Method of operating a nozzle chamber having radially positioned actuators
Provided is a method of operating a nozzle chamber. The nozzle chamber has a wafer defining a chamber with an ink ejection port and ink supply channel along with a plurality of radially positioned actuators about the port. Each actuator has an internal serpentine core arranged in signal communication with a CMOS layer on the wafer. The method includes the steps of supplying the chamber with ink via the ink supply channel, and passing current through the serpentine cores for a predetermined period of time. The current produces thermal expansion of the actuators into the chamber to increase a chamber ink pressure to eject ink from the ejection port.
1. A method of operating a nozzle chamber having a floor and a roof, said roof defining an ink ejection port and a plurality of actuators positioned about said ink ejection port, each actuator comprising a heater element arranged in signal communication with a CMOS layer of an underlying substrate, said method comprising the steps of:
supplying the nozzle chamber with ink;
passing current through each of the heater elements for a predetermined period of time to produce thermal expansion of the heater element; and
bending each of the actuators towards the floor of the nozzle chamber, thereby to increase a chamber ink pressure and eject ink from the ejection port.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CMOS layer defines power and drive circuitry for controlling the heater element of each actuator.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said actuators are radially positioned about the ink ejection port in a petal formation.