Thermal inkjet printhead with de-clog firing mode

US7604321B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd · AU

Inventors

• John Robert Sheahan · Sydney, AU
• Mark Jackson Pulver · Sydney, AU
• Brian Christopher Morahan · Sydney, AU
• Alireza Moini · Sydney, AU
• Timothy Peter Gillespie · Sydney, AU
• Michael John Webb · Sydney, AU
• Angus John North · Sydney, AU
• Kia Silverbrook · Sydney, AU

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 10, 2006
• Grant date: Oct 20, 2009
• Expiry date: May 17, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B41J2202/20
• WIPO field: Textile and paper machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A printhead IC comprising: an array of nozzles, each with a corresponding heater to form a vapor bubble in printing fluid that causes a drop of the printing fluid to eject through the nozzle; and, drive circuitry for generating drive pulses that energize the heaters, the drive circuitry being configured to operate in two modes, a printing mode in which the drive pulses it generates are printing pulses, and a maintenance mode in which the drive pulses are de-clog pulses; wherein, the de-clog pulse has lower power and a longer duration than the printing pulse.