Abstract:
An electrostatic ink jet printhead having an electrostatic actuator with improved resistance to adverse effects resulting from misalignment of a body layer to a gap standoff layer. In an embodiment, first and second portions of the gap standoff layer each have a first width and first and second sections of the body have each have a second width that is wider than the first width. Even with an amount of misalignment, the first and second sections of the body layer define nodes for an actuator membrane, thereby maintaining an effective width (WE) of the actuator membrane that is equal to a target width (WT) of the actuator membrane.
Abstract:
A printer includes a printhead configured to eject high viscosity material and refill a manifold in the printhead with high viscosity material. The printhead includes a layer having an opening to form a reservoir to hold a volume of a high viscosity material and at least one member positioned within the receptacle formed by the opening in the layer. The at least one member has an electroactive element mounted to the member, and an electrical signal generator is electrically connected to the electroactive element. A controller operates the electrical signal generator to activate selectively the electroactive element with a first electrical signal to move the at least one member and thin the high viscosity material adjacent the at least one member to enable the thinned material to move away from the at least one member.
Abstract:
An electrostatic actuator array including a plurality of recesses within an actuator membrane and a method for forming same. In an embodiment, a width of each recess is wider than a width of each bonding feature of a plurality of bonding features, and each bonding feature extends into one of the recesses. In another embodiment, a width of each recess is narrower than a width of each bonding feature. In each embodiment, adhesive within the recesses bonds the membrane to the bonding feature. The recesses provide a flow path for the adhesive to reduce or prevent adhesive encroachment into an air chamber within which an actuator electrode is located.
Abstract:
An imaging blanket comprises a base comprising an elastic polymer and sulfur. A barrier layer is on the base and a surface layer is on the barrier layer. The surface layer comprises an elastomer and a platinum catalyst.
Abstract:
An apparatus for a lead-free piezoelectric ink-jet printhead is disclosed. Piezoelectric printheads, while more expensive are favored because they use a wider variety of inks. The piezoelectric printhead includes a diaphragm, a plurality of piezoelectric actuators comprising a lead-free piezoelectric material, at least one nozzle, at least one ink chamber, a top electrode, and a drive circuit. The deflection of the diaphragm on the body chamber contributes to a pressure pulse that is used to eject a drop of liquid from the nozzle. According to an exemplary embodiment, a lead-free piezoelectric printhead operated at smaller thicknesses and significantly higher electric fields is disclosed, along with methods of making such printheads.
Abstract:
An apparatus for a lead-free piezoelectric ink-jet printhead is disclosed. Piezoelectric printheads, while more expensive are favored because they use a wider variety of inks. The piezoelectric printhead includes a diaphragm, a plurality of piezoelectric actuators comprising a lead-free piezoelectric material, at least one nozzle, at least one ink chamber, a top electrode, and a drive circuit. The deflection of the diaphragm on the body chamber contributes to a pressure pulse that is used to eject a drop of liquid from the nozzle. According to an exemplary embodiment, a lead-free piezoelectric printhead operated at smaller thicknesses and significantly higher electric fields is disclosed, along with methods of making such printheads.
Abstract:
An apparatus includes a heater for converting a filament of extrusion material into thermoplastic material. The heater has a channel configured to change the cross-sectional shape of the filament to a cross-sectional shape that has a greater surface area than the surface area of the filament before the heater receives the filament. The channel of the heater can also be configured to drive the center portion of the filament toward the heated walls of the channel and to mix thermoplastic material in the channel while exposing the center portion of the filament to the heated wall of the channel.
Abstract:
A method for forming piezoelectric transducers for inkjet printheads includes: forming at least one piezoelectric layer on a substrate; forming at least one electrode pattern by depositing a conductive material on an exposed surface of the at least one piezoelectric layer; and forming a plurality of individual piezoelectric elements from the at least one piezoelectric layer before or after the forming of the at least one electrode pattern.
Abstract:
An ink jet printhead includes a nozzle plate including a nozzle, a recess in the nozzle plate, and a compliant layer that covers the recess and forms a sealed pocket that may be filled with air or another gas during use of the printhead. During actuation of a piezoelectric element during the ejection of ink from the nozzle, the sealed pocket attenuates an acoustic energy generated by the piezoelectric element, thereby reducing crosstalk to adjacent nozzles by the acoustic energy.
Abstract:
The printhead can include a nonwebbed diaphragm layer, an aperture plate layer, and a first webbed layer and a second webbed layer interposed between the diaphragm layer and the aperture plate layer. The nonwebbed diaphragm layer can be configured to deflect and eject ink from the print head during printing. The aperture plate layer can include a plurality of nozzles from which ink is ejected during printing. Each of the first and second webbed layers can include a first surface having a first surface area and comprising a plurality of first openings, a second surface opposing the first surface and comprising a plurality of second openings, and a web comprising a portion of the first surface, a portion of the second surface and a plurality of holes extending between the plurality of first and second openings. The printhead can be formed, in part, of alternating webbed and adjacent nonwebbed layers.