Nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printer
View Patent ↗A nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printer is disclosed. The nozzle arrangement is formed on a substrate defining an ink supply conduit. A nozzle chamber is formed over the ink supply conduit. The nozzle chamber is defined by a floor portion, a roof portion having an ejection port defined therein, and peripheral sidewalls extending from the floor portion and the roof portion respectively. The roof portion and the sidewalls extending from the roof portion are movable upwardly and downwardly relative to the floor portion. The nozzle arrangement further includes a bend actuator fastened at one end to the substrate and at an opposite end to the roof portion of the nozzle chamber. Differential expansion of the bend actuator causes the bend actuator to bend and straighten. This in turn displaces the roof portion and varies the volume of the nozzle chamber, causing ink to be ejected through the ink ejection port.
1. A nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printer, the nozzle arrangement comprising:
a substrate defining an ink supply conduit;
a nozzle chamber formed over the ink supply conduit, the nozzle chamber being defined by a floor portion, a roof portion having an ejection port defined therein, and peripheral sidewalls extending from the floor portion and the roof portion respectively, the roof portion and the sidewalls extending therefrom are movable upwardly and downwardly relative to the floor portion; and
a bend actuator fastened at one end to the substrate and at an opposite end to the roof portion of the nozzle chamber, wherein differential expansion of the bend actuator causes the bend actuator to bend and straighten, thereby displacing the roof portion and varying the volume of the nozzle chamber, causing ink to be ejected through the ink ejection port.
2. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls extending from the roof portion and the sidewalls extending from the floor portion overlap in a telescopic manner.
3. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls extending from the roof portion move within the sidewalls extending from the floor portion.
4. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls extending from the floor portion defines a channel between a pair of parallel wall portions in which ink escaping between the sidewalls extending from the roof portion and the sidewalls extending from the floor portion collect.
5. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a rod extending from the floor portion and protruding into the ink ejection port.
6. A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bend actuator comprises a heated cantilever portion and a non-heated cantilever portion.