Methods of forming and using fluid ejection devices and printheads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11084283-B2
Application number	US-201916676070-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2019
Priority date	Mar 28, 2017
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

Ejection device for fluid, comprising a solid body including: first semiconductor body including a chamber for containing the fluid, an ejection nozzle in fluid connection with the chamber, and an actuator operatively connected to the chamber to generate, in use, one or more pressure waves in the fluid such as to cause ejection of the fluid from the ejection nozzle; and a second semiconductor body including a channel for feeding the fluid to the chamber, coupled to the first semiconductor body, in such a way that the channel is in fluid connection with the chamber. The second semiconductor body integrates a damping cavity over which extends a damping membrane, the damping cavity and the damping membrane extending laterally to the channel for feeding the fluid.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a fluid ejection device, the method comprising:
forming a chamber configured to receive a fluid, the chamber including a first membrane at a first surface of the chamber;
forming an ejection nozzle in fluidic connection with the chamber;
forming a damping membrane; and
forming a reservoir chamber,
wherein the first membrane is configured to cause fluid in the chamber to be ejected through the ejection nozzle,
wherein the reservoir chamber is fluidically coupled to the chamber by a fluid path and configured to provide the fluid to the chamber, and
wherein the damping membrane faces the reservoir chamber and is configured to dampen the fluid in the reservoir chamber,
wherein the chamber, the first membrane, and the damping membrane are arranged stacked relative to one another.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the damping membrane is configured to dampen the fluid in the chamber.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein forming the damping membrane comprises forming a closed cavity in the monolithic body, the damping membrane facing the closed cavity.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising forming a filter in in the monolithic body that forms a portion of the fluid path.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the closed cavity is formed before the filter is formed.

6. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the monolithic body is made of semiconductor material.

7. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the monolithic body is one of: glass, germanium, or silicon.

8. A method, comprising:
receiving fluid from a reservoir chamber through an inlet and providing the fluid to a chamber;
causing a first deflection of a first membrane in a first direction that causes at least a drop of the fluid to exit through a nozzle hole;
causing a second deflection of the first membrane in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction; and
dampening pressure waves in the fluid in the chamber using a second membrane in the reservoir chamber,
wherein the first membrane is stacked relative to the second membrane such that the first membrane and the second membrane overlap in the first and second directions.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein dampening pressure waves in the fluid in the chamber comprises deflecting the second membrane into a cavity.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the cavity is adjacent to a fluid path that couples the chamber to the reservoir chamber.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein prior to receiving the fluid, filling the reservoir chamber with the fluid.

12. The method according to claim 8 , wherein receiving the fluid includes filtering the fluid.

13. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the first deflection of the first membrane in the first direction reduces a volume of the chamber, and wherein the second deflection of the first membrane in the second direction increases the volume of the chamber.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the first deflection is a same amount as the second deflection.

15. A method, comprising:
filtering a fluid received from a reservoir chamber;
storing the filtered fluid in a chamber;
deflecting a first membrane in a first direction to cause one or more drops of the fluid to be expelled through a nozzle hole; and
deflecting the first membrane in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction,
wherein a second membrane in the reservoir chamber dampens pressure waves in the fluid in the reservoir chamber and the chamber,
wherein the first membrane is stacked relative to the second membrane such that the first and second membranes overlap in the first and second directions.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the second membrane is located in the reservoir chamber.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the second membrane is located in a same monolithic body that is used to filter the fluid.

18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the second membrane has a main surface that faces a main surface of the first membrane.

19. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the first deflection of the membrane in the first direction reduces a volume of the chamber, and wherein the second deflection of the membrane in the second direction increases the volume of the chamber.

20. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the first deflection is a same amount as the second deflection.

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Srl
• St Microelectronics Inc

Inventors

• Giusti Domenico
• Ferrera Marco
• Prelini Carlo Luigi
• Dodd Simon

Classifications

• B41J2/055 Primary

  Devices for absorbing or preventing back-pressure · CPC title

• B41J2/1629

  wet etching · CPC title

• B41J2/1628

  dry etching · CPC title

• B41J2/18

  Ink recirculation systems · CPC title

• B41J2002/14403

  including a filter · CPC title