Printhead chip having a plurality of nozzle arrangements that each incorporate a motion transmitting structure

#Not Applicable

#This invention relates to a printhead chip. More particularly, this invention relates to a printhead chip having a plurality of nozzle arrangements that each incorporate a motion transmitting structure.

#As set out in the above referenced applications/patents, the Applicant has spent a substantial amount of time and effort in developing printheads that incorporate micro electromechanical system (MEMS)-based components to achieve the ejection of ink necessary for printing.

#In the drawings,

#FIG. 1 shows a schematic side sectioned view of part of a nozzle arrangement of a printhead chip for an inkjet printhead for the purposes of conceptual illustration;

#FIG. 2 shows a schematic side sectioned view of a nozzle arrangement of a first embodiment of a printhead chip, in accordance with the invention, for an inkjet printhead;

#In FIG. 2, reference numeral 30 generally indicates a nozzle arrangement of a first embodiment of an ink jet printhead chip, in accordance with the invention, for an inkjet printhead.

#The nozzle arrangement 30 is one of a plurality of such nozzle arrangements formed on a silicon wafer substrate 32 to define the printhead chip of the invention. As set out in the background of this specification, a single printhead can contain up to 84 000 such nozzle arrangements. For the purposes of clarity and ease of description, only one nozzle arrangement is described. It is to be appreciated that a person of ordinary skill in the field can readily obtain the printhead chip by simply replicating the nozzle arrangement 30 on the wafer substrate 32.

#The printhead chip is the product of an integrated circuit fabrication technique. In particular, each nozzle arrangement 30 is the product of a MEMS-based fabrication technique. As is known, such a fabrication technique involves the deposition of functional layers and sacrificial layers of integrated circuit materials. The functional layers are etched to define various moving components and the sacrificial layers are etched away to release the components. As is known, such fabrication techniques generally involve the replication of a large number of similar components on a single wafer that is subsequently diced to separate the various components from each other. This reinforces the submission that a person of ordinary skill in the field can readily obtain the printhead chip of this invention by replicating the nozzle arrangement 30.