EP1194370A1 - Events pour dispositif electromecanique miniaturise - Google Patents

Events pour dispositif electromecanique miniaturise

Info

Publication number
EP1194370A1
EP1194370A1 EP00929101A EP00929101A EP1194370A1 EP 1194370 A1 EP1194370 A1 EP 1194370A1 EP 00929101 A EP00929101 A EP 00929101A EP 00929101 A EP00929101 A EP 00929101A EP 1194370 A1 EP1194370 A1 EP 1194370A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
pct
chamber
layer
vent
paddle
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP00929101A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1194370A4 (fr
Inventor
Kia Silverbrook
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Memjet Technology Ltd
Original Assignee
Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd filed Critical Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
Publication of EP1194370A1 publication Critical patent/EP1194370A1/fr
Publication of EP1194370A4 publication Critical patent/EP1194370A4/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/14—Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
    • B41J2/14427—Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/19—Ink jet characterised by ink handling for removing air bubbles

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a vent within a micro electro-mechanical (MEM) device
  • MEM micro electro-mechanical
  • the invention has application in ejection nozzles of the type that are fabricated by integrating the technologies applicable to micro electro-mechamcal systems (MEMS) and complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor (“CMOS”) integrated circuits, and the invention is hereinafter described in the context of that application
  • MEMS micro electro-mechamcal systems
  • CMOS complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor
  • PCT/AU00/00592 PCT/AU00/00584, PCT/AU00/00585, PCT/AU00/00586, PCT/AU00/00594, PCT/AU00/00595, PCT/AU00/00596, PCT/AU00/00597, PCT/AUOO/00598, PCT/AU00/00516, PCT/AU00/00517, PCT/AU00/0051 1 , PCT/AU00/00501 , PCT/AU00/00502, PCT/AU00/00503, PCT/AU00/00504, PCT/AU00/00505, PCT/AU00/00506, PCT/AU00/00507, PCT/AU00/00508, PCT/AU00/00509, PCT/AU00/00510, PCT/AU00/00512, PCT/AU00/00513, PCT/AU00/00514,
  • RECTIFIED SHEET (ARTICLE 91) an outlet aperture in the chamber for allowing exit of fluid from the chamber, an actuator for dispensing fluid from the chamber through the outlet aperture, and at least one vent m the chamber for venting to the exterior of the chamber air bubbles which form within the chamber PREFERRED FEATURES OF THE INVENTION
  • the actuator includes a paddle located within the chamber, the chamber including a peripheral wall, and the at least one vent is arranged within the peripheral wall adjacent a peripheral portion of the paddle
  • a plurality of vents are arranged in the peripheral wall, the plurality of vents being disposed about the peripheral wall adjacent to peripheral portions of the paddle
  • the vent is defined by a first layer and a second layer spaced apart from the first layer, a sacrificial layer being deposited between the first and second layers and the sacrificial layer being etched away to form the vent between the first and second layers
  • the first and second layers have a raised section defined by a pair of shoulders, the sacrificial material being deposited on the raised section of the first layer so as to define a vent passage which forms said vent when the sacrificial material is etched away, the second layer being deposited on the sacrificial material and the portion of the second layer deposited on the sacrificial material having a pair of side walls and a roof which, with the first layer, define the vent passage of the vent
  • the shoulders include apertures for preventing wicking of fluid from the shoulders onto a substrate
  • Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention in an ink jet nozzle for a printer
  • Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle of Figure 1 along line 2-2 of Figure 1
  • Figure 3 is a more detailed cross-sectional view similar to Figure 2 of the preferred embodiment of the invention in an extreme actuated position showing a drop being ejected from the nozzle,
  • Figure 4 is a detailed view of a portion of the preferred embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3, and Figure 5 is a view from the direction of arrow A in Figure 4
  • a single ink jet nozzle device 1 is shown as a portion of a chip which is fabricated by integrating MEMS and CMOS technologies
  • the complete nozzle device includes a support structure having a silicon substrate 20, a metal oxide semiconductor laver 21, a passivation layer 22, and a non-corrosive dielectric coating/chamber defining layer 29
  • Reference may be made to the above identified International Patent Application No PCT/AU00/0038 for disclosure of the fabrication of the nozzle device Operation of the device is also more fully disclosed in co-pending application entitled "Movement Sensor In A Micro Electro- mechanical Device" (Reference MJ12) by the same Applicant The contents of these two applications are incorporated into this specification by this reference
  • the nozzle device incorporates an ink chamber 24 which is connected to a source (not shown) of ink
  • the layer 29 forms, amongst other components as will be described hereinafter, a chamber wall 23 which has a nozzle aperture 13 for the e j ection of a droplet from ink 25 contained within the chamber 24
  • the wall 23 is generally cylindrical in configuration with the aperture 13 being provided substantially in the middle of the cylindrical wall 23
  • the wall 23 has a straight edge portion 10 which forms part of the periphery of the wall 23
  • the chamber 24 is also defined by a peripheral side wall 23a, a lower side wall 23b, a base wall (not shown), and by an edge portion 39 of substrate 20
  • An actuating arm 28 is formed on layer 22 and support portion 23c is formed at one end of the actuating arm 28
  • the actuating arm 28 is deposited during fabrication of the device and is pivotable with respect to the substrate 20 and support 23c
  • the actuating arm 28 comprises upper and lower arm portions 31 and 32
  • Lower portion 32 of the arm 28 is an electrical contact with the CMOS layer 21 for the supply of electrical current to the portion 32 to cause movement of the arm 28, by thermal bending, from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3 so as to eject droplet D through aperture 13 for deposition on a sheet (not shown)
  • the layer 22 therefore includes the power supply circuitry for supplying current to the portion 32 together with other circuitry for operating the nozzle shown in the drawings as described in the aforesaid co-pending applications
  • a block 8 is mounted on the actuator arm 28
  • the block 8 includes a generally T-shaped portion 50 (when viewed in plan) which has a peripheral wall 10
  • the upper wall 23 of the chamber 24 has a generally T-shaped slot 60, defined by edge portion 52 of the wall 23, which receives the T-shaped portion 50 of the block 8
  • the actuator 28 carries a paddle 27 which is arranged within the chamber 24 and which is moveable with the actuator as shown m Figures 1 and 3 to eject the droplet D
  • peripheral wall 23a, chamber wall 23, block 8 and support portion 23c are all formed by deposition of material which forms the layer 29 and by etching sacrificial material to define the chamber 24, nozzle aperture 13, the discrete block 8 and the space between the block 8 and the support portion 23c
  • the lower wall portion 23b is also formed during deposition with the substrate 20
  • the space between end edge 22a of layer 22 and edge portion 50 of the wall 23 defines an actuator aperture 54 which is substantially entirely closed by T-shaped portion 50 of the block 8 when the actuator 28 is in a rest or quiescent state as shown m Figures 1 and 2
  • the wall 10 of the portion 50 is separated from the edge 52 by a distance of less than one micron so as to define a fine slot between the edge 57 and the wall 10
  • the block 8 and wall 10 move up and down relative to edge 52 of slot 60 of the wall 23 whilst maintaining a closely spaced apart relationship with the edge 52 of the wall 23
  • a meniscus M is formed between the wall 10 and the edge 52 as the wall 10 moves up and down relative to the edge 52 in view of the close proximity of the wall 10 to the edge 52
  • the maintenance of the meniscus M forms a seal between edge 52 and wall 10, and therefore reduces opportunities for ink leakage and wicking from chamber 24
  • a meniscus M2 is also
  • vents 5 are arranged in the peripheral wall 23a of the chamber 24 In the preferred embodiment, five vents 5 are included The vents 5 are arranged adjacent to the periphery of paddle 27 (which is generally circular in configuration matching the configuration of the chamber 24) when the paddle 27 is in the quiescent position shown in Figure 2
  • the vent 5 is formed by a first deposited titanium nitride layer 14 which includes a ledge portion 16, and a second titanium nitride layer 15 which has a ledge portion 17
  • a sacrificial material is despotised on the layer 14 onto which the layer 15 is then deposited and the sacrificial material is etched away to leave a vent passage 11 between the layers 14 and 15, which forms the vent 5, and which has an outlet opening 11a
  • the passage 11 communicates with the interior of the chamber 24
  • the vent opening 11a is formed in a raised portion of the layers 14 and 15
  • the layers 14 and 15 are generally annular in configuration extending about the periphery of the chamber 24
  • the layers 14 and 15 are in contact with one another except at the positions where the vent passages 11 are formed
  • the layers 14 and 15 extend upwardly at the vents 5 to form shoulders 80
  • the portion of the layer 14 between the shoulders 80 is generally planar as shown in Figure 5
  • the layer 15 diverges upwardly from the layer 14 to define walls 82 and a roof section 84 which with the layer 14 define the vent passage 11 and vent opening 11a
  • the sacrificial material is deposited generally to take the shape of the vent passage 11 so that the layer 15 is deposited on the layer 14 except for where the sacrificial material is located, and the layer 15 extends over the sacrificial material where the vent passage 11 is to be formed so as to form the side walls 82 and roof 84 shown in Figure 5
  • the sacrificial material is then etched away leaving the
  • the shoulders 80 are provided with slots 25 and 26 which prevent the possibility of any fluid which may leak from the chamber 24 through the vents 5 wicking along the lower surface of the layer 14 and reaching the layer 22 which may cause damage to the layer 22
  • fluid is prevented from leaking out of the vents 5 by an ink meniscus which forms across the vent opening 11a between the layers 13 and 14 to thereby form a seal which reduces the likelihood of any ink leaking from the vents 5

Landscapes

  • Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un dispositif électromécanique miniaturisé qui comprend une buse d'éjection d'encre (13) avec un bras d'actionnement (28) qui déplace une palette d'agitation d'encre (27) lorsqu'un courant électrique induisant la chaleur passe à travers le bras d'actionnement. La palette est disposée dans une chambre à encre (24), et le bras d'actionnement passe à travers l'ouverture d'actionneur (54) et fait saillie dans la chambre. Le bras d'actionnement comportant une palette se déplace pour éjecter une gouttelette (D). La chambre comprend plusieurs évents (5) destinés à éjecter dans l'atmosphère des bulles d'air qui peuvent se former dans la chambre lorsque le dispositif fonctionne de manière à éjecter des gouttelettes d'encre.
EP00929101A 1999-06-30 2000-05-24 Events pour dispositif electromecanique miniaturise Withdrawn EP1194370A4 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AUPQ1311A AUPQ131199A0 (en) 1999-06-30 1999-06-30 A method and apparatus (IJ47V17)
AUPQ131199 1999-06-30
PCT/AU2000/000589 WO2001002288A1 (fr) 1999-06-30 2000-05-24 Events pour dispositif electromecanique miniaturise

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1194370A1 true EP1194370A1 (fr) 2002-04-10
EP1194370A4 EP1194370A4 (fr) 2003-01-08

Family

ID=3815500

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP00929101A Withdrawn EP1194370A4 (fr) 1999-06-30 2000-05-24 Events pour dispositif electromecanique miniaturise

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1194370A4 (fr)
CN (2) CN1191986C (fr)
AU (1) AUPQ131199A0 (fr)
CA (1) CA2414739C (fr)
HK (1) HK1048294A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2001002288A1 (fr)
ZA (1) ZA200200769B (fr)

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0336043A2 (fr) * 1988-04-06 1989-10-11 Seiko Epson Corporation Imprimante à jet d'encre

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5677156A (en) * 1979-11-28 1981-06-25 Ricoh Co Ltd Ink jet recorder
US4745414A (en) * 1986-04-09 1988-05-17 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Recovery device for an ink jet recorder and a recovery method thereof
US5363130A (en) * 1991-08-29 1994-11-08 Hewlett-Packard Company Method of valving and orientation sensitive valve including a liquid for controlling flow of gas into a container
US5649423A (en) * 1994-06-07 1997-07-22 Sandia Corporation Micromechanism linear actuator with capillary force sealing
US5988803A (en) * 1997-12-12 1999-11-23 Lexmark International, Inc. Ink leakage control arrangement for an ink cartridge

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0336043A2 (fr) * 1988-04-06 1989-10-11 Seiko Epson Corporation Imprimante à jet d'encre

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See also references of WO0102288A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA2414739A1 (fr) 2001-01-11
EP1194370A4 (fr) 2003-01-08
AUPQ131199A0 (en) 1999-07-22
ZA200200769B (en) 2002-10-30
WO2001002288A1 (fr) 2001-01-11
CN100413777C (zh) 2008-08-27
CN1191986C (zh) 2005-03-09
CN1374926A (zh) 2002-10-16
CN1666951A (zh) 2005-09-14
HK1048294A1 (zh) 2003-03-28
CA2414739C (fr) 2009-11-17

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