Structure of ink slot on ink-jet printhead chip

Details Structure of ink slot on ink-jet printhead chip Structure of ink slot on ink-jet printhead chip

1999-03-16

2001-08-28

Barlow, John (Department: 2853)

Incremental printing of symbolic information

Ink jet

Ejector mechanism

C347S040000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06280021

ABSTRACT:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 87109469, filed Jun. 15, 1998, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermal ink-jet printer. More particularly, the present invention relates to a structure of ink slots on an ink-jet printhead chip.
2. Description of the Related Art
In thermal ink-jet printer technology, a single ink reservoir on a printhead chip is used to provide inks for all firing chambers formed on the chip. The ink reservoir is connected to the firing chambers by ink slots on the chip. In the practice, the firing chambers are not aligned.
FIG. 1
is a schematic diagram showing a conventional thermal ink-jet printhead chip structure.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a plurality of firing chambers
14
is formed on an ink-jet printhead chip
10
. Each of the firing chambers
14
has a heater
14
a
and is connected to a common ink reservoir
12
on the printhead chip
10
. In the practice, the firing chambers
14
are not aligned. As shown by the arrangement illustrated in
FIG. 1
, a distance between each firing chamber
14
and the ink reservoir
12
is not the same. For example, distances
16
and
18
are L
1
and L
2
, respectively.
FIG. 2
is a schematic diagram showing a part of the thermal ink-jet printhead chip structure illustrated in FIG.
1
.
Referring to
FIG. 2
, an ink flow
22
moves toward a firing chamber
26
when the firing chamber
26
is filling with ink from the ink reservoir
12
to prepare for a printing process. Operations of adjacent firing chambers
24
and
28
are disturbed because the pathway of the ink, which fills the firing chambers
24
and
28
, is disturbed by the ink flow
22
. Response time of the firing chambers
24
and
28
both become longer. Furthermore, a cross talk effect easily occurs between adjacent firing chambers when they operate at the same time or in sequence.
In the foregoing, the distance between each firing chamber and the ink reservoir is not equal, thus a dynamic response of each ink flow is different. Additionally, frequency response is also different for each firing chamber.
In conventional practice, the firing chambers share a single ink reservoir. During the printing process, disturbances occur between the firing chambers, thus the response time of the firing chambers become longer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention provides a structure of ink slots used on an ink-jet printhead chip, in which each firing chamber is a same distance from its respective ink reservoir, and avoids the cross talk effect.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention provides a structure of ink slots used on an ink-jet printhead chip. The structure includes a plurality of firing chambers and a plurality of ink reservoirs. Each of the firing chambers has a heater and is enclosed by a plurality of walls, so each of the firing chambers is isolated. The ink reservoirs are respective connected to the firing chambers by ink slots and each of the ink reservoirs is also isolated. Additionally, distances of the ink slots are equal.
The structure in the invention is that of a single firing chamber connected to a single ink reservoir. Additionally, distance between each firing chamber and each ink reservoir is equal so that frequency response of each firing chamber is equal. The cross-talk effect is avoided because the firing chamber and the ink reservoir are both isolated.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5608436 (1997-03-01), Baughman et al.
patent: 6003977 (1999-12-01), Weber et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Structure of ink slot on ink-jet printhead chip does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Structure of ink slot on ink-jet printhead chip, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Structure of ink slot on ink-jet printhead chip will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2529742