Inkjet Printhead Nozzle Incorporating Movable Roof Structures

摘要

A printhead is provided for an inkjet printer. The printhead includes a plurality of nozzle arrangements arranged in staggered rows. Each nozzle arrangement includes a substrate assembly defining an ink inlet channel. A static nozzle chamber wall extends from the substrate assembly and surrounds the ink inlet channel. A movable roof structure defines a movable nozzle chamber wall surrounding the static nozzle chamber wall. The movable nozzle chamber wall, together with the static nozzle chamber wall, defines a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet channel. The roof structure further defines an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber. A thermal actuator includes an anchor located outside the static nozzle chamber wall and a plurality of actuator arms extending from the anchor to the roof structure. The thermal actuator is configured so that, upon actuation, the roof structure moves responsive to differential expansion of the arms and ink within the nozzle chamber is thereby ejected from the ink ejection port.