Eastman-Kodak Company

The University of Arizona

John Charles Brazas, Jr

Marek W Kowarz

Brian E Kruschwitz

John Andrew Lebens

Michael Joseph Piatt

Gilbert Allan Hawkins

Constantine N Anagnostopoulos

Joseph Jech, Jr

David F Tunmore

James G Phalen

Charles D Rike

Scott F Roberts

James Alan Katerberg

David Louis Jeanmaire

David John Nelson

Todd Russell Griffin

Zhanjun Gao

David B Kay

Joseph E Yokajty

Robert J Simon

Thomas Walter Steiner

Randolph Brost

Neil F Haley

Michael Frank Baumer

Jinquan Xu

Bradley A Phillips

Michael S Hanchak

Harold T Thomas

Michael W Fichtner

David A Roberts

Ronald E Gerber

Delwyn E Machiele

Lifeng Li

Robert J Schomske

David Anthony Roberts

Darren Karns

Glenn E Kohnke

A modular inkjet printhead assembly including a plurality of printhead modules mounted on alternating sides of a central rail assembly. The rail assembly includes a beam and a rod attached to a side of the beam. The printhead modules include a jetting module having an array of nozzles, a first alignment tab having a first alignment datum and a second alignment datum, a second alignment tab having a third alignment datum and a fourth alignment datum, a rotational alignment feature including a fifth alignment datum, and a cross-track alignment feature including a sixth alignment datum. Portions of the alignment tabs of the jetting module are adapted to fit within corresponding notches in the beam. A jetting module clamping mechanism and a jetting module cross-track force mechanism apply forces to the jetting module that causes each alignment datum to engage with corresponding alignment features on the rail assembly.

Modular printhead assembly with common center rail

An inkjet printhead assembly includes a rail assembly and a removable jetting module. The rail assembly includes a beam and a rod attached to the beam. A printhead module includes the jetting module and a mounting assembly. The jetting module includes an array of nozzles, a first alignment tab having a first alignment datum and a second alignment datum, a second alignment tab having a third alignment datum and a fourth alignment datum, a rotational alignment feature including a fifth alignment datum, and a cross-track alignment feature including a sixth alignment datum. The mounting assembly includes a similar set of alignment features. Portions of the alignment tabs of the jetting module and the mounting assembly are adapted to fit within corresponding notches in the beam and engage with the rod. A jetting module clamping mechanism applies a force to the jetting module causing it to engage with the rail assembly.

Printhead assembly with removable jetting module

A drop generator operable to selectively form a drop having a first size and a drop having a second size from liquid emitted through a nozzle associated with the drop generator. The drop having the first size and the drop having the second size travel along a drop trajectory with the first size being larger than the second size when compared to each other. Each of the drops has a drop velocity. A gas flow deflection system includes a gas flow that is directed at a deflection zone that comprises at least a portion of the drop trajectory. The gas flow in the deflection zone includes a velocity vector having a parallel velocity component and a perpendicular velocity component with the parallel velocity component and the perpendicular velocity component being defined relative to the drop trajectory.

Printer having improved gas flow drop deflection

An image-forming system with enhanced gray levels, including: a primary beam of light having a primary intensity value, a secondary beam of light having a secondary intensity value significantly less than the primary intensity value; a first modulator array of discrete devices receiving the primary beam of light and producing an output with coarse gray levels, a second modulator array of discrete devices receiving the secondary beam of light and producing an output with fine gray levels; a controller for synchronously controlling the first and the second modulator array; and optics that combine the output with fine gray levels and the output with coarse gray levels to form an image with the enhanced gray levels.

Image-forming system with enhanced gray levels

An image-forming system with enhanced gray levels, including: a primary beam of light having a primary intensity value; a secondary beam of light having a secondary intensity value significantly less than the primary intensity value; a first modulator array of discrete devices receiving the primary beam of light and producing an output with coarse gray levels; a second modulator array of discrete devices receiving the secondary beam of light and producing an output with fine gray levels; a controller for synchronously controlling the first and the second modulator array; and optics that combine the output with fine gray levels and the output with coarse gray levels to form an image with the enhanced gray levels.

A display system, including: a light source providing illumination; a linear array of electromechanical grating devices of at least two individually operable devices receiving the illumination wherein a grating period is oriented at a predetermined angle with respect to an axis of the linear array wherein the angle is large enough to separate diffracted light beams prior to a projection lens system for projecting light onto a screen; a polarization sensitive element that passes diffracted light beams according to their polarization state; a segmented waveplate for altering the polarization state of a discrete number of selected diffracted light beams wherein the segmented waveplate is located between the linear array and the polarization sensitive element, a scanning element for moving the selectively passed diffracted light beams on the screen; and a controller for providing a data stream to the individually operable devices.

Electromechanical grating display system with segmented waveplate

A method for producing optically planar surfaces for micro-electromechanical system devices (MEMS), comprising the steps of: depositing a first layer over a substrate; forming a channel in the first layer wherein the channel has a depth defined by a thickness of the first layer and a width greater than 10 microns; depositing a second layer over the first layer wherein the second layer has a thickness greater than the depth of the channel and is composed of a different material than the first layer; removing the second layer from outside the channel leaving an overlap at the edge of the channel; and polishing the second layer that fills the channel to obtain an optically planar surface for the MEMS device.

Method for producing optically planar surfaces for micro-electromechanical system devices

A display system, that includes a light source for providing illumination; a linear array of electromechanical grating devices of at least two individually operable devices receiving the illumination wherein a grating period is oriented at a predetermined angle with respect to an axis of the linear array wherein the angle is large enough to separate diffracted light beams prior to a lens system for projecting light onto a screen; an obstructing element for blocking a discrete number of diffracted light beams from reaching the screen; a scanning element for moving non-obstructed diffracted light beams on the screen; and a controller for providing a data stream to the individually operable devices.

Electromechanical grating display system with spatially separated light beams

A method for producing co-planar surface areas is disclosed. At first a first layer with at least one recess is provided. Onto the first layer a second layer is deposited over the entire area of the first layer wherein the second layer has a thickness greater than the depth of the recess. The second layer is composed of material different to the material of the first layer. The next step removes the second layer completely beyond the area of at least one recess. The remaining portion of the second layer is removed until the second layer is coplanar with the first layer.

Method for producing co-planar surface structures

A method for damping electro-mechanical ribbon elements over a channel defining a bottom surface and having a bottom conductive layer formed below the bottom surface includes the steps of: providing at least one constant amplitude voltage pulse to at least one ribbon element wherein the actuation pulse causes the ribbon element to contact the bottom surface of the channel; and providing at least one braking pulse to the ribbon elements wherein the braking pulse is separated by a narrow temporal gap from the constant amplitude voltage pulse. Furthermore, the method can also provide a sophisticated damping for ribbon elements which are actuated so that they do not contact the bottom of the channel.

Method for damping ribbon elements in a micromechanical grating device by selection of actuation waveform

A mechanical grating device for diffracting an incident light beam has a base which defines a surface. A spacer layer is provided above the base, said spacer layer defining an upper surface of said spacer layer. A longitudinal channel is formed in said spacer layer, said channel having a first and second opposing side walls and a bottom. The side walls are substantially vertically disposed with respect to the bottom, and said channel having a constant cross section along the entire length of the mechanical grating device. A plurality of spaced apart deformable ribbon elements are disposed parallel to each other and span the channel. The deformable ribbon elements are fixed to the upper surface of the spacer layer on each side of the channel.

Mechanical grating device

A electro-mechanical grating device for diffracting an incident light beam has a base which defines a surface. A spacer layer is provided above the base, said spacer layer defining an upper surface of said spacer layer. A longitudinal channel is formed in said spacer layer, said channel having a first and second opposing side walls and a bottom. The side walls are substantially vertically disposed with respect to the bottom, and said channel having a constant cross section along the entire length of the mechanical grating device. A plurality of spaced apart deformable ribbon elements are disposed parallel to each other and span the channel. The deformable ribbon elements are fixed to the upper surface of the spacer layer on each side of the channel. A bottom conductive layer is provided within said base and said bottom conductive layer is limited essentially to the cross-section of the channel.

Electro-mechanical grating device

An electro-mechanical grating device for diffracting an incident light beam has a base which defines a surface. A spacer layer is provided above the base, said spacer layer defining an upper surface of said spacer layer. A longitudinal channel is formed in said spacer layer. A plurality of spaced apart deformable ribbon elements are disposed parallel to each other and span the channel. The deformable ribbon elements define a ribbon structure which comprises at least one layer of a single material. The ribbon elements and the electro-mechanical grating device are formed so that charge build-up in layers of the electro-mechanical grating device can be avoided during operation of the device.

A mechanical grating device for enhancing the reflective properties is presented. A mechanical grating has a plurality of parallel ribbon elements which are suspended above a channel. An incident light beam is modulated by the actuation of selected ribbon elements. The actuation of the ribbon elements, which changes the height of the ribbon elements relative to the substrate, is a result of an applied voltage that produces an electrostatic force. On the top surface of the ribbon elements is a coating of reflective metal upon which is an optical coating is provided. The optical coating is a stack of at least two different materials with different refractive indices. The thickness and the composition of the sequential layers in the stack are chosen to produce certain desired reflective properties. Embodiments are presented for reducing the mechanical effects of the dielectric optical coating.

Mechanical grating device with optical coating and method of making mechanical grating device with optical coating

A method is disclosed for actuating electromechanical ribbon elements which are suspended over a channel. The channel defines a bottom surface having a bottom conductive layer formed below said bottom surface. A data generator provides a data stream. The data generator is connected to a modulator for generating from said data stream a modulated bipolar voltage signal whose time average is equal to the time average of a bias voltage applied to the bottom conductive layer. The data generator and the modulator are necessary to carry out the method. The method comprises the steps of: providing a data stream; generating from said data stream a modulated bipolar voltage signal whose time average is equal to the time average of a bias voltage applied to the bottom conductive layer; and applying said modulated bipolar voltage signal to the ribbon elements.

Growing community of inventors

Hilton, NY, United States of America

John Charles Brazas, Jr