US 6,805,433 B1Granted

Integrated side shooter inkjet architecture with round nozzles

AssigneeXerox Corporation

InventorsAlan D Raisanen, Shelby F Nelson

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a fluid ejection device having circular nozzles includes forming channels in a substrate, depositing a sacrificial material, such as photoresist, into channels to form a mold for the fluid channels and a fluid reservoir and then forming the remainder of the fluid ejection device above the sacrificial material on the substrate. Various novel fluid heater structures and an in situ fluid filter may be formed during the manufacturing process. The fluid ejection device can include a heater element located in the fluid chamber behind the nozzle opening. The geometry of the heating element can be planar. Alternatively, the heating element can be located inside the channel in either a half-cylindrical or fully-cylindrical configuration. The internal fluid pathways remain protected from contaminants by the sacrificial material. After all layers and manufacturing processes are complete, individual fluid ejection devices are diced and the sacrificial material is removed.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method for forming a fluid path for a fluid ejection device, comprising:

forming at least one channel in a substrate;
depositing a first permanent material layer on or over the substrate and the channel;
depositing a sacrificial material on or over the first permanent material layer and the at least one channel;
patterning the sacrificial layer to form a plurality of channel structures and at least one fluid reservoir structure connected to the plurality of channel structures;
depositing a second permanent material layer on or over the patterned sacrificial material and the first permanent material layer;
depositing a fluid resistant layer over the second permanent material layer;
forming at least one fluid inlet in the fluid resistant layer, the at least one fluid inlet positioned over the at least one fluid reservoir, the fluid inlet extending at least partially through the second permanent material layer;
forming at least one hole in the second permanent material layer within the boundary of the at least one fluid inlet;
and
removing the sacrificial material to form at least one fluid reservoir fluidly connected to the at least one fluid inlet and a plurality of fluid channels fluidly connected to the at least one fluid reservoir.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.