Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090097685 | ACTUATOR SYSTEMS FOR ORAL-BASED APPLIANCES - Actuator systems for oral-based appliances utilizing transducers which are attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a dental or oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such oral appliances may be a custom-made device which receives incoming sounds and transmits the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element. The transducer element may utilize electromagnetic or piezoelectric transducer mechanisms and may be positioned directly along the dentition or along an oral appliance housing in various configurations. | 04-16-2009 |
20100066206 | Bonding On Silicon Substrate Having A Groove - A method and apparatus for bonding on a silicon substrate are disclosed. An apparatus includes a membrane having a membrane surface, a groove in the membrane surface, a transducer having a transducer surface substantially parallel to the membrane surface, and an adhesive connecting the membrane surface to the transducer surface. The groove can be configured to permit flow of adhesive into and through the groove while minimizing voids or air gaps that could result from incomplete filling of the groove. Multiple grooves can be formed in the membrane surface and can be of uniform depth. | 03-18-2010 |
20100079523 | Control of Velocity Through a Nozzle - A method is described wherein one or more parameters are measured that affect the nozzle velocity at which a printing fluid is ejected from a pumping chamber through a nozzle. The printing fluid is contained in the pumping chamber actuated by deflection of a piezoelectric layer. A surface area of an electrode actuating the piezoelectric layer is reduced based at least in part on the measured one or more parameters. Reducing the surface area of the electrode reduces the actuated area of the piezoelectric layer. | 04-01-2010 |
20100134568 | MEMS Device with Uniform Membrane - A MEMS based device is described with recesses covered by a membrane. The membranes over the recesses are highly uniform due to being formed by a stack of layers that are epitaxial layers with high uniformity. The unnecessary layers of the stack, such as the handle layer, are removed prior to completion of the device to achieve a membrane with a desired thickness. | 06-03-2010 |
20100141709 | Shaping a Nozzle Outlet - A nozzle layer is described that has a semiconductor body having a first surface, a second surface opposing the first surface, and a nozzle formed through the body connecting the first and second surfaces, wherein the nozzle is configured to eject fluid through a nozzle outlet on the second surface, and the outlet having straight sides connected by curved corners. | 06-10-2010 |
20100189288 | ACTUATOR SYSTEMS FOR ORAL-BASED APPLIANCES - Actuator systems for oral-based appliances utilizing transducers which are attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a dental or oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such oral appliances may be a custom-made device which receives incoming sounds and transmits the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element. The transducer element may utilize electromagnetic or piezoelectric transducer mechanisms and may be positioned directly along the dentition or along an oral appliance housing in various configurations. | 07-29-2010 |
20100207974 | Mitigation of Shorted Fluid Ejector Units - A fluid ejector includes a plurality of fluid ejector units, each fluid ejector unit characterized in part by a pumping actuator that includes an electrode. Whether one or more of the plurality of fluid ejector units is a shorted fluid ejector unit is determined, and the shorted fluid ejector unit is trimmed. | 08-19-2010 |
20100208004 | Ring Electrode for Fluid Ejection - Methods, systems, and apparatus for drive a pumping chamber of a fluid ejection system are disclosed. In one implementation, the actuator for drive the pumping chamber includes a continuous piezoelectric layer between a pair of drive electrodes and a continuous reference electrode. The pair of drive electrodes includes an inner electrode and an outer electrode surrounding the inner electrode. The actuator is further coupled to a controller which, during a fluid ejection cycle, applies a negative voltage pulse differential to the outer electrode to expand the pumping chamber for a first time period, then applies another negative voltage pulse differential to the inner electrode during a second time period after the first time period to contract the pumping chamber to eject a fluid drop. | 08-19-2010 |
20100214380 | Apparatus for Reducing Crosstalk in the Supply and Return Channels During Fluid Droplet Ejecting - A fluid droplet ejection apparatus includes a substrate having a fluid inlet passage, a plurality of nozzles, and a plurality of flow paths each fluidically connecting the fluid inlet passage to an associated nozzle of the plurality of nozzles. Each flow path includes a pumping chamber connected to the associated nozzle and an ascender fluidically connected between the fluid inlet passage and the pumping chamber. The ascender is located proximate to an outside edge of the fluid inlet passage. | 08-26-2010 |
20100220146 | Moisture Protection of Fluid Ejector - A fluid ejection apparatus includes a substrate having a plurality of fluid passages for fluid flow and a plurality of nozzles fluidically connected to the fluid passages, a plurality of actuators positioned on top of the substrate to cause fluid in the plurality of fluid passages to be ejected from the plurality of nozzles, a protective layer formed over at least a portion of the plurality of actuators, a housing component having a chamber, the chamber adjacent to the substrate, and an absorbent layer inside the cavity. The absorbent layer is more absorptive than the protective layer. | 09-02-2010 |
20100220148 | Nozzle Shape For Fluid Droplet Ejection - A fluid ejection apparatus includes a substrate having a nozzle surface and a passage through the substrate for fluid flow, the passage having a nozzle that includes an opening in the nozzle surface of the substrate, and an actuator to cause fluid in the passage to be ejected from the nozzle. The nozzle includes side walls extending away from the opening, the side walls sloping outwardly as the side walls extend away. An aspect ratio of a length of the opening to a width of the opening is at least 2:1. | 09-02-2010 |
20100220883 | ACTUATOR SYSTEMS FOR ORAL-BASED APPLIANCES - Actuator systems for oral-based appliances utilizing transducers which are attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a dental or oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such oral appliances may be a custom-made device which receives incoming sounds and transmits the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element. The transducer element may utilize electromagnetic or piezoelectric transducer mechanisms and may be positioned directly along the dentition or along an oral appliance housing in various configurations. | 09-02-2010 |
20110139901 | Moisture Protection Of Fluid Ejector - A fluid ejection apparatus includes a substrate having a plurality of fluid passages for fluid flow and a plurality of nozzles fluidically connected to the fluid passages, a plurality of actuators positioned on top of the substrate to cause fluid in the plurality of fluid passages to be ejected from the plurality of nozzles, and a protective layer formed over at least a portion of the plurality of actuators, the protective layer having an intrinsic permeability to moisture less than 2.5×10 | 06-16-2011 |
20110141172 | SEPARATION OF DRIVE PULSES FOR FLUID EJECTOR - A method for causing fluid to be ejected from a fluid chamber of a jet in a printhead. An actuator is actuated with a first energy imparting pulse to push fluid away from the actuator and toward a nozzle. Following a lapse of a first interval, the actuator is actuated with second energy imparting pulse to push fluid away from the actuator and toward the nozzle. Following a lapse of a second interval as measured from the second energy imparting pulse, the actuator is actuated with a break-off pulse to cause fluid extending out of an orifice of the nozzle to break off from fluid within the nozzle, wherein the second lapse is longer than the first lapse and is an inverse of the meniscus-jet mass frequency. | 06-16-2011 |
20110147483 | Compartmentalization of Fluid Ejector Device - A fluid ejection apparatus includes a substrate having a plurality of fluid passages for fluid flow and a plurality of nozzles fluidically connected to the fluid passages, a plurality of actuators positioned on top of the substrate to cause fluid in the plurality of fluid passages to be ejected from the plurality of nozzles, a housing component with a descending portion that projects down to the substrate, an integrated circuit chip supported on the substrate, a potting barrier secured to the housing component and positioned between the integrated circuit chip and the actuators, and a potting material between the integrated circuit chip and the barrier. | 06-23-2011 |
20110234668 | Jetting Device with Reduced Crosstalk - A printing device for jetting a liquid includes a flow path body having a plurality of jetting flow paths, a liquid in the plurality of jetting flow paths, a piezoelectric actuator associated with each jetting flow path, a feed substrate having a plurality of fluid inlets, and a driver configured to apply a voltage pulse to the piezoelectric actuator. The first jetting flow path is adjacent to the second jetting flow path and a fluidic travel distance from the piezoelectric actuator of the first jetting flow path to a nozzle of the second jetting flow path is greater than a speed of sound in the liquid times the break off time of a droplet of the fluid from the nozzle. | 09-29-2011 |
20110242168 | Method for Nozzle Velocity Control - A voltage is applied to an electrode positioned in contact with a piezoelectric layer, the electrode having a surface area. A deflection of the piezoelectric layer is measured in response to the applied voltage. The surface area of the electrode is reduced based at least in part on the measured deflection. Reducing the surface area of the electrode reduces the actuated area of the piezoelectric layer. | 10-06-2011 |
20120127230 | Separation of Drive Pulses for Fluid Ejector - A method for causing fluid to be ejected from a fluid chamber of a jet in a printhead. An actuator is actuated with a first energy imparting pulse to push fluid away from the actuator and toward a nozzle. Following a lapse of a first interval, the actuator is actuated with second energy imparting pulse to push fluid away from the actuator and toward the nozzle. Following a lapse of a second interval as measured from the second energy imparting pulse, the actuator is actuated with a break-off pulse to cause fluid extending out of an orifice of the nozzle to break off from fluid within the nozzle, wherein the second lapse is longer than the first lapse and is an inverse of the meniscus-jet mass frequency. | 05-24-2012 |
20120160925 | FLUID RECIRCULATION IN DROPLET EJECTION DEVICES - A fluid ejection apparatus includes a fluid distribution layer between a fluid manifold and a substrate. The fluid distribution layer includes fluid supply channels and fluid return channels. Each fluid supply channel receives fluid from the fluid supply chamber and circulates a fraction of the received fluid back to the fluid return chamber through a return-side bypass. The substrate include a plurality of flow paths, each flow path includes a nozzle for ejecting fluid droplets. Each flow path receives fluid from a respective fluid supply channel, and channel un-ejected fluid into a respective fluid return channel. Each fluid return channel can collect the un-ejected fluid from one or more flow paths and a supply-side bypass, and return the collected fluid back to the fluid supply chamber. | 06-28-2012 |
20130003996 | ACTUATOR SYSTEMS FOR ORAL-BASED APPLIANCES - Actuator systems for oral-based appliances utilizing transducers which are attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a dental or oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such oral appliances may be a custom-made device which receives incoming sounds and transmits the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element. The transducer element may utilize electromagnetic or piezoelectric transducer mechanisms and may be positioned directly along the dentition or along an oral appliance housing in various configurations. | 01-03-2013 |
20130248618 | Moisture Protection Of Fluid Ejector - A fluid ejection apparatus includes a substrate having a plurality of fluid passages for fluid flow and a plurality of nozzles fluidically connected to the fluid passages, a plurality of actuators positioned on top of the substrate to cause fluid in the plurality of fluid passages to be ejected from the plurality of nozzles, and a protective layer formed over at least a portion of the plurality of actuators, the protective layer having an intrinsic permeability to moisture less than 2.5×10 | 09-26-2013 |
20130249987 | Ring Electrode for Fluid Ejection - Methods, systems, and apparatus for drive a pumping chamber of a fluid ejection system are disclosed. In one implementation, the actuator for drive the pumping chamber includes a continuous piezoelectric layer between a pair of drive electrodes and a continuous reference electrode. The pair of drive electrodes includes an inner electrode and an outer electrode surrounding the inner electrode. The actuator is further coupled to a controller which, during a fluid ejection cycle, applies a negative voltage pulse differential to the outer electrode to expand the pumping chamber for a first time period, then applies another negative voltage pulse differential to the inner electrode during a second time period after the first time period to contract the pumping chamber to eject a fluid drop. | 09-26-2013 |
20130293632 | Cleaning a Nozzle Plate Having a Non-Wetting Layer - A method for cleaning a nozzle plate includes applying a first solution to a surface of the nozzle plate, and applying a second solution different from the first solution to the surface of nozzle plate to remove the first solution from the surface of nozzle plate. The first solution wets the nozzle plate and is a solvent to dried ink deposited on the surface of the nozzle plate. The surface of the nozzle plate is non-wetting to the second solution. | 11-07-2013 |
20140043404 | FLUID RECIRCULATION IN DROPLET EJECTION DEVICES - A fluid ejection apparatus includes a fluid distribution layer between a fluid manifold and a substrate. The fluid distribution layer includes fluid supply channels and fluid return channels. Each fluid supply channel receives fluid from the fluid supply chamber and circulates a fraction of the received fluid back to the fluid return chamber through a return-side bypass. The substrate include a plurality of flow paths, each flow path includes a nozzle for ejecting fluid droplets. Each flow path receives fluid from a respective fluid supply channel, and channel un-ejected fluid into a respective fluid return channel. Each fluid return channel can collect the un-ejected fluid from one or more flow paths and a supply-side bypass, and return the collected fluid back to the fluid supply chamber. | 02-13-2014 |
20140169592 | ACTUATOR SYSTEMS FOR ORAL-BASED APPLIANCES - Actuator systems for oral-based appliances utilizing transducers which are attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a dental or oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such oral appliances may be a custom-made device which receives incoming sounds and transmits the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element. The transducer element may utilize electromagnetic or piezoelectric transducer mechanisms and may be positioned directly along the dentition or along an oral appliance housing in various configurations. | 06-19-2014 |
20140267481 | METHOD, APPARATUS, AND SYSTEM TO PROVIDE DROPLETS WITH CONSISTENT ARRIVAL TIME ON A SUBSTRATE - Described herein is a method, apparatus, and system for driving a droplet ejection device with multi-pulse waveforms. In one embodiment, a method for driving a droplet ejection device having an actuator includes applying a first subset of a multi-pulse waveform to the actuator to cause the droplet ejection device to eject a first droplet of a fluid in response to the first subset. The method includes applying a second subset of the multi-pulse waveform to the actuator to cause the droplet ejection device to eject a second droplet of the fluid in response to the second subset. The first subset includes a drive pulse that is positioned in time near a beginning of a clock cycle of the first subset. The first droplet has a smaller volume than the second droplet. | 09-18-2014 |
20150049136 | METHOD, APPARATUS, AND SYSTEM TO PROVIDE MULTI-PULSE WAVEFORMS WITH MENISCUS CONTROL FOR DROPLET EJECTION - A method, apparatus, and system are described herein for driving a droplet ejection device with multi-pulse waveforms. In one embodiment, a method for driving a droplet ejection device having an actuator includes applying a multi-pulse waveform with a drop-firing portion having at least one drive pulse and a non-drop-firing portion to an actuator of the droplet ejection device. The non-drop-firing portion includes a jet straightening edge having a droplet straightening function and at least one cancellation edge having an energy canceling function. The at least drive pulse causes the droplet ejection device to eject a droplet of a fluid. | 02-19-2015 |