Printhead integrated circuit with actuators proximate exterior surface
View Patent ↗An inkjet printhead that has an array of droplet ejectors supported on a printhead integrated circuit (IC). Each of the droplet ejectors has a nozzle aperture and an actuator for ejecting a droplet of ink through the nozzle aperture. The actuator in each of the droplet ejectors is configured to generate a pressure pulse in a quantity of ink adjacent the nozzle aperture, the pressure pulse being directed towards the nozzles aperture such that the droplet of ink is ejected through the nozzle aperture. The actuator is positioned in the droplet ejector such that it is less than 30 microns from an exterior surface of the printhead surface layer.
1. An inkjet printhead comprising:
an array of droplet ejectors supported on a printhead integrated circuit (IC), each of the droplet ejectors having a respective nozzle aperture and a thermal bend actuator for ejecting a droplet of ink through the nozzle aperture; wherein
the thermal bend actuator in each of the droplet ejectors is a cantilever beam configured to generate a pressure pulse in a quantity of ink adjacent the respective nozzle aperture, wherein each thermal bend actuator comprises a metal alloy beam having a serpentine configuration.