fabricate monolithic ink jet printheads operating in accordance with the principles taught by the present embodiment can proceed utilizing the following steps: 1. Using a double-sided polished wafer 60, complete a 0.5 micron, one poly, 2 metal CMOS process 61. This step is shown in FIG. 16. For clarity, these diagrams may not be to scale, and may not represent a cross section though any single plane of the nozzle. FIG. 15 is a key to representations of various materials in these manufacturing diagrams, and those of other cross referenced ink jet configurations. 2. Etch the CMOS oxide layers down to silicon or second level metal using Mask 1. This mask defines the nozzle cavity and the edge of the chips. This step is shown in FIG. 16. 3. Deposit a thin layer (not shown) of a hydrophilic polymer, and treat the surface of this polymer for PTFE adherence. 4. Deposit 1.5 microns of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) 62. 5. Etch the PTFE and CMOS oxide layers to second level metal using Mask 2. This mask defines the contact vias for the heater electrodes. This step is shown in FIG. 17. 6. Deposit and pattern 0.5 microns of gold 63 using a lift-off process using Mask 3. This mask defines the heater pattern. This step is shown in FIG. 18. 7. Deposit 1.5 microns of PTFE 64. 8. Etch 1 micron of PTFE using Mask 4. This mask defines the nozzle rim 65 and the rim at the edge 66 of the nozzle chamber. This step is shown in FIG. 19. 9. Etch both layers of PTFE and the thin hydrophilic layer down to silicon using Mask 5. This mask defines a gap 67 at inner edges of the actuators, and the edge of the chips. It also forms the mask for a subsequent crystallographic etch. This step is shown in FIG. 20. 10. Crystallographically etch the exposed silicon using KOH. This etch stops on <111> crystallographic planes 68, forming an inverted square pyramid with sidewall angles of 54.74 degrees. This step is shown in FIG. 21. 11. Back-etch through the silicon wafer (with, for example, an ASE Advanced Silicon Etcher from Surface Technology Systems) using Mask 6. This mask defines the ink inlets 69 which are etched through the wafer. The wafer is also diced by this etch. This step is shown in FIG. 22. 12. Mount the printheads in their packaging, which may be a molded plastic former incorporating ink channels which supply the appropriate color ink to the ink inlets 69 at the back of the wafer. 13. Connect the printheads to their interconnect systems. For a low profile connection with minimum disruption of airflow, TAB may be used. Wire bonding may also be used if the printer is to be operated with sufficient clearance to the paper. 14. Fill the completed print heads with ink 70 and test them. A filled nozzle is shown in FIG. 23. The presently disclosed ink jet printing technology is potentially suited to a wide range of printing systems including: color and monochrome office printers, short run digital printers, high speed digital printers, offset press supplemental printers, low cost scanning printers high speed pagewidth printers, notebook computers with inbuilt pagewidth printers, portable color and monochrome printers, color and monochrome copiers, color and monochrome facsimile machines, combined printer, facsimile and copying machines, label printers, large format plotters, photograph copiers, printers for digital photographic �minilabs�, video printers, PHOTO CD (PHOTO CD is a registered trade mark of the Eastman Kodak Company) printers, portable printers for PDAs, wallpaper printers, indoor sign printers, billboard printers, fabric printers, camera printers and fault tolerant commercial printer arrays. It would be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the present invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. Ink Jet Technologies The embodiments of the invention use an ink jet printer type device. Of course many different devices could be used. However presently popular ink jet printing technologies are unlikely to be suitable. The most significant problem with thermal ink jet is power consumption. This is approximately 100 times that required for high speed, and stems from the energy-inefficient means of drop ejection. This involves the rapid boiling of water to produce a vapor bubble which expels the ink. Water has a very high heat capacity, and must be superheated in thermal ink jet applications. This leads to an efficiency of around 0.02%, from electricity input to drop momentum (and increased surface area) out. The most significant problem with piezoelectric ink jet is size and cost. Piezoelectric crystals have a very small deflection at reasonable drive voltages, and therefore require a large area for each nozzle. Also, each piezoelectric actuator must be connected to its drive circuit on a separate substrate. This is not a significant problem at the current limit of around 300 nozzles per printhead, but is a major impediment to the fabrication of pagewidth printheads with 19,200 nozzles. Ideally, the ink jet technologies used meet the stringent requirements of in-camera digital color printing and other high quality, high speed, low cost printing applications. To meet the requirements of digital photography, new ink jet technologies have been created. The target features include: low power (less than 10 Watts) high resolution capability (1,600 dpi or more) photographic quality output low manufacturing cost small size (pagewidth times minimum cross section) high speed (<2 seconds per page). All of these features can be met or exceeded by the ink jet systems described below with differing levels of difficulty. Forty-five different ink jet technologies have been developed by the Assignee to give a wide range of choices for high volume manufacture. These technologies form part of separate applications assigned to the present Assignee as set out in the table below under the heading Cross References to Related Applications. The ink jet designs shown here are suitable for a wide range of digital printing systems, from battery powered one-time use digital cameras, through to desktop and network printers, and through to commercial printing systems. For ease of manufacture using standard process equipment, the printhead is designed to be a monolithic 0.5 micron CMOS chip with MEMS post processing. For color photographic applications, the printhead is 100 mm long, with a width which depends upon the ink jet type. The smallest printhead designed is IJ38, which is 0.35 mm wide, giving a chip area of 35 square mm. The printheads each contain 19,200 nozzles plus data and control circuitry. Ink is supplied to the back of the printhead by injection molded plastic ink channels. The molding requires 50 micron features, which can be created using a lithographically micromachined insert in a standard injection molding tool. Ink flows through holes etched through the wafer to the nozzle chambers fabricated on the front surface of the wafer. The printhead is connected to the camera circuitry by tape automated bonding. Tables of Drop-on-Demand Ink Jets Eleven important characteristics of the fundamental operation of individual ink jet nozzles have been identified. These characteristics are largely orthogonal, and so can be elucidated as an eleven dimensional matrix. Most of the eleven axes of this matrix include entries developed by the present assignee. The following tables form the axes of an eleven dimensional table of ink jet types. Actuator mechanism (18 types) Basic operation mode (7 types) Auxiliary mechanism (8 types) Actuator amplification or modification method (17 types) Actuator motion (19 types) Nozzle refill method (4 types) Method of restricting back-flow through inlet (10 types) Nozzle clearing method (9 types) Nozzle plate construction (9 types) Drop ejection direction (5 types) Ink type (7 types) The complete eleven dimensional table represented by these axes contains 36.9 billion possible configurations of ink jet nozzle. While not all of the possible combinations result in a viable ink jet technology, many million configurations are viable. It is clearly impractical to elucidate all of the possible configurations. Instead, certain ink jet types have been investigated in detail. These are designated IJ01 to IJ45 above which matches the docket numbers in the table under the heading Cross References to Related Applications. Other ink jet configurations can readily be derived from these forty-five examples by substituting alternative configurations along one or more of the 11 axes. Most of the IJ01 to IJ45 examples can be made into ink jet printheads with characteristics superior to any currently available ink jet technology. Where there are prior art examples known to the inventor, one or more of these examples are listed in the examples column of the tables below. The IJ01 to IJ45 series are also listed in the examples column. In some cases, print technology may be listed more than once in a table, where it shares characteristics with more than one entry. Suitable applications for the ink jet technologies include: Home printers, Office network printers, Short run digital printers, Commercial print systems, Fabric printers, Pocket printers, Internet WWW printers, Video printers, Medical imaging, Wide format printers, Notebook PC printers, Fax machines, Industrial printing systems, Photocopiers, Photographic minilabs etc. The information associated with the aforementioned 11 dimensional matrix are set out in the following tables. ACTUATOR MECHANISM (APPLIED ONLY TO SELECTED INK DROPS) Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Thermal An electrothermal Large force High power Canon bubble heater heats the generated Ink carrier Bubblejet 1979 ink to above Simple limited to water Endo et al GB boiling point, construction Low patent 2,007,162 transferring No moving efficiency Xerox heater- significant heat to parts High in-pit 1990 the aqueous ink. A Fast operation temperatures Hawkins et al bubble nucleates Small chip required U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,181 and quickly forms, area required for High Hewlett- expelling the ink. actuator mechanical Packard TIJ The efficiency of stress 1982 Vaught et the process is low, Unusual al U.S. Pat. No. with typically less materials 4,490,728 than 0.05% of the required electrical energy Large drive being transformed transistors into kinetic energy Cavitation of the drop. causes actuator failure Kogation reduces bubble formation Large print heads are difficult to fabricate Piezoelectric A piezoelectric Low power Very large Kyser et al 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 Difficult to 3,683,212 electrically used integrate with 1973 Stemme activated, and Fast operation electronics U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,120 either expands, High High voltage Epson Stylus shears, or bends to efficiency drive transistors Tektronix apply 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 Electrostrictive An electric field is Low power Low Seiko Epson, 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/μm) marginal (�10 μs) can be High voltage generated drive transistors without required difficulty Full Does not pagewidth print require electrical heads poling impractical due to actuator size Ferroelectric An electric field is Low power Difficult to IJ04 used to induce a consumption integrate with phase transition Many ink electronics between the types can be Unusual antiferroelectric used materials such as (AFE) and Fast operation PLZSnT are ferroelectric (FE) (<1 μs) required phase. Perovskite Relatively Actuators materials such as high longitudinal require a large tin modified lead strain area lanthanum High zirconate titanate efficiency (PLZSnT) exhibit Electric field large strains of up strength of to 1% associated around 3 V/μm with the AFE to can be readily FE phase provided transition. Electrostatic Conductive plates Low power Difficult to IJ02, IJ04 plates are separated by a consumption operate 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 Electrostatic A strong electric Low current High voltage 1989 Saito et 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 electromagnetic permanent magnet, Many ink Permanent 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 electromagnetic soft magnetic core types can be usually present 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 metalization magnetic material heads should be used is in two parts, for long which are electromigration normally held lifetime and low apart by a spring. resistivity When the solenoid Electroplating is actuated, the two is required parts attract, High displacing the ink. saturation flux density is required (2.0-2.1 T is achievable with CoNiFe [1]) Lorenz The Lorenz force Low power Force acts as a IJ06, IJ11, force acting on a current consumption twisting motion IJ13, IJ16 carrying wire in a Many ink Typically, magnetic field is types can be only a quarter of utilized. used the solenoid This allows the Fast operation length provides magnetic field to High force in a useful be supplied efficiency direction externally to the Easy High local print head, for extension from currents required example with rare single nozzles to Copper earth permanent pagewidth print metalization magnets. heads should be used Only the current for long carrying wire need electromigration be fabricated on lifetime and low the print-head, resistivity simplifying Pigmented materials inks are usually requirements. infeasible Magnetostriction The actuator uses Many ink Force acts as a Fischenbeck, the giant types can be twisting motion U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,929 magnetostrictive used Unusual IJ25 effect of materials Fast operation materials such as such as Terfenol-D Easy Terfenol-D are (an alloy of extension from required terbium, single nozzles to High local dysprosium and pagewidth print currents required iron developed at heads Copper the Naval High force is metalization Ordnance available should be used Laboratory, hence for long Ter-Fe-NOL). For electromigration best efficiency, the lifetime and low actuator should be resistivity pre-stressed to Pre-stressing approx. 8 MPa. may be required Surface Ink under positive Low power Requires Silverbrook, tension pressure is held in consumption supplementary EP 0771 658 A2 reduction a nozzle by surface Simple force to effect and related tension. The construction drop separation patent surface tension of No unusual Requires applications the ink is reduced materials special ink below the bubble required in surfactants threshold, causing fabrication Speed may be the ink to egress High limited by from the nozzle. efficiency surfactant Easy properties extension from single nozzles to pagewidth print heads Viscosity The ink viscosity Simple Requires Silverbrook, reduction is locally reduced construction supplementary EP 0771 658 A2 to select which No unusual force to effect and related drops are to be materials drop separation patent ejected. A required in Requires applications viscosity reduction fabrication special ink can be achieved Easy viscosity electrothermally extension from properties with most inks, but single nozzles to High speed is special inks can be pagewidth print difficult to engineered for a heads achieve 100:1 viscosity Requires reduction. oscillating ink pressure A high temperature difference (typically 80 degrees) is required 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� C.) incorporated. A 50 μm 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 μN force and consumption bend actuator 10 μm 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� 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 Description
ejects the ink,
Classifications U.S. Classification347/63, 347/56International ClassificationB41J2/04, B41J2/14, B41J2/16, B41J2/175, B41J2/05Cooperative ClassificationB41J2/1433, B41J2202/15, B41J2/14, B41J2002/14346, B41J2/1629, B41J2/14427, B41J2/17596, B41J2/1628, B41J2/1632, B41J2/1623, B41J2/1635, B41J2/1631, B41J2/1637, B41J2/1648, B41J2/16, B41J2002/14475, B41J2002/14435, B41J2/1639, B41J2/1642, B41J2002/041European ClassificationB41J2/16M5, B41J2/175P, B41J2/14G, B41J2/16M4, B41J2/16M8C, B41J2/16M3W, B41J2/16M3D, B41J2/16M1, B41J2/16M7S, B41J2/16M6, B41J2/16M7, B41J2/16, B41J2/14S, B41J2/16S, B41J2/14Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionJun 25, 2014ASAssignmentEffective date: 20140609Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:ZAMTEC LIMITED;REEL/FRAME:033244/0276Owner name: MEMJET TECHNOLOGY LIMITED, IRELANDJan 21, 2013FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Jul 18, 2012ASAssignmentFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SILVERBROOK RESEARCH PTY. LIMITED AND CLAMATE PTY LIMITED;REEL/FRAME:028578/0058Effective date: 20120503Owner name: ZAMTEC LIMITED, IRELANDOct 1, 2007ASAssignmentOwner name: SILVERBROOK RESEARCH PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:SILVERBROOK, KIA;MCAVOY, GREGORY JOHN;REEL/FRAME:019904/0961Effective date: 20070831RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services