Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Ejector mechanism
Patent
1994-02-15
1995-10-31
Fuller, Benjamin R.
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Ejector mechanism
347 69, 347 50, B41J 2045
Patent
active
054634148
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to multi-channel array droplet deposition apparatus and to a method of manufacture thereof.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,887,100; 4,992,808; 5,003,679 and 5,028,936 there is disclosed multi-channel array droplet deposition apparatus, suitably, for use as drop-on-demand ink jet printheads and of the form comprising an array of parallel channels mutually spaced transversely to the channels in the array direction. These printheads employ piezoelectric actuators forming at least part of the channel separating side walls as the means for effecting droplet expulsion from nozzles communicating respectively with the channels. One preferred method of making such a printhead comprises providing a base sheet having a layer of piezoelectric material Doled normal thereto, forming a multiplicity of parallel grooves in the layer of piezoelectric material so that the material affords channel separating walls between adjacent grooves, the ink channels thus being provided by the grooves, forming electrodes on the channel facing surfaces of the walls so that the actuating electric fields are applied normal to the direction of poling in the array direction to produce deflection of the walls in the direction of the applied fields, connecting electrical drive circuits to the electrodes, bonding a top sheet to the walls to close the ink channels, providing nozzles for the respective channels and further providing ink supply means communicating with the channels.
In one design, the channels separating walls comprise piezoelectric, so-called, "chevron" actuators in which upper and lower parts of the walls are oppositely poled so as to deflect into chevron form transversely to the corresponding channels. One method of forming the base sheet from which the channels and channel separating wall actuators are formed consists of using a five layer laminate as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/066,089 May 27, 1993 and counterpart PCT International Publication No. WO 92/09436. In an alternative design, there are employed, so-called, "cantilever" actuators which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,028. In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/945,637 filed May 7, 1991 and counterpart PCT International Publication No. WO 91/17051 there is disclosed an array of parallel ink channels formed from a number of like modules each having a multiplicity of parallel ink channels, the modules being serially butted together. In a preferred form pairs Of the butted modules form an ink channel at the butting location.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a multi-channel array, droplet deposition apparatus of improved construction and an improved method of manufacturing said apparatus. Another object is to enable the provision of a multi-channel array droplet deposition apparatus which can operate at lower voltage for a given compliance of the channel wall actuators.
It is a further object of one form of the present invention to provide a multi-channel array, droplet deposition apparatus and a method of manufacture thereof in which the integrity of the chip connections to the tracks which connect with the channel electrodes is not threatened by thermal cycling of the printhead.
The present invention consists in a method of manufacturing a multi-channel array droplet deposition apparatus which comprises providing a base sheet having a layer of piezoelectric material poled normal to said sheet, forming an array of parallel, open-topped droplet liquid channels in said base sheet layer so that the piezoelectric material provides upstanding walls separating successive channels, forming electrodes on channel facing surfaces, bonding a channel closure sheet to the walls, providing nozzles respectively communicating with the channels the walls having respective channel facing surfaces and providing means fop connecting a source of droplet liquid to the channels, characterised by forming said channel closure sheet with an array of parallel conductive tracks s
REFERENCES:
patent: 4493137 (1985-01-01), Bader et al.
Printout, vol. 14, No. 8, Aug. 1990, pp. 12-13.
Shepherd Mark R.
Temple Stephen
Bobb Alrick
Fuller Benjamin R.
XAAR Limited
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