EP0244214A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Thermal ink jet printhead
Assignee: HP Inc
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Filing: 1987-04-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-04-28
Abstract
Abstract A thermal ink jet printer has a nozzle (17, 19), a heating element (15) within the nozzle and an ink well (11) within the thickness of a rigid substrate (10) carrying the nozzle and heating element. The latter are produced by deposition on the substrate. Thus the well (11) is directly adjacent to the nozzle (17), avoiding cavitation problems, destruction of the element (15) by ink turbulence. The method of production is described.
Inventors
- 👤 Alfred I-Tsung Pan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:58
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/135; B41J2/16; B41J2/1621; B41J2/164; B41J2/1642; B41J2/14; B41J2/14016; B41J2/14088; B41J2/14112; B41J2/1412; B41J2/14129; B41J2/14145; B41J2/1601; B41J2/1603; B41J2/1626; B41J2/1629; B41J2/1631; B41J2/1632; B41J2/1637; B41J2/1643; B41J2/1646; B41J2202/00; B41J2202/01; B41J2202/03; B41J2202/11
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
59 words
A monolithic ink jet printhead for ejecting a substance comprising a nozzle (17,19) enclosing a heating chamber, means (11) for storing the substance contiguous with the heating chamber, and a heating element (15) for propelling the substance through the nozzle, characterised in that means (12) is provided for flexibly supporting the heating element within the flow of the substance.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
59 words
A monolithic ink jet printhead for ejecting a substance comprising a nozzle (17,19) enclosing a heating chamber, means (11) for storing the substance contiguous with the heating chamber, and a heating element (15) for propelling the substance through the nozzle, characterised in that means (12) is provided for flexibly supporting the heating element within the flow of the substance.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A printhead according to claim 1, wherein the supporting means comprises a cantilever beam (12).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A printhead according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the storing means comprises a well (11) which is constructed at least partly into the same substrate as the supporting means (12).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A printhead according to any preceding claim wherein the nozzle has a compound bore shape.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A printhead according to any preceding claim, wherein the nozzle (17,19), the heating element (15), the storing means (11), and the supporting means (12) form a monolithic structure formed by integrated circuit techniques.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A printhead according to any preceding claim, wherein the surface of the heating element (15) is located perpendicular to the direction of flow of the substance into the nozzle (17,19).
Claim 8
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of producing a monolithic ink jet printhead comprising the steps of: using integrated circuit techniques to construct in a first part of a substrate a means (12) for supporting a heating element, using integrated circuit techniques to form in a second part of the substrate a means (11) for storing ink that is contiquous with the supporting means, using integrated circuit techniques to form a heating element (15) on the supporting means, and using integrated circuit techniques to form a nozzle (17,19) on the substrate and over the heating element.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of producing a monolithic ink jet printhead comprising the steps of: using integrated circuit techniques to construct in a first part of a substrate a means (12) for supporting a heating element, using integrated circuit techniques to form in a second part of the substrate a means (11) for storing ink that is contiquous with the supporting means, using integrated circuit techniques to form a heating element (15) on the supporting means, and using integrated circuit techniques to form a nozzle (17,19) on the substrate and over the heating element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein a first side of the substrate is masked, and the masked substrate is plated to form the supporting means (12), the supporting means comprising a cantilever beam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein the second side of the substrate is masked, and the masked substrate is etched to form the storing means (11), the storing means comprising a well.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein the heating element (15) is formed by depositing a resistive layer on the supporting means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein the nozzle (17,19) is formed by depositing an insulating layer (25) over the resistive layer (15), depositing a conducting layer (27) over the insulating layer (25), constructing a frame (52) for the nozzle over the conducting layer, and plating the conducting layer to form the nozzle.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method according to Claim 11, wherein plating the conducting layer (27) comprises the steps of plating the conducting layer (27) to the height of the nozzle, placing a slab (56) over the plating, continuing to plate with the slab in place to form a compound nozzle, and removing the slab.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
A thermal ink jet printer produced by a method as according to any of claims 7 to 12.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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