James Allen Powers

US Patent:

6371600, Apr 16, 2002

Filed:

Jun 15, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/097341

Inventors:

Ashok Murthy - Lexington KY
James Harold Powers - Lexington KY

Assignee:

Lexmark International, Inc. - Lexington KY

International Classification:

B41J 205

US Classification:

347 63, 347 47

Abstract:

A polymeric nozzle plate has a rectangular shaped passage extending through it with the passage converging to an orifice in one surface. A surface, which is parallel to the one surface, of the nozzle plate is adhered to a surface of a semiconductor substrate so that a rectangular shaped resistor on the surface of the semiconductor substrate is disposed within the large end of the passage. The walls of the passage are spaced substantially the same distance from the periphery of the resistor. The large end of the passage has at least one ink flow channel communicating therewith to supply ink, which is vaporized by heat from the resistor when an ink droplet is to be supplied through the orifice.

US Patent:

6394593, May 28, 2002

Filed:

May 30, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/870204

Inventors:

Steven Robert Komplin - Lexington KY
James Harold Powers - Lexington KY

Assignee:

Lexmark International, Inc - Lexington KY

International Classification:

B41J 2175

US Classification:

347 86

Abstract:

The invention relates to a vent system for an ink jet pen of the type having an internal pressure regulator. The vent system provides air flow communication between the exterior of the ink jet pen and an interior chamber associated with the pressure regulator while substantially inhibiting the flow of water vapor out of chamber to the exterior of the pen. The vent system includes an elongate flow path defined adjacent the exterior of the pen, the flow path having a first end in flow communication with the chamber and a second end in flow communication with the exterior of the pen.

US Patent:

6402301, Jun 11, 2002

Filed:

Oct 27, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/698765

Inventors:

James Harold Powers - Lexington KY
Carl Edmond Sullivan - Versailles KY

Assignee:

Lexmark International, Inc - Lexington KY

International Classification:

B41J 205

US Classification:

347 63

Abstract:

The invention provides a method for making ink feed vias in semiconductor silicon substrate chips for an ink jet printhead and ink jet printheads containing silicon chips made by the method. The method includes applying an etch stop layer to a first surface of the silicon chip having a thickness ranging from about 300 to about 800 microns, dry etching individual ink vias through the thickness of the silicon chip up to the etch stop layer from a surface opposite the first surface and forming holes in the etch stop layer to individually fluidly connect with the ink vias using a mechanical technique. Substantially vertical wall vias are etched through the thickness of the silicon chip using the method. As opposed to conventional ink via formation techniques, the method significantly improves the throughput of silicon chip and reduces losses due to chip breakage and cracking. The resulting chips are more reliable for long term printhead use.

US Patent:

6523945, Feb 25, 2003

Filed:

Dec 6, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/730623

Inventors:

James Harold Powers - Lexington KY
Matthew Joe Russell - Stamping Ground KY

Assignee:

Lexmark International, Inc - Lexington KY

International Classification:

B41J 2175

US Classification:

347 86

Abstract:

An ink reservoir having a bubble generator includes an enclosure defining an interior space and an exterior space, the interior space being adapted for containing a supply of ink, the enclosure having a passage formed therein which permits fluid communication between the interior space and the exterior space, the passage including a surface, the passage defining a first aperture and a second aperture, wherein the second aperture is adjacent the interior space. A sphere is positioned in the passage and contacts a portion of the surface of the passage, the surface having a shape that permits ink to pass between the sphere and the surface. A membrane is positioned over the first aperture to retain the sphere in the passage, the membrane including at least one hole being sized to define a bubble admission pressure difference across a thickness of the membrane.

US Patent:

6623103, Sep 23, 2003

Filed:

Apr 10, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/829526

Inventors:

Colin Geoffrey Maher - Georgetown KY
James Michael Mrvos - Lexington KY
James Harold Powers - Lexington KY
Kent Lee Ubellacker - Georgetown KY

Assignee:

Lexmark International, Inc. - Lexington KY

International Classification:

B41J 216

US Classification:

347 47, 21912171, 264400, 298901

Abstract:

The invention provides a method for forming ink jet nozzle structures in an ablatable material. More particularly, the invention provides uniform nozzle structure by ablating an ablatable material with a laser beam while setting a field lens unit to various locations relative to a projection lens. The resulting ink jet nozzle structures have substantially orthogonal ink delivery trajectory paths relative to a plane defined by the length and width of the ablatable material regardless of the nozzles hole position relative to the edges of the ablatable material.

US Patent:

6629756, Oct 7, 2003

Filed:

Feb 20, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/788479

Inventors:

Qing-Ming Wang - Pittsburgh PA
Carl Edmond Sullivan - Versailles KY
James Harold Powers - Lexington KY

Assignee:

Lexmark International, Inc. - Lexington KY

International Classification:

B41J 2045

US Classification:

347 68, 347 70

Abstract:

The invention provides a method for making piezoelectric printheads for ink jet The method includes applying an insulating layer to a first surface of a silicon wafer having a thickness ranging from about 200 to about 800 microns. A first conducting layer is applied to the insulating layer on the first surface and a piezoelectric layer is applied to the first conducting layer. The piezoelectric layer is patterned to provide piezoelectric elements on the first surface of the silicon wafer. A second conducting layer is applied to the piezoelectric layer and is patterned to provide conductors for applying an electric field across each of the piezoelectric elements. A photoresist layer is applied to a second surface of the silicon wafer, and the photoresist layer is imaged and developed to provide pressurizing chamber locations. The silicon wafer is then dry etched through the thickness of the wafer up to the insulating layer on the first surface of the wafer. A nozzle plate containing nozzle holes corresponding to the pressurizing chambers is applied and bonded to the second surface of the silicon wafer.

US Patent:

6637866, Oct 28, 2003

Filed:

Jun 7, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/165534

Inventors:

Robert Wilson Cornell - Lexington KY
George Keith Parish - Winchester KY
James Harold Powers - Lexington KY

Assignee:

Lexmark International, Inc. - Lexington KY

International Classification:

B41J 205

US Classification:

347 64, 347 67

Abstract:

The present invention is directed toward an improved heater chip for an ink jet printer. The heater chip has a diamond-like-carbon coating that functions as the cavitation and passivation layers of the heating elements on the heater chip. To improve the efficiency of the heater chip, the diamond-like-carbon coating is surrounded by a material that has a lower thermal conductivity than diamond. This surrounding layer limits thermal diffusion from the heating elements into the heater chip. A smoothing layer of tantalum is deposited over the diamond-like-carbon layer to insure that vaporization of the ink occurs at the inks superheat limit. The diamond-like-carbon layer is preferably less than 8700 Angstroms in thickness such that less than 1 microjoule of energy is required to expel of ink droplet having a mass between 2-4 nanograms.

US Patent:

6719405, Apr 13, 2004

Filed:

Mar 25, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/396623

Inventors:

James H. Powers - Lexington KY

Assignee:

Lexmark International, Inc. - Lexington KY

International Classification:

B41J 205

US Classification:

347 62, 346 65

Abstract:

In an inkjet printhead, a substantially rectangular heater element has a length and width dimension defining an aspect ratio of more than about 2. A bubble chamber with a curved or convex wall portion partially surrounds the heater element. A radius of an arc defining the convex wall portion is greater than one-half the width dimension while less than one-half the length dimension and none of the convex wall portion overlies a periphery of the heater element. An ink ejection orifice exists through a thickness of a nozzle plate covering the bubble chamber and resides above the heater element. Additionally, the bubble chamber may have a rectangular wall portion connected to the convex wall portion and either portion may occupy a terminal end of the bubble chamber. Preferred length and width dimensions include 35 and 13 or 40 and 10 microns with a radius of about 16 microns.