EP0498292A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Integrally formed bubblejet print device
Assignee: Canon Information Systems Research Australia Pty Ltd
•
Filing: 1992-01-29
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2012-01-29
Abstract
Abstract A bubblejet print device (100) is disclosed which is integrally formed having arrays (102,103,104,105) of nozzles (110) which form part of a passageway communicating between opposite surfaces of a semiconductor substrate (130). Each nozzle (110) has an integrally formed heater (120) which permits heating of ink (106) within the respective nozzle (110) for the ejection of an ink drop (108) therefrom. The heater (120) can provide a fault tolerant structure through the provision of a main heater (121,441) and a redundant heater (122,443) each of which can be separately energised from a corresponding electronic drive circuit (160,165). Several methods of manufacturing the device (100) using semiconductor fabrication techniques are also disclosed. A bubblejet print head (200) incorporating the device (100) can form part of an image reproducing apparatus (531,533,535,537) and is capable of printing full colour images at 400 dpi and monochrome images up to 1600 dpi. An ink drop size of about 3 picolitres is used for these image intensities. A thermal shunt (140) or diffuser (491) are used to transport heat away from the heater (120) to prevent formation of hot spots thereabout after the ejection of an ink drop (108). Electronic circuitry (310,302-305) is disclosed which is used to couple data to the device (100) to provide full width page printing using a stationary head (200) and a moving paper medium (220)
Inventors
- 👤 Kia Silverbrook
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 16:29
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/135; B41J2/14; B41J2/14016; B41J2/14032; B41J2/1404; B41J2/14056; B41J2/14088; B41J2/14112; B41J2/14137; B41J2/14145; B41J2/16; B41J2/1601; B41J2/1603; B41J2/1621; B41J2/1623; B41J2/1626; B41J2/1628; B41J2/1629; B41J2/1631; B41J2/1632; B41J2/1635; B41J2/164; B41J2/1642; B41J2/1643; B41J2/1645; B41J2/17; B41J2/175; B41J2/17563; B41J2002/1437; B41J2202/00; B41J2202/01; B41J2202/11; B41J2202/13
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 109
Claim 1
Independent Claim
47 words
A bubblejet print device characterised by comprising a plurality of nozzles each communicating with a corresponding passageway for the supply of ink to the nozzle, and heater means associated with each said passageway or nozzle, characterised in that the nozzles, passageways and heater means are integrally formed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said nozzles, passageways and heater means are integrally formed from semiconductor materials using semiconductor fabrication techniques.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A device as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that said semiconductor material comprises silicon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
A device as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that said silicon is formed into a substrate having a maximum dimension (y-axis) corresponding to the maximum extent of printing in a direction transverse to the movement of a printable surface relative to said device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that said printable surface comprises a page and said maximum dimension is substantially equal to the width of said page.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that said page is an A4 page and the maximum dimension of said substrate is 220 mm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that said page is an A3 page and the maximum dimension of said substrate is 310 mm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that electronics associated with said device is fabricated integrally therewith.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that said electronics includes active devices connected to said heater means to selectively energize same.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
25 words
A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that each said heater means surrounds the corresponding passageway or nozzle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that said heater means comprises two independently operable heater elements.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device as claimed in claim 11, characterised in that one of said heater elements is operable only in the event of failure of the other of said heater elements.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
32 words
A device as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12, characterised in that said heater means is annular and said passageway or nozzle passes through the interior of the annulus.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
21 words
A device as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 13, characterised in that said heater means surrounds said nozzle.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
31 words
A device as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 14, characterised in that said heater means surrounds a channel comprising a part of said passageway not including said nozzle.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
29 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that each said nozzle and passageway extends between a pair of opposite faces of said device.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as claimed in claim 16, characterised in that the passageway extends through a semiconductor substrate and leads to a nozzle located adjacent one surface of said substrate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device as claimed in claim 17, characterised in that said heater means is located adjacent said nozzle.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device as claimed in claim 18, characterised in that said heater means surrounds said nozzle.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as claimed in claim 19, characterised in that said heater means is annular and said nozzle is located at the interior of the annulus.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
A device as claimed in claim 20, characterised in that the passageway has at least two portions of differing cross-sectional area.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
41 words
A device as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 21, characterised in that said nozzle comprises a recess in one face of a semiconductor substrate, and said passageway extends between the opposite face of said substrate and said recess.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device as claimed in claim 22, characterised in that said passageway includes a thermal chamber adjacent said opposite face.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device as claimed in claim 23, characterised in that said heater means is located between said thermal chamber and said opposite face.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
29 words
A device as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 24, characterised in that each said passageway supplies a plurality of nozzles each having a corresponding heater means.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
56 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said nozzles are arranged in rows, the spacing between each adjacent pair of nozzles in the row being substantially equal, and the nozzles of each row being offset in the row direction relative to the nozzles of the adjacent row or rows.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device as claimed in claim 26, characterised in that the offset in the row direction is substantially equal to one half the inter-nozzle spacing in a row.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as claimed in claim 26, characterised in that the spacing between adjacent nozzles in a row substantially equals the spacing between adjacent printed pixels in a row.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
36 words
A device as claimed in claim 28, characterised in that the number of rows is substantially equal to an integral multiple of the number of dots in each pixel in the direction perpendicular to said rows.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device as claimed in claim 29, characterised in that the firing order of the nozzles is staggered.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device as claimed in claim 29, characterised in that all nozzles in a row are fired substantially simultaneously and the firing of the rows is staggered.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
27 words
A device as claimed in any one of claims 26 to 31, characterised in that the nozzles of different rows are supplied with ink of different colours.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
37 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and characterised by including an integrated thermal conductor to transport heat from one part of the structure of said device to another part of said structure.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
43 words
A device as claimed in claim 33, characterised in that said conductor comprises a thermal shunt and thermally interconnects a high operating temperature part of said structure with said another part of said structure, said another part having a relatively high thermal conductivity.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
69 words
A device as claimed in claim 33, characterised in that said conductor comprises a thermal diffuser having first and second parts in thermal communication, said first part thermally interconnecting a high operating temperature part of said structure with said another part, and said second part being located at said another part and having a relatively large surface area, said another part being in thermal communication with a heat sink.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device as claimed in claim 34 or 35, characterised in that said conductor comprises a shaped layer of metal.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device as claimed in claim 36, characterised in that said metal is vacuum deposited aluminium.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as claimed in claim 35, characterised in that said heat sink comprises a supply of bubblejet ink.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
31 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said heater means comprises a plurality of heaters each of which has a corresponding electronic drive circuit.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as claimed in claim 39, characterised in that said heater means surrounds the corresponding nozzle or passageway.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device as claimed in claim 40, characterised in that said heater means is substantially annular.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as claimed in claim 39, 40 or 41, characterised in that said heater means comprises two heaters.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as claimed in claim 42, characterised in that each said heater is serpentine within a semicircular configuration.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device as claimed in claim 42, characterised in that each said heater is a flat spiral having a part-turn or turns interleaved with the other heater.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
42 words
A device as claimed in claim 42, characterised in that the electronic drive circuit of one of said heaters is connected with the drive circuit of the other heater and operable only in the event that said other heater fails to operate.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device as claimed in claim 45, characterised in that said device is fabricated on a semiconductor substrate and the two drive circuits are fabricated on said substrate at locations which are not adjacent.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device as claimed in claim 46, characterised in that said heater means is located between said two drive circuits.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
59 words
A device as claimed in claim 45, characterised in that each said drive circuit contains a heater switching semiconductor switch, said switches are of a like polarity type, the connection between said one drive circuit and the other drive circuit includes voltage level shifting means connected to the switching input of said semiconductor switch of said one drive circuit.
Claim 49
Independent Claim
32 words
A device as claimed in any one of claims 39 to 48, characterised in that said heater means and the corresponding electronic drive circuits are spaced apart in relation to each other.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device as claimed in claim 49, characterised in that each said heater means comprises two heaters each with a corresponding said electronic drive circuit, said heater means being located between said drive circuits.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device as claimed in claim 50, characterised in that said heater means and said drive circuits are integrally formed on a substrate, said drive circuits being arranged adjacent the periphery of the substrate.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
74 words
An assembly of a plurality of devices as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and having a first plurality and a second plurality of nozzles and a like first plurality of heater means and a like second plurality of heater means wherein the second plurality of heater means are interconnected to the first plurality of heater means to sense failure thereof and operate the corresponding one(s) of said second plurality of nozzles.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
50 words
An assembly as claimed in claim 52, further characterised by comprising compensating means associated with each said sensing means for compensation of any spacial separation between said devices thereby permitting printing by said nozzles of said another device at the print locations of the corresponding nozzles of said one device.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
63 words
A bubblejet image reproducing apparatus for printing images on paper or a like carrier, by the ejection of ink drops from a bubblejet print device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 51, characterised in that the length of the print device is substantially equal to the dimension of the paper transverse to its direction of relative motion past the apparatus.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 54, characterised in that said device further comprises an electronic drive circuit for each said heater means operable by means of data input to said apparatus.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 55, further characterised by comprising data timing circuits adapted to receive data input to said apparatus and to output data to said nozzles, said output data being indicative of the desired pixel colour to be printed and the relative spacing of nozzles of different colours.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 56, characterised in that individual ones said nozzles of said device print a colour selected from the group consisting of cyan, magenta, yellow and black.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
55 words
A bubblejet print head characterised by comprising a device as claimed any one of in claims 1 to 51, and having an ink supply member configurable with said device for the supply of ink to said passageways, and a filter means located between said device and supply member for filtering ink supplied to said device.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
25 words
A head as claimed in claim 58, characterised in that said supply member is thermally conductive and acts as a heat sink for said device.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
44 words
A head as claimed in claim 58 or 59, characterised in that said supply member is electrically insulative and further comprising electrical power supply connectors connected to said device and mounted about said supply member, said connectors acting as heat sinks for said device.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
24 words
A head as claimed in claim 58 or 59, characterised in that said filter means is sandwiched between said device and said supply member.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
16 words
A head as claimed in claim 61, characterised in that said filter means comprises a membrane.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
81 words
A bubblejet print head for printing images on paper or a like carrier by the ejection of ink drops from a device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 51, characterised in that the length of the print device is substantially equal to the dimension of the paper to be printed transverse to its direction of relative motion past the device, and wherein electrical power connections to said device are made substantially along the entire length of said device.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
47 words
A colour image reproducing apparatus comprising a bubblejet print device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 51, characterised in that said plurality of nozzles is arranged in a plurality of sets, the nozzles of each set being supplied with ink of a different colour.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 64, characterised in that said sets are arranged as a regularly spaced ordered array.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 65, characterised in that said coloured ink is selected from the group consisting of cyan, magenta, yellow and black.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
89 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 66, characterised in that image pixel data supplied to said apparatus is divided into a plurality of blocks, each corresponding to one of said colours and comprising a data input of the corresponding said set on said bubblejet print device, said apparatus further comprising a first delay means arranged at each said data input excepting one, being the set which ejects ink first, each said first delay means delaying its respective blocks according to the spacing between the respective set and said one set.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
82 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 67, characterised in that nozzles within each said set are arranged equally spaced-apart in equally spaced rows, and in which nozzles in adjacent rows are offset relative to each other, said apparatus further comprising data phaser means immediately preceding each said data input, said data phaser means comprising a second delay means for each said row and delaying data for that row within the respective block to compensate for the offset of the nozzles of said set.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 68, characterised in that each said data phaser means further comprises a third delay means for receiving data from said first delay means and outputting data to each said second delay means, said third delay means providing a delay period selectable according to the particular set being supplied thereby.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
80 words
A data phaser for buffering pixel data to a bubblejet print device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 51, characterised in that said plurality of nozzles are provided as an array of regularly spaced rows of regularly spaced nozzles with the nozzles of adjacent rows being offset, wherein for each said row, a first delay means having a predetermined delay is provided to delay said pixel data to compensate for the degree of offsetting of said rows.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
28 words
A data phaser as claimed in claim 70, characterised in that the predetermined delay of each said first delay means provides an interleaved firing order of said rows.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
37 words
A data phaser as claimed in claim 71, further characterised by comprising second delay means preceding, and outputting to each of, said first delay means, said second delay means providing a selectable delay to the pixel data.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
46 words
A bubblejet print device comprising a plurality of nozzles each communicating with a corresponding passageway for the supply of ink to the nozzle, and heater means associated with each said passageway or nozzle, characterised in that each said heater means surrounds the corresponding passageway or nozzle.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as claimed in claim 73, characterised in that said heater means comprises two independently operable heater elements.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device as claimed in claim 74, characterised in that one of said heater elements is operable only in the event of failure of the other of said heater elements.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device as claimed in claim 74, characterised in that said heater means is annular and said passageway or nozzle passes through the interior of the annulus.
Claim 77
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device as claimed in claim 74, characterised in that said heater means surrounds said nozzle.
Claim 78
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as claimed in claim 74, characterised in that said heater means surrounds a channel comprising a part of said passageway not including said nozzle.
Claim 79
Dependent Claim
53 words
A bubblejet print device characterised by comprising a plurality of nozzles each communicating with a corresponding passageway for the supply of ink to the nozzle and heater means associated with each said passageway or nozzle, characterised in that each said nozzle and passageway extends between a pair of opposite faces of said device.
Claim 80
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as claimed in claim 79, characterised in that the passageway extends through a semiconductor substrate and leads to a nozzle located adjacent one surface of said substrate.
Claim 81
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device as claimed in claim 80, characterised in that said heater means is located adjacent said nozzle.
Claim 82
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device as claimed in claim 81, characterised in that said heater means surrounds said nozzle.
Claim 83
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as claimed in claim 82, characterised in that said heater means is annular and said nozzle is located at the interior of the annulus.
Claim 84
Independent Claim
26 words
A device as claimed in any one of claims 79 to 83, characterised in that the passageway has at least two portions of differing cross-sectional area.
Claim 85
Independent Claim
41 words
A device as claimed in any one of claims 79 to 84, characterised in that said nozzle comprises a recess in one face of a semiconductor substrate, and said passageway extends between the opposite face of said substrate and said recess.
Claim 86
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device as claimed in claim 85, characterised in that said passageway includes a thermal chamber adjacent said opposite face.
Claim 87
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device as claimed in claim 86, characterised in that said heater means is located between said thermal chamber and said opposite face.
Claim 88
Independent Claim
29 words
A device as claimed in any one of claims 79 to 87, characterised in that each said passageway supplies a plurality of nozzles each having a corresponding heater means.
Claim 89
Dependent Claim
80 words
A bubblejet print device characterised by comprising a plurality of nozzles each communicating with a corresponding passageway for the supply of ink to the nozzle and heater means associated with each said nozzle or passageway, characterised in that said nozzles are arranged in rows, the spacing between each adjacent pair of nozzles in the row being substantially equal, and the nozzles of each row being offset in the row direction relative to the nozzles of the adjacent row or rows.
Claim 90
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device as claimed in claim 89, characterised in that the offset in the row direction is substantially equal to one half the inter-nozzle spacing in a row.
Claim 91
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as claimed in claim 89, characterised in that the spacing between adjacent nozzles in a row substantially equals the spacing between adjacent printed pixels in a row.
Claim 92
Dependent Claim
36 words
A device as claimed in claim 91, characterised in that the number of rows is substantially equal to an integral multiple of the number of dots in each pixel in the direction perpendicular to said rows.
Claim 93
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device as claimed in claim 92, characterised in that the firing order of the nozzles is staggered.
Claim 94
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device as claimed in claim 92, characterised in that all nozzles in a row are fired substantially simultaneously and the firing of the rows is staggered.
Claim 95
Independent Claim
27 words
A device as claimed in any one of claims 89 to 94, characterised in that the nozzles of different rows are supplied with ink of different colours.
Claim 96
Independent Claim
71 words
A method of fabricating the bubblejet print device from semiconductor materials using semiconductor fabrication techniques, said method characterised by comprising at least the steps of: (1) etching a plurality of passageways through a semiconductor substrate, and (2) depositing a heater means and fabricating associated heater drive electronics structures, both of which are associated with a corresponding one of said passageways, said steps (1) and (2) being carried out in any order.
Claim 97
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as claimed in claim 96, characterised in that said steps (1) and (2) each comprises a plurality of sub-steps, the sub- steps of steps (1) being intermingled with the substeps of step (2).
Claim 98
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in claim 96 or 97, characterised in that step (1) includes the steps of etching from both faces of said substrate.
Claim 99
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as claimed in claim 96 or 97, characterised in that step (2) includes the step of simultaneously forming electrical connections to said heater means and to components of said heater drive electronics.
Claim 100
Independent Claim
42 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 96 to 100, characterised in that steps (1) or (2) include exposures to light or other electromagnetic radiation, said exposure being carried out in a stepped fashion with abutting areas being sequentially exposed.
Claim 101
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 96, characterised in that said substrate is etched along intended dice or score lines to facilitate dicing of said substrate into individual print devices.
Claim 102
Dependent Claim
32 words
In an integrated electronic structure fabricated using semiconductor fabrication techniques, the improvement comprising an integrated thermal conductor to transport heat from one part of said structure to another part of said structure.
Claim 103
Dependent Claim
45 words
An integrated thermal conductor as claimed in claim 102, characterised in that said conductor comprises a thermal shunt and thermally interconnects a high operating temperature part of said structure with said another part of said structure, said another part having a relatively high thermal conductivity.
Claim 104
Dependent Claim
71 words
An integrated thermal conductor as claimed in claim 102, characterised in that said conductor comprises a thermal diffuser having first and second parts in thermal communication, said first part thermally interconnecting a high operating temperature part of said structure with said another part, and said second part being located at said another part and having a relatively large surface area, said another part being in thermal communication with a heat sink.
Claim 105
Dependent Claim
22 words
An integrated thermal conductor as claimed in claim 103 or 104, characterised in that said conductor comprises a shaped layer of metal.
Claim 106
Dependent Claim
18 words
An integrated thermal conductor as claimed in claim 105, characterised in that said metal is vacuum deposited aluminium.
Claim 107
Dependent Claim
40 words
An integrated thermal conductor as claimed in claim 106, characterised in that said integrated electronic structure is a bubblejet print device and said high operating temperature part comprises a region of said device closely adjacent to a heater means thereof.
Claim 108
Dependent Claim
24 words
An integrated thermal conductor as claimed in claim 103, characterised in that said part having a relatively high thermal conductivity comprises a semiconductor substrate.
Claim 109
Dependent Claim
21 words
An integrated thermal conductor as claimed in claim 104, characterised in that said heat sink comprises a supply of bubblejet ink.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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