Printhead chip with electro-thermal actuators incorporating heatsinks

摘要

A printhead chip includes a substrate. Drive circuitry is positioned on the substrate. A plurality of nozzle chamber structures is positioned on the substrate. Each nozzle chamber structure defines a nozzle chamber and an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber. A plurality of micro-electromechanical actuators is positioned on the substrate. Each actuator includes opposed activation members extending from a substrate and defining a gap therebetween. The activation members are fast with each other and one of the activation members defines a heating circuit connected to the drive circuitry layer to be heated and to expand and subsequently contract on receipt of an electrical pulse from the drive circuitry such that the activation members undergo differential thermal expansion causing displacement of the activation members relative to the substrate. An actuator arm is fast with the activation members to be displaceable with the activation members. A heat sink is connected to one of the activation members to enhance heat dissipation on termination of the electrical pulse.