Patent ID: 7850281

Claim:
An inkjet nozzle assembly comprising: a nozzle chamber for containing ink, said chamber having a nozzle opening and an ink inlet; a pair of electrical contacts positioned at one end of said assembly and connected to drive circuitry; and a thermal bend actuator for ejecting ink through the nozzle opening, said actuator comprising: an active beam connected to said electrical contacts and extending longitudinally away from said contacts, said active beam defining a bent current flow path between said contacts; and a passive beam fused to said active beam, such that when a current is passed through the active beam, the active beam heats and expands relative to the passive beam resulting in bending of the actuator, wherein said actuator has a working face for generating a positive pressure pulse in said ink during said bending of said actuator, said working face having an area of less than 800 square microns.