Patent ID: 7631957

Claim:
A printhead integrated circuit comprising a substrate; and a plurality of nozzle arrangements that is positioned on the substrate, each nozzle arrangement comprising a nozzle chamber structure that is positioned on the substrate and that defines a nozzle chamber having an ink ejection port from which ink is to be ejected; an ink-ejecting mechanism that is operatively arranged with respect to the nozzle chamber structure, the ink-ejecting mechanism including at least one piston that is displaceable to generate a pressure pulse within the nozzle chamber to eject ink from the ink ejection port; an actuator that is positioned on the substrate and that has at least one working member that is of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion such that the, or each, working member is capable of substantially rectilinear expansion and contraction relative to the substrate when heated and subsequently cooled; and an energy transmitting means that interconnects the, or each, piston and the, or each, working member so that energy generated by the, or each, working member as a result of expansion and subsequent contraction of the, or each, working member is transmitted to the, or each, piston resulting in rectilinear displacement of the, or each, piston relative to the substrate and generation of said pressure pulse, wherein, in each nozzle arrangement, the ink ejection port is arranged in the nozzle chamber so as to be adjacent a distal end portion of the piston with respect to the working member and energy transmitting means.