Printhead micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangement with a motion-transmitting structure
View Patent ↗Provided is a micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangement for a printhead integrated circuit. The arrangement includes a nozzle chamber defined in a substrate with a roof that defines an ink ejection port. The nozzle arrangement further includes a paddle located inside the chamber below the ink ejection port, said paddle operatively ejecting ink from the chamber through the port. Also included is an actuator arm having a fixed end fixed to the substrate and a working end that is displaceable towards and away from the substrate upon receipt of a drive signal in the form of a current pulse emanating from a drive circuitry layer on the substrate. The arrangement further has a motion transmitting structure interconnecting the working end of the actuator arm and a proximal end of the paddle.
1. A micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangement for a printhead integrated circuit, said arrangement having a nozzle chamber defined in a substrate with a roof that defines an ink ejection port, the nozzle arrangement comprising:
a paddle located inside the chamber below the ink ejection port, said paddle operatively ejecting ink from the chamber through the port;
an actuator arm having a fixed end fixed to the substrate and a working end that is displaceable towards and away from the substrate upon receipt of a drive signal in the form of a current pulse emanating from a drive circuitry layer on the substrate; and
a motion transmitting structure interconnecting the working end of the actuator arm and a proximal end of the paddle.
2. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1 , which includes a sealing structure interposed between at least a portion of the motion-transmitting structure and said sealing structure so that the motion-transmitting structure bridges the sealing structure.
3. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the motion-transmitting structure includes an effort formation that extends from the working end of the actuator arm, and a load formation that extends from the proximal end portion of the paddle.
4. The nozzle arrangement of claim 3 , which includes a lever arm formation that interconnects the effort and load formations, the lever arm formation pivotally connected between sidewalls of the chamber via opposed flexural connections configured to experience torsional distortion upon pivotal movement of the lever arm formation.
5. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the motion-transmitting structure and the roof define a slotted opening that accommodates relative movement of the motion transmitting structure and the roof.
6. The nozzle arrangement of claim 5 , wherein the slotted opening is interposed between a pair of ridges that extends from the motion-transmitting structure and the roof, said ridges dimensioned so that, when the nozzle chamber is filled with ink, a fluidic seal is defined between the ridges.
7. The nozzle arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the sealing structure and the proximal end portion of the paddle are configured so that a fluidic seal is defined between the proximal end portion and the sealing structure.