A microfluidic device for continuous ejection of fluids includes: a semiconductor body that laterally delimits chambers; an intermediate structure which forms membranes each delimiting a top of a corresponding chamber; and a nozzle body which overlies the intermediate structure. The device includes, for each chamber: a corresponding piezoelectric actuator; a supply channel which traverses the intermediate structure and communicates with the chamber; and a nozzle which traverses the nozzle body and communicates with the supply channel. Each actuator is configured to operate i) in a resting condition such that the pressure of a fluid within the corresponding chamber causes the fluid to pass through the supply channel and become ejected from the nozzle as a continuous stream, and ii) in an active condition, where it causes a deformation of the corresponding membrane and a consequent variation of the pressure of the fluid, causing a temporary interruption of the continuous stream.

A liquid discharging head includes a discharge port that discharges a liquid, a pressure chamber that communicates with the discharge port, and an energy generating element that is disposed in the pressure chamber. In the liquid discharging head, the discharge port is provided with a plurality of projections that project towards a central portion of the discharge port from an inner peripheral edge of the discharge port, and an interval between the projections at a location where the projections are closest to each other is 5 m or less.

A production system such as an inkjet printer system includes a plurality of communication distribution devices connected in a daisy chain arrangement. A plurality of secondary devices, such as printhead electronics boards for inkjet printheads, is connected to each of the communication distribution devices. A first communication distribution device which is connected to a system controller assigns a communication address to itself from a first set of communication address and assigns communication addresses to its connected secondary devices from a second set of communication addresses. It then communicates information to the next communication distribution device specifying the next available communication addresses. This process continues down the chain of communication distribution devices. The assigned communication addresses are then transmitted to the system controller. The assigned communication addresses enable the system controller to determine the relative physical locations of the communication distribution devices and secondary devices.

An inkjet printhead includes two groups of interleaved nozzles. First and second sets of drop-formation waveforms are associated with the groups of nozzles to selectively cause portions of a liquid jet to break off into drops. A timing delay device time-shifts the second-group waveforms relative to those associated with the first-group waveforms. A charging-electrode waveform having portions with first and second potentials is provided to a charging electrode. The waveform energies of the second-group waveforms is larger than the waveform energies of the corresponding first-group waveforms so that printing drops break off from the liquid jets while the charging-electrode is at the first potential, and non-printing drops break off from the liquid jets while the charging-electrode is at the second potential.

An inkjet printhead includes two groups of interleaved nozzles. First and second sets of drop-formation waveforms are associated with the groups of nozzles to selectively cause portions of a liquid jet to break off into drops. A timing delay device time-shifts the second-group waveforms relative to those associated with the first-group waveforms. A charging-electrode waveform having portions with first and second potentials is provided to a charging electrode. The waveform energies of the second-group waveforms is larger than the waveform energies of the corresponding first-group waveforms so that printing drops break off from the liquid jets while the charging-electrode is at the first potential, and non-printing drops break off from the liquid jets while the charging-electrode is at the second potential.

A production system such as an inkjet printer system includes a plurality of communication distribution devices connected in a daisy chain arrangement. A plurality of secondary devices, such as printhead electronics boards for inkjet printheads, is connected to each of the communication distribution devices. A first communication distribution device which is connected to a system controller assigns a communication address to itself from a first set of communication address and assigns communication addresses to its connected secondary devices from a second set of communication addresses. It then communicates information to the next communication distribution device specifying the next available communication addresses. This process continues down the chain of communication distribution devices. The assigned communication addresses are then transmitted to the system controller. The assigned communication addresses enable the system controller to determine the relative physical locations of the communication distribution devices and secondary devices.

A liquid discharging head includes a discharge port that discharges a liquid, a pressure chamber that communicates with the discharge port, and an energy generating element that is disposed in the pressure chamber. In the liquid discharging head, the discharge port is provided with a plurality of projections that project towards a central portion of the discharge port from an inner peripheral edge of the discharge port, and an interval between the projections at a location where the projections are closest to each other is 5 m or less.

A liquid ejection head includes a support member extending in a first direction, a print element board having an ejection port through which liquid is ejected, and first and second members arranged in the support member adjacent to each other along the first direction, each having a supply path extending in the first direction. The print element board element generates energy used for ejection of the supply paths supplied liquid. The first member includes an outlet port through which the supplied liquid flows out. The second member includes an inlet port through which the liquid from the outlet port flows. The outlet port is provided near a first member supply path end portion on the support member side on which the second member is provided. The inlet port is provided near a second member supply path end portion on the support member side on which the first member is provided.

A liquid discharging head includes a discharge port that discharges a liquid, a pressure chamber that communicates with the discharge port, and an energy generating element that is disposed in the pressure chamber. In the liquid discharging head, the discharge port is provided with a plurality of projections that project towards a central portion of the discharge port from an inner peripheral edge of the discharge port, and an interval between the projections at a location where the projections are closest to each other is 5 m or less.

The invention provides pneumatic shuttering of a focused or collimated aerosol particle stream. The aerosol stream can be collimated by an annular sheath of inert or non-inert gas. The apparatus propagates a sheathed aerosol stream through a series of aerodynamic lenses along the axis of a flow cell. The final lens is typically positioned above a substrate, so that direct material deposition is provided. A substantially perpendicularly-flowing gas external to the aerodynamic lens system is used to redirect the particle stream away from the flow axis and through an exhaust port, thereby shuttering the collimated aerosol stream. The pneumatic shutter enables printing of discreet structures, with on/off shuttering times of approximately 1 to 100 milliseconds.