Patent ID: 7097280

Claim:
A heater chip for an ink jet print head, the chip comprising: a substrate having a device side including an active heater array located on the device side having a plurality of active heater resistors that may be placed in electrical communication with a driver circuit for supplying electrical impulses to activate the heater resistors for printing, the active heater array terminating to define an end of the active heater array; and an inactive heater array located adjacent to and extending away from the end of the active heater array; wherein the inactive heater array provides: (a) a region adjacent the end of the active heater array that is substantially planar, and (b) a plurality of current paths for an active heater resistor adjacent the end of the active heater array which reduce energy differences between a heater resistor adjacent the end of the active heater array and other heater resistors in the active heater array.