Actuators for fluid delivery systems
AssigneeFUJIFILM Dimatix, Inc.
InventorsChristoph Menzel, Shinya Sugimoto, Mats G. Ottoson, Wayne Liu
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Abstract
An apparatus includes a reservoir and a printhead. The printhead includes a support structure including a deformable portion defining at least a top surface of a pumping chamber, a flow path extending from the reservoir to the pumping chamber to transfer fluid from the reservoir to the pumping chamber, and an actuator disposed on the deformable portion of the support structure. A trench is defined in a top surface of the actuator. Application of a voltage to the actuator causes the actuator to deform along the trench, thereby causing deformation of the deformable portion of the support structure to eject a drop of fluid from the pumping chamber.
Claims20
A printhead comprising:
- a support structure comprising a deformable portion defining at least a top surface of a pumping chamber;
- an actuator disposed on the deformable portion of the support structure;
- a first trench defined in a top surface of the actuator;
- and
- a second trench connected to the first trench, wherein a perimeter of the second trench comprises a rounded portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.