Jet and method thereof for ejecting droplets of different sizes

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6588878
  • Patent Number
    6,588,878
  • Date Filed
    Friday, May 10, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, July 8, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
A jet, and a method thereof, use bubbles as virtual valves to eject droplets of different sizes. The jet is in fluid communication with a reservoir and has a substrate, an orifice layer, first nozzles, and second nozzles. The substrate has a manifold for receiving ink from the reservoir. The orifice layer is positioned on the top of the substrate to form first chambers and second chambers. First orifices of the first nozzles and second orifices of the second nozzles are formed on the orifice layer. The jet has at least one of following characteristics: (a) the first chambers are larger than the second chambers; (b) an interval between two heating units of the first nozzle is larger than an interval between two heating units of the second nozzle; and (c) the apertures of the first orifices are larger than the apertures of the second orifices.
Description




BACKGROUND OF INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to a jet, and more particularly, to a jet that can eject droplets of different sizes.




2. Description of the Prior Art




Currently, jets ejecting droplets of different sizes are widely applied to improve combustion efficiency of fuel engines or increase a selectivity of ink jet printing. For example, ink jet printers can print documents with droplets of different sizes, and therefore improve a color variability and a speed of printing.




Please refer to

FIG. 1

of a schematic diagram of a jet


10


according to the prior art. The jet


10


is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,824 “Liquid jet recording method with variable thermal viscosity modulation”. The jet


10


uses a plurality of heat generating bodies


21


˜


25


positioned on an axis of a chamber


12


to provide energy independently or in turn. Provision of energy causes a plurality of foams


31


˜


35


to be generated in different positions, and therefore droplets of different sizes are ejected to print documents. However, since the plurality of heat generating bodies


21


˜


25


must be disposed in one chamber


12


of the jet


10


, the jet


10


must comprise more chambers


12


and heat generating bodies so as to improve the print quality. This gives rise to an increased difficulty in a fabricating process of the jet


10


. In addition, the jet


10


has a disadvantage of easily jetting a satellite droplet, which leads to fuzziness in printed documents. The satellite droplets produced by the jet


10


follow the main droplets. When the jet


10


moves relative to the printed documents, the satellite droplets are printed onto places different from the main droplets. Thus, the print quality of the jet


10


is affected by the satellite droplets.




SUMMARY OF INVENTION




It is therefore a primary objective of the claimed invention to provide a jet which can eject droplets of different sizes to solve the above mentioned problem.




In a preferred embodiment, the claimed invention provides a jet, which uses a bubble as a virtual valve to increase flow resistance between a chamber and a manifold, or to interrupt flow communication between a chamber and a manifold. Then, another bubble is used to squeeze fluid inside the chamber and to eject the fluid out of the chamber. The jet comprises a substrate, an orifice layer, first nozzles and second nozzles. The orifice layer is positioned on the top layer of the substrate, and a plurality of first chambers and second chambers are formed between the orifice layer and the substrate.




It is an advantage of the claimed invention that the jet can eject droplets of different sizes by modifying sizes of the chambers and diameters of the orifices of the jet. Thus, the color variability and printing speed of the inkjet printer are improved.




These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a schematic diagram of a jet according to the prior art.





FIG. 2

is a schematic diagram of a jet according to a first embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 3

is a section view along line


3





3


of the jet shown in FIG.


2


.





FIG. 4

is a cross-sectional diagram of the jet shown in

FIG. 2

when bubbles are generated.





FIG. 5

is a cross-sectional diagram view of the jet shown in

FIG. 2

when fluid is ejected.





FIG. 6

is a cross-sectional diagram of a jet according to a second embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 7

is a cross-sectional diagram of a jet according to a third embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 8

is a cross-sectional diagram of a jet according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 9

is a cross-sectional diagram of a jet according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.




FIG.


10


and

FIG. 11

are cross-sectional diagrams of jets according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.




FIG.


12


and

FIG. 13

are cross-sectional diagrams of a first chamber and a second chamber of a jet according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION




Please refer to

FIG. 2

of a schematic diagram of a jet


100


according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The jet


100


in flow communication with a reservoir


110


comprises a substrate


112


positioned on one sideof the reservoir


110


and an orifice layer


120


disposed above the substrate


112


. A plurality of first chambers


122


and a plurality of second chambers


124


are formed between the orifice layer


120


and the substrate. Volumes of the first chambers


122


are larger than volumes of the second chambers


124


. The substrate


112


comprises a manifold


114


for receiving fluid from the reservoir


110


and transporting the fluid to the jet


100


. The plurality of first chambers


122


are formed in a first side


115


of the manifold


114


and the plurality of second chambers


124


are formed in a second side


117


of the manifold


114


. The orifice layer


120


comprises a first nozzle group


130


and a second nozzle group


140


. The first nozzle group


130


comprises a plurality of first nozzles


131


and the second nozzle group


140


comprises a plurality of second nozzles


141


. In addition, each first nozzle


131


corresponds to a first chamber


122


and each second nozzle


141


corresponds to a second chamber


124


. Each first nozzle


131


comprises a first orifice


132


, a first bubble generator


136


and a second bubble generator


138


. Each second nozzle


141


comprises a second orifice


134


, a third bubble generator


142


and a fourth bubble generator


144


. The first orifice


132


is disposed on the orifice layer


120


and corresponds to the first chamber


122


. The second orifice


134


is also disposed on the orifice layer


120


and corresponds to the second chamber


124


. The first, second, third and fourth bubble generators


136


,


138


,


142


,


144


are all heaters. The first heater


136


and the second heater


138


are used to heat fluid


116


inside the first chamber


122


. The third heater


142


and the fourth heater


144


are used to heat fluid


116


inside the second chamber


124


. Moreover, the first heater


136


and the second heater


138


are electrically connected to a first common electrode


172


in series. And, the third heater


142


and the fourth heater


144


are electrically connected to a second common electrode


174


in series.




Please refer to

FIG. 3

to FIG.


5


.

FIG. 3

is a section view along line


3





3


of the jet


100


shown in FIG.


2


.

FIG. 4

is a cross-sectional diagram of the jet


100


shown in

FIG. 2

when bubbles are generated.

FIG. 5

is a cross-sectional diagram view of the jet


100


shown in

FIG. 2

when fluid is ejected. As shown in FIG.


3


and

FIG. 4

, each first orifice


132


is disposed between the corresponding first heater


136


and the corresponding second heater


138


. The first bubble heater


136


is closer to the manifold


114


than the second heater


138


is to the manifold


114


. The first heater


136


heats the fluid


116


inside first chamber


122


to generate a first bubble


152


. The second heater


138


heats the fluid


116


inside the first chamber


122


to generate a second bubble


154


. In addition, each second orifice


134


is disposed between the corresponding third heater


142


and the corresponding fourth heater


144


. The third bubble heater


142


is closer to the manifold


114


than the fourth heater


144


is to the manifold


114


. The third heater


142


heats the fluid


116


inside second chamber


124


to generate a third bubble


156


. The fourth heater


144


heats the fluid


116


inside second chamber


124


to generate a fourth bubble


158


. Since the width of the first heater


136


is narrower than the width of the second heater


138


, the resistance of the first heater


136


is larger. Therefore, the first bubble


152


is generated before the second bubble


154


. In the same manner, the width of the third heater


142


is narrower than the width of the fourth heater


144


, and the resistance of the third heater


136


is larger. Therefore, the third bubble


156


is generated before the fourth bubble


158


. When the first bubble


152


is generated, it acts as a virtual valve for restricting the fluid


116


inside the first chamber


122


flowing to the manifold


114


, and preventing the fluid


116


in the adjacent chambers from experiencing cross talk. When the third bubble


156


is generated, the fluid


116


inside the second chamber


124


flowing to the manifold


114


is also restricted and another virtual valve is formed to isolate the second chamber


125


from the manifold


114


. After the first bubble


152


is generated, the second bubble


154


is generated by the second heater


138


. At this time, the pressure of the fluid inside the first chamber


122


increases as the second bubble


154


expands. This leads to the fluid


116


inside the first chamber


122


being ejected from the first orifice


132


and then forming a first droplet


162


. In like manner, after the third bubble


156


is generated, the fourth heater generates the fourth bubble


158


. As the fourth bubble


158


expands, the fluid


116


inside the second chamber


124


experiences increased pressure and is ejected from the second orifice


134


. This leads to formation of a second droplet


164


. Please refer to FIG.


5


. As the first bubble


152


and the second bubble


154


expand continuously, they approach each other gradually and then combine together. When the two bubbles combine, a tail


166


of the first droplet


162


is suddenly cut. Therefore, the first droplet


162


is ejected from the first nozzle


131


. As a result, no or only few satellite droplet is formed after the first droplet


162


is ejected. In like manner, as the third bubble


156


and the fourth bubble


158


expand continuously, they approach each other gradually and then combine together. When the two bubbles combine, a tail


168


of the second droplet


164


is suddenly cut. Therefore, the second droplet


164


is ejected from the second nozzle


141


. As a result, no or only few satellite droplet is formed after the second droplet


164


is ejected. In addition, the volume of the first chamber


122


is larger than that of the second chamber


124


. Thus, the fluid volume between the first bubble


152


and the second bubble


154


is larger than the fluid volume between the third bubble


156


and the fourth bubble


158


, leading to the first droplet


162


being larger than the second droplet


164


.




Generally speaking, a method of ejecting a first droplet


162


and a second droplet


164


from the jet


100


comprises the following steps:(A) The first bubble


152


is generated in the corresponding first chamber


122


via the first bubble generator


136


; (B) The second bubble


154


is generated in the corresponding first chamber


122


via the second bubble generator


138


, after the first bubble


152


is generated, wherein the second bubble


154


squeezes fluid between the second bubble


154


and the corresponding first bubble


152


out of the corresponding first orifice


132


to form a first droplet


162


;(C) The third bubble


156


is generated in the corresponding second chamber


124


via the third bubble generator


142


; and(D) The fourth bubble


158


is generated in the corresponding second chamber


124


via the fourth bubble generator


158


, after the third bubble


156


is generated, wherein the fourth bubble


158


squeezes fluid between the fourth bubble


158


and the corresponding third bubble


156


out of the corresponding second orifice


134


to form a second droplet


164


.




In the steps mentioned above, the steps (A) and (B) are a process of generating the first droplet


162


and the steps (C) and (D) are a process of generating the second droplet


164


. Except for a restriction of the step (B) being after the step (A) and the step (D) being after the step (C), there is no other limitation of order. For example, the method also works successfully in an order of (C)(D)(A)(B), (A)(C)(B)(D) or (A)(C)(D)(B). Based on this concept, and application thereof, many embodiments with different structures can be developed and shown as follows.




Please refer to

FIG. 6

of a schematic diagram of a jet


200


according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The jet


200


is similar in structure to the jet


100


. The jet


200


in flow communication with a reservoir


210


comprises a substrate


212


, an orifice layer


220


, a first nozzle group


230


, and a second nozzle group


240


. The first nozzle group


230


comprises a plurality of first nozzles


231


, and the second nozzle group


240


comprises a plurality of second nozzles


241


. Each of first nozzles


231


comprises a first orifice


232


, a first bubble generator


236


, and a second bubble generator


238


. Each of second nozzles


241


comprises a second orifice


234


, a third bubble generator


242


, and a fourth bubble generator


244


. In the present embodiment, each of the four bubble generators


236


,


238


,


242


and


244


is a heater. In addition, a plurality of first chambers


222


and a plurality of second chambers


224


are formed between the orifice layer


220


and the substrate


212


. The first chambers


222


and second chambers


224


are positioned on two sides of the manifold


214


. The first orifice


232


is formed on the orifice layer


220


and corresponds to the first chamber


222


, and the second orifice


234


is formed on the orifice layer


220


and corresponds to the second chamber


224


. The jet


200


is different from the jet


100


in that the width W


1


of the first chamber


222


is larger than the width W


2


of the second chamber


224


. When the first heater


236


, the second heater


238


, the third heater


242


and the fourth heater


244


heat fluid inside the first chamber


222


and the second chamber


224


and generate bubbles, because the width W


1


of the first chamber


222


is larger than the width W


2


of the second chamber


224


, the bubbles in the first chamber


222


squeeze more fluid than that in the second chamber


224


. Therefore, the first droplet ejected from the first orifice


232


is larger than the second droplet ejected from the second orifice


234


. By squeezing different quantities of fluid, the jet


200


ejects droplets of different sizes.




Please refer to

FIG. 7

of a schematic diagram of a jet


300


according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In the third embodiment, the jet


300


comprises a first chamber


322


and a second chamber


324


of different depths. A depth H


1


of the first chamber


322


is larger than a depth H


2


of the second chamber


324


as shown in

FIG. 7. A

first heater


336


, a second heater


338


, a third heater


342


and a fourth heater


344


heat fluid in the first chamber


322


and the second chamber


324


and generate a first bubble


352


, a second bubble


354


, a third bubble


356


and a fourth bubble


358


. The size of the first droplet


362


ejected from a first orifice


332


is larger than the size of the second droplet


364


ejected from a second orifice


334


, because the depth H


1


of the first chamber


322


is larger than the depth H


2


of the second chamber


324


.




Please refer to

FIG. 8

of a schematic diagram of a jet


400


according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The interval D


1


between a first heater


436


and a second heater


438


in different sides of a first orifice


432


is larger than the interval D


2


between a third heater


442


and a fourth heater


444


in different sides of a second orifice


434


. The first heater


436


, the second heater


438


, the third heater


442


and the fourth heater


444


heat fluid inside a first chamber


422


and a second chamber


424


and generate a first bubble


452


, a second bubble


454


, a third bubble


456


, and a fourth bubble


458


. Because the interval D


1


between the first heater


436


and the second heater


438


in different sides of the first orifice


432


is larger than the interval D


2


between the third heater


442


and the fourth heater


444


in different sides of the second orifice


434


, a size of fluid in the first chamber


422


squeezed by the first bubble


452


and the second bubble


454


is larger than a size of fluid in the second chamber


424


squeezed by the third bubble


456


and the fourth bubble


458


. This leads to a first droplet


462


ejected from the first orifice


432


being larger than a second droplet


464


ejected from the second orifice


434


.




Please refer to

FIG. 9

of a schematic diagram of a jet


500


according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. The diameter d


1


of a first orifice


532


is larger than the diameter d


2


of a second orifice


534


. The first heater


536


, the second heater


538


, the third heater


542


and the fourth heater


544


heat fluid inside a first chamber


522


and a second chamber


524


and generate a first bubble


552


, a second bubble


554


, a third bubble


556


, and a fourth bubble


558


. Because the diameter d


1


of the first orifice


532


is larger than the diameter d


2


of the second orifice


534


, a resistance of fluid in the first chamber


522


squeezed by the first bubble


552


and the second bubble


554


is smaller than a resistance of fluid in the second chamber


524


squeezed by the third bubble


556


and the fourth bubble


558


. Therefore the first droplet


562


ejected from the first orifice


532


is larger than the second droplet


564


ejected from the second orifice


534


.




Please refer to FIG.


10


and

FIG. 11

of schematic diagrams of a jet


600


according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. The first and second chambers in the embodiments mentioned above are all disposed side by side. However, the present invention also works for chambers disposed in a stagger formation as shown in FIG.


10


. When a first heater


636


and a second heater


638


of the jet


600


heat fluid inside a first chamber


622


and generate bubbles, an influence on fluid inside a second chamber


624


is less, therefore avoiding fluid inside the second chamber


624


being squeezed out of a second orifice


634


. Likewise, bubbles generated in the second chamber


624


via the third heater


642


or the fourth heater


644


do not affect fluid inside the first chamber


622


. In other words, the present embodiment reduces the cross talk between the first chamber


622


and the second chamber


624


. It should be clear to one of ordinary skill in the art that other arrangements of the chambers are also appropriate in the present invention. For example, two or more kinds of chambers, which eject droplets of two or more different sizes, could be disposed in stagger, or other particular arrangements, on a same side of a manifold. Or, two or more kinds of chambers, which eject droplets of two or more different sizes, could be disposed in stagger, or other particular ways, on different sides of the manifold. The present invention can be applied to all jets that use two or more nozzle groups to eject droplets of different sizes by generating two bubbles in turn, respectively, and therefore reduce cross talk and satellite droplets without any restriction on the arrangement of the chambers.




Please refer to

FIGS. 12 and 13

of schematic diagrams of a first chamber


722


and a second chamber


724


according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12

shows the first chamber


722


, a first heater


736


and a second heater


738


.

FIG. 13

shows the second chamber


724


, a third heater


742


and a fourth heater


744


. When the first heater


736


and the second heater


738


heat fluid to generate bubbles, a droplet with a diameter of about 45 microns is ejected from a first orifice


732


, and a droplet with a diameter of about 35 microns is ejected from a second orifice


734


. Please note that the data of the droplet diameters is just shown for clearer illustration. In practice, the sizes of droplets ejected from the first orifice


732


and the second orifice


734


are affected by many conditions, such as the fluid properties, the environmental temperature, and/or the like. In the present embodiment, widths of the first chamber


722


and the second chamber


724


are different, and an interval between the first heater


736


and the second heater


738


is also larger than that between the third heater


742


and the fourth heater


744


. As a result, droplets of different sizes are ejected from the first chamber


722


and the second chamber


724


based on this structure. It is obvious that different size parameters can be adjusted to design the first chamber


722


and the second chamber


724


, and lead to droplets of different sizes.




In contrast to the prior art, the jet according to the present invention modifies structures of chambers, intervals between adjacent heaters, and diameters of orifices to eject droplets of different sizes. The present invention can be applied to color ink printers to improve color variation, and speed up printing. Moreover, the present invention can be applied to improve combustion efficiency of micro fuel engines, or applied to a field of biochemistry technology.




Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teaching of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.



Claims
  • 1. A jet in flow communication with a reservoir comprising:a substrate having a manifold for receiving fluid from the reservoir; an orifice layer disposed above the substrate, a plurality of first chambers and a plurality of second chambers being formed between the orifice layer and the substrate; a first nozzle group comprising a plurality of first nozzles that are disposed on the orifice layer and correspond to the plurality of first chambers, each of the first nozzles comprising: a first orifice; a first bubble generator disposed at one side of the first orifice for generating a first bubble; and a second bubble generator disposed at another side of the first orifice for generating a second bubble which squeezes fluid between the first bubble and the second bubble out of the first orifice to form a first droplet; and a second nozzle group comprising a plurality of second nozzles that are disposed on the orifice layer and correspond to the plurality of second chambers, each of the second nozzles comprising: a second orifice; a third bubble generator disposed at one side of the second orifice for generating a third bubble; and a fourth bubble generator disposed at another side of the second orifice for generating a fourth bubble which squeezes fluid between the third bubble and the fourth bubble out of the second orifice to form a second droplet; wherein structures of the first chambers are different from structures of the second chambers, so that sizes of the first droplets are different from sizes of the second droplets.
  • 2. The jet of claim 1 wherein each of the bubble generators is a heater, the first heaters and the second heaters being used for heating fluid in the first chambers to generate the first and the second bubbles, the third heaters and the fourth heaters being used for heating fluid in the second chambers to generate the third and the fourth bubbles.
  • 3. The jet of claim 2 wherein each of the first heaters connects in series with a corresponding second heater, and each of the third heaters connects in series with a corresponding fourth heater.
  • 4. The jet of claim 1 wherein widths of the first chambers are different from widths of the second chambers, so that the sizes of the first droplets are different from the sizes of the second droplets.
  • 5. The jet of claim 1 wherein depths of the first chambers are different from depths of the second chambers, so that the sizes of the first droplets are different from the sizes of the second droplets.
  • 6. The jet of claim 1 wherein each of the first orifices is disposed between a corresponding first bubble generator and a corresponding second bubble generator wherein the first bubble generator is closer to the manifold than the second bubble generator, and each of the second orifices is disposed between a corresponding third bubble generator and a corresponding fourth bubble generator wherein the third bubble generator is closer to the manifold than the fourth bubble generator.
  • 7. The jet of claim 1 wherein each of the first bubbles is used as a first virtual valve for restricting fluid in one of the first chambers to avoid flowing to the manifold when a corresponding second bubble is generated, and each of the third bubbles is used as a second virtual valve for restricting fluid in one of the second chambers to avoid flowing to the manifold when a corresponding fourth bubble is generated.
  • 8. The jet of claim 1 wherein the substrate is disposed above the reservoir.
  • 9. The jet of claim 1 wherein the first chambers and the second chambers are disposed in a stagger formation.
  • 10. A jet in flow communication with a reservoir comprising:a substrate having a manifold for receiving fluid from the reservoir; an orifice layer disposed above the substrate, so that a plurality of first chambers and a plurality of second chambers are formed between the orifice layer and the substrate; a first nozzle group comprising a plurality of first nozzles that are disposed on the orifice layer and correspond to the plurality of first chambers, each of the first nozzles comprising: a first orifice; a first bubble generator disposed at one side of the first orifice for generating a first bubble; and a second bubble generator disposed at another side of the first orifice for generating a second bubble which squeezes fluid between the first bubble and the second bubble out of the first orifice to form a first droplet; and a second nozzle group comprising a plurality of second nozzles that are disposed on the orifice layer and correspond to the plurality of second chambers, each of the second nozzles comprising: a second orifice; a third bubble generator disposed at one side of the second orifice for generating a third bubble; and a fourth bubble generator disposed at another side of the second orifice for generating a fourth bubble which squeezes fluid between the third bubble and the fourth bubble out of the second orifice to form a second droplet; wherein intervals between the two bubble generators of the first nozzles are larger than intervals between the two bubble generators of the second nozzles, so that sizes of the first droplets are larger than sizes of the second droplets.
  • 11. The jet of claim 10 wherein the first chambers and the second chambers are disposed in a stagger formation.
  • 12. A jet in flow communication with a reservoir comprising:a substrate having a manifold for receiving fluid from the reservoir; an orifice layer disposed above the substrate so that a plurality of first chambers and a plurality of second chambers are formed between the orifice layer and the substrate; a first nozzle group comprising a plurality of first nozzles that are disposed on the orifice layer and correspond to the plurality of first chambers, each of the first nozzles comprising: a first orifice; a first bubble generator disposed at one side of the first orifice for generating a first bubble; and a second bubble generator disposed at another side of the first orifice for generating a second bubble which squeezes fluid between the first bubble and the second bubble out of the first orifice to form a first droplet; and a second nozzle group comprising a plurality of second nozzles that are disposed on the orifice layer and correspond to the plurality of second chambers, each of the second nozzles comprising: a second orifice; a third bubble generator disposed at one side of the second orifice for generating a third bubble; and a fourth bubble generator disposed at another side of the second orifice for generating a fourth bubble which squeezes fluid between the third bubble and the fourth bubble out of the second orifice to form a second droplet; wherein the first orifices are larger than the second orifices, so that sizes of the first droplets are larger than sizes of the second droplets.
  • 13. A method for ejecting droplets of different sizes via a jet in flow communication with a reservoir, the jet comprising:a substrate having a manifold for receiving fluid from the reservoir; an orifice layer disposed above the substrate, and forming a plurality of first chambers and a plurality of second chambers between the orifice layer and the substrate, the first chambers being larger than the second chambers; a first nozzle group comprising a plurality of first nozzles that are disposed on the orifice layer and correspond to the plurality of first chambers, each of the first nozzles comprising: a first orifice; a first bubble generator disposed at one side of the first orifice; and a second bubble generator disposed at another side of the first orifice; and a second nozzle group comprising a plurality of second nozzles that are disposed on the orifice layer and correspond to the plurality of second chambers, each of the second nozzles comprising: a second orifice; a third bubble generator disposed at one side of the second orifice; and a fourth bubble generator disposed at another side of the second orifice; the method comprising: generating first bubbles in corresponding first chambers via corresponding first bubble generators; generating second bubbles in the corresponding first chambers via corresponding second bubble generators after the first bubbles are generated, wherein each of the second bubbles squeezes fluid between the second bubble and a corresponding first bubble out of a corresponding first orifice to form a first droplet; generating third bubbles in corresponding second chambers via corresponding third bubble generators; generating fourth bubbles in the corresponding second chambers via corresponding fourth bubble generators after the third bubbles are generated, wherein each of the fourth bubbles squeezes fluid between the fourth bubble and a corresponding third bubble out of a corresponding second orifice to form a second droplet which is smaller than the first droplet.
  • 14. A method for ejecting droplets of different sizes via a jet in flow communication with a reservoir, the jet comprising:a substrate having a manifold for receiving fluid from the reservoir; an orifice layer disposed above the substrate, so that a plurality of first chambers and a plurality of second chambers are formed between the orifice layer and the substrate; a first nozzle group comprising a plurality of first nozzles that are disposed on the orifice layer and correspond to the plurality of first chambers, each of the first nozzles comprising: a first orifice; a first bubble generator disposed at one side of the first orifice; and a second bubble generator disposed at another side of the first orifice; and a second nozzle group comprising a plurality of second nozzles that are disposed on the orifice layer and correspond to the plurality of second chambers, each of the second nozzles comprising: a second orifice; a third bubble generator disposed at one side of the second orifice; and a fourth bubble generator disposed at another side of the second orifice; wherein intervals between two bubble generators of the first nozzles are larger than intervals between two bubble generators of the second nozzles; the method comprising: generating first bubbles in corresponding first chambers via corresponding first bubble generators; generating second bubbles in the corresponding first chambers via corresponding second bubble generators after the first bubbles are generated, wherein each of the second bubbles squeezes fluid between the second bubble and a corresponding first bubble out of a corresponding first orifice to form a first droplet; generating third bubbles in corresponding second chambers via corresponding third bubble generators; generating fourth bubbles in the corresponding second chambers via corresponding fourth bubble generators after the third bubbles are generated, wherein each of the fourth bubbles squeezes fluid between the fourth bubble and a corresponding third bubble out of a corresponding second orifice to form a second droplet which is smaller than the first droplet.
  • 15. A method for ejecting droplets of different sizes via a jet in flow communication with a reservoir, the jet comprising:a substrate having a manifold for receiving fluid from the reservoir; an orifice layer disposed above the substrate so that a plurality of first chambers and a plurality of second chambers are formed between the orifice layer and the substrate; a first nozzle group comprising a plurality of first nozzles that are disposed on the orifice layer and correspond to the plurality of first chambers, each of the first nozzles comprising: a first orifice; a first bubble generator disposed at one side of the first orifice; and a second bubble generator disposed at another side of the first orifice; and a second nozzle group comprising a plurality of second nozzles that are disposed on the orifice layer and correspond to the plurality of second chambers, each of the second nozzles comprising: a second orifice; a third bubble generator disposed at one side of the second orifice; and a fourth bubble generator disposed at another side of the second orifice; wherein the first orifices are larger than the second orifices; the method comprising: generating first bubbles in corresponding first chambers via corresponding first bubble generators; generating second bubbles in the corresponding first chambers via corresponding second bubble generators after the first bubbles are generated, wherein each of the second bubbles squeezes fluid between the second bubble and a corresponding first bubble out of a corresponding first orifice to form a first droplet; generating third bubbles in corresponding second chambers via corresponding third bubble generators; generating fourth bubbles in the corresponding second chambers via corresponding fourth bubble generators after the third bubbles are generated, wherein each of the fourth bubbles squeezes fluid between the fourth bubble and a corresponding third bubble out of a corresponding second orifice to form a second droplet which is smaller than the first droplet.
  • 16. A jet in flow communication with a reservoir comprising:a substrate having a manifold for receiving fluid from the reservoir; an orifice layer disposed above the substrate so that a first chamber and a second chamber are formed between the orifice layer and the substrate; a first nozzle disposed on the orifice layer comprising a first orifice, a first bubble generator, and a second bubble generator, wherein the first bubble generator and the second bubble generator are disposed at two sides of the first orifice, the first bubble generator is capable of generating a first bubble which is used as a first virtual valve for restricting fluid in the first chamber to avoid flowing to the manifold, and the second bubble generator is capable of generating a second bubble for squeezing fluid between the first bubble and the second bubble out of the first orifice so as to form a first droplet; and a second nozzle disposed on the orifice layer comprising a second orifice, a third bubble generator, and a fourth bubble generator, wherein the third bubble generator and the fourth bubble generator are disposed at two sides of the second orifice, the third bubble generator is capable of generating a third bubble which is used as a second virtual valve for restricting fluid in the second chamber to avoid flowing to the manifold, and the fourth bubble generator is capable of generating a fourth bubble for squeezing fluid between the third bubble and the fourth bubble out of the second orifice so as to form a second droplet; wherein a size of the first droplet is larger than a size of the second droplet.
  • 17. A method for ejecting droplets of different sizes via a jet in flow communication with a reservoir, the jet comprising:a substrate having a manifold for receiving fluid from the reservoir; an orifice layer disposed above the substrate so that a first chamber and a second chamber are formed between the orifice layer and the substrate, structure of the first chamber is different from structure of the second chamber; a first nozzle having a first orifice, a first bubble generator, and a second bubble generator, wherein the first bubble generator and the second bubble generator are disposed at two sides of the first orifice; and a second nozzle having a second orifice, a third bubble generator, and a fourth bubble generator, wherein the third bubble generator and the fourth bubble generator are disposed at two sides of the second orifice; the method comprising: generating a first bubble in the first chamber via the first bubble generator and generating a second bubble in the first chamber via the second bubble generator, wherein the first bubble and the second bubble approach each other, so that fluid between the first bubble and the second bubble is squeezed out of the first orifice to form a first droplet; generating a third bubble in the second chamber via the third bubble generator and generating a fourth bubble in the second chamber via the fourth bubble generator, wherein the third bubble and the fourth bubble approach each other, so that fluid between the third bubble and the fourth bubble is squeezed out of the second orifice to form a second droplet which is smaller than the first droplet.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
90111350 A May 2001 TW
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number Name Date Kind
5557304 Stortz Sep 1996 A
6464342 Kubota et al. Oct 2002 B1