Inkjet printhead with bubble trap

Abstract

An inkjet printhead with an array of nozzles, and corresponding actuators for ejecting ink through the nozzles; a plurality of ink inlet apertures in fluid communication with the nozzles, each of the ink inlet apertures having an ink permeable trap and a vent sized so that the surface tension of an ink meniscus across the vent prevents ink leakage; wherein during use, the ink permeable trap directs gas bubbles to the vent where they vent to atmosphere. By trapping the bubbles at the ink inlets and directing them to a small vent, they are effectively removed from the ink flow without any ink leakage. The trap can also double as an inlet priming feature to assist priming the chambers with ink.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.