# US 2023/0056907 A1 · Fluidic dies with thermal sensors on membrane

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2023/0056907 A1
- Document ID: US20230056907A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/795,374
- Filed: 2020-01-29
- Published: 2023-02-23
- Earliest claimed: 2020-01-29
- Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Inventors: Eric T. Martin; Jeremy Joseph Spencer; Donald J. Milligan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230056907A1

## CPC

- B41J 2/04563: {detecting head temperature; Ink temperature}
- B41J 2/195: for monitoring ink quality
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B41J 2/0458: {controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles}
- B41J 2/14129: {Layer structure}
- B41J 2/14153: {Structures including a sensor}
- G01K 3/005: {Circuits arrangements for indicating a predetermined temperature (fire detection G08B17/00)}
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00)

## Abstract

A fluidic die includes a substrate and a thermal sensor arranged on a membrane region of the substrate. The substrate includes a fluid slot formed in a back side of the substrate, while the membrane region is positioned between the fluid slot and a front side of the substrate. The substrate also includes a plurality of fluid feed holes in the membrane region, where each fluid feed hole is in communication with the fluid slot and the front side of the substrate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fluidic die, comprising:
a substrate, comprising:
a fluid slot formed in a back side of the substrate;
a membrane region positioned between the fluid slot and a front side of the substrate; and
a plurality of fluid feed holes in the membrane region, each fluid feed hole in communication with the fluid slot and the front side of the substrate; and
a thermal sensor arranged on the membrane region of the substrate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fluidic die of claim 1, wherein the thermal sensor comprises a thermal sense resistor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The fluidic die of claim 1, comprising a thermal sensor arranged on the substrate physically separate from the membrane region.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The fluidic die of claim 1, comprising:
a thermal sensor arranged on the substrate on a first side of the fluid slot; and
a thermal sensor arranged on the substrate on a second side of the fluid slot.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The fluidic die of claim 1, comprising:
a conductive layer arranged on the front side of the substrate,
wherein the thermal sensor is formed in the conductive layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fluidic die of claim 1, wherein the fluid slot is a first fluid slot and the substrate comprises:
a second fluid slot formed in the back side of the substrate;
a second membrane region positioned between the second fluid slot and the front side of the substrate;
a plurality of fluid feed holes in the second membrane region, each fluid feed hole in communication with the second fluid slot and the front side of the substrate;
wherein the fluidic die comprises:
a thermal sensor arranged on the second membrane region of the substrate;
a thermal sensor arranged on the substrate on a side of the first fluid slot away from the second fluid slot;
a thermal sensor arranged on the substrate between the first and second fluid slots; and
a thermal sensor arranged on the substrate on a side of the second fluid slot away from the first fluid slot.

### Claim 7

A thermal inkjet printing system, comprising:
a fluidic die, comprising:
a fluid slot formed in a back side of a substrate;
a membrane region between the fluid slot and a front side of the substrate; and
an actuator in fluid communication with the fluid slot via a fluid feed hole in the membrane region; and
a heating system arranged on the die to maintain a temperature profile across a surface of the die through selective application of heat to different areas of the die in response to temperature data sensed at different areas of the die, the heating system comprising a plurality of heating elements and a plurality of thermal sensors including a thermal sensor arranged on the membrane region.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The thermal inkjet printing system of claim 7, wherein the heating system comprises:
a thermal sensor on a first side of the fluid slot and a thermal sensor on a second side of the fluid slot; and
a heating element on the first side of the fluid slot and a heating element on the second side of the fluid slot.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The thermal inkjet printing system of claim 8, wherein a controller of the heating system is to:
regulate the heating element on the first side of the fluid slot in response to temperature data received from the thermal sensor on the first side of the fluid slot; and
regulate the heating element on the second side of the fluid slot in response to temperature data received from the thermal sensor on the second side of the fluid slot.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The thermal inkjet printing system of claim 8, wherein a controller of the heating system is to:
regulate the heating elements on the first and second sides of the fluid slot in response to temperature data received from the thermal sensor arranged on the membrane region.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The thermal inkjet printing system of claim 8, wherein a controller of the heating system is to:
activate the heating element on the first side of the fluid slot in response to temperature data received from the thermal sensor on the first side of the fluid slot and the thermal sensor arranged on the membrane region being below a temperature threshold; and
activate the heating element on the second side of the fluid slot in response to temperature data received from the thermal sensor on the second side of the fluid slot and the thermal sensor arranged on the membrane region being below the temperature threshold.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The thermal inkjet printing system of claim 8, wherein the heating system is to:
activate the heating element on the first side of the fluid slot in response to temperature data received from the thermal sensor on the first side of the fluid slot or the thermal sensor arranged on the membrane region being below a temperature threshold; and
activate the heating element on the second side of the fluid slot in response to temperature data received from the thermal sensor on the second side of the fluid slot or the thermal sensor arranged on the membrane region being below the temperature threshold.

### Claim 13

A method, comprising:
receiving temperature data from a thermal sensor arranged on a membrane region, the membrane region between a slot formed in a back side of a fluidic die substrate and a front side of the fluidic die substrate; and
controlling heating elements arranged on the fluidic die substrate based on the temperature data to maintain a temperature profile across a surface of the fluidic die substrate by selectively applying heat to different areas of the substrate.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein:
receiving temperature data comprises receiving temperature data from a thermal sensor on a first side of the fluid slot and a thermal sensor on a second side of the fluid slot; and
the heating elements comprise a heating element on the first side of the fluid slot and a heating element on the second side of the fluid slot.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, comprising:
regulating the heating elements on the first and second sides of the fluid slot in response to the temperature data received from the thermal sensor arranged on the membrane region.