Nozzle arrangement with fully static CMOS control logic architecture
View Patent ↗A nozzle arrangement for a pagewidth inkjet printhead assembly. The nozzle arrangement includes a substrate defining an ink supply channel; an ink chamber in fluid communication with the ink supply channel, the ink chamber defining an ink ejection port around which an ink spreading prevention rim is provided; a thermal actuator mechanism arranged in the substrate and configured to eject ink from the chamber via the ejection port, the mechanism having a thermal actuator arm adapted to deflect as a result of relative thermal expansion; and control logic architecture provided on the substrate for controlling the thermal actuator arm. The architecture has a plurality of successive shift registers, a transfer register for receiving data output from a last shift register, and a firing control gate. The firing control gate has an enabling input and a gate data input for receiving an output from the transfer register. The gate operatively drives the thermal actuator according to the enabling and gate data inputs. The shift register and transfer register are provided as fully static CMOS.
1. A nozzle arrangement for a pagewidth inkjet printhead assembly, the nozzle arrangement comprising:
a substrate defining an ink supply channel;
an ink chamber in fluid communication with the ink supply channel, the ink chamber defining an ink ejection port around which an ink spreading prevention rim is provided;
a thermal actuator mechanism arranged in the substrate and configured to eject ink from the chamber via the ejection port, the mechanism having a thermal actuator arm adapted to deflect as a result of relative thermal expansion; and
control logic architecture provided on the substrate for controlling the thermal actuator arm, the architecture having a plurality of successive shift registers, a transfer register for receiving data output from a last shift register, and a firing control gate, the firing control gate having an enabling input and a gate data input for receiving an output from the transfer register, the gate operatively driving the thermal actuator according to the enabling and gate data inputs, wherein
the shift register and transfer register are provided as fully static CMOS.
2. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the thermal actuator mechanism is provided with two layers formed from a conductive material having a high degree of stiffness, the two layers surrounding a central material layer, and the two layers being in thermal balance with the arm in a quiescent state.
3. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the ink spreading prevention rim defines a pit for preventing ink from flowing across a surface of the ink jet printhead and affecting operation of said printhead.
4. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the thermal actuator mechanism includes an end paddle attached to an actuator arm which pivots at a post proximate the ink chamber.
5. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1 , wherein each shift register receives an inverted data input and latches the input under control of shift clocking signals received via suitable clock signal inputs.
6. The nozzle arrangement of claim 5 , wherein the data input is output to each successive shift register by a previous shift register to the transfer register, where the data output is latched by said transfer register under control of transfer enable signals.
7. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the firing control gate is activated under the control of an enable signal input via the enabling input so as to drive a power transistor which allows for resistive heating of the thermal actuator.
8. The nozzle arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the data is latched in the transfer register and a firing phase control signal is utilized to activate the gate for output of a heating pulse to said power transistor.