EP0364136A2 — High density multi-channel array, electrically pu…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 216 words

A high density multi-channel array, electrically pulsed droplet deposition apparatus, comprising a bottom sheet of piezo-material poled in a direction normal to said sheet and formed with a multiplicity of parallel, open topped channels mutually spaced in an array direction normal to the length of the channels and defined each by facing side walls and a bottom surface extending between said side walls, a top sheet facing said bottom surfaces of said channels and bonded to said side walls to close said channels at the tops thereof, respective nozzles communicating with said channels for the ejection of droplets of liquid therefrom, connection means for connecting said channels with a source of droplet deposition liquid and electrodes provided on opposite sides of each of some at least of said side walls to form shear mode actuators for effecting droplet expulsion from the channels associated with said actuators, each electrode extending substantially along the length of the corresponding side wall and over an area so spaced from the bottom surface of the channel in which the electrode is disposed as to leave substantially free from piezo-elastic distortion adjacent the bottom surface of the channel the bottom sheet adjacent the wall on which said electrode is provided when an electric field is applied across the electrodes of said wall.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 216 words

A high density multi-channel array, electrically pulsed droplet deposition apparatus, comprising a bottom sheet of piezo-material poled in a direction normal to said sheet and formed with a multiplicity of parallel, open topped channels mutually spaced in an array direction normal to the length of the channels and defined each by facing side walls and a bottom surface extending between said side walls, a top sheet facing said bottom surfaces of said channels and bonded to said side walls to close said channels at the tops thereof, respective nozzles communicating with said channels for the ejection of droplets of liquid therefrom, connection means for connecting said channels with a source of droplet deposition liquid and electrodes provided on opposite sides of each of some at least of said side walls to form shear mode actuators for effecting droplet expulsion from the channels associated with said actuators, each electrode extending substantially along the length of the corresponding side wall and over an area so spaced from the bottom surface of the channel in which the electrode is disposed as to leave substantially free from piezo-elastic distortion adjacent the bottom surface of the channel the bottom sheet adjacent the wall on which said electrode is provided when an electric field is applied across the electrodes of said wall.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 44 words

A high density multi-channel array, electrically pulsed droplet deposition apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that each electrode extends over an area of the side wall on which it is provided from the edge of said side wall adjoining said top sheet.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 22 words

A high density multi-channel array, electrically pulsed droplet deposition apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, characterised in that said area is rectangular.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 31 words

A high density multi-channel array, electrically pulsed droplet deposition apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that said electrodes extend from an end of said channels adjacent said nozzles.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 50 words

The apparatus of Claim 2 or 3 wherein each of said channels is formed with a forward part of uniform depth between said bottom surface and said top sheet in which said electrodes are provided and a part rearwardly of said forward part of lesser depth than said forward part.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 40 words

The apparatus of Claim 5 wherein the electrodes provided on the facing walls of each of said forward parts have a depth which is greater than the depth of said rearward parts but less than the depth of said channels.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 39 words

The apparatus of Claim 6 wherein each of said rearward parts is formed with an interior electrically conductive coating which is in electrical contact with the electrodes on the facing side walls of the forward parts of said channels.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 49 words

A high density, multi-channel array, electrically pulsed droplet deposition apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, characterised in that the electrodes on the facing walls of the forward part of each channel are formed in one with the electrically conductive coatings on the channel part rearwardly of said forward part.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 33 words

A high density, multi-channel array, electrically pulsed droplet deposition apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that said electrodes are provided on respective facing side walls of each of said channels.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 87 words

A high density, multi-channel array, electrically pulsed droplet deposition apparatus as claimed in Claim 9, characterised in that electrical connections to said electrodes of each of said channels are provided to enable operation of said channels in a plurality of groups of interleaved channels, selected channels of each of said groups being simultaneously actuated in sequence with selected, simultaneously actuated channels in the other or each of the others of said groups so that between any two actuated channels there is disposed at least one unactuated channel.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 66 words

A high density, multi-channel array, electrically pulsed droplet deposition apparatus as claimed in Claim 10, characterised in that electrical connections to said electrodes of each of said channels are provided to enable operation of said channels in two groups of interleaved alternating channels, selected channels of one of said groups being simultaneously actuated in sequence with selected, simultaneously actuated channels in the other of said groups.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 130 words

A high density, multi-channel array, electrically pulsed droplet deposition apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that said top sheet is formed in generally like manner to said bottom sheet, of piezo-electric material with channels corresponding to said channels of said bottom sheet and with electrodes on side walls of channels thereof corresponding with the side walls of said bottom sheet which are provided with electrodes, said top sheet being disposed in inverted relation to said bottom sheet and secured thereto so that each pair of said corresponding channels of the sheets together form a single composite channel extending within each of said sheets and said nozzles are provided in a nozzle plate secured to said sheets to provide respective nozzles at an end of said composite channels.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 27 words

A high density, multi-channel array, electrically pulsed droplet deposition apparatus as claimed in Claim 12, characterised in that said top and bottom sheets are of identical form.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 35 words

A high density, multi-channel array, electrically pulsed droplet deposition apparatus as claimed in Claim 12 or Claim 13, characterised in that said top and bottom sheets are bonded to respective stiffening layers of insulating material.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 101 words

A high density, multi-channel array, electrically pulsed droplet deposition apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 11, characterised in that said bottom sheet comprises an integral sheet of piezo-electric material having oppositely poled regions respectively in upper and lower parts of each channel side walls and said electrodes extend on opposite sides of each of some at least of the said channel side walls from the top of said side walls, each said electrode covering said region in the upper part and a substantial part of said region in the lower part of the corresponding channel side wall.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 37 words

A high density, multi-channel array, electrically pulsed droplet deposition apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 11 and 15, characterised in that said bottom sheet is bonded to a stiffening layer of insulating material.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 68 words

A high density, multi-channel array, electrically pulsed droplet deposition apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 11 and 15 and 16, characterised in that said top sheet is formed with channels corresponding with said channels of said bottom sheet and said top sheet is bonded to said bottom sheet so that each pair of corresponding channels of the sheets together form a single composite channel.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 207 words

The method of making a high density, multi-channel array pulsed droplet deposition apparatus, characterised by forming a bottom sheet with a layer of piezo-electric material poled normal to said layer, forming a multiplicity of parallel, open topped, droplet liquid channels in said bottom sheet which extend partially through said layer of piezo-electric material to afford walls of piezo-electric material between successive channels, forming electrodes on respective opposite sides of some at least of said walls which extend from the top of said walls to a location spaced from the bottom of said walls so that an electric field can be applied to effect shear mode displacement of said walls provided with electrodes in a direction transversely to said channels, connecting electrical drive circuit means to said electrodes, securing a top sheet to said walls to close said channels and providing nozzles and droplet liquid supply means for said channels, said electrodes being formed on a substantial length of said walls and so spaced from the bottom of said walls as to leave substantially free from elastic distortion, adjacent the bottom surfaces of the channels, the walls on which said electrodes are provided when an electric field is applied by way of said electrodes transversely to said walls.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 207 words

The method of making a high density, multi-channel array pulsed droplet deposition apparatus, characterised by forming a bottom sheet with a layer of piezo-electric material poled normal to said layer, forming a multiplicity of parallel, open topped, droplet liquid channels in said bottom sheet which extend partially through said layer of piezo-electric material to afford walls of piezo-electric material between successive channels, forming electrodes on respective opposite sides of some at least of said walls which extend from the top of said walls to a location spaced from the bottom of said walls so that an electric field can be applied to effect shear mode displacement of said walls provided with electrodes in a direction transversely to said channels, connecting electrical drive circuit means to said electrodes, securing a top sheet to said walls to close said channels and providing nozzles and droplet liquid supply means for said channels, said electrodes being formed on a substantial length of said walls and so spaced from the bottom of said walls as to leave substantially free from elastic distortion, adjacent the bottom surfaces of the channels, the walls on which said electrodes are provided when an electric field is applied by way of said electrodes transversely to said walls.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method claimed in Claim 18, characterised by forming said electrodes by deposition of metal from metal vapour beams directed towards said walls at an angle to channel facing surfaces thereof.

High density multi-channel array, electrically pulsed droplet deposition apparatus

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