Appeal No. 2005-0247 Page 2
Application No. 10/171,657
(Id. at 2.) More specifically, the appellants' print head features a nozzle plate having
nozzles through which ink is ejected. A substrate supports the nozzle plate, and an ink
chamber is disposed between the substrate and the nozzle plate. A doughnut-shaped
or a polygonal-shaped heater surrounds the central axis of each nozzle, the resistance
of the heater varying at regular intervals. Electrodes apply current to the heater. (Id. at
3.)
In operation, the appellants' print head first forms bubbles around the heater at
regular angles to the central axis of the nozzle and then forms additional bubbles
between the earlier formed ones, thereby forming a larger, doughnut-shaped bubble.
They assert that this "prevent[s] the formation of an unbalanced doughnut-shaped
bubble due to variations in local resistance of the heater, which may be caused by a
process error." (Id. at 21.) Setting the center of the doughnut-shaped bubble on the
central axis of the nozzle, moreover, causes a droplet of ink formed within the bubble to
be ejected in a direction vertical to the nozzle plate. (Id.)
A further understanding of the invention can be achieved by reading the following
claim.
13. A bubble-jet type printhead having a plurality of nozzles each
configures to eject an ink drop therethrough, comprising:
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