Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120274708 | HIGH DENSITY ELECTRICAL INTERCONNECT FOR PRINTING DEVICES USING FLEX CIRCUITS AND DIELECTRIC UNDERFILL - A method for forming an ink jet print head can include attaching a plurality of piezoelectric elements to a diaphragm of a jet stack subassembly, electrically attaching a flex circuit to the plurality of piezoelectric elements, then dispensing an dielectric underfill between the flex circuit and the jet stack subassembly. The use of an underfill after attachment of the flex circuit eliminates the need for the patterned removal of an interstitial material from the tops of the piezoelectric elements, and removes the requirement for a patterned standoff layer. In an embodiment, electrical contact between the flex circuit and the piezoelectric elements is established through physical contact between bump electrodes of the flex circuit and the piezoelectric elements, without the use of a separate conductor, thereby eliminating the possibility of electrical shorts caused by misapplication of a conductor. | 11-01-2012 |
20120328784 | METHOD FOR INTERSTITIAL POLYMER PLANARIZATION USING A FLEXIBLE FLAT PLATE - A method and structure for forming an ink jet print head having a dielectric interstitial layer. A flexible top plate attached to a press can be used to apply pressure to an uncured dielectric interstitial layer. The uncured dielectric interstitial layer is cured while contacting the uncured dielectric interstitial layer with the flexible top plate and applying pressure using the press. Using a flexible top plate rather than a rigid top plate has been found to form a cured interstitial layer over an array of piezoelectric elements which has a more uniform or planar upper surface. An interstitial layer so formed can result in decreased processing time, reduced problems with ink communication in the ink jet print head during use, and decreased manufacturing costs. | 12-27-2012 |
20130100212 | Process for Adding Thermoset Layer to Piezoelectric Printhead - Disclosed is a process for preparing an ink jet printhead which comprises: (a) providing a diaphragm plate having a plurality of piezoelectric transducers bonded thereto; (b) aligning an electrical circuit board having a fill joint with the piezoelectric transducers and temporarily attaching the electrical circuit board to the piezoelectric transducers, thereby creating a layered structure having interstitial spaces between the diaphragm plate, the piezoelectric transducers, and the electrical circuit board; (c) applying a thermoset polymer through the fill joint and allowing it to fill the interstitial spaces via capillary action; and (d) curing the thermoset polymer to form an interstitial polymer layer. | 04-25-2013 |
20130147881 | POLYMER FILM AS AN INTERSTITIAL FILL FOR PZT PRINTHEAD FABRICATION - A method and structure for an ink jet printhead, and a printer including the ink jet printhead. The printhead can include a polymer as a film spacer which separates an electrical interconnect such as a printed circuit board or a flexible circuit from a printhead diaphragm, such that the film spacer is interposed between the electrical interconnect and the diaphragm. In an embodiment, a piezoelectric actuator is free from contact with the film spacer. Embodiments of a process for forming the printhead may have reduced processing stages requiring fewer manufacturing tools than some other processes. Embodiments of the resulting printhead and printer may have fewer structural components than some other printheads and printers. | 06-13-2013 |
20130227826 | PRINT HEAD TRANSDUCER DICING DIRECTLY ON DIAPHRAGM - A method of mounting transducers to a diaphragm includes merging a transducer slab with a diaphragm, pressing the diaphragm to the slab to form an assembly, and dicing the slab to separate the slab into an array of transducers after pressing the diaphragm to the array, wherein the array of transducers align with an array of body cavities. | 09-05-2013 |
20140043400 | INTERSTITIAL MATERIAL TO ENABLE ROBUST ELECTRICAL INTERCONNECT FOR HIGH DENSITY PIEZOELECTRIC ARRAYS - An ink jet print head including a plurality of standoff layer supports in an interstitial region between adjacent piezoelectric elements, and method of formation. The plurality of standoff layer supports can be formed from the same layer(s) as the piezoelectric elements, or from a dielectric layer such as a polymer. The standoff layer supports increase an area to which a standoff layer can be attached, thereby forming a more secure attachment of a circuit layer such as a flex circuit or a printed circuit board to a jet stack subassembly. | 02-13-2014 |
20140071208 | HIGH DENSITY THREE-DIMENSIONAL ELECTRICAL INTERCONNECTIONS - Implementations relate to methods, devices produced by the method, and systems using the devices, for forming three-dimensional interconnect structures for ink piezoelectric printheads. | 03-13-2014 |
20140178644 | STRUCTURE AND METHOD TO FABRICATE TOOLING FOR BUMPING THIN FLEX CIRCUITS - A structure and method for a post plate of a die set that can be used to emboss a plurality of contact pads of a flexible printed circuit during the formation of a printer printhead. In one embodiment, a plurality of post plate posts can be formed, where each post plate post has a flat upper surface, generally straight sides, and a sharp corner where the flat upper surface and the generally straight sides intersect. Each post can be polished using, for example, a pad and an abrasive polishing compound or an electrochemical polishing process, to round the sharp corners to form a post having a rounded contour. In another embodiment, a plurality of post plate posts each having a rounded contour can be formed using a molding process. | 06-26-2014 |