Inkjet printhead device, fluid ejection device, and method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9327512-B2
Application number	US-201114125660-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2011
Priority date	Oct 24, 2011
Publication date	May 3, 2016
Grant date	May 3, 2016

Abstract

An inkjet printhead device, fluid ejection device and method thereof are disclosed. The fluid ejection device includes a fluid supply chamber to store fluid, an ejection chamber including a nozzle and a corresponding ejection member to selectively eject the fluid through the nozzle, and a channel to establish fluid communication between the fluid supply chamber and the ejection chamber. The fluid ejection device also includes a pressure sensor unit having a sensor plate to output a voltage value corresponding to a cross-sectional area of an amount of fluid in the at least ejection chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid ejection device, comprising:
a fluid supply chamber to store fluid;
a plurality of ejection chambers comprising nozzles and corresponding ejection members to selectively eject the fluid through the respective nozzles;
a channel to establish fluid communication between the fluid supply chamber and the ejection chambers; and
a pressure sensor unit having a sensor plate, the sensor plate to output a voltage value corresponding to a cross-sectional area of an amount of fluid in at least one ejection chamber, wherein a diameter of a respective nozzle corresponding to the at least one ejection chamber is greater than diameters of respective nozzles corresponding to respective ejection chambers other than the at least one ejection chamber.

2. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor unit further comprises:
an air bubble detect micro-electro-mechanical systems (ABD MEMS) pressure sensor.

3. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage value output from the pressure sensor unit is a function of a back pressure within the at least one ejection chamber.

4. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a grounding member disposed in the at least one ejection chamber; and
a current source to transmit an electrical current signal to the grounding member through fluid in contact with and disposed between the respective sensor plate and the grounding member.

5. The fluid ejection device according to claim 4 , wherein grounding member is disposed between the ejection member and the sensor plate.

6. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a converter module to output a count value corresponding to the respective voltage value or the fluid output by the pressure sensor unit.

7. The fluid ejection device according to claim 6 , wherein the sensor plate is disposed in at least one of the ejection chambers.

8. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1 , wherein the ejection members are resistors.

9. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor plate and a nearest ejection member are not located on facing surfaces.

10. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor plate and the ejection member are located on a common surface.

11. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1 , wherein an axis centered along a bore of a nozzle nearest the sensor plate intersects the sensor plate.

12. An inkjet printhead device, comprising:
a fluid supply chamber to store fluid;
a plurality of ejection chambers comprising nozzles and corresponding ejection members to selectively eject the fluid through the respective nozzles, at least one of the ejection chambers corresponds to a test chamber;
a channel to establish fluid communication between the fluid supply chamber and the ejection chambers; and
an air bubble detect micro-electro-mechanical systems (ABD MEMS) pressure sensor having a respective sensor plate disposed in the test chamber, the sensor plate to output a voltage value corresponding to a cross-sectional area of an amount of fluid in the test chamber, wherein the ABD MEMS detects bubbles by a change in current flowing through the plate of the pressure sensor and adjacent fluid.

13. The inkjet printhead device according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a converter module to output a count value corresponding to the respective voltage value output by the respective ABD hi EMS pressure sensor.

14. The inkjet printhead device according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a grounding member disposed in the respective ejection chamber; and
a current source to transmit an electrical current signal to the grounding member through fluid in contact with and disposed between the respective sensor plate and the grounding member.

15. The inkjet printhead device according to claim 12 , wherein the voltage value output from the respective sensor plate of the ABD MEMS pressure sensor is a function of a back pressure within the respective ejection chamber.

16. The inkjet printhead device according to claim 12 , wherein a diameter of a respective nozzle corresponding to the test chamber is greater than diameters of respective nozzles corresponding to the ejection chambers other than the test chamber.

Assignees

• Van Brocklin Andrew L
• Ghozeil Adam L
• Anderson Daryl E
• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Van Brocklin Andrew L
• Ghozeil Adam L
• Anderson Daryl E

Classifications

• B41J2/0458

  controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles · CPC title

• B41J2/14153

  Structures including a sensor · CPC title

• B41J2202/07

  dealing with air bubbles · CPC title

• G01F23/185

  for discrete levels · CPC title

• B41J2/17566 Primary

  Ink level or ink residue control · CPC title