Patent ID: 8733903

Claim:
A liquid dispenser comprising: a first liquid chamber including a nozzle; a second liquid chamber; a liquid supply channel in fluid communication with the second chamber; a liquid return channel in fluid communication with the second chamber; a flexible membrane that separates and fluidically seals the first liquid chamber and the second liquid chamber from each other, the flexible membrane including a residual compressive stress that exceeds an onset buckling stress of the flexible membrane, the flexible membrane being located in a first position; a liquid supply that provides a liquid that flows continuously from the liquid supply through the liquid supply channel through the second liquid chamber through the liquid return channel and back to the liquid supply; and a heater associated with the second liquid chamber, the heater being selectively actuated to create a pressure pulse in the liquid that causes the flexible membrane to move from the first position to a second position to eject liquid through the nozzle of the first liquid chamber.