U.S. patent application number 14/837899 was filed with the patent office on 2015-12-24 for compound slot.
The applicant listed for this patent is Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.. Invention is credited to Trudy Benjamin, Ning Ge, Jianhui Gu, Ken Kiat Ng, Bee Ling Peh.
Application Number | 20150367639 14/837899 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49483690 |
Filed Date | 2015-12-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150367639 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ge; Ning ; et al. |
December 24, 2015 |
COMPOUND SLOT
Abstract
The present disclosure describes a compound slot, and systems
and methods of forming the compound slot. An example of a compound
slot includes a wafer, where the compound slot includes a trench
along a long axis of the compound slot and on a top surface of the
wafer, where the trench passes through an initial portion of a
total depth of the wafer. A number of openings pass through a
remaining portion of the total depth of the wafer, where at least a
retained portion of a bottom of the trench is present around a
perimeter of each of the number of openings.
Inventors: |
Ge; Ning; (Palo Alto,
CA) ; Peh; Bee Ling; (Singapore, SG) ;
Benjamin; Trudy; (Portland, OR) ; Ng; Ken Kiat;
(Singapore, SG) ; Gu; Jianhui; (Singapore,
SG) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. |
Houston |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
49483690 |
Appl. No.: |
14/837899 |
Filed: |
August 27, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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14376058 |
Jul 31, 2014 |
9144984 |
|
|
PCT/US2012/035369 |
Apr 27, 2012 |
|
|
|
14837899 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
347/44 ;
29/890.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 29/49403 20150115;
B41J 2/175 20130101; B41J 2/162 20130101; B41J 2/1634 20130101;
B23K 26/384 20151001; B41J 2/14201 20130101; B41J 2/14145 20130101;
Y10T 29/49401 20150115; B41J 2002/14419 20130101; B41J 2/1433
20130101 |
International
Class: |
B41J 2/14 20060101
B41J002/14; B23K 26/36 20060101 B23K026/36; B23K 26/40 20060101
B23K026/40; B41J 2/16 20060101 B41J002/16 |
Claims
1. A compound slot, comprising: a wafer, wherein the compound slot
comprises: a trench along a long axis of the compound slot and on a
top surface of the wafer, wherein the trench passes through an
initial portion of a total depth of the wafer; and a number of
openings that pass through a remaining portion of the total depth
of the wafer, wherein a retained portion of a bottom of the trench
is present around a perimeter of each of the number of openings,
and wherein the retained portion of the bottom of the trench is in
a range of from 20% to 80% of an area of the bottom of the
trench.
2. The compound slot of claim 1, wherein the compound slot
comprises a plurality of trenches on the top surface of the
wafer.
3. The compound slot of claim 1, wherein the number of openings
comprise elliptical openings.
4. The compound slot of claim 1, wherein the trench includes
polymer disposed on a surface of the trench.
5. The compound slot of claim 1, wherein the trench has a constant
width across the compound slot.
6. The compound slot of claim 1, wherein the trench includes
polymer disposed on the number of openings.
7. A method of forming a compound slot, comprising: forming the
compound slot in a wafer; wherein forming the compound slot
comprises: forming a trench along a long axis of the compound slot
and on a top surface of the wafer, wherein the trench has a
constant width and passes through an initial portion of a total
depth of the wafer; and providing structural support for the
compound slot by forming a number of openings through a remaining
portion of the total depth of the wafer, wherein forming the number
of openings includes retaining at least a portion of a bottom of
the trench around an entirety of a perimeter of each of the number
of openings, and wherein the remaining portion of the total depth
of the wafer has a thickness in a range of from 10% to 50% of the
total depth of the wafer.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein forming the trench comprises
forming the trench with a laser.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein forming the number of openings
comprises forming the number of openings with a laser.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein forming the compound slot
comprises applying a polymer on a surface of the trench, the number
of openings, and a top surface of the wafer.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein retaining the at least the
portion of the bottom of the trench comprises retaining a range of
from 20% to 80% of the bottom of the trench.
12. A system comprising a compound slot, comprising: a wafer; a
trench along an entire length of the compound slot located on a top
surface of the wafer, wherein the trench has a constant width, and
wherein the trench passes through an initial portion of a total
depth of the wafer; a number of circular openings through a
remaining portion of the total depth of the wafer, wherein at least
a retained portion of a bottom of the trench remains around an
entirety of a perimeter of each of the number of circular openings;
and a fluid ejection device coupled to the trench.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the trench comprises at least
three of the circular openings.
14. The system of claim 12, wherein the trench is rectangular.
15. The system of claim 12, wherein the retained portion of the
bottom of the trench is in a range of from 20% to 80% of an area of
the bottom of the trench.
Description
PRIORITY INFORMATION
[0001] This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 14/376,058 filed Jul. 31, 2014, which is a National Stage Entry
of International Application Serial No. PCT/US2012/035369, the
contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Printing devices are widely used. These printing devices may
utilize a printhead that includes a slot to deliver ink in the
printing process. Such printing devices can provide multiple
desirable characteristics at a reasonable price.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a top-view schematic of a
portion of a compound slot according to the present disclosure.
[0004] FIGS. 2A-2B illustrate an example of a side-view schematic
of a portion of a compound slot formed according to the present
disclosure.
[0005] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a top-view schematic of a
portion of a system including a compound slot according to the
present disclosure.
[0006] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a
portion of a compound slot formed according to the present
disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0007] Examples of the present disclosure include compound slots,
and systems and methods of forming the same. An example of a
compound slot includes a wafer, where the compound slot includes a
trench along a long axis of the compound slot and on a top surface
of the wafer, where the trench passes through an initial portion of
a total depth of the wafer. A number of openings pass through a
remaining portion of the total depth of the wafer, where at least a
retained portion of a bottom of the trench is present around a
perimeter of each of the number of openings.
[0008] Compound slots, and systems and methods for forming the
same, as described herein, can be used in a variety of printing
devices. That is, the printing devices can utilize a printhead
(e.g., a slot-fed printhead) that includes a compound slot to
deliver ink in the printing process. As printing technology
improves, the ability to provide improved features and higher
resolution becomes increasingly possible. Consumers may want, among
other things, higher image resolution, realistic colors, and an
increased printing rate (e.g., pages per minute). However, improved
features and lower prices continue to press manufactures to advance
efficiencies.
[0009] As the level of resolution and the rate of printing
increases, demand for ink can be increased. This increased demand
can lead to an increase in the ink flow rate to the printhead. That
is, increased resolution and/or operational speed of the printer
can depend upon on an ability to reliably and/or efficiently
increase the ink flow rate to the printhead. Increasing a volume
(e.g., a volume of a slot) for ink to flow through can effectuate
an increased ink flow rate to the printhead. However, the increased
volume can lead to a decrease in structural strength of the
printhead that can increase susceptibility to cracks being formed
in the printhead (e.g., crack die failure). Thus, it is useful to
reinforce the printhead (e.g., the slot) with one or more
structural members to increase the structural strength of the
printhead.
[0010] To realize such goals, a compound slot can be utilized. That
is, a compound slot can include a plurality of trenches to deliver
fluid (e.g., ink) to the print cartridges and/or consequently to a
print media via the printhead (e.g., the slot-fed printhead). In
addition, the compound slot may include one or more structural
members to increase the structural strength of the printhead.
However, potential difficulties are that reinforcing the compound
slot can cause increases in the cost, effort, and/or time of
formation of the compound slot. Additionally, reinforcing members
present in the compound slot may lead to the formation of bubbles
that reduce printing quality (e.g., resolution), rate, and/or cause
unintended termination of printing. Accordingly, forming
reinforcing members for structural support and/or in shapes
conducive to avoiding formation of bubbles in the compound slot can
improve reliable print quality (e.g., resolution) and/or
operational speed of printers.
[0011] Compound slots used in conjunction with fluid (e.g., ink)
delivery, as described herein, can contribute to high resolution
and/or operational speed of printing devices. Further, the compound
slots can be incorporated directly into a variety of printing
devices (e.g., printheads) because the compound slots can, as
described herein, be small and/or readily fabricated, among other
considerations.
[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a top-view schematic of a
portion of a compound slot according to the present disclosure. In
the following Detailed Description and Figures, some features are
grouped together in a single example for the purpose of
streamlining this disclosure. This manner of presentation is not to
be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the disclosed
examples require more features (e.g., elements and/or limitations)
than are expressly recited in the claims of the present disclosure.
Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter
may require less than all features of a single disclosed example.
Hence, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the
Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own merit as
a separate example.
[0013] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the example of the portion of the
compound slot 100 includes a wafer 101 that includes, for example,
a plurality of trenches 104-1, 104-2 (e.g., defined in part by a
length 105 and a width 106) along a long axis 103 of a compound
slot 100 and on a top surface 102 of the wafer 101, where the
trenches 104-1, 104-2 pass through an initial portion of a total
depth of the wafer 101, as described herein. In various examples,
the compound slot 100 can include a number of openings 108-1
through 108-N through a remaining portion of the total depth of the
wafer, as described herein. In addition, in various examples, the
compound slot 100 can include a retained portion of a bottom 107,
as described herein, of the trenches 104-1, 104-2 present around a
perimeter 109-1 through 109-N of each of the number of openings
108-1 through 108-N. As defined herein, the number of trenches
104-1, 104-2 in the compound slot 100 can be one or more and the
number of openings in the bottom of each trench can be two or
more.
[0014] In the detailed description of the present disclosure,
reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part
hereof and in that is shown, by way of illustration, examples of
how the disclosure may be practiced. These examples are described
in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art
to practice the examples of this disclosure. It is to be understood
that other examples may be utilized and that material variations
and/or structural changes may be made without departing from the
scope of the present disclosure. Further, where appropriate, as
used herein, "for example" and "by way of example" should each be
understood as an abbreviation for "by way of example and not by way
of limitation".
[0015] The figures herein follow a numbering convention in that the
first digit or digits correspond to the drawing figure number and
the remaining digits identify an element or component in the
drawing. Similar elements or components between different figures
may be identified by the use of similar digits. For example, 104
may reference element "104" in FIG. 1, and a similar element may be
referenced as "204" in FIG. 2. Elements shown in the various
figures herein can be added, exchanged, and/or eliminated so as to
provide a number of additional examples of the present disclosure.
In addition, the proportion and the relative scale of the elements
provided in the figures are intended to illustrate the examples of
the present disclosure and should not be taken in a limiting
sense.
[0016] Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing ranges
and dimensions, and so forth, used in the specification and claims
are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the
terms "substantially" or "about". Accordingly, unless indicated to
the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the following
specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary
depending upon the properties sought.
[0017] As described herein, the number of openings 108-1 through
108-N can vary in shape, size, orientation, and/or a total number
of openings per compound slot. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the number
of openings 108-1 through 108-N can be five openings that are
substantially equidistant from one another. However, the present
disclosure is not limited to such a configuration. That is, various
configurations of the number of openings 108-1 through 108-N, the
perimeter 109-1 through 109-N of each of the number of openings,
the bottom 107 of the trench 104, and the retained portion thereof,
and/or the remaining portion of the total depth are possible. These
configurations can, in various examples, be conducive to providing
structural support for the number of trenches 104-1, 104-1 and/or
the compound slot 100. In some examples, trenches 104-1, 104-1
and/or the compound slot 100 can be configured to reduce bubble
formulation, as described herein.
[0018] As illustrated in FIG. 1, in some examples, the number of
openings 108-1 through 108-N can include substantially circular
and/or elliptical openings. Additional shapes such as square,
rectangular, triangular, rhomboidal, and/or trapezoidal, among
others, can be used for one or more of the number of openings 108-1
through 108-N. In some examples, shape and/or angle of the walls of
the number of openings, among other structural features, can be
varied in a manner conducive to providing structural support for
the compound slot 100 and/or reducing formation of bubbles in the
trench 104, among other considerations. That is, in various
examples, the shape, size, and/or orientation of the number of
openings 108-1 through 108-N can reduce bubble formation, provide
structural support, and/or can be conducive to retaining the
remaining portion of the bottom 107 of the trench 104, as described
herein.
[0019] The trench 104 can be defined, at least in part, by the
length 105 and/or the width 106, as illustrated in FIG. 1. In some
examples, the trench can be substantially rectangular, as
illustrated in FIG. 1. However, the present disclosure is not
limited to such a configuration. That is, the shape of the trench
104 and/or angle of the trench walls, among other structural
features, can be varied in a manner conducive to providing
structural support for the compound slot 100 and/or reducing
formation of bubbles in the trench 104, among other
considerations.
[0020] In some examples, the trench can pass through the wafer in a
range of from substantially 50% to substantially 90% of the total
depth of the wafer, as detailed herein in reference to FIG. 2. In
some examples, the remaining portion of the total depth of the
wafer can have a thickness in a range of from substantially 10% to
substantially 50% of the total depth of the wafer, as detailed
herein in reference to FIG. 2.
[0021] In some examples, the compound slot can include a polymer
(e.g., IJ5000 and/or SU-8) on a surface of the trench, the number
of openings, and/or a top surface of the wafer, as described
herein. In some examples, the compound slot 100 can include a
plurality of trenches 104-1, 104-2 on the top surface 102 of the
wafer 101, as described herein.
[0022] FIGS. 2A-2B illustrate an example of a side-view schematic
of a portion of a compound slot formed according to the present
disclosure. FIG. 2A illustrates an example of a side-view schematic
of a trench 204 of a compound slot 215 formed according to the
present disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 2A, in various examples,
forming the compound slot 215 can include forming the compound slot
215 in a wafer 201. Forming the compound slot 215 includes forming
the trench 204 along a long axis (e.g., 103 as illustrated in FIG.
1) of the compound slot 215 and on a top surface 202 of the wafer
201, where the trench 204 passes through an initial portion 216 of
a total depth 218 of the wafer 201.
[0023] FIG. 2B illustrates an example of a side-view schematic of a
number of openings in a compound slot formed according to the
present disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 2B, in various examples,
forming the compound slot 215 can include providing structural
support for the compound slot 215 by forming the number of openings
208-1 through 208-N through a remaining portion 217 of the total
depth 218 of the wafer 201, wherein forming the number of openings
208-1 through 208-N includes retaining at least a portion 220 of a
bottom 207 of the trench 204 around an entirety of a perimeter
209-1 through 209-N of each of the number of openings 208-1 through
208-N.
[0024] As described herein, the wafer 201 can be formed from a
material selected from the group that includes of a single
crystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, gallium arsenide,
ceramics, any suitable semi-conducting material, and/or
combinations thereof. The material and/or a total thickness of the
material can be chosen to achieve adequate structural support for
the formation of the trench 204. The wafer 201 can include, in
various examples, the initial portion 216 and a remaining portion
217 of the total depth 218 of the wafer forming the total depth 218
(e.g., total thickness) of the wafer 201. In some examples, the
total thickness of the wafer 201 can be in a range of from
substantially 50 microns to substantially 2000 microns (e.g., 650
microns).
[0025] In some examples, the remaining portion 217 of the total
depth 218 of the wafer 201 can be in a range of from substantially
50% to substantially 10% of the total depth 218 of the wafer 201.
Accordingly, in this configuration the initial portion 216 can be
in a range of from substantially 50% to substantially 90% of the
total depth 218 of the wafer 201. In some examples, the retained
portion 220 of the bottom 207 of the trench 204 can be in a range
of from substantially 20% to substantially 80% of an area of the
bottom 207 of the trench 204.
[0026] As described herein, the area of the bottom 207 of the
trench 204 can be defined, in part, by a length (e.g., 105 as
illustrated in FIG. 1) and/or a width 206. Additionally, the area
of the bottom 207 of the trench 204 can be defined, in part, by the
remaining portion 217 of the total depth of the wafer 201. That is,
the area of the bottom 207 of the trench 204 can be defined by the
length 105, the width 106, and the retained portion 220 of the
trench 104, as illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 2B, respectively.
Accordingly, the compound slot 215 can be scalable to form a
compound slot 215 of any practical length 105 and/or width 106.
[0027] As described herein, the compound slot 215 can be formed
utilizing any suitable technique. For example, the compound slot
215 can be formed using techniques such as sand drilling,
mechanical drilling, etching, laser, an air aided laser, a water
aided laser, and/or combination thereof. In some examples, forming
the trench 204 can include forming the trench with a laser, as
described herein. In addition, in some examples, forming the number
of openings 208-1 through 208-N can include forming the number of
openings with a laser, as described herein.
[0028] As described herein, a laser can be either a pulse or
continuous laser. Pulsed operation of a laser (e.g., a pulse laser)
refers to any laser not classified as continuous wave (e.g., a
continuous laser), so that the photons can be applied in pulses of
a defined duration at a defined repetition rate. Alternatively,
continuous lasers can utilize a beam whose output can be constant
over time. In some examples, the laser can control the shape,
orientation, surface roughness (e.g., by removing sharp edges
and/or rough material from the top surface of the wafer, from the
perimeter 109, 209, and/or from the walls of the number of openings
108, 208), and/or size of the trench 104, 204 and/or the number of
openings 108, 208 in a manner conducive to reducing crack
initiation and/or bubble formation sites. Operating in pulsed
and/or continuous mode can satisfy applications as described
herein.
[0029] Alternatively or in addition, in some examples, the lasers
can be multi-mode (e.g., having multiple outputs based on a variety
of selectable output parameters). As used herein, utilizing a
multi-mode laser can account for various factors (e.g., the size
and/or shape of the trench 104, 204 the particular material and/or
configuration of the wafer 101, 201 among other considerations).
Based on such considerations, the laser can be adjusted to emit a
wavelength of a particular frequency and/or diameter.
[0030] In various examples, the laser can have a laser beam with a
diameter in a range of from substantially 5 microns to
substantially 100 microns. The laser can apply the laser beam to
the wafer 101, 201 one or a plurality of times. That is, for
example, the laser beam can make multiple passes over a first
portion of the wafer 101, 201 and/or a single pass over a second
portion of the wafer 101, 201. A speed the laser beam can move over
the wafer 101, 201 and/or a focus of the beam also can be varied to
achieve different results depending on the application. In some
examples, the laser can have a debris extraction system (e.g., the
water-aided laser) that can remove debris resulting from laser
machining.
[0031] As described herein, sand drilling is a mechanical cutting
process that can include removing a portion of a material by
impacting the material with a plurality of particles (e.g.,
aluminum oxide, among others) delivered from a high-pressure
airflow system. Sand drilling can be referred to as sand blasting,
abrasive sand machining, and/or sand abrasion. As described herein,
mechanical drilling is a mechanical process that can use various
saws and/or drills, among others, for removing a portion of the
wafer 101, 201 material.
[0032] As described herein, etching is a chemical process for
removal of one or a plurality of portions (e.g., unprotected
portions) of a surface using a suitable etchant (e.g.,
tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), among others). In some
examples, the top surface 102, 202 of the wafer can be exposed to
an etchant sufficient to remove at least a portion of the wafer
101, 201 material to form a trench 104, 204. In some examples,
etching can control the shape, orientation, surface roughness,
and/or size of the trench 104, 204 and/or from the number of
openings 108, 208. In addition, in some examples, the etchant can
remove sharp edges and/or rough material from the top surface of
the wafer, from the perimeter 109, 209, and/or the walls of the
number of openings 108, 208. This can be conducive to reducing
crack initiation and/or bubble formation sites.
[0033] In some examples, a polymer can be applied (e.g., coated) on
one or more portions of a surface (e.g., the top surface 102 of the
wafer 101) of interest that can substantially inhibit etching of
the portion of the surface of interest coated with the polymer,
such as those described herein. That is, in some examples, the
compound slot can include a polymer (e.g., IJ5000 and/or SU-8) on a
surface of the trench 204, the number of openings 208-1 through
208-N, and/or the top surface 202 of the wafer 201. The polymer
can, in some examples, be a photoimageable polymer, for example,
IJ5000 series Barrier material (e.g., tradename IJ5000), and/or a
photoresist polymer (e.g., tradename SU-8), among others, suitable
to substantially inhibiting etching of the wafer 201, as described
herein. Alternatively or in addition, an orifice plate can be
placed over various surfaces (e.g., the top surface 202 of the
wafer 201). In some examples, the orifice plate includes a nickel
substrate. In various examples, the orifice plate and polymer can
be integral.
[0034] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a top-view schematic of a
portion of a system including a compound slot according to the
present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 3, the system including the
compound slot 330 can enable a fluid 334 (e.g., ink) to be supplied
from a fluid supply or reservoir (not shown) to a trench 304. A
number of channels (e.g., 331-1 through 331-N) can supply the fluid
334 to a fluid ejecting device 332 having a number of fluid
ejecting elements (e.g., 333-1 through 333-N). In various examples,
the fluid ejecting device 332 can be a portion of a device to
selectively apply the fluid 334 to a medium (e.g., paper, plastic,
fabric, among others, in accordance with print data corresponding
to a print job). In various examples, a wafer 301 can include the
trench 304 (e.g., as defined in part by a length 305 and a width
306) along the entire length (e.g., 305) of the compound slot 330
located on a top surface 302 of the wafer 301, where the trench 304
passes through an initial portion of a total depth of the wafer
301, as described herein.
[0035] As shown in FIG. 3, the fluid ejecting device 332, the
number of channels 331-1 through 331-N, and/or the compound slot
330 are shown by way of example and not by way of limitation. That
is, the size, shape, number, and/or configuration of the fluid
ejecting device 332, the number of channels 331-1 through 331-N,
and/or the compound slot 330, among others, can be varied in a
manner conducive to high resolution and/or operational speed of
printing devices utilizing the fluid ejecting device, the number of
channels, and/or the compound slot, among other considerations.
[0036] In various examples, the compound slot 330, as shown in FIG.
3, can include a number of openings 308-1 through 308-N through a
remaining portion of the total depth of the wafer 301, where at
least a retained portion of a bottom 307 of the trench 304 remains
around an entirety of a perimeter 309-1 through 309-N of each of
the number of openings 308-1 through 308-N, as described herein. In
some examples, a fluid 334 can be retained in the trench 304. In
various examples, the fluid ejection device 332 can be coupled to
the trench 304 (e.g., to receive the fluid 334) through channels
331-1 through 331-N.
[0037] In some examples, the compound slot (e.g., 215, 330) can
include at least three of the openings, as described herein, in
each trench. In some examples, the number of openings (e.g., 208,
308) can include substantially circular and/or elliptical openings,
as described herein. In some examples, the retained portion (e.g.,
220) of the bottom (e.g., 207, 307) of the trench (e.g., 204, 304)
is in a range of from substantially 20% to substantially 80% of an
area of the bottom of the trench, as described herein.
[0038] In some examples, the fluid ejecting elements 333-1 through
333-N can include heat-activated (e.g., via thin film resistors)
and/or pressure-activated elements. In some examples, the fluid
ejecting device 332 can be and/or can included in a printhead. In
some examples the fluid ejecting device 332 and/or a printing
device including the fluid ejecting device 332 can include a
processor (not shown), as described herein.
[0039] One or more fluid sources (e.g., an ink supply or reservoir)
can provide fluid to the compound slot 330, fluid ejecting device
332, and/or consequently to a medium via the fluid ejecting
elements 333-1 through 333-N. In various examples, self-contained
fluid sources can be refilled with fluid (e.g., ink). Alternatively
and/or in addition, the compound slot can be fluidically coupled
(e.g., via a flexible conduit) to one or more fixed or removable
fluid containers acting as the fluid (e.g., ink) source.
[0040] The small size of the compound slot makes wafers including
multiple trenches practical. As such, in some examples, the
compound slot can include the plurality of trenches on the top
surface of the wafer. In some examples, the plurality of the
trenches can be coupled to a single fluid supply, as described
herein. Alternatively, the plurality of trenches can divide the
fluid supply so that each of the plurality of trenches receives a
separate fluid supply. As FIG. 1 illustrates, in some examples, the
plurality of trenches can be two trenches. However, the present
disclosure is not limited to such a configuration.
[0041] In some examples, the small size of the compound slot can be
conducive to having microelectronics (e.g., formed from a
semiconductor) incorporated within, deposited over, and/or
supported by the compound slot. In various examples, the
semiconductor can be positioned on a bottom surface 221 of the
wafer 101 located opposite the top surface 102 of the wafer
101.
[0042] Hence, an example of a system for forming a compound slot,
as described herein, can include a wafer (e.g., 201, 301), a laser
222 that forms a trench (e.g., 204, 304) along the entire length
(e.g., 305) of the compound slot (e.g., 215, 330) located on a top
surface (e.g., 302) of the wafer (e.g., 201, 301), where the trench
passes through an initial portion (e.g., 216) of a total depth
(e.g., 218) of the wafer (e.g., 201, 301). In various examples, the
system for forming the compound slot (e.g., 215, 330) can include a
laser 223 (e.g., which can, in various examples, be the same as or
different from laser 222) that forms a number of openings (e.g.,
208, 308) through a remaining portion (e.g., 217) of the total
depth (e.g., 218) of the wafer (e.g., 201, 301). In various
examples, at least a retained portion (e.g., 220) of a bottom
(e.g., 207, 307) of the trench (e.g., 204, 304) remains around an
entirety of a perimeter (e.g., 209, 309) of each of the number of
openings (e.g., 208, 308).
[0043] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a
portion of a compound slot formed according to the present
disclosure. In accordance with the compound slot described herein,
there is a wafer, as shown in block 441. As shown in block 442, the
compound slot includes a trench along a long axis of the compound
slot and on a top surface of the wafer, where the trench passes
through an initial portion of a total depth of the wafer. As shown
in block 443, the compound slot includes a number of openings
through a remaining portion of the total depth of the wafer, where
at least a retained portion of a bottom of the trench is present
around a perimeter of each of the number of openings. The
structural integrity of the compound slot can be increased by
retaining at least a portion of a bottom of the trench around an
entirety of a perimeter of each of the number of openings, as
described herein.
[0044] In some examples, the compound slot (e.g., 100) can include
a plurality of trenches (e.g., 104-1, 104-2) on the top surface
(e.g., 102) of the wafer (e.g., 101), as described herein. In some
examples, the compound slot (e.g., 100) can include a number of
openings (e.g., 108-1 through 108-N) that are substantially
circular and/or elliptical openings, as illustrated in FIG. 1. In
some examples, the compound slot (e.g., 215) can include the
retained portion (e.g., 220) of the bottom (e.g., 207) of the
trench (e.g., 204) being in a range of from substantially 20% to
substantially 80% of an area of the bottom (e.g., 207) of the
trench (e.g., 204), as illustrated in FIG. 2. In addition, in some
examples, the compound slot (e.g., 215) can include a remaining
portion (e.g., 217) of the total depth (e.g., 218) of the wafer
(e.g., 201) that has a thickness in the range of from substantially
10% to substantially 50% of the total depth (e.g., 218) of the
wafer (e.g., 201), as illustrated in FIG. 2. In some examples, the
compound slot (e.g., 215) can include a polymer on a surface of the
trench (e.g., 204), the number of openings (e.g., 208-1 through
208-N), and/or a top surface (e.g., 202) of the wafer (e.g.,
201).
[0045] As described herein, the compound slot can be used in
conjunction with a printing device that can utilize the compound
slot. In some examples, the printing device can be an inkjet
printer. In various examples, the printer can be capable of
printing in black-and-white and/or in black-and-white as well as
color. The term "printing device" refers to any type of printing
device and/or image forming device that can employ compound slots
to achieve at least a portion of its functionality. Examples of
such printing devices can include, but are not limited to,
printers, facsimile machines, and/or photocopiers.
[0046] The printing device can include one or more processors. The
processors can control various printer operations, such as media
handling and/or carriage movement for linear positioning of the
fluid ejecting device (e.g., 332) over a print media (e.g., paper,
transparency, etc.). In some examples, the processors can
communicate with other electronic and/or computing devices. The
printing device can, in some examples, have an electrically
erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), read-only memory
(ROM), and/or a random access memory (RAM). The memory components
(e.g., EPROM, ROM, and/or RAM), can store various information
and/or data such as configuration information, fonts, templates,
data being printed, and/or menu structure information. In some
examples, a printing device can also include a flash memory device
in place of or in addition to the memory components (e.g., EPROM).
In some examples, a system bus can connect the various components
(e.g., EPROM) within the printing device.
[0047] Alternatively or in addition, the printing device can, in
some examples, have a firmware component that is implemented as a
permanent memory module stored in memory (e.g., ROM). The firmware
can be programmed and/or tested like software. In some examples,
the firmware can be distributed along with the printing device to
implement and/or coordinate operations of the hardware within
printing device and/or contain programming constructs used to
perform such operations.
[0048] The present disclosure includes apparatuses, methods, and
systems for implementing a compound slot. Compound slots can be
used for the applications described in the present disclosure,
although the compound slots are not limited to such applications.
It is to be understood that the above description has been made in
an illustrative fashion and not a restrictive one. Although
specific examples for apparatuses, systems, and methods have been
illustrated and described herein, other equivalent component
arrangements and/or structures conducive to structural support of
the compound slot and/or efficient printing can be substituted for
the specific examples shown herein without departing from the
spirit of the present disclosure.
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