US5421071A
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US
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Method of making a piezoelectric liquid-drop ejection device
Assignee: Brother Industries Ltd
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Filing: 1993-02-25
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Granted: 1995-06-06
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Expires: 2013-02-25
Abstract
Abstract A liquid-drop ejection device having a plurality of ejectors each having a variable-capacity ink channel. The capacity of the ink channels is variable to generate sufficient pressure to thereby eject ink in the ink channels from nozzles communicating with the ink channels onto paper or the like. The ejection device further comprises a piezoelectric transducer having a plurality of walls for separating the ink channels from one another. The walls have drive electrodes formed on upper or lower portions. The upper portions of the walls are narrower in width than the lower portions. A method of forming the ejection device comprises a first step of forming grooves including portions for receiving drive electrodes, a second step of forming the drive electrodes in the grooves and a third step of further forming the grooves to provide additional portions having widths different from the portions of the grooves formed in the first step.
Inventors
- 👤 Takahiro Kanegae
- 👤 Masahiko Suzuki
- 👤 Hiroto Sugahara
- 👤 Yoshikazu Takahashi
- 👤 Masayoshi Kinoshita
- 👤 Manabu Yoshimura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 17:21
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/135; B41J2/16; B41J2/1621; B41J2/1632; B41J2/1607; B41J2/1609; B41J2/164; B41J2/1642; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/42; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49401
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for forming an ejection device for a drop-on-demand printer, comprising the steps of: forming a piezoelectric ceramic plate having a first surface; forming a plurality of ink channels in the first surface of the ceramic plate, each of the ink channels comprising a first ink channel portion having a first depth and a first width and separated from adjacent ink channels by a plurality of side walls; forming a drive electrode layer on the first surface, including the plurality of ink channels and side walls; and reforming the plurality of ink channels to provide each ink channel with a second ink channel portion, the second ink channel portion having a second width different from the first width of the first channel portion.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for forming an ejection device for a drop-on-demand printer, comprising the steps of: forming a piezoelectric ceramic plate having a first surface; forming a plurality of ink channels in the first surface of the ceramic plate, each of the ink channels comprising a first ink channel portion having a first depth and a first width and separated from adjacent ink channels by a plurality of side walls; forming a drive electrode layer on the first surface, including the plurality of ink channels and side walls; and reforming the plurality of ink channels to provide each ink channel with a second ink channel portion, the second ink channel portion having a second width different from the first width of the first channel portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of removing the electrode layer from the first surface of the ceramic plate; and attaching a cover to the first surface of the ceramic plate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the first channel width is greater than the second channel width.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 3, wherein the electrode layer is provided only on the first ink channel portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the first channel width is less than the second channel width.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the electrode layer is removed from the second ink channel portion during the reforming step.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the first channel depth is substantially twice the second channel depth.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the first channel depth, from a transition point between the first and second ink channel portions to one of the first surface and a bottom surface of the ink channel, is substantially the same as the second channel depth, from the transition point to another of the first and bottom surfaces.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the electrode layer is provided on the first channel portion.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
166 words
A method for forming an ejector device for a drop-on-demand printer, comprising the steps of: forming a piezoelectric ceramic plate having a first surface; forming a plurality of parallel ink channels in the first surface of the ceramic plate, each of the ink channels separated from adjacent ink channels by an upright side wall each ink channel having a first channel depth from the first surface and a first channel width, and each side wall having a first sidewall height and a first sidewall width; forming an electrode layer on the first surface of the ceramic plate, including the plurality of ink channels and each side wall; and reforming each ink channel to provide each ink channel with a first portion having the first channel width and the first channel depth, and a second portion having a second channel width different from the first channel width, wherein the electrode layer is provided on at most one of the first and second portions of each ink channel.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
166 words
A method for forming an ejector device for a drop-on-demand printer, comprising the steps of: forming a piezoelectric ceramic plate having a first surface; forming a plurality of parallel ink channels in the first surface of the ceramic plate, each of the ink channels separated from adjacent ink channels by an upright side wall each ink channel having a first channel depth from the first surface and a first channel width, and each side wall having a first sidewall height and a first sidewall width; forming an electrode layer on the first surface of the ceramic plate, including the plurality of ink channels and each side wall; and reforming each ink channel to provide each ink channel with a first portion having the first channel width and the first channel depth, and a second portion having a second channel width different from the first channel width, wherein the electrode layer is provided on at most one of the first and second portions of each ink channel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 10, wherein the electrode layer is provided on the first channel portion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 10, wherein the first channel width is greater than the second channel width.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 10, wherein the first channel width is less than the second channel width.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 10, wherein the first channel depth is substantially twice the second channel depth.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 10, wherein the first channel depth, from a transition point between the first and second ink channel portions to one of the first surface and a bottom surface of the ink channel, is substantially the same as the second channel depth, from the transition point to another of the first and bottom surfaces.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
146 words
A method for forming an ejection device for a drop-on-demand printer, comprising the steps of: forming a piezoelectric ceramic plate having a first surface; forming a plurality of ink channels in the first surface of the ceramic plate, each of the ink channels comprising a first ink channel portion having a first depth from the first surface and a first width and separated from adjacent ink channels by a plurality of side walls; forming a drive electrode layer on the first surface, including the plurality of ink channels and side walls; and reforming the plurality of ink channels to provide each ink channel with a second ink channel portion, the second ink channel portion having a second width different from the first width of the first channel portion and a second depth from the first surface different from the first depth of the first channel portion.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
146 words
A method for forming an ejection device for a drop-on-demand printer, comprising the steps of: forming a piezoelectric ceramic plate having a first surface; forming a plurality of ink channels in the first surface of the ceramic plate, each of the ink channels comprising a first ink channel portion having a first depth from the first surface and a first width and separated from adjacent ink channels by a plurality of side walls; forming a drive electrode layer on the first surface, including the plurality of ink channels and side walls; and reforming the plurality of ink channels to provide each ink channel with a second ink channel portion, the second ink channel portion having a second width different from the first width of the first channel portion and a second depth from the first surface different from the first depth of the first channel portion.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of: removing the electrode layer from the first surface of the ceramic plate; and attaching a cover to the first surface of the ceramic plate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 16, wherein the electrode layer is provided on the first channel portion.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 16, wherein the first channel width is greater than the second channel width.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 19, wherein the electrode layer is provided only on the first ink channel portion.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 16, wherein the first channel width is less than the second channel width.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 21, wherein the electrode layer is removed from the second ink channel portion during the reforming step.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 16, wherein the first channel depth is substantially twice the second channel depth.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 16, wherein the first channel is substantially one-half the second channel depth.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
180 words
A method for forming an ejector device for a drop-on-demand printer, comprising the steps of: forming a piezoelectric ceramic plate having a first surface; forming a plurality of parallel ink channels in the first surface of the ceramic plate, each of the ink channels separated from adjacent ink channels by an upright side wall each ink channel having a first channel depth from the first surface and a first channel width, and each side wall having a first sidewall height and a first sidewall width; forming an electrode layer on the first surface of the ceramic plate, including the plurality of ink channels and each side wall; and reforming each ink channel to provide each ink channel with a first portion having the first channel width and the first channel depth, and a second portion having a second channel width different from the first channel width, and a second channel depth from the first surface different from the first depth, wherein the electrode layer is provided on at most one of the first and second portions of each ink channel.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
180 words
A method for forming an ejector device for a drop-on-demand printer, comprising the steps of: forming a piezoelectric ceramic plate having a first surface; forming a plurality of parallel ink channels in the first surface of the ceramic plate, each of the ink channels separated from adjacent ink channels by an upright side wall each ink channel having a first channel depth from the first surface and a first channel width, and each side wall having a first sidewall height and a first sidewall width; forming an electrode layer on the first surface of the ceramic plate, including the plurality of ink channels and each side wall; and reforming each ink channel to provide each ink channel with a first portion having the first channel width and the first channel depth, and a second portion having a second channel width different from the first channel width, and a second channel depth from the first surface different from the first depth, wherein the electrode layer is provided on at most one of the first and second portions of each ink channel.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 25, wherein the electrode layer is provided on the first channel portion.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 25, wherein the first channel width is greater than the second channel width.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 25, wherein the first channel width is less than the second channel width.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 25, wherein the first channel depth is substantially twice the second channel depth.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 25, wherein the first channel depth is substantially one-half the second channel depth.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-06-05 | 1998-12-05 | 1999-06-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-06-05 | 2002-12-05 | 2003-06-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-06-05 | 2006-12-05 | 2007-06-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |