Stacked heater elements in a thermal ink jet printhead
AssigneeSilverbrook Research Pty Ltd
InventorKia Silverbrook
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is disclosed an ink jet printhead which comprises a plurality of nozzles and one or more heater elements corresponding to each nozzle. Each heater element is configured to heat a bubble forming liquid in the printhead to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble therein. The generation of the bubble causes the ejection of a drop of an ejectable liquid (such as ink) through the respective corresponding nozzle, to effect printing. The printhead has a plurality of nozzle chambers each corresponding to a respective nozzle, with a plurality of the heater elements being disposed within each chamber. The heater elements within each chamber are formed on different respective layers to one another.
Claims55
An ink jet printhead comprising:
- a plurality of nozzles;
- a plurality of nozzle chambers each corresponding to a respective nozzle;
- and
- a plurality of heater elements being disposed within each chamber, the heater elements within each chamber being formed on different respective layers, wherein
- each heater element is arranged for being in thermal contact with a bubble forming liquid, and
- each heater element is configured to heat at least part of the bubble forming liquid to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble therein thereby to cause the ejection of a drop of an ejectable liquid through the nozzle corresponding to the chamber in which that heater element is disposed.
A printer system incorporating a printhead, the printhead comprising:
- a plurality of nozzles;
- a plurality of nozzle chambers each corresponding to a respective nozzle;
- and
- a plurality of heater elements being disposed within each chamber, the heater elements within each chamber being formed on different respective layers, wherein
- each heater element is arranged for being in thermal contact with a bubble forming liquid, and
- each heater element is configured to heat at least part of the bubble forming liquid to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble therein thereby to cause the ejection of a drop of an ejectable liquid through the nozzle corresponding to the chamber in which that heater element is disposed.
A method of ejecting a drop of an ejectable liquid from a printhead, wherein the printhead comprises a plurality of nozzles, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing the printhead wherein the printhead has a plurality of nozzle chambers each chamber corresponding to a respective nozzle;
- forming a plurality of heater elements in each chamber, such that the heater elements in each chamber are formed on different respective layers to one another;
- heating at least one heater element in a said chamber so as to heat at least part of a bubble forming liquid which is in thermal contact with the at least one heated heater element to a temperature above the boiling point of the bubble forming liquid;
- generating a gas bubble in the bubble forming liquid by said step of heating;
- and
- causing the drop of ejectable liquid to be ejected through the nozzle corresponding to the chamber in which the at least one heated heater element is disposed, by said step of generating a gas bubble.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.