# US 7,465,029 B2 · Radially actuated micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangement

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- Number: US 7,465,029 B2
- Document ID: US7465029B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/025,605
- Filed: 2008-02-04
- Published: 2008-06-19
- Granted: 2008-12-16
- Earliest claimed: 1998-06-09
- Assignees: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
- Inventors: Kia Silverbrook; Gregory John McAvoy
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7465029B2

## CPC

- B41J 2/14427: {Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators}
- B41J 2/1433: {Structure of nozzle plates}
- B41J 2/1623: {bonding and adhesion}
- B41J 2/1628: {dry etching}
- B41J 2/1629: {wet etching}
- B41J 2/1631: {photolithography}
- B41J 2/1632: {machining}
- B41J 2/1635: {dividing the wafer into individual chips}
- B41J 2/1637: {molding}
- B41J 2/1639: {sacrificial molding}
- B41J 2/1642: {thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]}
- B41J 2/1648: {Production of print heads with thermal bend detached actuators}
- B41J 2/17596: {Ink pumps, ink valves}
- B41J 2002/041: {Electromagnetic transducer}
- B41J 2002/14346: {Ejection by pressure produced by thermal deformation of ink chamber, e.g. buckling}
- B41J 2002/14435: {Moving nozzle made of thermal bend detached actuator}
- B41J 2002/14475: {characterised by nozzle shapes or number of orifices per chamber}
- B41J 2202/15: Moving nozzle or nozzle plate
- Y10T 29/49401: Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

This invention relates to a micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead. The arrangement includes a substrate having a layer of drive circuitry and defining an ink chamber with an ink supply channel etched through the substrate. The arrangement also includes a roof structure connected to the drive circuitry layer and covering the ink chamber, the roof structure defining a fluid ejection nozzle rim above said chamber. Also included is a plurality of actuators radially spaced about, and displaceable with respect to, the nozzle rim, each actuator configured to thermally expand upon receiving current from the drive circuitry thereby moving said actuators into the chamber and operatively increasing a fluid pressure inside the chamber to eject a drop of ink via the ejection nozzle. The substrate defines a number of vias through which the drive circuitry is connected to the actuators.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead, said arrangement comprising:
a substrate having a layer of drive circuitry and defining an ink chamber with an ink supply channel etched through the substrate;
a roof structure connected to the drive circuitry layer and covering the ink chamber, the roof structure defining a fluid ejection nozzle rim above said chamber; and
a plurality of actuators radially spaced about, and displaceable with respect to, the nozzle rim, each actuator configured to thermally expand upon receiving current from the drive circuitry thereby moving said actuators into the chamber and operatively increasing a fluid pressure inside the chamber to eject a drop of ink via the ejection nozzle, wherein the substrate defines a number of vias through which the drive circuitry is connected to the actuators.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein the actuators are constructed from a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion such that the actuators can perform work during thermal expansion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The nozzle arrangement of claim 2, wherein the actuators are manufactured from a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material and have internal serpentine copper cores connected to the drive circuitry via the vias.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The nozzle arrangement of claim 3, wherein the ink chamber includes an inverted pyramidal ink chamber with a vertex thereof terminating at the ink supply channel.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The nozzle arrangement of claim 4, wherein the ink supply channel is created by means of a deep silicon back etch of the substrate utilizing a plasma etcher.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, including a series of struts interspersed between the actuators to support the nozzle rim.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The nozzle arrangement of claim 6, wherein the struts include both metal and PTFE portions.