| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080211872 | DROPLET EJECTION APPARATUS ALIGNMENT - In one aspect, the invention features assemblies for depositing droplets on a substrate during relative motion of the assembly and the substrate along a process direction. The assemblies include a first printhead module and a second printhead module contacting the first printhead module, each of the printhead modules including a surface that includes an array of nozzles through which the printhead modules can eject fluid droplets, wherein each nozzle in the first printhead module's nozzle array is offset with respect to a corresponding nozzle in the second printhead module's nozzle array in a direction orthogonal to the process direction. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080246792 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SCALABLE DROPLET EJECTION MANUFACTURING - A method includes ejecting liquid having a first composition from a first droplet ejection deposition system that includes a first printhead and a first fluid source, collecting information on the behavior of the liquid under a variety of ejection conditions for the first droplet ejection deposition system, and ejecting liquid having the first material composition from a second droplet ejection deposition system that includes a second printhead and a second fluid source under the selected ejection conditions. The first printhead has a small number of flow paths, and the first fluid source is configured to hold a small volume of liquid. The second printhead has a plurality of substantially identical flow paths, each of the flow paths being substantially identical to at least one of the small number of flow paths, and there being a significantly larger number of flow paths in the second printhead than in the first printhead. | 10-09-2008 |
| 20090066758 | FLEXIBLE PRINTHEAD CIRCUIT - A flexible circuit for use within a printhead assembly and to connect a printhead body to an external circuit includes a substantially planar portion having one or more layers of conductive material and having a top surface substantially parallel to a top surface of the printhead body. One or more integrated circuits can be mounted onto the planar portion. Multiple leads extend from each integrated circuit, the leads electrically connected to the printhead body. One or more arms are attached to, and substantially perpendicular to, the planar portion, each arm including one or more external connectors configured to connect to the external circuit. | 03-12-2009 |
| 20090122118 | Printhead Module - A printhead module includes a printhead body, a nozzle plate and one or more piezoelectric actuators. The printhead body includes one or more pumping chambers, where each pumping chamber includes a receiving end to receive a printing liquid from a printing liquid supply and an ejecting end for ejecting the printing liquid from the pumping chamber. The nozzle plate includes one or more nozzles formed through the nozzle plate. Each nozzle can be in fluid communication with a pumping chamber and receive printing liquid from the ejecting end for ejection from the nozzle. The one or more piezoelectric actuators are connected to the nozzle plate. A piezoelectric actuator is positioned over each pumping chamber and includes a piezoelectric material configured to deflect and pressurize the pumping chamber, so as to eject printing liquid from a corresponding nozzle in fluid communication with the ejecting end of the pumping chamber. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20090201341 | Adjustable Mount Printhead Assembly - A mounting assembly for a printhead assembly is described that can allow dynamic nozzle and drop placement adjustment in one or more directions. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20090230088 | FORMING A PRINT HEAD WITH A THIN MEMBRANE - A microfabricated device and method for forming a microfabricated device are described. A thin membrane including silicon is formed on a silicon body by bonding a silicon-on-insulator substrate to a silicon substrate. The handle and insulator layers of the silicon-on-insulator substrate are removed, leaving a thin membrane of silicon bonded to a silicon body such that no intervening layer of insulator material remains between the membrane and the body. A piezoelectric layer is bonded to the membrane. | 09-17-2009 |
| 20090303269 | DROP EJECTION ASSEMBLY - A fluid drop delivery device is disclosed. The device includes a plurality of nozzle openings from which fluid is ejected and a waste control aperture. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20090322187 | Piezoelectric Actuators - Microelectromechanical systems with structures having piezoelectric actuators are described. The structures each have a body that supports piezoelectric islands. The piezoelectric islands have a first surface and a second opposite surface. The piezoelectric islands can be formed, in part, by forming cuts into a thick layer of piezoelectric material, attaching the cut piezoelectric layer to a body having etched features and grinding the piezoelectric layer to a thickness that is less than the depths of the cuts. Conductive material can be formed on the piezoelectric layer to form electrodes. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20100039479 | PRINTHEAD - Ink jet printheads and printhead components are described. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100079523 | Control of Velocity Through a Nozzle - A method is described wherein one or more parameters are measured that affect the nozzle velocity at which a printing fluid is ejected from a pumping chamber through a nozzle. The printing fluid is contained in the pumping chamber actuated by deflection of a piezoelectric layer. A surface area of an electrode actuating the piezoelectric layer is reduced based at least in part on the measured one or more parameters. Reducing the surface area of the electrode reduces the actuated area of the piezoelectric layer. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100091060 | Adjustable Mount Printhead Assembly - A mounting assembly for a printhead assembly is described that can allow dynamic nozzle and drop placement adjustment in one or more directions. | 04-15-2010 |
| 20100110144 | Applying a Layer to a Nozzle Outlet - A nozzle layer is described that has a semiconductor body having a first surface, a second surface opposing the first surface, and a nozzle formed through the body connecting the first and second surfaces, wherein the nozzle being configured to eject fluid through a nozzle outlet on the second surface, and a metal layer around the outlet on the second surface and at least partially inside the nozzle, the metal layer inside the nozzle being completely exposed. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100134568 | MEMS Device with Uniform Membrane - A MEMS based device is described with recesses covered by a membrane. The membranes over the recesses are highly uniform due to being formed by a stack of layers that are epitaxial layers with high uniformity. The unnecessary layers of the stack, such as the handle layer, are removed prior to completion of the device to achieve a membrane with a desired thickness. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100141713 | Short Circuit Protection for Inkjet Printhead - Systems and apparatus for ejecting fluid. A fluid injection apparatus includes a fluid ejector unit for ejecting a droplet of fluid, an integrated circuit, and a conductive trace electrically coupling the fluid ejector unit and the integrated circuit. A portion of the conductive trace includes a fuse. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100214359 | Fluid Ejecting with Centrally Formed Inlets and Outlets - An apparatus for ejecting droplets of a fluid includes a substrate, a first plurality of nozzles formed in a first region of a nozzle face of the substrate, and a second plurality of nozzles formed in a second region of the nozzle face. The second region is separated from the first region. An inlet and an outlet are both formed in an upper face of the substrate opposite a third region of the nozzle face, the third region being located between the first region and the second region, and a plurality of fluid paths formed in the substrate and fluidically connecting the first plurality of nozzles and the second plurality of nozzles with the inlet and outlet. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100220146 | Moisture Protection of Fluid Ejector - A fluid ejection apparatus includes a substrate having a plurality of fluid passages for fluid flow and a plurality of nozzles fluidically connected to the fluid passages, a plurality of actuators positioned on top of the substrate to cause fluid in the plurality of fluid passages to be ejected from the plurality of nozzles, a protective layer formed over at least a portion of the plurality of actuators, a housing component having a chamber, the chamber adjacent to the substrate, and an absorbent layer inside the cavity. The absorbent layer is more absorptive than the protective layer. | 09-02-2010 |
| 20100253721 | DEPOSITING DROPS ON A SUBSTRATE CARRIED BY A STAGE - A device for depositing drops includes a head configured to eject drops on a region of a substrate; a stage configured to hold the substrate while the head ejects drops on the region of the substrate; a first transporting device configured to transport the substrate in a transporting direction onto the stage; and a second transporting device configured to transport the substrate in the transporting direction off the stage. The stage and at least one of the first transporting device or the second transporting device are movable together in the transporting direction. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20110006135 | FLUID EJECTOR HOUSING INSERT - A fluid ejector includes a fluid ejection assembly, a housing, and an insert. The fluid ejection assembly includes one or more silicon bodies and a plurality of actuators. The one or more silicon bodies includes a silicon body having a plurality of fluid passages for fluid flow and a plurality of nozzles fluidically connected to the plurality of fluid passages. The plurality of actuators cause fluid in the plurality of fluid passages to be ejected from the plurality of nozzles. The housing assembly includes one or more plastic bodies, at least one plastic body attached to at least one silicon body to form a sealed volume on a side of the fluid ejection assembly opposite the nozzles. The insert is embedded in the at least one plastic body in proximity to the at least one silicon body, the insert having a coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 9 ppm/° C. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110007117 | MEMS Jetting Structure For Dense Packing - A fluid ejector includes a fluid ejection module having a substrate and a layer separate from the substrate. The substrate includes a plurality of fluid ejection elements arranged in a matrix, each fluid ejection element configured to cause a fluid to be ejected from a nozzle. The layer separate from the substrate includes a plurality of electrical connections, each electrical connection adjacent to a corresponding fluid ejection element. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110080449 | Non-wetting Coating on Die Mount - Printing devices are described that have a printing die with a coplanar adjacent layer. The coplanar adjacent layer is sufficiently non-wetting to fluids that the layer can be easily wiped clean of fluid that is inadvertently deposited thereon. A non-stick surface is optionally applied to the adjacent layer which can withstand both mechanical and chemical abrasion that can be caused by corrosive ejection fluids or wiping mechanisms. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110092049 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUBSTRATE BONDING - Methods for bonding a first substrate to a second substrate are described. A surface of the first substrate is coated with an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is cured to b-stage. The surface of the first substrate is positioned in contact with the second substrate. An edge of the first substrate is pressed to an edge of the second substrate to initiate Van der Waals bonding. The first and second substrates are allowed to come together by Van der Waals bonding. The bonded first and second substrates are subjected to a sufficient heat for a sufficient time period to cure completely the adhesive layer. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110115341 | Insulated Film Use in a Mems Device - A method of forming an actuator and an actuable device formed by this method are disclosed. This method includes depositing a photoimageable material to form a first photoimageable layer on a piezoelectric layer; patterning the first photoimageable layer to form an aperture; and disposing a first conductive layer on the first photoimageable layer. The first conductive layer partially overlies the first photoimageable layer such that a first portion of the first conductive layer contacts the first photoimageable layer and a second portion of the first conductive layer electrically contacts the piezoelectric layer in the aperture. | 05-19-2011 |
| 20110115852 | ACTUATABLE DEVICE WITH DIE AND INTEGRATED CIRCUIT ELEMENT - A fluid ejector includes a fluid ejection module and an integrated circuit element. The fluid ejection module includes a substrate having a plurality of fluid paths, a plurality of actuators, and a plurality of conductive traces, each actuator configured to cause a fluid to be ejected from a nozzle of an associated fluid path. The integrated circuit element is mounted on the fluid ejection module and is electrically connected with the conductive traces of the fluid ejection module such that an electrical connection of the module enables a signal sent to the fluid ejection module to be transmitted to the integrated circuit element, processed on the integrated circuit element, and output to the fluid ejection module to drive the actuator. | 05-19-2011 |
| 20110122587 | FLEXIBLE CIRCUIT STRETCHING - A method of connecting electrical components and an electronic device formed using this method are disclosed. This method includes stretching a first substrate with a plurality of conductive traces to form a stretched substrate where at least one increased pitch (a spacing between two conductive traces plus a width of one conductive trace) is not greater than 40 microns; and electrically connecting the conductive traces on the first substrate to conductive traces on a second substrate. A device by which this method can be implemented is also disclosed, which includes a base, and platforms and stretchers mounted to the base that are configured to pull opposite ends of the first substrate to align the conductive traces thereon with the conductive traces on the second substrate. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110128324 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING A FLUID EJECTION MODULE - A system and method for mounting a fluid droplet ejection module to a frame is disclosed, where the fluid ejection module includes a mounting component having a mounting surface. A connector is configured to detachably attach to the frame and is positioned between the frame and the mounting surface of the fluid ejection module. A portion of a mating surface of the connector is positioned adjacent the mounting surface of a corresponding fluid ejection module and is in direct contact with the mounting surface. One or more recesses are formed in at least one of either the mounting surface of the fluid ejection module or the mating surface of the connector. The one or more recesses have a substantially uniform thickness and are filled with an adhesive. The adhesive is cured after aligning the fluid ejection module to the frame. | 06-02-2011 |
| 20110128335 | CIRCULATING FLUID FOR FLUID DROPLET EJECTING - A fluid droplet ejection apparatus includes a printhead having a fluid supply and a fluid return. A substrate is attached to the printhead, and the substrate includes a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet on a surface of the substrate proximate to the fluid supply and fluid return. Nozzles are in fluid communication with the fluid inlet. The fluid inlet of the substrate is in fluid communication with the fluid supply, and the fluid outlet is in fluid communication with the fluid return. A first circulation path through the substrate is between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The fluid supply is in fluid communication with the fluid return through a second circulation path that is through the printhead and not through the substrate. | 06-02-2011 |
| 20110139901 | Moisture Protection Of Fluid Ejector - A fluid ejection apparatus includes a substrate having a plurality of fluid passages for fluid flow and a plurality of nozzles fluidically connected to the fluid passages, a plurality of actuators positioned on top of the substrate to cause fluid in the plurality of fluid passages to be ejected from the plurality of nozzles, and a protective layer formed over at least a portion of the plurality of actuators, the protective layer having an intrinsic permeability to moisture less than 2.5×10 | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110147483 | Compartmentalization of Fluid Ejector Device - A fluid ejection apparatus includes a substrate having a plurality of fluid passages for fluid flow and a plurality of nozzles fluidically connected to the fluid passages, a plurality of actuators positioned on top of the substrate to cause fluid in the plurality of fluid passages to be ejected from the plurality of nozzles, a housing component with a descending portion that projects down to the substrate, an integrated circuit chip supported on the substrate, a potting barrier secured to the housing component and positioned between the integrated circuit chip and the actuators, and a potting material between the integrated circuit chip and the barrier. | 06-23-2011 |
