Funai Electric Company Ltd.

Lexmark International, Inc.

David L Bernard

Andrew McNees

Paul William Dryer

Sean Terrance Weaver

James M Mrvos

David Christopher Graham

John William Krawczyk

Christopher Allen Craft

Timothy Lowell Strunk

Frank Edward Anderson

Carl Edmond Sullivan

Richard Lee Warner

Burton Lee Joyner, Ii

Tim Frasure

James Daniel Anderson, Jr

Girish Shivaji Patil

David Golman King

Gary Raymond Williams

Xiaoming Wu

Jason Todd Vanderpool

Karthik Vaideeswaran

Christopher John Money

Eric Spencer Hall

Bart Mansdorf

Andrew L McNees

James D Anderson Jr

Christopher A Craft

A method of generating a microfluidic ejection chip is provided. The method includes creating an opening in a silicon substrate through multiple iterations of a deep reactive ion etching process, forming a passivation layer over any exposed portion of silicon at the opening following each iteration of the deep reactive ion etching of the silicon substrate, and not removing the passivation layer at a conclusion of the etching of the silicon substrate to define a fluid passageway at the opening in the silicon substrate, such that the passivation layer is permanent on the silicon substrate at the opening.

Microfluidic chip, head, and dispensing device for dispensing fluids containing an acidic component

An ejection head chip and method for a fluid ejection device and a method for reducing a silicon shelf width between a fluid supply via and a fluid ejector stack. The ejection head chip includes a silicon substrate and a fluid ejector stack deposited on the silicon substrate, wherein at least one metal layer of the fluid ejector stack is isolated from a fluid supply via etched in the ejection head chip by an encapsulating material.

Deep reactive ion etching process for fluid ejection heads

A microfluidic ejection chip includes a silicon substrate having a fluid passageway. The fluid passageway is defined by a silicon sidewall of the silicon substrate that is covered by a permanent passivation layer to protect the silicon sidewall from exposure to an acidic fluid. The permanent passivation layer is retained on the silicon sidewall at a conclusion of etching of the silicon substrate to form the fluid passageway.

Disclosed is a method for fabricating a fluid ejection device. The method includes forming a drive circuitry layer on a substrate. The method further includes fabricating at least one fluid ejection element on the substrate. Furthermore, the method includes forming at least one slot within a top portion of the substrate, and forming at least one fluid feed trench within a bottom portion of the substrate. Each fluid feed trench of the at least one fluid feed trench is in fluid communication with one or more slots of the at least one slot. Additionally, the method includes laminating a flow feature layer and a nozzle plate over the substrate having the at least one slot and the at least one fluid feed trench formed therewithin. Further disclosed is a fluid ejection device fabricated using the aforementioned method.

Method for fabricating fluid ejection device

A three-dimensional ('3D') structure for handling fluids, a fluid handling device containing the 3D structure, and a method of making the 3D structure. The method includes providing a composite photoresist material that includes: (a) a first layer devoid of a hydrophobicity agent and (b) at least a second layer comprising the hydrophobicity agent. The composite photoresist material is devoid of an adhesion promotion layer between layers of the composite photoresist material.

Method for manufacturing MEMS devices and nano devices with varying degrees of hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity in a composite photoimageable dry film

A three-dimensional ('3D') structure for handling fluids, a fluid handling device containing the 3D structure, and a method of making the 3D structure. The method includes providing a composite photoresist material that includes: (a) a first photoresist layer derived from a photoresist resin having a first chemical property selected from the group consisting of epoxide equivalent weight, aromatic content, and crosslink density and (b) at least a second photoresist layer derived from a photoresist resin having a second chemical property selected from the group consisting of epoxide equivalent weight, aromatic content, and crosslink density different from the first chemical property. The composite photoresist material is devoid of an adhesion promotion layer between layers of the composite photoresist material and the composite photoresist material has varying mechanical and/or physical properties through a thickness of the 3D structure.

Method to taylor mechanical properties on MEMS devices and nano-devices with multiple layer photoimageable dry film

A fluidic delivery device having improved volumetric efficiency. The device includes a fluid container having a standpipe at a lower end of the container and open areas located below a fluid entrance end of the standpipe; a first fluid permeable body located in the fluid container above the fluid entrance end of the standpipe; and one or more second fluid permeable bodies located in the open areas of the fluid container below the first fluid permeable body and below the fluid entrance end of the standpipe.

Fluid delivery devices

A fluidic delivery device includes a fluid supply containing a fluid, the fluid supply has a fluid reservoir and a pair of fluid permeable compressible bodies located in the fluid reservoir. One of the fluid permeable compressible bodies has an effective greater density than the other fluid permeable compressible body.

Fluid delivery devices having improved efficiency in delivering fluid with reduced wastage of fluid

A fluid ejection head and a method of making a fluid ejection head. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate containing a plurality fluid ejection actuators on a device surface thereof. The substrate is reactive ion etched to form one or more fluid supply vias therein. A flow feature layer is laminated to the substrate and is exposed to ultra violet (UV) radiation through a photo mask to provide UV exposed areas of the flow feature layer. The flow feature layer is heated to cross-link material in the UV exposed areas. A nozzle plate layer is laminated to the flow feature layer and exposed to UV radiation through a photo mask to provide UV exposed areas for nozzle holes. The nozzle plate layer is cross-linked with heat and the flow feature layer and nozzle plate layer are developed to form the flow features and nozzle holes in the respective layers.

Fluid ejection head and process for making a fluid ejection head structure

A method for fabricating a fluid ejection device includes forming a drive circuitry layer on a substrate, fabricating at least one fluid ejection element on a top portion of the substrate, grinding the substrate from a bottom portion of the substrate up to a predetermined height, etching the top portion of the substrate to configure at least one slot within the top portion of the substrate, depositing a layer of an etch-stop material over the top portion of the substrate while filling the at least one slot with the etch-stop material, etching the bottom portion of the substrate to configure at least one fluid feed trench within the bottom portion of the substrate, removing the layer of the etch-stop material from the top portion of the substrate, and laminating a flow feature layer and a nozzle plate as a single unit over the top portion of the substrate.

A packaging label for an inkjet printhead including a first label portion adapted for adhesion to a first surface of the inkjet printhead, and a second label portion adapted for adhesion to a second surface of the inkjet printhead. The second label portion has a forked configuration including a first outer portion, a second outer portion and a central portion disposed between the first and second outer portions and adapted for adhesion to a packaging tape adhered to a nozzle plate of the inkjet printhead. The adhesion between the second label portion and the second surface of the inkjet printhead is higher than the adhesion between the first label portion and the first surface of the inkjet printhead.

Label for inkjet printhead

A method for fabricating an ejection chip of a fluid ejection device includes forming a drive circuitry layer on a substrate, fabricating at least one fluid ejection element on the substrate, forming at least one slot within a top portion of the substrate, filling each slot of the at least one slot with a protective material, grinding the substrate from a bottom portion of the substrate up to a predetermined height, removing the protective material from the each slot of the at least one slot, and laminating a flow feature layer and a nozzle plate over the substrate having the at least one slot.

A micro-fluid ejection head assembly and methods for fabricating micro-fluid ejection heads using separately fabricated electrical components. The micro-fluid ejection head has at least one base substrate, at least one fluid ejector actuator substrate attached to the base substrate; and at least a first logic component substrate hermetically sealed to the base substrate. The fluid ejector actuator substrate and the first logic component substrate are in electrical communication with each other.

Modular micro-fluid ejection head assembly

A process for making a substantially planar micro-fluid ejection head is disclosed, and includes depositing a basic solution on a first surface of a device substrate. The first surface having the basic solution deposited thereon is contacted together with a surface of a support material for a duration ranging from about 1 minute to about 15 minutes, at a temperature ranging from about 20&#xb0; C. to about 90&#xb0; C. so that the first surface having the basic solution deposited thereon and the surface of the support material form a bond therebetween to hermetically seal the support material and the device substrate to one another. Both the substrate and the at least one surface of the support comprise silicon, and at least one of the device substrate and the at least one surface of the support material is substantially composed of silicon.

Method for making a substantially planar micro-fluid ejection head

A method of forming a patterned photoresist layer having a hydrophobic surface is provided. The method includes forming a photoresist layer on a substrate and image patterning. The photoresist layer may comprise a polymeric material. The imaged photoresist layer may then undergo a two-stage post-exposure bake. A surface treatment may be performed on the photoresist layer in between the two-stage post-exposure bake. The surface treatment may include applying a siloxane solution on a partially post-exposure baked photoresist layer. The post-exposure baked photoresist layer may then be developed to form the patterned photoresist layer. The method may be used to form a hydrophobic photoimageable nozzle plate of a micro-fluid ejection head having improved mechanical properties and stable hydrophobic properties.

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Lexington, KY, United States of America

David L Bernard