Printhead structure and method for producing the same

US6155675A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Hewlett-Packard Company, L.P. · US

Inventors

• Lee Van Nice · Corvallis, US
• Gerald E. Heppell · Tigard, US
• Neal Meyer · Corvallis, US
• Donald L. Michael · Monmouth, US
• Kit Baughman · Escondido, US
• Thach G. Troung · Austin, US
• Rui Yang · Austin, US
• Moses M. David · Woodbury, US
• James White · Washington, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 28, 1997
• Grant date: Dec 5, 2000
• Expiry date: Aug 28, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B41J2202/03
• WIPO field: Textile and paper machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A high-durability printhead for an ink cartridge printing system. The printhead includes a substrate having ink ejectors (e.g. resistors) thereon and an orifice plate positioned above the substrate. The orifice plate (which preferably involves a non-metallic polymer film) has a top surface, bottom surface and a plurality of openings therethrough. To improve the durability of the orifice plate, a protective coating is applied to the top surface and/or the bottom surface of the plate. Representative coatings involve dielectric compositions (including diamond-like carbon) or at least one layer of metal. This approach improves the abrasion and deformation resistance of the plate and avoids "ruffling" and "dimpling" problems.