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| United States Patent Application |
20050180741
|
| Kind Code
|
A1
|
|
Silverbrook, Kia
|
August 18, 2005
|
Disposable camera with destructive casing
Abstract
A digital camera has a chassis housing an image sensor device for sensing
an image, a processor for processing the sensed image, a print head for
printing the sensed image, an ink supply arrangement for supplying ink to
the print head and a supply of print media onto which the sensed image is
printed. A casing surrounds the chassis so that the supply of print media
is unable to be accessed without destruction of the casing.
| Inventors: |
Silverbrook, Kia; (Balmain, AU)
|
| Correspondence Name and Address:
|
SILVERBROOK RESEARCH PTY LTD
393 DARLING STREET
BALMAIN
2041
AU
|
| Assignee Name and Adress: |
Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
|
| Serial No.:
|
102845 |
| Series Code:
|
11
|
| Filed:
|
April 11, 2005 |
| U.S. Current Class: |
396/429 |
| U.S. Class at Publication: |
396/429 |
| Intern'l Class: |
G03B 029/00 |
Foreign Application Data
| Date | Code | Application Number |
|---|
| Jul 15, 1997 | AU | PQ7991 |
| Dec 12, 1997 | AU | PP0871 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A camera comprising: a chassis carrying:--an image sensor device for
sensing an image; a processing means for processing said sensed image; a
print head for printing said sensed image; an ink supply means for
supplying ink to the print head; a supply of print media on to which said
sensed image is printed; and a casing surrounding and encasing said
chassis so that the supply of print media is unable to be accessed
without destruction of the casing.
2. The camera of claim 1 in which the casing comprises two shells, the
shells being bonded together during one of a manufacturing process and a
recycling process.
3. The camera of claim 1 in which the casing is recyclable.
4. The camera of claim 1 in which the supply of print media is carried via
a holder on the chassis and the holder is releasably supported on the
chassis to facilitate its removal from the chassis to be replaced by a
new supply of print media upon recycling of the camera.
5. The camera of claim 4 in which the ink supply means is refilled and a
power supply means of the camera is replaced at the same time as the
supply of print media is replaced during said recycling of the camera.
6. The camera of claim 5 in which the power supply means is accommodated
within the supply of print media.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 09/662,668 filed Sep. 15, 2000, which is a divisional of U.S.
application Ser. No. 09/113,086 filed Jul. 10, 1998, the entire contents
of which are herein incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates substantially to the concept of a
disposable camera having instant printing capabilities and in particular,
discloses a method integrating the electronic components of a camera
system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Recently, the concept of a "single use" disposable camera has
become an increasingly popular consumer item. Disposable camera systems
presently on the market normally include an internal film roll and a
simplified gearing mechanism for traversing the film roll across an
imaging system including a shutter and lensing system. The user, after
utilizing a single film roll returns the camera system to a film
development center for processing. The film roll is taken out of the
camera system and processed and the prints returned to the user. The
camera system is then able to be re-manufactured through the insertion of
a new film roll into the camera system, the replacement of any worn or
wearable parts and the re-packaging of the camera system in accordance
with requirements. In this way, the concept of a single use "disposable"
camera is provided to the consumer.
[0004] Recently, a camera system has been proposed by the present
applicant which provides for a handheld camera device having an internal
print head, image sensor and processing means such that images sense by
the image sensing means, are processed by the processing means and
adapted to be instantly printed out by the printing means on demand. The
proposed camera system further discloses a system of internal "print
rolls" carrying print media such as film on to which images are to be
printed in addition to ink for supplying to the printing means for the
printing process. The print roll is further disclosed to be detachable
and replaceable within the camera system.
[0005] Unfortunately, such a system is likely to only be constructed at a
substantial cost and it would be desirable to provide for a more
inexpensive form of instant camera system which maintains a substantial
number of the quality aspects of the aforementioned arrangement.
[0006] It would be further advantageous to provide for the effective
interconnection of the sub components of a camera system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] According to the invention there is provided a recyclable, one-time
use, print on demand, digital camera comprising:
[0008] a chassis carrying:--
[0009] an image sensor device for sensing an image;
[0010] a processing means for processing said sensed image;
[0011] a pagewidth print head for printing said sensed image;
[0012] an ink supply means for supplying ink to the print head;
[0013] a supply of print media on to which said sensed image is printed;
and
[0014] a casing surrounding and encasing said chassis so that the supply
of print media is unable to be accessed without destruction of the
casing.
[0015] The casing may comprise two shells, the shells being bonded
together during one of a manufacturing process and a recycling process.
In addition to the shells being bonded together, they may also be clipped
together.
[0016] The shells of the casing may be of a synthetic plastics material so
that the casing is recyclable.
[0017] The supply of print media may be carried via a holder on the
chassis and the holder may be releasably supported on the chassis to
facilitate its removal from the chassis to be replaced by a new supply of
print media upon recycling of the camera.
[0018] The ink supply means may be refilled and a power supply means of
the camera may be replaced at the same time as the supply of print media
is replaced during said recycling of the camera.
[0019] The power supply means may be accommodated within the supply of
print media.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of
the present invention, preferred forms of the invention will now be
described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which:
[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates a front perspective view of the assembled camera
of the preferred embodiment;
[0022] FIG. 2 illustrates a rear perspective view, partly exploded, of the
preferred embodiment;
[0023] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the chassis of the preferred
embodiment;
[0024] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the chassis illustrating mounting
of electric motors;
[0025] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the ink supply mechanism
of the preferred embodiment;
[0026] FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the assembled form of the ink
supply mechanism of the preferred embodiment;
[0027] FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the assembled form of the ink
supply mechanism of the preferred embodiment;
[0028] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the platten unit of the
preferred embodiment;
[0029] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the assembled form of the platten
unit;
[0030] FIG. 10 is also a perspective view of the assembled form of the
platten unit;
[0031] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the printhead recapping
mechanism of the preferred embodiment;
[0032] FIG. 12 is a close up, exploded perspective view of the recapping
mechanism of the preferred embodiment;
[0033] FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the ink supply cartridge
of the preferred embodiment;
[0034] FIG. 14 is a close up, perspective view, partly in section, of the
internal portions of the ink supply cartridge in an assembled form;
[0035] FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram of one form of chip layer of
the image capture and processing chip of the preferred embodiment;
[0036] FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the assembly
process of the preferred embodiment;
[0037] FIG. 17 illustrates a front exploded perspective view of the
assembly process of the preferred embodiment;
[0038] FIG. 18 illustrates a perspective view of the assembly process of
the preferred embodiment;
[0039] FIG. 19 illustrates a perspective view of the assembly process of
the preferred embodiment;
[0040] FIG. 20 is a perspective view illustrating the insertion of the
platten unit in the preferred embodiment;
[0041] FIG. 21 illustrates the interconnection of the electrical
components of the preferred embodiment;
[0042] FIG. 22 illustrates the process of assembling the preferred
embodiment; and
[0043] FIG. 23 is a perspective view further illustrating the assembly
process of the preferred embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED AND OTHER EMBODIMENTS
[0044] Turning initially simultaneously to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 there are
illustrated perspective views of an assembled camera constructed in
accordance with the preferred embodiment with FIG. 1 showing a front
perspective view and FIG. 2 showing a rear perspective view. The camera 1
includes a paper or plastic film jacket 2 which can include simplified
instructions 3 for the operation of the camera system 1. The camera
system 1 includes a first "take" button 4 which is depressed to capture
an image. The captured image is output via output slot 6. A further copy
of the image can be obtained through depressing a second "printer copy"
button 7 whilst an LED light 5 is illuminated. The camera system also
provides the usual viewfinder 8 in addition to a CCD image
capture/lensing system 9.
[0045] The camera system 1 provides for a standard number of output prints
after which the camera system 1 ceases to function. A prints left
indicator slot 10 is provided to indicate the number of remaining prints.
A refund scheme at the point of purchase is assumed to be operational for
the return of used camera systems for recycling.
[0046] Turning now to FIG. 3, the assembly of the camera system is based
around an internal chassis 12 which can be a plastic injection molded
part. A pair of paper pinch rollers 28, 29 utilized for de-curling are
snap fitted into corresponding frame holes eg. 26, 27.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 4, the chassis 12 includes a series of mutually
opposed prongs e.g. 13, 14 into which is snapped fitted a series of
electric motors 16, 17. The electric motors 16, 17 can be entirely
standard with the motor 16 being of a stepper motor type. The motors
16,17 include cogs 19, 20 for driving a series of gear wheels. A first
set of gear wheels is provided for controlling a paper cutter mechanism
and a second set is provided for controlling print roll movement.
[0048] Turning next to FIGS. 5 to 7, there is illustrated an ink supply
mechanism 40 utilized in the camera system. FIG. 5 illustrates a rear
exploded perspective view, FIG. 6 illustrates a rear assembled
perspective view and FIG. 7 illustrates a front assembled view. The ink
supply mechanism 40 is based around an ink supply cartridge 42 which
contains printer ink and a print head mechanism for printing out pictures
on demand. The ink supply cartridge 42 includes a side aluminum strip 43
which is provided as a shear strip to assist in cutting images from a
paper roll.
[0049] A dial mechanism 44 is provided for indicating the number of
"prints left". The dial mechanism 44 is snap fitted through a
corresponding mating portion 46 so as to be freely rotatable.
[0050] As shown in FIG. 6, the mechanism 40 includes a flexible PCB strip
47 which interconnects with the print head and provides for control of
the print head. The interconnection between the Flex PCB strip and an
image sensor and print head chip can be via Tape Automated Bonding (TAB)
strips 51, 58. A molded aspherical lens and aperture shim 50 (FIG. 5) is
also provided for imaging an image onto the surface of the image sensor
chip normally located within cavity 53 and a light box module or hood 52
is provided for snap fitting over the cavity 53 so as to provide for
proper light control. A series of decoupling capacitors e.g. 34 can also
be provided. Further a plug 45 (FIG. 7) is provided for re-plugging ink
holes after refilling. A series of guide prongs e.g. 55-57 are further
provided for guiding the flexible PCB strip 47.
[0051] The ink supply mechanism 40 interacts with a platten unit 60 which
guides print media under a printhead located in the ink supply mechanism.
FIG. 8 shows an exploded view of the platten unit 60, while FIGS. 9 and
10 show assembled views of the platten unit. The platten unit 60 includes
a first pinch roller 61 which is snap fitted to one side of a platten
base 62. Attached to a second side of the platten base 62 is a cutting
mechanism 63 which traverses the platen unit 60 by means of a rod 64
having a screw thread which is rotated by means of cogged wheel 65 which
is also fitted to the platten base 62. The screw threaded rod 64 mounts a
block 67 which includes a cutting wheel 68 fastened via a fastener 69.
Also mounted to the block 67 is a counter actuator which includes a pawl.
The pawl 71 acts to rotate the dial mechanism 44 of FIG. 6 upon the
return traversal of the cutting wheel. As shown previously in FIG. 6, the
dial mechanism 44 includes a cogged surface which interacts with pawl 71
thereby maintaining a count of the number of photographs by means of
numbers embossed on the surface of dial mechanism 44. The cutting
mechanism 63 is inserted into the platten base 62 by means of a snap fit
via clips e.g. 74.
[0052] The platen unit 60 includes an internal recapping mechanism 80 for
recapping the printhead when not in use. The recapping mechanism 80
includes a sponge portion 81 and is operated via a solenoid coil so as to
provide for recapping of the print head. In the preferred embodiment,
there is provided an inexpensive form of printhead re-capping mechanism
provided for incorporation into a handheld camera system so as to provide
for printhead re-capping of an inkjet printhead.
[0053] FIG. 11 illustrates an exploded view of the recapping mechanism
whilst FIG. 12 illustrates a close up of the end portion thereof. The
re-capping mechanism 80 is structured around a solenoid including a 16
turn coil 75 which can comprise insulated wire. The coil 75 is turned
around a first stationery solenoid arm 76 which is mounted on a bottom
surface of the platen base 62 (FIG. 8) and includes a post portion 77 to
magnify effectiveness of operation. The arm 76 can comprise a ferrous
material.
[0054] A second moveable arm 78 of the solenoid actuator is also provided.
The arm 78 is moveable and is also made of ferrous material. Mounted on
the arm is a sponge portion surrounded by an elastomer strip 79. The
elastomer strip 79 is of a generally arcuate cross-section and acts as a
leaf spring against the surface of the printhead ink supply cartridge 42
(FIG. 5) so as to provide for a seal against the surface of the printhead
ink supply cartridge 42. In the quiescent position an elastomer spring
unit 87, 88 acts to resiliently deform the elastomer seal 79 against the
surface of the ink supply unit 42.
[0055] When it is desired to operate the printhead unit, upon the
insertion of paper, the solenoid coil 75 is activated so as to cause the
arm 78 to move down to be adjacent to the end plate 76. The arm 78 is
held against end plate 76 while the printhead is printing by means of a
small "keeper current" in coil 75. Simulation results indicate that the
keeper current can be significantly less than the actuation current.
Subsequently, after photo printing, the paper is guillotined by the
cutting mechanism 63 of FIG. 8 acting against aluminum strip 43, and
rewound so as to clear the area of the re-capping mechanism 80.
Subsequently, the current is turned off and springs 87, 88 return the arm
78 so that the elastomer seal is again resting against the printhead ink
supply cartridge.
[0056] It can be seen that the preferred embodiment provides for a simple
and inexpensive means of re-capping a printhead through the utilization
of a solenoid type device having a long rectangular form. Further, the
preferred embodiment utilizes minimal power in that currents are only
required whilst the device is operational and additionally, only a low
keeper current is required whilst the printhead is printing.
[0057] Turning next to FIGS. 13 and 14, FIG. 13 illustrates an exploded
perspective of the ink supply cartridge 42 whilst FIG. 14 illustrates a
close up sectional view of a bottom of the ink supply cartridge with the
printhead unit in place. The ink supply cartridge 42 is based around a
pagewidth printhead 102 which comprises a long slither of silicon having
a series of holes etched on the back surface for the supply of ink to a
front surface of the silicon wafer for subsequent ejection via a micro
electromechanical system. The form of ejection can be many different
forms such as those set out in the tables below.
[0058] Of course, many other inkjet technologies, as referred to the
attached tables below, can also be utilized when constructing a printhead
unit 102. The fundamental requirement of the ink supply cartridge 42 is
the supply of ink to a series of color channels etched through the back
surface of the printhead 102. In the description of the preferred
embodiment, it is assumed that a three color printing process is to be
utilized so as to provide full color picture output. Hence, the print
supply unit includes three ink supply reservoirs being a cyan reservoir
104, a magenta reservoir 105 and a yellow reservoir 106. Each of these
reservoirs is required to store ink and includes a corresponding sponge
type material 107-109 which assists in stabilizing ink within the
corresponding ink channel and inhibiting the ink from sloshing back and
forth when the printhead is utilized in a handheld camera system. The
reservoirs 104, 105, 106 are formed through the mating of first exterior
plastic piece 110 and a second base piece 111.
[0059] At a first end 118 of the base piece 111 a series of air inlet
113-115 are provided. Each air inlet leads to a corresponding winding
channel which is hydrophobically treated so as to act as an ink repellent
and therefore repel any ink that may flow along the air inlet channel.
The air inlet channel further takes a convoluted path assisting in
resisting any ink flow out of the chambers 104-106. An adhesive tape
portion 117 is provided for sealing the channels within end portion 118.
[0060] At the top end, there is included a series of refill holes (not
shown) for refilling corresponding ink supply chambers 104, 105, 106. A
plug 121 is provided for sealing the refill holes.
[0061] Turning now to FIG. 14, there is illustrated a close up perspective
view, partly in section through the ink supply cartridge 42 of FIG. 13
when formed as a unit. The ink supply cartridge includes the three color
ink reservoirs 104, 105, 106 which supply ink to different portions of
the back surface of printhead 102 which includes a series of apertures
128 defined therein for carriage of the ink to the front surface.
[0062] The ink supply cartridge 42 includes two guide walls 124, 125 which
separate the various ink chambers and are tapered into an end portion
abutting the surface of the printhead 102. The guide walls 124, 125 are
further mechanically supported by block portions e.g. 126 which are
placed at regular intervals along the length of the ink supply unit. The
block portions 126 have space at portions close to the back of printhead
102 for the flow of ink around the back surface thereof.
[0063] The ink supply unit is preferably formed from a multi-part plastic
injection mold and the mold pieces e.g. 110, 111 (FIG. 13) snap together
around the sponge pieces 107, 109. Subsequently, a syringe type device
can be inserted in the ink refill holes and the ink reservoirs filled
with ink with the air flowing out of the air outlets 113-115.
Subsequently, the adhesive tape portion 117 and plug 121 are attached and
the printhead tested for operation capabilities. Subsequently, the ink
supply cartridge 42 can be readily removed for refilling by means of
removing the ink supply cartridge, performing a washing cycle, and then
utilizing the holes for the insertion of a refill syringe filled with ink
for refilling the ink chamber before returning the ink supply cartridge
42 to a camera.
[0064] Turning now to FIG. 15, there is shown an example layout of the
Image Capture and Processing Chip (ICP) 48.
[0065] The Image Capture and Processing Chip 48 provides most of the
electronic functionality of the camera with the exception of the print
head chip. The chip 48 is a highly integrated system. It combines CMOS
image sensing, analog to digital conversion, digital image processing,
DRAM storage, ROM, and miscellaneous control functions in a single chip.
[0066] The chip is estimated to be around 32 mm.sup.2 using a leading edge
0.18 micron CMOS/DRAM/APS process. The chip size and cost can scale
somewhat with Moore's law, but is dominated by a CMOS active pixel sensor
array 201, so scaling is limited as the sensor pixels approach the
diffraction limit.
[0067] The ICP 48 includes CMOS logic, a CMOS image sensor, DRAM, and
analog circuitry. A very small amount of flash memory or other
non-volatile memory is also preferably included for protection against
reverse engineering.
[0068] Alternatively, the ICP can readily be divided into two chips: one
for the CMOS imaging array, and the other for the remaining circuitry.
The cost of this two chip solution should not be significantly different
than the single chip ICP, as the extra cost of packaging and bond-pad
area is somewhat cancelled by the reduced total wafer area requiring the
color filter fabrication steps.
[0069] The ICP preferably contains the following functions:
1
Function
1.5 megapixel image sensor
Analog Signal Processors
Image sensor column decoders
Image sensor row decoders
Analogue to Digital Conversion (ADC)
Column ADC's
Auto exposure
12 Mbits of DRAM
DRAM Address Generator
Color interpolator
Convolver
Color ALU
Halftone matrix ROM
Digital halftoning
Print head interface
8 bit CPU core
Program ROM
Flash memory
Scratchpad SRAM
Parallel interface (8 bit)
Motor drive transistors (5)
Clock PLL
JTAG test
interface
Test circuits
Busses
Bond pads
[0070] The CPU, DRAM, Image sensor, ROM, Flash memory, Parallel interface,
JTAG interface and ADC can be vendor supplied cores. The ICP is intended
to run on 1.5V to minimize power consumption and allow convenient
operation from two AA type battery cells.
[0071] FIG. 15 illustrates a layout of the ICP 48. The ICP 48 is dominated
by the imaging array 201, which consumes around 80% of the chip area. The
imaging array is a CMOS 4 transistor active pixel design with a
resolution of 1,500.times.1,000. The array can be divided into the
conventional configuration, with two green pixels, one red pixel, and one
blue pixel in each pixel group. There are 750.times.500 pixel groups in
the imaging array.
[0072] The latest advances in the field of image sensing and CMOS image
sensing in particular can be found in the October, 1997 issue of IEEE
Transactions on Electron Devices and, in particular, pages 1689 to 1968.
Further, a specific implementation similar to that disclosed in the
present application is disclosed in Wong et al., "CMOS Active Pixel Image
Sensors Fabricated Using a 1.8V, 0.25 .mu.m CMOS Technology", IEDM 1996,
page 915.
[0073] The imaging array uses a 4 transistor active pixel design of a
standard configuration. To minimize chip area and therefore cost, the
image sensor pixels should be as small as feasible with the technology
available. With a four transistor cell, the typical pixel size scales as
20 times the lithographic feature size. This allows a minimum pixel area
of around 3.6 .mu.m.times.3.6 .mu.m. However, the photosite must be
substantially above the diffraction limit of the lens. It is also
advantageous to have a square photosite, to maximize the margin over the
diffraction limit in both horizontal and vertical directions. In this
case, the photosite can be specified as 2.5 .mu.m.times.2.5 .mu.m. The
photosite can be a photogate, pinned photodiode, charge modulation
device, or other sensor.
[0074] The four transistors are packed as an `L` shape, rather than a
rectangular region, to allow both the pixel and the photosite to be
square. This reduces the transistor packing density slightly, increasing
pixel size. However, the advantage in avoiding the diffraction limit is
greater than the small decrease in packing density.
[0075] The transistors also have a gate length which is longer than the
minimum for the process technology. These have been increased from a
drawn length of 0.18 micron to a drawn length of 0.36 micron. This is to
improve the transistor matching by making the variations in gate length
represent a smaller proportion of the total gate length.
[0076] The extra gate length, and the `L` shaped packing, mean that the
transistors use more area than the minimum for the technology. Normally,
around 8 .mu.m.sup.2 would be required for rectangular packing.
Preferably, 9.75 .mu.m.sup.2 has been allowed for the transistors.
[0077] The total area for each pixel is 16 .mu.m.sup.2, resulting from a
pixel size of 4 .mu.m.times.4 .mu.m. With a resolution of
1,500.times.1,000, the area of the imaging array 101 is 6,000
.mu.m.times.4,000 .mu.m, or 24 mm.sup.2.
[0078] The presence of a color image sensor on the chip affects the
process required in two major ways:
[0079] The CMOS fabrication process should be optimised to minimize dark
current
[0080] Color filters are required. These can be fabricated using dyed
photosensitive polyimides, resulting in an added process complexity of
three spin coatings, three photolithographic steps, three development
steps, and three hardbakes.
[0081] There are 15,000 analog signal processors (ASPs) 205, one for each
of the columns of the sensor. The ASPs amplify the signal, provide a dark
current reference, sample and hold the signal, and suppress the fixed
pattern noise (FPN).
[0082] There are 375 analog to digital converters 206, one for each four
columns of the sensor array. These may be delta-sigma or successive
approximation type ADC's. A row of low column ADC's are used to reduce
the conversion speed required, and the amount of analog signal
degradation incurred before the signal is converted to digital. This also
eliminates the hot spot (affecting local dark current) and the substrate
coupled noise that would occur if a single high speed ADC was used. Each
ADC also has two four bit DAC's which trim the offset and scale of the
ADC to further reduce FPN variations between columns. These DAC's are
controlled by data stored in flash memory during chip testing.
[0083] The column select logic 204 is a 1:1500 decoder which enables the
appropriate digital output of the ADCs onto the output bus. As each ADC
is shared by four columns, the least significant two bits of the row
select control 4 input analog multiplexors.
[0084] A row decoder 207 is a 1:1000 decoder which enables the appropriate
row of the active pixel sensor array. This selects which of the 1000 rows
of the imaging array is connected to analog signal processors. As the
rows are always accessed in sequence, the row select logic can be
implemented as a shift register.
[0085] An auto exposure system 208 adjusts the reference voltage of the
ADC 205 in response to the maximum intensity sensed during the previous
frame period. Data from the green pixels is passed through a digital peak
detector. The peak value of the image frame period before capture (the
reference frame) is provided to a digital to analogue converter (DAC),
which generates the global reference voltage for the column ADCs. The
peak detector is reset at the beginning of the reference frame. The
minimum and maximum values of the three RGB color components are also
collected for color correction.
[0086] The second largest section of the chip is consumed by a DRAM 210
used to hold the image. To store the 1,500.times.1,000 image from the
sensor without compression, 1.5 Mbytes of DRAM 210 are required. This
equals 12 Mbits, or slightly less than 5% of a 256 Mbit DRAM. The DRAM
technology assumed is of the 256 Mbit generation implemented using 0.18
.mu.m CMOS.
[0087] Using a standard 8F cell, the area taken by the memory array is
3.11 mm.sup.2. When row decoders, column sensors, redundancy, and other
factors are taken into account, the DRAM requires around 4 mm.sup.2.
[0088] This DRAM 210 can be mostly eliminated if analog storage of the
image signal can be accurately maintained in the CMOS imaging array for
the two seconds required to print the photo. However, digital storage of
the image is preferable as it is maintained without degradation, is
insensitive to noise, and allows copies of the photo to be printed
considerably later.
[0089] A DRAM address generator 211 provides the write and read addresses
to the DRAM 210. Under normal operation, the write address is determined
by the order of the data read from the CMOS image sensor 201. This will
typically be a simple raster format. However, the data can be read from
the sensor 201 in any order, if matching write addresses to the DRAM are
generated. The read order from the DRAM 210 will normally simply match
the requirements of a color interpolator and the print head. As the cyan,
magenta, and yellow rows of the print head are necessarily offset by a
few pixels to allow space for nozzle actuators, the colors are not read
from the DRAM simultaneously. However, there is plenty of time to read
all of the data from the DRAM many times during the printing process.
This capability is used to eliminate the need for FIFOs in the print head
interface, thereby saving chip area. All three RGB image components can
be read from the DRAM each time color data is required. This allows a
color space converter to provide a more sophisticated conversion than a
simple linear RGB to CMY conversion.
[0090] Also, to allow two dimensional filtering of the image data without
requiring line buffers, data is re-read from the DRAM array.
[0091] The address generator may also implement image effects in certain
models of camera. For example, passport photos are generated by a
manipulation of the read addresses to the DRAM. Also, image framing
effects (where the central image is reduced), image warps, and
kaleidoscopic effects can all be generated by manipulating the read
addresses of the DRAM.
[0092] While the address generator 211 may be implemented with substantial
complexity if effects are built into the standard chip, the chip area
required for the address generator is small, as it consists only of
address counters and a moderate amount of random logic.
[0093] A color interpolator 214 converts the interleaved pattern of red,
2.times.green, and blue pixels into RGB pixels. It consists of three 8
bit adders and associated registers. The divisions are by either 2 (for
green) or 4 (for red and blue) so they can be implemented as fixed shifts
in the output connections of the adders.
[0094] A convolver 215 is provided as a sharpening filter which applies a
small convolution kernel (5.times.5) to the red, green, and blue planes
of the image. The convolution kernel for the green plane is different
from that of the red and blue planes, as green has twice as many samples.
The sharpening filter has five functions:
[0095] to improve the color interpolation from the linear interpolation
provided by the color interpolator, to a close approximation of a sinc
interpolation;
[0096] to compensate for the image `softening` which occurs during
digitisation;
[0097] to adjust the image sharpness to match average consumer
preferences, which are typically for the image to be slightly sharper
than reality. As the single use camera is intended as a consumer product,
and not a professional photographic products, the processing can match
the most popular settings, rather than the most accurate;
[0098] to suppress the sharpening of high frequency (individual pixel)
noise. The function is similar to the `unsharp mask` process; and
[0099] to antialias Image Warping.
[0100] These functions are all combined into a single convolution matrix.
As the pixel rate is low (less than 1 Mpixel per second) the total number
of multiplies required for the three color channels is 56 million
multiplies per second. This can be provided by a single multiplier. Fifty
bytes of coefficient ROM are also required.
[0101] A color ALU 113 combines the functions of color compensation and
color space conversion into the one matrix multiplication, which is
applied to every pixel of the frame. As with sharpening, the color
correction should match the most popular settings, rather than the most
accurate.
[0102] A color compensation circuit of the color ALU provides compensation
for the lighting of the photo. The vast majority of photographs are
substantially improved by a simple color compensation, which
independently normalizes the contrast and brightness of the three color
components.
[0103] A color look-up table (CLUT) 212 is provided for each color
component. These are three separate 256.times.8 SRAMs, requiring a total
of 6,144 bits. The CLUTs are used as part of the color correction
process. They are also used for color special effects, such as
stochastically selected "wild color" effects.
[0104] A color space conversion system of the color ALU converts from the
RGB color space of the image sensor to the CMY color space of the
printer. The simplest conversion is a 1's complement of the RGB data.
However, this simple conversion assumes perfect linearity of both color
spaces, and perfect dye spectra for both the color filters of the image
sensor, and the ink dyes. At the other extreme is a tri-linear
interpolation of a sampled three dimensional arbitrary transform table.
This can effectively match any non-linearity or differences in either
color space. Such a system is usually necessary to obtain good color
space conversion when the print engine is a color electrophotographic.
[0105] However, since the non-linearity of a halftoned ink jet output is
very small, a simpler system can be used. A simple matrix multiply can
provide excellent results. This requires nine multiplies and six
additions per contone pixel. However, since the contone pixel rate is low
(less than 1 Mpixel/sec) these operations can share a single multiplier
and adder. The multiplier and adder are used in a color ALU which is
shared with the color compensation function.
[0106] Digital halftoning can be performed as a dispersed dot ordered
dither using a stochastic optimized dither cell. A halftone matrix ROM
216 is provided for storing dither cell coefficients. A dither cell size
of 32.times.32 is adequate to ensure that the cell repeat cycle is not
visible. The three colors--cyan, magenta, and yellow--are all dithered
using the same cell, to ensure maximum co-positioning of the ink dots.
This minimizes `muddying` of the mid-tones which results from bleed of
dyes from one dot to adjacent dots while still wet. The total ROM size
required is 1 KByte, as the one ROM is shared by the halftoning units for
each of the three colors.
[0107] The digital halftoning used is dispersed dot ordered dither with
stochastic optimized dither matrix. While dithering does not produce an
image quite as `sharp` as error diffusion, it does produce a more
accurate image with fewer artifacts. The image sharpening produced by
error diffusion is artificial, and less controllable and accurate than
`unsharp mask` filtering performed in the contone domain. The high print
resolution (1,600 dpi.times.1,600 dpi) results in excellent quality when
using a well formed stochastic dither matrix.
[0108] Digital halftoning is performed by a digital halftoning unit 217
using a simple comparison between the contone information from the DRAM
210 and the contents of the dither matrix 216. During the halftone
process, the resolution of the image is changed from the 250 dpi of the
captured contone image to the 1,600 dpi of the printed image. Each
contone pixel is converted to an average of 40.96 halftone dots.
[0109] The ICP incorporates a 16 bit microcontroller CPU core 219 to run
the miscellaneous camera functions, such as reading the buttons,
controlling the motor and solenoids, setting up the hardware, and
authenticating the refill station. The processing power required by the
CPU is very modest, and a wide variety of processor cores can be used. As
the entire CPU program is run from a small ROM 220 program compatibility
between camera versions is not important, as no external programs are
run. A 2 Mbit (256 Kbyte) program and data ROM 220 is included on chip.
Most of this ROM space is allocated to data for outline graphics and
fonts for specialty cameras. The program requirements are minor. The
single most complex task is the encrypted authentication of the refill
station. The ROM requires a single transistor per bit.
[0110] A Flash memory 221 may be used to store a 128 bit authentication
code. This provides higher security than storage of the authentication
code in ROM, as reverse engineering can be made essentially impossible.
The Flash memory is completely covered by third level metal, making the
data impossible to extract using scanning probe microscopes or electron
beams. The authentication code is stored in the chip when manufactured.
At least two other Flash bits are required for the authentication
process: a bit which locks out reprogramming of the authentication code,
and a bit which indicates that the camera has been refilled by an
authenticated refill station. The flash memory can also be used to store
FPN correction data for the imaging array. Additionally, a phase locked
loop rescaling parameter is stored for scaling the clocking cycle to an
appropriate correct time. The clock frequency does not require crystal
accuracy since no date functions are provided. To eliminate the cost of a
crystal, an on chip oscillator with a phase locked loop 224 is used. As
the frequency of an on-chip oscillator is highly variable from chip to
chip, the frequency ratio of the oscillator to the PLL is digitally
trimmed during initial testing. The value is stored in Flash memory 221.
This allows the clock PLL to control the ink-jet heater pulse width with
sufficient accuracy.
[0111] A scratchpad SRAM is a small static RAM 222 with a 6T cell. The
scratchpad provided temporary memory for the 16 bit CPU. 1024 bytes is
adequate.
[0112] A print head interface 223 formats the data correctly for the print
head. The print head interface also provides all of the timing signals
required by the print head. These timing signals may vary depending upon
temperature, the number of dots printed simultaneously, the print medium
in the print roll, and the dye density of the ink in the print roll.
[0113] The following is a table of external connections to the print head
interface:
2
Connection Function Pins
DataBits[0-7] Independent serial data to the eight 8
segments of
the printhead
BitClock Main data clock for the print head 1
ColorEnable[0-2] Independent enable signals for the 3
CMY
actuators, allowing different
pulse times for each color.
BankEnable[0-1] Allows either simultaneous or 2
interleaved
actuation of two banks
of nozzles. This allows two different
print speed/power consumption tradeoffs
NozzleSelect[0-4]
Selects one of 32 banks of nozzles 5
for simultaneous actuation
ParallelXferClock Loads the parallel transfer register 1
with the data from the shift registers
Total 20
[0114] The printhead utilized is composed of eight identical segments,
each 1.25 cm long. There is no connection between the segments on the
print head chip. Any connections required are made in the external TAB
bonding film, which is double sided. The division into eight identical
segments is to simplify lithography using wafer steppers. The segment
width of 1.25 cm fits easily into a stepper field. As the printhead chip
is long and narrow (10 cm.times.0.3 mm), the stepper field contains a
single segment of 32 print head chips. The stepper field is therefore
1.25 cm.times.1.6 cm. An average of four complete print heads are
patterned in each wafer step.
[0115] A single BitClock output line connects to all 8 segments on the
printhead. The 8 DataBits lines lead one to each segment, and are clocked
into the 8 segments on the print head simultaneously (on a BitClock
pulse). For example, dot 0 is transferred to segments, dot 750 is
transferred to segment.sub.1, dot 1500 to segment.sub.2 etc
simultaneously.
[0116] The ParalleLXferClock is connected to each of the 8 segments on the
printhead, so that on a single pulse, all segments transfer their bits at
the same time.
[0117] The NozzleSelect, BankEnable and ColorEnable lines are connected to
each of the 8 segments, allowing the print head interface to
independently control the duration of the cyan, magenta, and yellow
nozzle energizing pulses. Registers in the Print Head Interface allow the
accurate specification of the pulse duration between 0 and 6 ms, with a
typical duration of 2 ms to 3 ms.
[0118] A parallel interface 125 connects the ICP to individual static
electrical signals. The CPU is able to control each of these connections
as memory mapped I/O via a low speed bus.
[0119] The following is a table of connections to the parallel interface:
3
Connection Direction Pins
Paper
transport stepper motor Output 4
Capping solenoid Output 1
Copy LED Output 1
Photo button Input 1
Copy button Input
1
Total 8
[0120] Seven high current drive transistors e.g. 227 are required. Four
are for the four phases of the main stepper motor two are for the
guillotine motor, and the remaining transistor is to drive the capping
solenoid. These transistors are allocated 20,000 square microns (600,000
F) each. As the transistors are driving highly inductive loads, they must
either be turned off slowly, or be provided with a high level of back EMF
protection. If adequate back EMF protection cannot be provided using the
chip process chosen, then external discrete transistors should be used.
The transistors are never driven at the same time as the image sensor is
used. This is to avoid voltage fluctuations and hot spots affecting the
image quality. Further, the transistors are located as far away from the
sensor as possible.
[0121] A standard JTAG (Joint Test Action Group) interface 228 is included
in the ICP for testing purposes and for interrogation by the refill
station. Due to the complexity of the chip, a variety of testing
techniques are required, including BIST (Built In Self Test) and
functional block isolation. An overhead of 10% in chip area is assumed
for chip testing circuitry for the random logic portions. The overhead
for the large arrays the image sensor and the DRAM is smaller.
[0122] The JTAG interface is also used for authentication of the refill
station. This is included to ensure that the cameras are only refilled
with quality paper and ink at a properly constructed refill station, thus
preventing inferior quality refills from occurring. The camera must
authenticate the refill station, rather than vice versa. The secure
protocol is communicated to the refill station during the automated test
procedure. Contact is made to four gold plated spots on the ICP/print
head TAB by the refill station as the new ink is injected into the print
head.
[0123] FIG. 16 illustrates a rear view of the next step in the
construction process whilst FIG. 17 illustrates a front view.
[0124] Turning now to FIG. 16, the assembly of the camera system proceeds
via first assembling the ink supply mechanism 40. The flex PCB is
interconnected with batteries 84, only one of which is shown, which are
inserted in the middle portion of a print roll 85 which is wrapped around
a plastic former 86. An end cap 89 is provided at the other end of the
print roll 85 so as to fasten the print roll and batteries firmly to the
ink supply mechanism.
[0125] The solenoid coil is interconnected (not shown) to interconnects
97, 98 (FIG. 8) which include leaf spring ends for interconnection with
electrical contacts on the Flex PCB so as to provide for electrical
control of the solenoid.
[0126] Turning now to FIGS. 17-19 the next step in the construction
process is the insertion of the relevant gear trains into the side of the
camera chassis. FIG. 17 illustrates a front view, FIG. 18 illustrates a
rear view and FIG. 19 also illustrates a rear view. The first gear train
comprising gear wheels 22, 23 is utilized for driving the guillotine
blade with the gear wheel 23 engaging the gear wheel 65 of FIG. 8. The
second gear train comprising gear wheels 24, 25 and 26 engage one end of
the print roller 61 of FIG. 8. As best indicated in FIG. 18, the gear
wheels mate with corresponding pins on the surface of the chassis with
the gear wheel 26 being snap fitted into corresponding mating hole 27.
[0127] Next, as illustrated in FIG. 20, the assembled platten unit 60 is
then inserted between the print roll 85 and aluminum cutting blade 43.
[0128] Turning now to FIG. 21, by way of illumination, there is
illustrated the electrically interactive components of the camera system.
As noted previously, the components are based around a Flex PCB board and
include a TAB film 58 which interconnects the printhead 102 with the
image sensor and processing chip 48. Power is supplied by two AA type
batteries 83, 84 and a paper drive stepper motor 16 is provided in
addition to a rotary guillotine motor 17.
[0129] An optical element 31 is provided for snapping into a top portion
of the chassis 12. The optical element 31 includes portions defining an
optical view finder 32, 33 which are slotted into mating portions 35, 36
in view finder channel 37. Also provided in the optical element 31 is a
lensing system 38 for magnification of the prints left number in addition
to an optical pipe element 39 for piping light from the LED 5 for
external display.
[0130] Turning next to FIG. 22, the assembled unit 90 is then inserted
into a front outer case 91 which includes button 4 for activation of
printouts.
[0131] Turning now to FIG. 23, next, the unit 90 is provided with a
snap-on back cover 93 which includes a slot 6 and copy print button 7. A
wrapper label containing instructions and advertising (not shown) is then
wrapped around the outer surface of the camera system and pinch clamped
to the cover by means of clamp strip 96 which can comprise a flexible
plastic or rubber strip.
[0132] Subsequently, the preferred embodiment is ready for use as a one
time use camera system that provides for instant output images on demand.
It will be evident that the preferred embodiment further provides for a
refillable camera system. A used camera can be collected and its outer
plastic cases removed and recycled. A new paper roll and batteries can be
added and the ink cartridge refilled. A series of automatic test routines
can then be carried out to ensure that the printer is properly
operational. Further, in order to ensure only authorized refills are
conducted so as to enhance quality, routines in the on-chip program ROM
can be executed such that the camera authenticates the refilling station
using a secure protocol. Upon authentication, the camera can reset an
internal paper count and an external case can be fitted on the camera
system with a new outer label. Subsequent packing and shipping can then
take place.
[0133] It will be further readily evident to those skilled in the art that
the program ROM can be modified so as to allow for a variety of digital
processing routines. In addition to the digitally enhanced photographs
optimized for mainstream consumer preferences, various other models can
readily be provided through mere re-programming of the program ROM. For
example, a sepia classic old fashion style output can be provided through
a remapping of the color mapping function. A further alternative is to
provide for black and white outputs again through a suitable color
remapping algorithm. Minimum color can also be provided to add a touch of
color to black and white prints to produce the effect that was
traditionally used to colorize black and white photos. Further, passport
photo output can be provided through suitable address remappings within
the address generators. Further, edge filters can be utilized as is known
in the field of image processing to produce sketched art styles. Further,
classic wedding borders and designs can be placed around an output image
in addition to the provision of relevant clip arts. For example, a
wedding style camera might be provided. Further, a panoramic mode can be
provided so as to output the well known panoramic format of images.
Further, a postcard style output can be provided through the printing of
postcards including postage on the back of a print roll surface. Further,
cliparts can be provided for special events such as Halloween, Christmas
etc. Further, kaleidoscopic effects can be provided through address
remappings and wild color effects can be provided through remapping of
the color lookup table. Many other forms of special event cameras can be
provided for example, cameras dedicated to the Olympics, movie tie-ins,
advertising and other special events.
[0134] The operational mode of the camera can be programmed so that upon
the depressing of the take photo a first image is sampled by the sensor
array to determine irrelevant parameters. Next a second image is again
captured which is utilized for the output. The captured image is then
manipulated in accordance with any special requirements before being
initially output on the paper roll. The LED light is then activated for a
predetermined time during which the DRAM is refreshed so as to retain the
image. If the print copy button is depressed during this predetermined
time interval, a further copy of the photo is output. After the
predetermined time interval where no use of the camera has occurred, the
onboard CPU shuts down all power to the camera system until such time as
the take button is again activated. In this way, substantial power
savings can be realized.
[0135] Ink Jet Technologies
[0136] The embodiments of the invention use an ink jet printer type
device. Of course many different devices could be used. However presently
popular ink jet printing technologies are unlikely to be suitable.
[0137] The most significant problem with thermal inkjet is power
consumption. This is approximately 100 times that required for high
speed, and stems from the energy-inefficient means of drop ejection. This
involves the rapid boiling of water to produce a vapor bubble which
expels the ink. Water has a very high heat capacity, and must be
superheated in thermal inkjet applications. This leads to an efficiency
of around 0.02%, from electricity input to drop momentum (and increased
surface area) out.
[0138] The most significant problem with piezoelectric inkjet is size and
cost.
[0139] Piezoelectric crystals have a very small deflection at reasonable
drive voltages, and therefore require a large area for each nozzle. Also,
each piezoelectric actuator must be connected to its drive circuit on a
separate substrate. This is not a significant problem at the current
limit of around 300 nozzles per print head, but is a major impediment to
the fabrication of pagewidth print heads with 19,200 nozzles.
[0140] Ideally, the inkjet technologies used meet the stringent
requirements of in-camera digital color printing and other high quality,
high speed, low cost printing applications. To meet the requirements of
digital photography, new inkjet technologies have been created. The
target features include:
[0141] low power (less than 10 Watts)
[0142] high resolution capability (1,600 dpi or more)
[0143] photographic quality output
[0144] low manufacturing cost
[0145] small size (pagewidth times minimum cross section)
[0146] high speed (<2 seconds per page).
[0147] All of these features can be met or exceeded by the inkjet systems
described below with differing levels of difficulty. forty-five different
inkjet technologies have been developed by the Assignee to give a wide
range of choices for high volume manufacture. These technologies form
part of separate applications assigned to the present Assignee as set out
in the table below.
[0148] The inkjet designs shown here are suitable for a wide range of
digital printing systems, from battery powered one-time use digital
cameras, through to desktop and network printers, and through to
commercial printing systems.
[0149] For ease of manufacture using standard process equipment, the
printhead is designed to be a monolithic 0.5 micron CMOS chip with MEMS
post processing. For color photographic applications, the print head is
100 mm long, with a width which depends upon the inkjet type. The
smallest print head designed is IJ38, which is 0.35 mm wide, giving a
chip area of 35 square mm. The print heads each contain 19,200 nozzles
plus data and control circuitry.
[0150] Ink is supplied to the back of the print head by injection molded
plastic ink channels. The molding requires 50 micron features, which can
be created using a lithographically micromachined insert in a standard
injection molding tool. Ink flows through holes etched through the wafer
to the nozzle chambers fabricated on the front surface of the wafer. The
print head is connected to the camera circuitry by tape automated
bonding.
[0151] Cross-Referenced Applications
[0152] The following table is a guide to cross-referenced patent
applications filed concurrently herewith and discussed hereinafter with
the reference being utilized in subsequent tables when referring to a
particular case:
4
Docket
No. Reference Title
IJ01US
IJ01 Radiant Plunger Ink Jet Printer
IJ02US IJ02 Electrostatic Ink
Jet Printer
IJ03US IJ03 Planar Thermoelastic Bend Actuator Ink Jet
IJ04US IJ04 Stacked Electrostatic Ink Jet Printer
IJ05US
IJ05 Reverse Spring Lever Ink Jet Printer
IJ06US IJ06 Paddle Type
Ink Jet Printer
IJ07US IJ07 Permanent Magnet Electromagnetic Ink
Jet Printer
IJ08US IJ08 Planar Swing Grill Electromagnetic
Ink
Jet Printer
IJ09US IJ09 Pump Action Refill Ink Jet
Printer
IJ10US IJ10 Pulsed Magnetic Field Ink Jet Printer
IJ11US IJ11 Two Plate Reverse Firing Electromagnetic
Ink Jet
Printer
IJ12US IJ12 Linear Stepper Actuator Ink Jet Printer
IJ13US IJ13 Gear Driven Shutter Ink Jet Printer
IJ14US IJ14
Tapered Magnetic Pole Electromagnetic Ink
Jet Printer
IJ15US IJ15 Linear Spring Electromagnetic Grill Ink
Jet Printer
IJ16US IJ16 Lorenz Diaphragm Electromagnetic Ink
Jet
Printer
IJ17US IJ17 PTFE Surface Shooting Shuttered Oscillating
Pressure Ink Jet Printer
IJ18US IJ18 Buckle Grip Oscillating
Pressure Ink
Jet Printer
IJ19US IJ19 Shutter Based Ink
Jet Printer
IJ20US IJ20 Curling Calyx Thermoelastic Ink Jet
Printer
IJ21US IJ21 Thermal Actuated Ink Jet Printer
IJ22US
IJ22 Iris Motion Ink Jet Printer
IJ23US IJ23 Direct Firing Thermal
Bend Actuator Ink
Jet Printer
IJ24US IJ24 Conductive PTFE
Ben Activator Vented Ink
Jet Printer
IJ25US IJ25
Magnetostrictive Ink Jet Printer
IJ26US IJ26 Shape Memory Alloy
Ink Jet Printer
IJ27US IJ27 Buckle Plate Ink Jet Printer
IJ28US IJ28 Thermal Elastic Rotary Impeller Ink Jet Printer
IJ29US
IJ29 Thermoelastic Bend Actuator Ink Jet Printer
IJ30US IJ30
Thermoelastic Bend Actuator Using PTFE
and Corrugated Copper Ink
Jet Printer
IJ31US IJ31 Bend Actuator Direct Ink Supply Ink
Jet Printer
IJ32US IJ32 A High Young's Modulus Thermoelastic Ink
Jet Printer
IJ33US IJ33 Thermally actuated slotted
chamber wall ink
jet printer
IJ34US IJ34 Ink Jet Printer
having a thermal actuator
comprising an external coiled spring
IJ35US IJ35 Trough Container Ink Jet Printer
IJ36US IJ36 Dual
Chamber Single Vertical Actuator Ink Jet
IJ37US IJ37 Dual Nozzle
Single Horizontal Fulcrum
Actuator Ink Jet
IJ38US IJ38
Dual Nozzle Single Horizontal Actuator Ink Jet
IJ39US IJ39 A
single bend actuator cupped paddle ink
jet printing device
IJ40US IJ40 A thermally actuated ink jet printer having
a
series of thermal actuator units
IJ41US IJ41 A thermally actuated
ink jet printer
including a tapered heater element
IJ42US
IJ42 Radial Back-Curling Thermoelastic Ink Jet
IJ43US IJ43
Inverted Radial Back-Curling Thermoelastic
Ink Jet
IJ44US
IJ44 Surface bend actuator vented ink supply ink
jet printer
IJ45US IJ45 Coil Acutuated Magnetic Plate Ink Jet Printer
[0153] Tables of Drop-on-Demand Inkjets
[0154] Eleven important characteristics of the fundamental operation of
individual inkjet nozzles have been identified. These characteristics are
largely orthogonal, and so can be elucidated as an eleven dimensional
matrix. Most of the eleven axes of this matrix include entries developed
by the present assignee.
[0155] The following tables form the axes of an eleven dimensional table
of inkjet types.
[0156] Actuator mechanism (18 types)
[0157] Basic operation mode (7 types)
[0158] Auxiliary mechanism (8 types)
[0159] Actuator amplification or modification method (17 types)
[0160] Actuator motion (19 types)
[0161] Nozzle refill method (4 types)
[0162] Method of restricting back-flow through inlet (10 types)
[0163] Nozzle clearing method (9 types)
[0164] Nozzle plate construction (9 types)
[0165] Drop ejection direction (5 types)
[0166] Ink type (7 types)
[0167] The complete eleven dimensional table represented by these axes
contains 36.9 billion possible configurations of inkjet nozzle. While not
all of the possible combinations result in a viable inkjet technology,
many million configurations are viable. It is clearly impractical to
elucidate all of the possible configurations. Instead, certain inkjet
types have been investigated in detail. These are designated IJ01 to IJ45
above.
[0168] Other inkjet configurations can readily be derived from these
forty-five examples by substituting alternative configurations along one
or more of the eleven axes. Most of the IJ01 to IJ45 examples can be made
into inkjet print heads with characteristics superior to any currently
available inkjet technology.
[0169] Where there are prior art examples known to the inventor, one or
more of these examples are listed in the examples column of the tables
below. The IJ01 to IJ45 series are also listed in the examples column. In
some cases, a printer may be listed more than once in a table, where it
shares characteristics with more than one entry.
[0170] Suitable applications include: Home printers, Office network
printers, Short run digital printers, Commercial print systems, Fabric
printers, Pocket printers, Internet WWW printers, Video printers, Medical
imaging, Wide format printers, Notebook PC printers, Fax machines,
Industrial printing systems, Photocopiers, Photographic minilabs etc.
[0171] The information associated with the aforementioned eleven
dimensional matrix are set out in the following tables.
[0172] Actuator Mechanism (Applied Only to Selected Ink Drops)
5
Actuator
Mechanism Description Advantages
Disadvantages Examples
Thermal An electrothermal heater
Large force generated High power Canon Bubblejet 1979
bubble heats
the ink to above Simple construction Ink carrier Endo et al GB patent
boiling point, No moving parts limited to water 2,007,162
transferring significant Fast operation Low efficiency Xerox
heater-in-pit
heat to the aqueous Small chip area High
temperatures 1990 Hawkins et al
ink. A bubble nucleates required
for actuator required U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,181
and quickly forms,
High mechanical Hewlett-Packard TIJ
expelling the ink. stress
1982 Vaught et al
The efficiency of the Unusual U.S. Pat. No.
4,490,728
process is low, with materials required
typically less than 0.05% Large drive
of the electrical energy
transistors
being transformed into Cavitation causes
kinetic energy of the drop. actuator failure
Kogation reduces
bubble formation
Large print heads
are
difficult to
fabricate
Piezo- A piezoelectric crystal
Low power Very large area Kyser et al
electric such as lead
consumption required for actuator U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,398
lanthanum zirconate Many ink types Difficult to Zoltan U.S. Pat.
(PZT) is electrically can be used integrate with No. 3,683,212
activated, and either Fast operation electronics 1973 Stemme
expands, shears, or High efficiency High voltage U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,120
bends to apply drive transistors Epson Stylus
pressure
to the ink, required Tektronix
ejecting drops. Full pagewidth
IJ04
print heads
impractical due to
actuator size
Requires
electrical poling in
high field strengths
during manufacture
Electro- An
electric field is Low power Low maximum Seiko Epson, Usui et
strictive used to activate consumption strain (approx. all JP 253401/96
electrostriction in Many ink types 0.01%) IJ04
relaxor
materials such can be used Large area
as lead lanthanum Low
thermal required for actuator
zirconate titanate expansion due to
low strain
(PLZT) or lead Electric field Response speed
magnesium niobate strength required is marginal (.about.10
(PMN).
(approx. 3.5 .mu.s)
V/.mu.m) High voltage
can be
generated drive transistors
without difficulty required
Does not require Full pagewidth
electrical poling print heads
impractical due to
actuator size
Ferro- An
electric field is Low power Difficult to IJ04
electric used to
induce a phase consumption integrate with
transition between the
Many ink types electronics
antiferroelectric (AFE) can be used
Unusual
and ferroelectric (FE) Fast operation materials such as
phase. Perovskite (<1 .mu.s) PLZSnT are
materials such
as tin Relatively high required
modified lead longitudinal strain
Actuators require
lanthanum zirconate High efficiency a large
area
titanate (PLZSnT) Electric field
exhibit large
strains of strength of around 3
up to 1% associated V/.mu.m can
be
with the AFE to FE readily provided
phase transition.
Electro- Conductive plates are Low power Difficult to IJ02, IJ04
static plates separated by a consumption operate electrostatic
compressible or fluid Many ink types devices in an
dielectric
(usually air). can be used aqueous
Upon application of a Fast
operation environment
voltage, the plates The electrostatic
attract each other and actuator will
displace ink, causing
normally need to be
drop ejection. The separated from the
conductive plates may ink
be in a comb or Very large area
honeycomb structure, required to achieve
or stacked to
increase high forces
the surface area and High voltage
therefore the force. drive transistors
may be required
Full pagewidth
print heads are not
competitive due
to
actuator size
Electro- A strong electric field Low
current High voltage 1989 Saito et al,
static pull is applied to
the ink, consumption required U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,068
on ink
whereupon Low temperature May be damaged 1989 Miura et al,
electrostatic attraction by sparks due to air U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,954
accelerates the ink breakdown Tone-jet
towards the print
Required field
medium. strength increases as
the drop
size
decreases
High voltage
drive
transistors
required
Electrostatic field
attracts dust
Permanent An electromagnet Low power Complex IJ07,
IJ10
magnet directly attracts a consumption fabrication
electro- permanent magnet, Many ink types Permanent
magnetic
displacing ink and can be used magnetic material
causing drop
ejection. Fast operation such as Neodymium
Rare earth magnets
High efficiency Iron Boron (NdFeB)
with a field strength Easy
extension required.
around 1 Tesla can be from single nozzles
High local
used. Examples are: to pagewidth print currents
required
Samarium Cobalt heads Copper
(SaCo) and magnetic
metalization should
materials in the be used for long
neodymium iron boron electromigration
family (NdFeB, lifetime
and low
NdDyFeBNb, resistivity
NdDyFeB, etc) Pigmented
inks
are usually
infeasible
Operating
temperature limited
to the Curie
temperature
(around
540 K)
Soft A solenoid induced a Low power
Complex IJ01, IJ05, IJ08, IJ10
magnetic magnetic field in a soft
consumption fabrication IJ12, IJ14, IJ15, IJ17
core electro-
magnetic core or yoke Many ink types Materials not
magnetic
fabricated from a can be used usually present in a
ferrous
material such Fast operation CMOS fab such as
as electroplated
iron High efficiency NiFe, CoNiFe, or
alloys such as CoNiFe Easy
extension CoFe are required
[1], CoFe, or NiFe from single
nozzles High local
alloys. Typically, the to pagewidth print
currents required
soft magnetic material heads Copper
is
in two parts, which metalization should
are normally held be
used for long
apart by a spring. electromigration
When
the solenoid is lifetime and low
actuated, the two parts
resistivity
attract, displacing the Electroplating is
ink. required
High saturation
flux density is
required (2.0-2.1 T
is achievable with
CoNiFe [1])
Magnetic The Lorenz force Low power Force acts as a IJ06, IJ11,
IJ13, IJ16
Lorenz acting on a current consumption twisting motion
force carrying wire in a Many ink types Typically, only a
magnetic field is can be used quarter of the
utilized. Fast
operation solenoid length
This allows the High efficiency
provides force in a
magnetic field to be Easy extension useful
direction
supplied externally to from single nozzles High local
the print head, for to pagewidth print currents required
example with rare heads Copper
earth permanent metalization
should
magnets. be used for long
Only the current
electromigration
carrying wire need be lifetime and low
fabricated on the print- resistivity
head, simplifying
Pigmented inks
materials are usually
requirements.
infeasible
Magneto- The actuator uses the Many ink types Force
acts as a Fischenbeck,
striction giant magnetostrictive can be
used twisting motion U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,929
effect of materials
Fast operation Unusual IJ25
such as Terfenol-D (an Easy extension
materials such as
alloy of terbium, from single nozzles
Terfenol-D are
dysprosium and iron to pagewidth print required
developed at the Naval heads High local
Ordnance Laboratory,
High force is currents required
hence Ter-Fe-NOL). available
Copper
For best efficiency, the metalization should
actuator should be pre- be used for long
stressed to approx. 8
electromigration
MPa. lifetime and low
resistivity
Pre-stressing
may be required
Surface Ink under
positive Low power Requires Silverbrook, EP
tension pressure is
held in a consumption supplementary force 0771 658 A2 and
reduction nozzle by surface Simple to effect drop related patent
tension. The surface construction separation applications
tension
of the ink is No unusual Requires special
reduced below the
materials required in ink surfactants
bubble threshold,
fabrication Speed may be
causing the ink to High efficiency
limited by surfactant
egress from the Easy extension properties
nozzle. from single nozzles
to pagewidth print
heads
Viscosity The ink viscosity is Simple Requires Silverbrook,
EP
reduction locally reduced to construction supplementary force
0771 658 A2 and
select which drops are No unusual to effect drop
related patent
to be ejected. A materials required in separation
applications
viscosity reduction can fabrication Requires special
be achieved Easy extension ink viscosity
electrothermally
with from single nozzles properties
most inks, but special to
pagewidth print High speed is
inks can be engineered heads
difficult to achieve
for a 100:1 viscosity Requires
reduction. oscillating ink
pressure
A high
temperature
difference (typically
80 degrees) is
required
Acoustic An acoustic wave is Can operate Complex
drive 1993 Hadimioglu
generated and without a nozzle circuitry et
al, EUP 550,192
focussed upon the plate Complex 1993 Elrod et al,
drop ejection region. fabrication EUP 572,220
Low
efficiency
Poor control of
drop position
Poor control of
drop volume
Thermo- An actuator which
Low power Efficient aqueous IJ03, IJ09, IJ17, IJ18
elastic bend
relies upon differential consumption operation requires a IJ19, IJ20,
IJ21, IJ22
actuator thermal expansion Many ink types thermal
insulator on IJ23, IJ24, IJ27, IJ28
upon Joule heating is can be
used the hot side IJ29, IJ30, IJ31, IJ32
used. Simple planar
Corrosion IJ33, IJ34, IJ35, IJ36
fabrication prevention can be
IJ37, IJ38, IJ39, IJ40
Small chip area difficult IJ41
required for each Pigmented inks
actuator may be infeasible,
Fast operation as pigment particles
High efficiency may jam
the bend
CMOS actuator
compatible voltages
and
currents
Standard MEMS
processes can be
used
Easy extension
from single nozzles
to pagewidth
print
heads
High CTE A material with a very High force
can Requires special IJ09, IJ17, IJ18, IJ20
thermo- high
coefficient of be generated material (e.g. PTFE) IJ21, IJ22, IJ23, IJ24
elastic thermal expansion PTFE is a Requires a PTFE IJ27, IJ28,
IJ29, IJ30
actuator (CTE) such as candidate for low deposition
process, IJ31, IJ42, IJ43, IJ44
polytetrafluoroethylene
dielectric constant which is not yet
(PTFE) is used. As
insulation in ULSI standard in ULSI
high CTE materials Very low
power fabs
are usually non- consumption PTFE deposition
conductive, a heater Many ink types cannot be followed
fabricated
from a can be used with high
conductive material is Simple planar
temperature (above
incorporated. A 50 .mu.m fabrication
350.degree. C.) processing
long PTFE bend Small chip area
Pigmented inks
actuator with required for each may be infeasible,
polysilicon heater and actuator as pigment particles
15
mW power input Fast operation may jam the bend
can provide 180
High efficiency actuator
.mu.N force CMOS
and 10 .mu.m
compatible voltages
deflection. Actuator and currents
motions include: Easy extension
Bend from single nozzles
Push to pagewidth print
Buckle heads
Rotate
Conductive A polymer with a high High force can Requires special IJ24
polymer coefficient of thermal be generated materials
thermo-
expansion (such as Very low power development (High
elastic PTFE)
is doped with consumption CTE conductive
actuator conducting
substances Many ink types polymer)
to increase its can be used
Requires a PTFE
conductivity to about 3 Simple planar deposition
process,
orders of magnitude fabrication which is not yet
below that of copper. Small chip area standard in ULSI
The
conducting required for each fabs
polymer expands actuator PTFE
deposition
when resistively Fast operation cannot be followed
heated. High efficiency with high
Examples of CMOS
temperature (above
conducting dopants compatible voltages
350.degree. C.) processing
include: and currents Evaporation and
Carbon nanotubes Easy extension CVD deposition
Metal
fibers from single nozzles techniques cannot
Conductive polymers
to pagewidth print be used
such as doped heads Pigmented inks
polythiophene may be infeasible,
Carbon granules as pigment
particles
may jam the bend
actuator
Shape A
shape memory alloy High force is Fatigue limits IJ26
memory such
as TiNi (also available (stresses maximum number
alloy known as
Nitinol - of hundreds of MPa) of cycles
Nickel Titanium alloy
Large strain is Low strain (1%)
developed at the Naval available
(more than is required to extend
Ordnance Laboratory) 3%) fatigue
resistance
is thermally switched High corrosion Cycle rate
between its weak resistance limited by heat
martensitic state
and Simple removal
its high stiffness construction Requires
unusual
austenic state. The Easy extension materials (TiNi)
shape of the actuator from single nozzles The latent heat of
in
its martensitic state to pagewidth print transformation must
is
deformed relative to heads be provided
the austenic shape. Low
voltage High current
The shape change operation operation
causes ejection of a Requires pre-
drop. stressing to distort
the martensitic state
Linear Linear magnetic Linear
Magnetic Requires unusual IJ12
Magnetic actuators include the
actuators can be semiconductor
Actuator Linear Induction
constructed with materials such as
Actuator (LIA), Linear high
thrust, long soft magnetic alloys
Permanent Magnet travel, and
high (e.g. CoNiFe [1])
Synchronous Actuator efficiency using Some
varieties
(LPMSA), Linear planar also require
Reluctance
semiconductor permanent magnetic
Synchronous Actuator fabrication
materials such as
(LRSA), Linear techniques Neodymium iron
Switched Reluctance Long actuator boron (NdFeB)
Actuator (LSRA),
and travel is available Requires
the Linear Stepper Medium force
is complex multi-
Actuator (LSA). available phase drive circuitry
Low voltage High current
operation operation
[0173] Basic Operation Mode
6
Operational
mode Description Advantages
Disadvantages Examples
Actuator This is the simplest
Simple operation Drop repetition Thermal inkjet
directly mode of
operation: the No external rate is usually Piezoelectric inkjet
pushes ink actuator directly fields required limited to less than 10
IJ01, IJ02, IJ03, IJ04
supplies sufficient Satellite drops KHz.
However, this IJ05, IJ06, IJ07, IJ09
kinetic energy to expel can
be avoided if is not fundamental IJ11, IJ12, IJ14, IJ16
the drop.
The drop drop velocity is less to the method, but is IJ20, IJ22, IJ23,
IJ24
must have a sufficient than 4 m/s related to the refill
IJ25, IJ26, IJ27, IJ28
velocity to overcome Can be efficient,
method normally IJ29, IJ30, IJ31, IJ32
the surface tension.
depending upon the used IJ33, IJ34, IJ35, IJ36
actuator used All
of the drop IJ37, IJ38, IJ39, IJ40
kinetic energy must IJ41,
IJ42, IJ43, IJ44
be provided by the
actuator
Satellite drops
usually form if drop
velocity is
greater
than 4.5 m/s
Proximity The drops to be Very
simple print Requires close Silverbrook, EP
printed are selected
by head fabrication can proximity between 0771 658 A2 and
some
manner (e.g. be used the print head and related patent
thermally
induced The drop the print media or applications
surface tension
selection means transfer roller
reduction of does not need to May
require two
pressurized ink). provide the energy print heads
printing
Selected drops are required to separate alternate rows
of the
separated from the ink the drop from the image
in
the nozzle by nozzle Monolithic color
contact with the print
print heads are
medium or a transfer difficult
roller.
Electro- The drops to be Very simple print Requires very
Silverbrook, EP
static pull printed are selected by head
fabrication can high electrostatic 0771 658 A2 and
on ink some
manner (e.g. be used field related patent
thermally induced The
drop Electrostatic field applications
surface tension selection
means for small nozzle Tone-Jet
reduction of does not need to
sizes is above air
pressurized ink). provide the energy breakdown
Selected drops are required to separate Electrostatic field
separated from the ink the drop from the may attract dust
in
the nozzle by a nozzle
strong electric field.
Magnetic The
drops to be Very simple print Requires Silverbrook, EP
pull on ink
printed are selected by head fabrication can magnetic ink 0771 658 A2 and
some manner (e.g. be used Ink colors other related patent
thermally induced The drop than black are applications
surface
tension selection means difficult
reduction of does not need to
Requires very
pressurized ink). provide the energy high magnetic
fields
Selected drops are required to separate
separated
from the ink the drop from the
in the nozzle by a nozzle
strong magnetic field
acting on the magnetic
ink.
Shutter The actuator moves a High speed (>50 Moving parts are IJ13,
IJ17, IJ21
shutter to block ink KHz) operation can required
flow to the nozzle. The be achieved due to Requires ink
ink
pressure is pulsed reduced refill time pressure modulator
at a
multiple of the Drop timing can Friction and wear
drop ejection
be very accurate must be considered
frequency. The actuator
Stiction is
energy can be very possible
low
Shuttered The actuator moves a Actuators with Moving parts are IJ08,
IJ15, IJ18, IJ19
grill shutter to block ink small travel can be
required
flow through a grill to used Requires ink
the
nozzle. The shutter Actuators with pressure modulator
movement
need only small force can be Friction and wear
be equal to the
width used must be considered
of the grill holes. High speed
(>50 Stiction is
KHz) operation can possible
be
achieved
Pulsed A pulsed magnetic Extremely low Requires an IJ10
magnetic field attracts an `ink energy operation is external pulsed
pull on ink pusher` at the drop possible magnetic field
pusher ejection frequency. An No heat Requires special
actuator
controls a dissipation materials for both
catch, which prevents
problems the actuator and the
the ink pusher from ink pusher
moving when a drop is Complex
not to be ejected.
construction
[0174] Auxiliary Mechanism (Applied to all Nozzles)
7
Auxiliary
Mechanism Description Advantages
Disadvantages Examples
None The actuator directly
Simplicity of Drop ejection Most inkjets,
fires the ink drop, and
construction energy must be including
there is no external
Simplicity of supplied by piezoelectric and
field or other
operation individual nozzle thermal bubble.
mechanism required.
Small physical actuator IJ01-IJ07, IJ09, IJ11
size IJ12, IJ14,
IJ20, IJ22,
IJ23-IJ45
Oscillating The ink pressure
Oscillating ink Requires external Silverbrook, EP
ink pressure
oscillates, providing pressure can provide ink pressure 0771 658 A2 and
(including much of the drop a refill pulse, oscillator related
patent
acoustic ejection energy. The allowing higher Ink pressure
applications
stimulation) actuator selects which operating speed
phase and amplitude IJ08, IJ13, IJ15, IJ17
drops are to be fired
The actuators must be carefully IJ18, IJ19, IJ21
by selectively
may operate with controlled
blocking or enabling much lower
energy Acoustic
nozzles. The ink Acoustic lenses reflections in
the ink
pressure oscillation can be used to focus chamber must be
may be achieved by the sound on the designed for
vibrating the print nozzles
head, or preferably by
an
actuator in the ink
supply.
Media The print head is Low
power Precision Silverbrook, EP
proximity placed in close High
accuracy assembly required 0771 658 A2 and
proximity to the print
Simple print head Paper fibers may related patent
medium.
Selected construction cause problems applications
drops protrude
from Cannot print on
the print head further rough substrates
than unselected drops,
and contact the print
medium.
The drop
soaks into the medium
fast enough to cause
drop separation.
Transfer Drops are printed to a High accuracy
Bulky Silverbrook, EP
roller transfer roller instead Wide range of
Expensive 0771 658 A2 and
of straight to the print print
substrates can Complex related patent
medium. A transfer be used
construction applications
roller can also be used Ink can be
dried Tektronix hot
for proximity drop on the transfer roller
melt piezoelectric
separation. inkjet
Any of the IJ
series
Electro- An electric field is Low power Field
strength Silverbrook, EP
static used to accelerate Simple print
head required for 0771 658 A2 and
selected drops towards
construction separation of small related patent
the print medium.
drops is near or applications
above air breakdown Tone-Jet
Direct A magnetic field is Low power Requires Silverbrook, EP
magnetic used to accelerate Simple print head magnetic ink 0771 658 A2
and
field selected drops of construction Requires strong related
patent
magnetic ink towards magnetic field applications
the print medium.
Cross The print head is Does not require
Requires external IJ06, IJ16
magnetic placed in a constant
magnetic materials magnet
field magnetic field. The to be
integrated in Current densities
Lorenz force in a the print head
may be high,
current carrying wire manufacturing resulting in
is used to move the process electromigration
actuator.
problems
Pulsed A pulsed magnetic Very low power Complex print
IJ10
magnetic field is used to operation is possible head
construction
field cyclically attract a Small print head Magnetic
paddle, which pushes size materials required in
on the
ink. A small print head
actuator moves a
catch, which
selectively prevents
the paddle from moving.
[0175] Actuator Amplification or Modification Method
8
Actuator
amplification Description Advantages
Disadvantages Examples
None No actuator Operational Many
actuator Thermal Bubble
mechanical simplicity mechanisms have
Inkjet
amplification is used. insufficient travel, IJ01, IJ02,
IJ06, IJ07
The actuator directly or insufficient force, IJ16,
IJ25, IJ26
drives the drop to efficiently drive
ejection
process. the drop ejection
process
Differential An
actuator material Provides greater High stresses are Piezoelectric
expansion bend expands more on one travel in a reduced involved IJ03,
IJ09, IJ17-IJ24
actuator side than on the other. print head area
Care must be IJ27, IJ29-IJ39, IJ42,
The expansion may be The bend
actuator taken that the IJ43, IJ44
thermal, piezoelectric,
converts a high force materials do not
magnetostrictive, or low
travel actuator delaminate
other mechanism. mechanism to high
Residual bend
travel, lower resulting from high
force
mechanism. temperature or high
stress during
formation
Transient bend A trilayer bend Very good High stresses
are IJ40, IJ41
actuator actuator where the two temperature
stability involved
outside layers are High speed, as a Care must
be
identical. This cancels new drop can be taken that the
bend due to ambient fired before heat materials do not
temperature and dissipates delaminate
residual stress. The
Cancels residual
actuator only responds stress of formation
to transient heating of
one side or the other.
Actuator
A series of thin Increased travel Increased Some piezoelectric
stack actuators are stacked. Reduced drive fabrication ink jets
This can be voltage complexity IJ04
appropriate where Increased
actuators require high possibility of short
electric
field strength, circuits due to
such as electrostatic pinholes
and piezoelectric
actuators.
Multiple Multiple
smaller Increases the Actuator forces IJ12, IJ13, IJ18, IJ20
actuators actuators are used force available from may not add IJ22, IJ28,
IJ42, IJ43
simultaneously to an actuator linearly, reducing
move the ink. Each Multiple efficiency
actuator need provide
actuators can be
only a portion of the positioned to control
force required. ink flow accurately
Linear A linear spring is
used Matches low Requires print IJ15
Spring to transform a motion
travel actuator with head area for the
with small travel and
higher travel spring
high force into a requirements
longer travel, lower Non-contact
force motion. method of motion
transformation
Reverse The actuator loads a Better coupling
Fabrication IJ05, IJ11
spring spring. When the to the ink
complexity
actuator is turned off, High stress in the
the spring releases. spring
This can reverse the
force/distance curve of
the actuator to make it
compatible with the
force/time
requirements of the
drop ejection.
Coiled A bend actuator is Increases travel
Generally IJ17, IJ21, IJ34, IJ35
actuator coiled to provide
Reduces chip area restricted to planar
greater travel in a Planar
implementations
reduced chip area. implementations are due to
extreme
relatively easy to fabrication difficulty
fabricate. in other orientations.
Flexure bend A bend actuator has
a Simple means of Care must be IJ10, IJ19, IJ33
actuator small
region near the increasing travel of taken not to exceed
fixture
point, which a bend actuator the elastic limit in
flexes much
more the flexure area
readily than the Stress
remainder
of the distribution is very
actuator. The actuator uneven
flexing is effectively Difficult to
converted from an
accurately model
even coiling to an with finite element
angular bend, resulting analysis
in greater travel of the
actuator tip.
Gears Gears can be used to Low force, low Moving
parts are IJ13
increase travel at the travel actuators can
required
expense of duration. be used Several actuator
Circular gears, rack Can be fabricated cycles are required
and
pinion, ratchets, using standard More complex
and other gearing
surface MEMS drive electronics
methods can be used. processes
Complex
construction
Friction, friction,
and wear are
possible
Catch The actuator controls a Very
low Complex IJ10
small catch. The catch actuator energy
construction
either enables or Very small Requires external
disables movement of actuator size force
an ink pusher that is
Unsuitable for
controlled in a bulk pigmented inks
manner.
Buckle plate A buckle plate can be Very fast Must stay
within S. Hirata et al,
used to change a slow movement elastic
limits of the "An Ink-jet Head
actuator into a fast achievable
materials for long . . . ",
motion. It can also device life
Proc. IEEE MEMS,
convert a high force, High stresses February
1996,
low travel actuator involved pp 418-423.
into a
high travel, Generally high IJ18, IJ27
medium force motion.
power requirement
Tapered A tapered magnetic Linearizes the
Complex IJ14
magnetic pole can increase magnetic construction
pole travel at the expense force/distance curve
of force.
Lever A lever and fulcrum is Matches low High stress IJ32, IJ36, IJ37
used to transform a travel actuator with around the fulcrum
motion with small higher travel
travel and high force
requirements
into a motion with Fulcrum area has
longer
travel and no linear movement,
lower force. The lever and can be
used for
can also reverse the a fluid seal
direction of
travel.
Rotary The actuator is High mechanical Complex IJ28
impeller connected to a rotary advantage construction
impeller. A
small The ratio of force Unsuitable for
angular deflection of to
travel of the pigmented inks
the actuator results in actuator can
be
a rotation of the matched to the
impeller vanes, which
nozzle requirements
push the ink against by varying the
stationary vanes and number of impeller
out of the nozzle. vanes
Acoustic A refractive or No moving parts Large area 1993
Hadimioglu
lens diffractive (e.g. zone required et al, EUP
550,192
plate) acoustic lens is Only relevant for 1993 Elrod et
al,
used to concentrate acoustic ink jets EUP 572,220
sound waves.
Sharp A sharp point is used Simple Difficult to
Tone-jet
conductive to concentrate an construction fabricate using
point electrostatic field. standard VLSI
processes for
a
surface ejecting ink-
jet
Only relevant
for
electrostatic ink jets
[0176] Actuator Motion
9
Actuator
motion Description Advantages
Disadvantages Examples
Volume The volume of the Simple
High energy is Hewlett-Packard
expansion actuator changes,
construction in the typically required to Thermal Inkjet
pushing
the ink in all case of thermal ink achieve volume Canon Bubblejet
directions. jet expansion. This
leads to thermal
stress, cavitation,
and kogation in
thermal ink jet
implementations
Linear, normal The actuator moves in
Efficient High fabrication IJ01, IJ02, IJ04, IJ07
to chip a
direction normal to coupling to ink complexity may be IJ11, IJ14
surface the print head surface. drops ejected required to achieve
The nozzle is typically normal to the perpendicular
in the line
of movement. surface motion
Linear, parallel The actuator moves
Suitable for Fabrication IJ12, IJ13, IJ15, IJ33,
to chip parallel
to the print planar fabrication complexity IJ34, IJ35, IJ36
surface head surface. Drop Friction
ejection may still be
Stiction
normal to the surface.
Membrane An actuator with
a The effective Fabrication 1982 Howkins
push high force but small
area of the actuator complexity U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,601
area is
used to push a becomes the Actuator size
stiff membrane that is
membrane area Difficulty of
in contact with the ink. integration
in a
VLSI process
Rotary The actuator causes Rotary
levers Device IJ05, IJ08, IJ13, IJ28
the rotation of some may be
used to complexity
element, such a grill or increase travel May
have
impeller Small chip area friction at a pivot
requirements point
Bend The actuator bends A very small Requires
the 1970 Kyser et al
when energized. This change in actuator to
be made U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,398
may be due to dimensions can be
from at least two 1973 Stemme
differential thermal converted to a
large distinct layers, or to U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,120
expansion,
motion. have a thermal IJ03, IJ09, IJ10,
piezoelectric
difference across the IJ19,
expansion, actuator IJ23, IJ24,
IJ25,
magnetostriction, or IJ29,
other form of relative
IJ30, IJ31, IJ33,
dimensional change. IJ34,
IJ35
Swivel The actuator swivels Allows operation Inefficient IJ06
around a central pivot. where the net linear coupling to the ink
This motion is suitable force on the paddle motion
where there
are is zero
opposite forces Small chip area
applied to
opposite requirements
sides of the paddle,
e.g. Lorenz
force.
Straighten The actuator is Can be used with Requires
careful IJ26, IJ32
normally bent, and shape memory balance of
stresses
straightens when alloys where the to ensure that the
energized. austenic phase is quiescent bend is
planar
accurate
Double bend The actuator bends in One actuator can
Difficult to make IJ36, IJ37, IJ38
one direction when be used to
power the drops ejected by
one element is two nozzles. both bend
directions
energized, and bends Reduced chip size. identical.
the other way when Not sensitive to A small
another element
is ambient temperature efficiency loss
energized. compared to
equivalent single
bend actuators.
Shear
Energizing the Can increase the Not readily 1985 Fishbeck
actuator causes a shear effective travel of applicable to other U.S. Pat.
No. 4,584,590
motion in the actuator piezoelectric actuator
material. actuators mechanisms
Radial con- The actuator squeezes
Relatively easy High force 1970 Zoltan
striction an ink reservoir,
to fabricate single required U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,212
forcing ink
from a nozzles from glass Inefficient
constricted nozzle. tubing
as Difficult to
macroscopic integrate with VLSI
structures processes
Coil/uncoil A coiled actuator Easy to
fabricate Difficult to IJ17, IJ21, IJ34,
uncoils or coils more as
a planar VLSI fabricate for non- IJ35
tightly. The motion of
process planar devices
the free end of the Small area Poor
out-of-plane
actuator ejects the ink. required, therefore
stiffness
low cost
Bow The actuator bows (or Can increase
the Maximum travel IJ16, IJ18, IJ27
buckles) in the middle speed
of travel is constrained
when energized. Mechanically High force
rigid required
Push-Pull Two actuators control The
structure is Not readily IJ18
a shutter. One actuator pinned at
both ends, suitable for ink jets
pulls the shutter, and so has a
high out-of- which directly push
the other pushes it. plane
rigidity the ink
Curl A set of actuators curl Good fluid flow
Design IJ20, IJ42
inwards inwards to reduce the to the region
behind complexity
volume of ink that the actuator
they
enclose. increases efficiency
Curl A set of actuators curl
Relatively simple Relatively large IJ43
outwards outwards,
pressurizing construction chip area
ink in a chamber
surrounding the
actuators, and
expelling ink from a
nozzle in the chamber.
Iris Multiple vanes enclose High
efficiency High fabrication IJ22
a volume of ink. These Small
chip area complexity
simultaneously rotate, Not suitable for
reducing the volume pigmented inks
between the vanes.
Acoustic The actuator vibrates The actuator can Large area 1993
Hadimioglu
vibration at a high frequency. be physically distant
required for et al, EUP 550,192
from the ink efficient operation
1993 Elrod et al,
at useful frequencies EUP 572,220
Acoustic
coupling and
crosstalk
Complex
drive
circuitry
Poor control of
drop volume
and
position
None In various ink jet No moving parts
Various other Silverbrook, EP
designs the actuator tradeoffs are
0771 658 A2 and
does not move. required to related patent
eliminate moving applications
parts Tone-jet
[0177] Nozzle Refill Method
10
Nozzle
refill method Description Advantages
Disadvantages Examples
Surface After the actuator is
Fabrication Low speed Thermal inkjet
tension energized, it
typically simplicity Surface tension Piezoelectric
returns
rapidly to its Operational force relatively inkjet
normal
position. This simplicity small compared to IJ01-IJ07, IJ10-IJ14
rapid return sucks in actuator force IJ16, IJ20, IJ22-IJ45
air
through the nozzle Long refill time
opening. The ink usually
dominates
surface tension at the the total repetition
nozzle then exerts a rate
small force restoring
the
meniscus to a
minimum area.
Shuttered Ink to the nozzle
High speed Requires IJ08, IJ13, IJ15, IJ17
oscillating chamber is
provided at Low actuator common ink IJ18, IJ19, IJ21
ink pressure
a pressure that energy, as the pressure oscillator
oscillates at
twice the actuator need only May not be
drop ejection open or
close the suitable for
frequency. When a shutter, instead of
pigmented inks
drop is to be ejected, ejecting the ink drop
the shutter is opened
for 3 half cycles: drop
ejection,
actuator
return, and refill.
Refill After the main High
speed, as Requires two IJ09
actuator actuator has ejected a the
nozzle is independent
drop a second (refill) actively refilled
actuators per nozzle
actuator is energized.
The refill
actuator
pushes ink into the
nozzle chamber. The
refill actuator returns
slowly, to prevent its
return
from emptying
the chamber again.
Positive ink The ink is
held a slight High refill rate, Surface spill Silverbrook, EP 0771
pressure positive pressure. After therefore a high must be prevented 658
A2 and related
the ink drop is ejected, drop repetition rate
Highly patent applications
the nozzle chamber fills is possible
hydrophobic print Alternative for:
quickly as surface tension
head surfaces are IJ01-IJ07, IJ10-IJ14
and ink pressure both
required IJ16, IJ20, IJ22-IJ45
operate to refill the
nozzle.
[0178] Method of Restricting Back-Flow Through Inlet
11
Inlet
back-flow
restriction
method Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples
Long
inlet The ink inlet channel Design simplicity Restricts refill Thermal
inkjet
channel to the nozzle chamber Operational rate
Piezoelectric
is made long and simplicity May result in a inkjet
relatively narrow, Reduces relatively large IJ42, IJ43
relying on viscous crosstalk chip area
drag to reduce inlet Only
partially
back-flow. effective
Positive ink The ink is
under a Drop selection Requires a Silverbrook, EP 0771
pressure
positive pressure, so and separation method (such as a 658 A2 and related
that in the quiescent forces can be nozzle rim or patent
applications
state some of the ink reduced effective Possible
operation
drop already protrudes Fast refill time hydrophobizing,
or of the following:
from the nozzle. both) to prevent
IJ01-IJ07, IJ09-IJ12
This reduces the flooding of the IJ14,
IJ16, IJ20, IJ22,
pressure in the nozzle ejection surface of
IJ23-IJ34, IJ36-IJ41
chamber which is the print head. IJ44
required to eject a
certain volume of ink.
The
reduction in
chamber pressure
results in a reduction
in ink pushed out
through the inlet.
Baffle One or more
baffles The refill rate is Design HP Thermal Ink Jet
are placed
in the inlet not as restricted as complexity Tektronix
ink flow.
When the the long inlet May increase piezoelectric ink jet
actuator is energized, method. fabrication
the rapid ink Reduces
complexity (e.g.
movement creates crosstalk Tektronix hot melt
eddies which restrict Piezoelectric print
the flow through
the heads).
inlet. The slower refill
process is
unrestricted,
and does not result in
eddies.
Flexible flap In this method recently Significantly Not applicable to
Canon
restricts disclosed by Canon, reduces back-flow most inkjet
inlet the expanding actuator for edge-shooter configurations
(bubble) pushes on a thermal ink jet Increased
flexible flap
that devices fabrication
restricts the inlet. complexity
Inelastic
deformation of
polymer flap results
in creep over
extended use
Inlet filter A filter is
located Additional Restricts refill IJ04, IJ12, IJ24, IJ27
between the ink inlet advantage of ink rate IJ29, IJ30
and the
nozzle filtration May result in
chamber. The filter Ink filter
may be complex
has a multitude of fabricated with no construction
small holes or slots, additional process
restricting ink
flow. steps
The filter also removes
particles which may
block the nozzle.
Small inlet The ink inlet channel Design
simplicity Restricts refill IJ02, IJ37, IJ44
compared to the
nozzle chamber rate
to nozzle has a substantially May result in
a
smaller cross section relatively large
than that of
the nozzle, chip area
resulting in easier ink Only partially
egress out of the effective
nozzle than out of the
inlet.
Inlet shutter A secondary actuator Increases speed Requires
separate IJ09
controls the position of of the ink-jet print
refill actuator and
a shutter, closing off head operation drive
circuit
the ink inlet when the
main actuator is
energized.
The inlet is The method avoids the Back-flow Requires
careful IJ01, IJ03, 1J05, IJ06
located problem of inlet back-
problem is design to minimize IJ07, IJ10, IJ11, IJ14
behind the
flow by arranging the eliminated the negative IJ16, IJ22, IJ23, IJ25
ink-pushing ink-pushing surface of pressure behind the IJ28, IJ31,
IJ32, IJ33
surface the actuator between paddle IJ34, IJ35, IJ36,
IJ39
the inlet and the IJ40, IJ41
nozzle.
Part
of the The actuator and a Significant Small increase in IJ07, IJ20, IJ26,
IJ38
actuator wall of the ink reductions in back- fabrication
moves to chamber are arranged flow can be complexity
shut off
the so that the motion of achieved
inlet the actuator closes off
Compact designs
the inlet. possible
Nozzle In some
configurations Ink back-flow None related to Silverbrook, EP
actuator of ink jet, there is no problem is ink back-flow on 0771 658 A2
and
does not expansion or eliminated actuation related patent
result in ink movement of an applications
back-flow actuator
which may Valve-jet
cause ink back-flow Tone-jet
through the inlet. IJ08, IJ13, IJ15, IJ17
IJ18, IJ19, IJ21
[0179] Nozzle Clearing Method
12
Nozzle
Clearing method Description Advantages
Disadvantages Examples
Normal All of the nozzles are No
added May not be Most ink jet
nozzle firing fired periodically,
complexity on the sufficient to systems
before the ink has a
print head displace dried ink IJ01-IJ07, IJ09-IJ12
chance to dry.
When IJ14, IJ16, IJ20, IJ22
not in use the nozzles IJ23-IJ34,
IJ36-IJ45
are sealed (capped)
against air.
The
nozzle firing is
usually performed
during a special
clearing cycle, after
first moving the print
head to a
cleaning
station.
Extra In systems which heat Can be
highly Requires higher Silverbrook, EP
power to the ink, but do
not boil effective if the drive voltage for 0771 658 A2 and
ink
heater it under normal heater is adjacent to clearing related patent
situations, nozzle the nozzle May require applications
clearing can be larger drive
achieved by over- transistors
powering the heater
and boiling ink at the
nozzle.
Rapid The actuator is fired in Does not require Effectiveness May be
used with:
succession rapid succession. In extra drive circuits
depends IJ01-IJ07, IJ09-IJ11
of actuator some configurations, on
the print head substantially upon IJ14, IJ16, IJ20, IJ22
pulses
this may cause heat Can be readily the configuration of IJ23-IJ25,
IJ27-IJ34
build-up at the nozzle controlled and the inkjet nozzle
IJ36-IJ45
which boils the ink, initiated by digital
clearing the nozzle. In logic
other situations, it may
cause sufficient
vibrations to dislodge
clogged nozzles.
Extra Where an actuator is A simple Not suitable May be used with:
power to not normally driven to solution where where there is a
IJ03, IJ09, IJ16, IJ20
ink pushing the limit of its motion,
applicable hard limit to IJ23, IJ24, IJ25, IJ27
actuator nozzle
clearing may be actuator movement IJ29, IJ30, IJ31, IJ32
assisted by providing IJ39, IJ40, IJ41, IJ42
an enhanced drive
IJ43, IJ44, IJ45
signal to the actuator.
Acoustic An
ultrasonic wave is A high nozzle High IJ08, IJ13, IJ15, IJ17
resonance applied to the ink clearing capability implementation cost
IJ18, IJ19, IJ21
chamber. This wave is can be achieved if system
does not
of an appropriate May be already include an
amplitude and implemented at very acoustic actuator
frequency to
cause low cost in systems
sufficient force at the which already
nozzle to clear include acoustic
blockages. This is
actuators
easiest to achieve if
the ultrasonic wave is
at a resonant
frequency of the ink
cavity.
Nozzle A microfabricated Can clear Accurate mechanical Silverbrook, EP
clearing plate is pushed against severely clogged alignment is 0771
658 A2 and
plate the nozzles. The plate nozzles required related
patent
has a post for every Moving parts are applications
nozzle. The array of required
posts There is risk of
damage to the
nozzles
Accurate
fabrication
is
required
Ink The pressure of the ink May be effective
Requires May be used
pressure is temporarily where other pressure
pump or with all IJ series ink
pulse increased so that ink methods
cannot be other pressure jets
streams from all of the used
actuator
nozzles. This may be Expensive
used in
conjunction Wasteful of ink
with actuator
energizing.
Print head A flexible `blade` is Effective for Difficult to use if
Many ink jet
wiper wiped across the print planar print head print
head surface is systems
head surface. The surfaces non-planar or
very
blade is usually Low cost fragile
fabricated from a
Requires
flexible polymer, e.g. mechanical parts
rubber
or synthetic Blade can wear
elastomer. out in high volume
print systems
Separate A separate heater is Can be effective
Fabrication Can be used with
ink boiling provided at the nozzle
where other nozzle complexity many IJ series ink
heater although
the normal clearing methods jets
drop e-ection cannot be used
mechanism does not Can be
require it. The heaters
implemented at no
do not require additional cost in
individual drive some inkjet
circuits, as many configurations
nozzles can be cleared
simultaneously, and no
imaging
is required.
[0180] Nozzle Plate Construction
13
Nozzle plate
construction Description
Advantages Disadvantages Examples
Electro- A nozzle plate
is Fabrication High Hewlett Packard
formed separately fabricated
simplicity temperatures and Thermal Inkjet
nickel from
electroformed pressures are
nickel, and bonded to required to
bond
the print head nozzle plate
chip. Minimum
thickness constraints
Differential
thermal expansion
Laser Individual nozzle No masks Each hole must Canon Bubblejet
ablated or holes are ablated by an required be individually 1988
Sercel et
drilled intense UV laser in a Can be quite fast formed
al., SPIE, Vol. 998
polymer nozzle plate, which is Some control
Special Excimer Beam
typically a polymer over nozzle profile
equipment required Applications, pp.
such as polyimide or is
possible Slow where there 76-83
polysulphone Equipment are many
thousands 1993 Watanabe
required is relatively of nozzles per
print et al., U.S. Pat. No.
low cost head 5,208,604
May produce thin
burrs at exit holes
Silicon A separate
nozzle High accuracy is Two part K. Bean, IEEE
micro- plate is
attainable construction Transactions on
machined micromachined
from High cost Electron Devices,
single crystal silicon,
Requires Vol. ED-25, No. 10,
and bonded to the precision
alignment 1978, pp 1185-1195
print head wafer. Nozzles may be
Xerox 1990
clogged by adhesive Hawkins et al.,
U.S.
Pat. No. 4,899,181
Glass Fine glass capillaries No expensive Very
small 1970 Zoltan
capillaries are drawn from glass equipment
required nozzle sizes are U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,212
tubing. This
method Simple to make difficult to form
has been used for single
nozzles Not suited for
making individual mass production
nozzles, but is difficult
to use for bulk
manufacturing
of print
heads with thousands
of nozzles.
Monolithic, The nozzle plate is High accuracy Requires Silverbrook, EP
surface deposited as a layer (<1 .mu.m) sacrificial layer 0771 658
A2 and
micro- using standard VLSI Monolithic under the nozzle
related patent
machined deposition techniques. Low cost plate to
form the applications
using VLSI Nozzles are etched in Existing
nozzle chamber IJ01, IJ02, IJ04, IJ11
litho- the nozzle plate
using processes can be Surface may be IJ12, IJ17, IJ18, IJ20
graphic VLSI lithography and used fragile to the touch IJ22, IJ24, IJ27,
IJ28
processes etching. IJ29, IJ30, IJ31, IJ32
IJ33,
IJ34, IJ36, IJ37
IJ38, IJ39, IJ40, IJ41
IJ42, IJ43,
IJ44
Monolithic, The nozzle plate is a High accuracy Requires long
IJ03, IJ05, IJ06, IJ07
etched buried etch stop in the (<1
.mu.m) etch times IJ08, IJ09, IJ10, IJ13
through wafer. Nozzle
Monolithic Requires a IJ14, IJ15, IJ16, IJ19
substrate chambers
are etched in Low cost support wafer IJ21, IJ23, IJ25, IJ26
the
front of the wafer, No differential
and the wafer is expansion
thinned from the back
side. Nozzles are then
etched
in the etch stop
layer.
No nozzle Various methods have No
nozzles to Difficult to Ricoh 1995
plate been tried to eliminate
become clogged control drop Sekiya et al
the nozzles entirely, to
position accurately U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,413
prevent nozzle
Crosstalk 1993 Hadimioglu
clogging. These problems et al EUP
550,192
include thermal bubble 1993 Elrod et al
mechanisms and EUP 572,220
acoustic lens
mechanisms
Trough Each drop ejector has Reduced Drop firing IJ35
a trough
through manufacturing direction is sensitive
which a paddle
moves. complexity to wicking.
There is no nozzle Monolithic
plate.
Nozzle slit The elimination of No nozzles to Difficult to
1989 Saito et al
instead of nozzle holes and become clogged
control drop U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,068
individual replacement by a
slit position accurately
nozzles encompassing many Crosstalk
actuator positions problems
reduces nozzle
clogging,
but increases
crosstalk due to ink
surface waves
[0181] Drop Ejection Direction
14
Ejection
direction Description Advantages
Disadvantages Examples
Edge Ink flow is along the Simple
Nozzles limited Canon Bubblejet
(`edge surface of the construction
to edge 1979 Endo et al GB
shooter`) chip, and ink No silicon High
resolution patent 2,007,162
drops are ejected etching required is
difficult Xerox heater-in-pit
from the chip edge. Good heat Fast
color 1990 Hawkins et al
sinking via substrate printing requires
U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,181
Mechanically one print head per Tone-jet
strong color
Ease of chip handing
Surface Ink
flow is along the No bulk silicon Maximum ink Hewlett-Packard TIJ
(`roof surface of the etching required flow is severely 1982 Vaught et al
shooter`) chip, and ink drops Silicon can make restricted U.S.
Pat. No. 4,490,728
are ejected from an effective heat IJ02,
IJ11, IJ12, IJ20
the chip surface, sink IJ22
normal to
the Mechanical
plane of the chip. strength
Through Ink
flow is through the High ink flow Requires bulk Silverbrook, EP
chip, forward chip, Suitable for silicon etching 0771 658 A2 and
(`up shooter`) and ink drops are pagewidth print related patent
ejected from the front High nozzle applications
surface of the
chip. packing density IJ04, IJ17, IJ18, IJ24
therefore low
IJ27-IJ45
manufacturing cost
Through Ink flow is through
the High ink flow Requires wafer IJ01, IJ03, IJ05, IJ06
chip,
reverse chip, and ink drops Suitable for thinning IJ07, IJ08, IJ09, IJ10
(`down are ejected from the pagewidth print Requires special IJ13,
IJ14, IJ15, IJ16
shooter`) rear surface of the High nozzle
handling during IJ19, IJ21, IJ23, IJ25
chip. packing density
manufacture IJ26
therefore low
manufacturing cost
Through Ink flow is through the Suitable for Pagewidth print Epson
Stylus
actuator actuator, which is not piezoelectric print heads
require Tektronix hot
fabricated as part of heads several
thousand melt piezoelectric
the same substrate as connections to
drive ink jets
the drive transistors. circuits
Cannot
be
manufactured in
standard CMOS
fabs
Complex
assembly required
[0182] Ink Type
15
Ink type Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples
Aqueous, Water based ink which Environmentally Slow drying
Most existing inkjets
dye typically contains: friendly Corrosive
All IJ series ink jets
water, dye, surfactant, No odor Bleeds on
paper Silverbrook, EP 0771
humectant, and May strikethrough 658
A2 and related
biocide. Cockles paper patent applications
Modern ink dyes have
high water-fastness,
light fastness
Aqueous, Water based ink which Environmentally Slow drying IJ02,
IJ04, IJ21, IJ26
pigment typically contains: friendly Corrosive
IJ27, IJ30
water, pigment, No odor Pigment may Silverbrook, EP
0771
surfactant, humectant, Reduced bleed clog nozzles 658 A2 and
related
and biocide. Reduced wicking Pigment may patent
applications
Pigments have an Reduced clog actuator Piezoelectric
ink-jets
advantage in reduced strikethrough mechanisms Thermal
ink jets
bleed, wicking and Cockles paper (with significant
strikethrough. restrictions)
Methyl Ethyl MEK is a highly
Very fast drying Odorous All IJ series ink jets
Ketone (MEK)
volatile solvent used Prints on various Flammable
for industrial
printing substrates such as
on difficult surfaces metals and
plastics
such as aluminum cans.
Alcohol Alcohol based inks
Fast drying Slight odor All IJ series ink jets
(ethanol, 2- can be
used where the Operates at sub- Flammable
butanol, printer must
operate at freezing
and others) temperatures below temperatures
the freezing point of Reduced paper
water. An example of
cockle
this is in-camera Low cost
consumer
photographic printing.
Phase change The ink is solid at No drying
time- High viscosity Tektronix hot melt
(hot melt) room
temperature, and ink instantly freezes Printed ink piezoelectric ink jets
is melted in the print on the print medium typically has a 1989
Nowak
head before jetting. Almost any print `waxy` feel U.S. Pat.
No. 4,820,346
Hot melt inks are medium can be used Printed pages
All IJ series ink jets
usually wax based, No paper cockle may
`block`
with a melting point occurs Ink temperature
around 80.degree. C. After No wicking occurs may be above the
jetting the ink freezes No bleed occurs curie point of
almost
instantly upon No strikethrough permanent magnets
contacting the
print occurs Ink heaters
medium or a transfer consume power
roller. Long warm-up
time
Oil Oil based inks are
High solubility High viscosity: All IJ series ink jets
extensively used in medium for some this is a significant
offset
printing. They dyes limitation for use in
have advantages in Does
not cockle inkjets, which
improved paper usually require a
characteristics on Does not wick low viscosity. Some
paper
(especially no through paper short chain and
wicking or cockle).
multi-branched oils
Oil soluble dies and have a sufficiently
pigments are required. low viscosity.
Slow drying
Micro- A microemulsion is a Stops ink bleed Viscosity higher All IJ
series ink jets
emulsion stable, self forming High dye than water
emulsion of oil, water, solubility Cost is slightly
and
surfactant. The Water, oil, and higher than water
characteristic
drop size amphiphilic soluble based ink
is less than 100 nm, dies
can be used High surfactant
and is determined by Can stabilize
concentration
the preferred curvature pigment suspensions
required (around 5%)
of the surfactant.
[0183] Ink Jet Printing
[0184] A large number of new forms of ink jet printers have been developed
to facilitate alternative ink jet technologies for the image processing
and data distribution system. Various combinations of ink jet devices can
be included in printer devices incorporated as part of the present
invention. Australian Provisional Patent Applications relating to these
ink jets which are specifically incorporated by cross reference include:
16
Australian
Provisional
Number Filing
Date Title
PO8066 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ01)
PO8072 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ02)
PO8040 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ03)
PO8071 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ04)
PO8047 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ05)
PO8035 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ06)
PO8044 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ07)
PO8063 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ08)
PO8057 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ09)
PO8056 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ10)
PO8069 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ11)
PO8049 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ12)
PO8036 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ13)
PO8048 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ14)
PO8070 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ15)
PO8067 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ16)
PO8001 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ17)
PO8038 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ18)
PO8033 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ19)
PO8002 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ20)
PO8068 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ21)
PO8062 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ22)
PO8034 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ23)
PO8039 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ24)
PO8041 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ25)
PO8004 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ26)
PO8037 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ27)
PO8043 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ28)
PO8042 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ29)
PO8064 15-Jul-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ30)
PO9389 23-Sep-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ31)
PO9391 23-Sep-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ32)
PP0888 12-Dec-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ33)
PP0891 12-Dec-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ34)
PP0890 12-Dec-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ35)
PP0873 12-Dec-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ36)
PP0993 12-Dec-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ37)
PP0890 12-Dec-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IJ38)
PP1398 19-Jan-98 An Image Creation Method and
Apparatus
(IJ39)
PP2592 25-Mar-98 An Image Creation
Method and Apparatus
(IJ40)
PP2593 25-Mar-98 Image
Creation Method and Apparatus (IJ41)
PP3991 9-Jun-98 Image
Creation Method and Apparatus (IJ42)
PP3987 9-Jun-98 Image
Creation Method and Apparatus (IJ43)
PP3985 9-Jun-98 Image
Creation Method and Apparatus (IJ44)
PP3983 9-Jun-98 Image
Creation Method and Apparatus (IJ45)
[0185] Ink Jet Manufacturing
[0186] Further, the present application may utilize advanced semiconductor
fabrication techniques in the construction of large arrays of ink jet
printers. Suitable manufacturing techniques are described in the
following Australian provisional patent specifications incorporated here
by cross-reference:
17
Australian
Provisional
Number Filing
Date Title
PO7935 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM01)
PO7936 15-Jul-97 A
Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM02)
PO7937 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation
Apparatus (IJM03)
PO8061 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM04)
PO8054 15-Jul-97 A Method
of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM05)
PO8065 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation
Apparatus (IJM06)
PO8055 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM07)
PO8053 15-Jul-97 A Method
of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM08)
PO8078 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation
Apparatus (IJM09)
PO7933 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM10)
PO7950 15-Jul-97 A Method
of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM11)
PO7949 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation
Apparatus (IJM12)
PO8060 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM13)
PO8059 15-Jul-97 A Method
of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM14)
PO8073 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation
Apparatus (IJM15)
PO8076 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM16)
PO8075 15-Jul-97 A Method
of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM17)
PO8079 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation
Apparatus (IJM18)
PO8050 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM19)
PO8052 15-Jul-97 A Method
of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM20)
PO7948 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation
Apparatus (IJM21)
PO7951 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM22)
PO8074 15-Jul-97 A Method
of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM23)
PO7941 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation
Apparatus (IJM24)
PO8077 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM25)
PO8058 15-Jul-97 A Method
of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM26)
PO8051 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation
Apparatus (IJM27)
PO8045 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM28)
PO7952 15-Jul-97 A Method
of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM29)
PO8046 15-Jul-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation
Apparatus (IJM30)
PO8503 11-Aug-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM30a)
PO9390 23-Sep-97 A Method
of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM31)
PO9392 23-Sep-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation
Apparatus (IJM32)
PP0889 12-Dec-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM35)
PP0887 12-Dec-97 A Method
of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM36)
PP0882 12-Dec-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation
Apparatus (IJM37)
PP0874 12-Dec-97 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM38)
PP1396 19-Jan-98 A Method
of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM39)
PP2591 25-Mar-98 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation
Apparatus (IJM41)
PP3989 9-Jun-98 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM40)
PP3990 9-Jun-98 A Method of
Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM42)
PP3986
9-Jun-98 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus
(IJM43)
PP3984 9-Jun-98 A Method of Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM44)
PP3982 9-Jun-98 A Method of
Manufacture of an
Image Creation Apparatus (IJM45)
[0187] Fluid Supply
[0188] Further, the present application may utilize an ink delivery system
to the ink jet head. Delivery systems relating to the supply of ink to a
series of ink jet nozzles are described in the following Australian
provisional patent specifications, the disclosure of which are hereby
incorporated by cross-reference:
18
Australian
Provisional
Number
Filing Date Title
PO8003 15-Jul-97 Supply Method and
Apparatus (F1)
PO8005 15-Jul-97 Supply Method and
Apparatus (F2)
PO9404 23-Sep-97 A Device and Method (F3)
[0189] MEMS Technology
[0190] Further, the present application may utilize advanced semiconductor
microelectromechanical techniques in the construction of large arrays of
ink jet printers. Suitable microelectromechanical techniques are
described in the following Australian provisional patent specifications
incorporated here by cross-reference:
19
Australian
Provisional
Number Filing
Date Title
PO7943 15-Jul-97 A device (MEMS01)
PO8006 15-Jul-97 A device (MEMS02)
PO8007 15-Jul-97 A device
(MEMS03)
PO8008 15-Jul-97 A device (MEMS04)
PO8010
15-Jul-97 A device (MEMS05)
PO8011 15-Jul-97 A device (MEMS06)
PO7947 15-Jul-97 A device (MEMS07)
PO7945 15-Jul-97 A device
(MEMS08)
PO7944 15-Jul-97 A device (MEMS09)
PO7946
15-Jul-97 A device (MEMS10)
PO9393 23-Sep-97 A Device and Method
(MEMS11)
PP0875 12-Dec-97 A Device (MEMS12)
PP0894
12-Dec-97 A Device and Method (MEMS13)
[0191] IR Technologies
[0192] Further, the present application may include the utilization of a
disposable camera system such as those described in the following
Australian provisional patent specifications incorporated here by
cross-reference:
20
Australian
Provisional
Number
Filing Date Title
PP0895 12-Dec-97 An Image Creation
Method and
Apparatus (IR01)
PP0870 12-Dec-97 A Device
and Method (IR02)
PP0869 12-Dec-97 A Device and Method (IR04)
PP0887 12-Dec-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IR05)
PP0885 12-Dec-97 An Image Production System
(IR06)
PP0884 12-Dec-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus (IR10)
PP0886 12-Dec-97 Image Creation Method and
Apparatus
(IR12)
PP0871 12-Dec-97 A Device and Method (IR13)
PP0876
12-Dec-97 An Image Processing Method
and Apparatus (IR14)
PP0877 12-Dec-97 A Device and Method (IR16)
PP0878 12-Dec-97 A
Device and Method (IR17)
PP0879 12-Dec-97 A Device and Method
(IR18)
PP0883 12-Dec-97 A Device and Method (IR19)
PP0880
12-Dec-97 A Device and Method (IR20)
PP0881 12-Dec-97 A Device
and Method (IR21)
[0193] DotCard Technologies
[0194] Further, the present application may include the utilization of a
data distribution system such as that described in the following
Australian provisional patent specifications incorporated here by
cross-reference:
21
Australian
Provisional
Number
Filing Date Title
PP2370 16-Mar-98 Data Processing
Method and
Apparatus (Dot01)
PP2371 16-Mar-98 Data
Processing Method and
Apparatus (Dot02)
[0195] Artcam Technologies
[0196] Further, the present application may include the utilization of
camera and data processing techniques such as an Artcam type device as
described in the following Australian provisional patent specifications
incorporated here by cross-reference:
22
Australian
Provisional
Number
Filing Date Title
PO7991 15-Jul-97 Image Processing
Method and
Apparatus (ART01)
PO8505 11-Aug-97 Image
Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART01a)
PO7988
15-Jul-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART02)
PO7993 15-Jul-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART03)
PO8012 15-Jul-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus
(ART05)
PO8017 15-Jul-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART06)
PO8014 15-Jul-97 Media Device (ART07)
PO8025 15-Jul-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART08)
PO8032 15-Jul-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus
(ART09)
PO7999 15-Jul-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART10)
PO7998 15-Jul-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART11)
PO8031 15-Jul-97 Image Processing Method
and
Apparatus (ART12)
PO8030 15-Jul-97 Media Device
(ART13)
PO8498 11-Aug-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART14)
PO7997 15-Jul-97 Media Device (ART15)
PO7979 15-Jul-97 Media Device (ART16)
PO8015 15-Jul-97 Media
Device (ART17)
PO7978 15-Jul-97 Media Device (ART18)
PO7982 15-Jul-97 Data Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART19)
PO7989 15-Jul-97 Data Processing Method and
Apparatus
(ART20)
PO8019 15-Jul-97 Media Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART21)
PO7980 15-Jul-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART22)
PO7942 15-Jul-97 Image Processing Method
and
Apparatus (ART23)
PO8018 15-Jul-97 Image Processing
Method and
Apparatus (ART24)
PO7938 15-Jul-97 Image
Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART25)
PO8016
15-Jul-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART26)
PO8024 15-Jul-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART27)
PO7940 15-Jul-97 Data Processing Method and
Apparatus
(ART28)
PO7939 15-Jul-97 Data Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART29)
PO8501 11-Aug-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART30)
PO8500 11-Aug-97 Image Processing Method
and
Apparatus (ART31)
PO7987 15-Jul-97 Data Processing
Method and
Apparatus (ART32)
PO8022 15-Jul-97 Image
Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART33)
PO8497
11-Aug-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART30)
PO8029 15-Jul-97 Sensor Creation Method and
Apparatus (ART36)
PO7985 15-Jul-97 Data Processing Method and
Apparatus
(ART37)
PO8020 15-Jul-97 Data Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART38)
PO8023 15-Jul-97 Data Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART39)
PO9395 23-Sep-97 Data Processing Method
and
Apparatus (ART4)
PO8021 15-Jul-97 Data Processing
Method and
Apparatus (ART40)
PO8504 11-Aug-97 Image
Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART42)
PO8000
15-Jul-97 Data Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART43)
PO7977 15-Jul-97 Data Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART44)
PO7934 15-Jul-97 Data Processing Method and
Apparatus
(ART45)
PO7990 15-Jul-97 Data Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART46)
PO8499 11-Aug-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART47)
PO8502 11-Aug-97 Image Processing Method
and
Apparatus (ART48)
PO7981 15-Jul-97 Data Processing
Method and
Apparatus (ART50)
PO7986 15-Jul-97 Data
Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART51)
PO7983
15-Jul-97 Data Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART52)
PO8026 15-Jul-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART53)
PO8027 15-Jul-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus
(ART54)
PO8028 15-Jul-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART56)
PO9394 23-Sep-97 Image Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART57)
PO9396 23-Sep-97 Data Processing Method
and
Apparatus (ART58)
PO9397 23-Sep-97 Data Processing
Method and
Apparatus (ART59)
PO9398 23-Sep-97 Data
Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART60)
PO9399
23-Sep-97 Data Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART61)
PO9400 23-Sep-97 Data Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART62)
PO9401 23-Sep-97 Data Processing Method and
Apparatus
(ART63)
PO9402 23-Sep-97 Data Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART64)
PO9403 23-Sep-97 Data Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART65)
PO9405 23-Sep-97 Data Processing Method
and
Apparatus (ART66)
PP0959 16-Dec-97 A Data
Processing Method and
Apparatus (ART68)
PP1397
19-Jan-98 A Media Device (ART69)
* * * * *
