Thin film heater resistor for an ink jet printer
AssigneeLexmark International, Inc.
InventorRobert Wilson Cornell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved ink jet printer ejector including a substantially decahedral-donut shaped thin film resistor having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a major axis having a first length, and a minor axis having a second length less than the first length. The major axis extends between the first end and the second end thereof. Electrical conductors are attached to the first end and to the second end of the resistor for activating the ink ejector on command from the ink jet printer. Decahedral-donut shaped thin film resistors exhibit improved heating characteristics and lower power consumption than conventional heater resistors.
Claims23
An ink ejector for an ink jet printer having a substantially uniform surface temperature profile and a substantially non-uniform current density distribution, the ink ejector comprising a thin film resistor having a first segment and a second segment attached at an angle on a first end thereof to a first end portion disposed between the first and second segments, a third segment and a fourth segment attached at an angle on a first end thereof to a second end portion disposed between the third and fourth segments and on a second end thereof to the first and second segments, the resistor having a major axis having a first length, a minor axis having a second length less than the first length, wherein the major axis extends between the first end portion and the second end portion thereof, and wherein electrical conductors are attached to the first end portion and to the second end portion of the resistor for activating the ink ejector on command from the inkjet printer, wherein the first end portion and the second end portion comprise transition sections between the first, second, third, and fourth segments and the electrical conductors and wherein, the transition sections have a length ranging from about 3 to about 4 microns.
An ink ejector for an inkjet printer comprising a thin film resistor having opposed edges attached to conductors by transition sections, a center portion disposed between the opposed edges, and a shape that promotes a non-uniform current density distribution in the thin film resistor and a first temperature adjacent the opposed edges that is greater than a second temperature of the center portion of the resistor, wherein the thin film resistor has a shape which provides about 4 squares or more and wherein, the transition sections have a length ranging from about 3 to about 4 microns.
An ink ejector for an inkjet printer, the ink ejector comprising a substantially decahedral-shaped thin film resistor having opposed ends, a diamond-shaped area devoid of resistor material between the opposed ends, and substantially rectangular transition sections on the opposed ends, the transition sections being attached to electrical conductors for activating the ink ejector on command from the inkjet printer, the ink ejector having a major axis having a first length between the opposed ends and having a minor axis having a second length less than the first length substantially perpendicular to the major axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.