Inkjet nozzle device with symmetrically constrained bubble formation
An inkjet nozzle device for symmetrically constrained bubble formation includes: a firing chamber having and an end wall, opposite sidewalls and a nozzle aperture defined in a roof thereof; a baffle plate positioned between the sidewalls of the firing chamber, such that a pair of firing chamber entrances are defined between side edges of the baffle plate and the sidewalls; and an elongate heating element bonded to a floor of the firing chamber, the heater element extending longitudinally between the baffle plate and the end wall. The baffle plate is wider than the heater element. Further, a centroid of the heater element coincides with a midpoint between the baffle plate and the end wall.
1. An inkjet nozzle device comprising:
a firing chamber having an end wall, opposite sidewalls and a nozzle aperture defined in a roof thereof;
a baffle plate positioned between the sidewalls of the firing chamber, such that a pair of firing chamber entrances are defined between side edges of the baffle plate and the sidewalls;
an elongate heating element bonded to a floor of the firing chamber, the heater element extending longitudinally between the baffle plate and the end wall,
wherein:
the baffle plate is wider than the heater element;
a centroid of the heater element coincides with a midpoint between the baffle plate and the end wall; and
a surface portion of the baffle plate mirrors an opposite surface portion of the end wall.
2. The inkjet nozzle device of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle aperture is elongate having a longitudinal axis aligned with a longitudinal axis of the heater element.
3. The inkjet nozzle device of claim 2 , wherein the nozzle aperture is elliptical having a major axis aligned with the longitudinal axis of the heater element.
4. The inkjet nozzle device of claim 1 , wherein a centroid of the nozzle aperture is aligned with the centroid of the heater element.
5. The inkjet nozzle device of claim 1 wherein a centroid of the nozzle aperture is offset from the centroid of heater element along the longitudinal axis of the heater element.
6. The inkjet nozzle device of claim 1 , wherein the end wall, the sidewalls and the baffle plate are comprised of a same material.
7. The inkjet nozzle device of claim 6 , wherein the end wall, the sidewalls and the baffle plate are comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of: silicon oxide, silicon nitride and combinations thereof.
8. The inkjet nozzle device of claim 1 , further comprising an antechamber adjacent the firing chamber, the pair of firing chamber entrances receiving ink from the antechamber.
9. The inkjet nozzle device of claim 8 , wherein the firing chamber has a larger volume than the antechamber.
10. The inkjet nozzle device of claim 8 , wherein a perimeter wall encloses the firing chamber and antechamber, the perimeter wall defining the sidewalls and end wall of the firing chamber.
11. The inkjet nozzle device of claim 8 , wherein an ink inlet is defined in a floor of the antechamber.
12. The inkjet nozzle device of claim 1 , wherein the heater element has electrodes staked beneath the baffle plate and end wall respectively.
13. An inkjet printhead comprising a plurality of inkjet nozzle devices according to claim 1 .