CN109476159B

CN109476159B - Printing system components and techniques

Info

Publication number: CN109476159B
Application number: CN201780044689.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: C.E.托德; S.M.史密斯; A.S-K.柯; R.B.洛伦斯; E.弗龙斯基
Original assignee: Kateeva Inc
Current assignee: Kedihua Display Technology Shaoxing Co ltd
Priority date: 2016-07-18
Filing date: 2017-07-17
Publication date: 2022-02-08
Anticipated expiration: 2037-07-17
Also published as: CN114434972B; CN114434972A; CN109476159A; TW201808660A

Abstract

For various embodiments of the printhead assembly or ink stick assembly of the present teachings, each ink stick assembly may be a separate assembly, wherein multiple separate ink stick assemblies may be easily interchanged into a printing system during the printing process. Various embodiments of the stand-alone ink stick assembly may have a fluidic system that may include a local ink reservoir that may be in fluid communication with a main ink reservoir. Filling of the main ink reservoir may be accomplished in a manual or automatic mode. According to the present teachings, the bulk ink reservoir may have a volume sufficient to provide a continuous supply of ink to the local ink reservoir during printing.

Description

Printing system components and techniques

Technical Field

The present teachings disclose embodiments of ink stick assemblies or ink stick assemblies and related devices and apparatuses for use in industrial printing systems that may be used in various printing processes. Various embodiments of an ink stick assembly of the present teachings may include an ink stick assembly, a storage station, and a mounting assembly for mounting an ink stick to a carriage assembly that is part of a motion system. In accordance with the present teachings, the apparatus, devices, systems, and methods disclosed herein may be useful, for example, but not limited to, developing various printing processes, as well as providing efficient production scale printing.

Disclosure of Invention

Various embodiments of ink stick assemblies for use in, for example and without limitation, the manufacture of OLED panel substrates, include providing end user flexibility for efficient continuous printing of various inks of various formulations on a substrate during a printing process. The ink stick assembly of the present teachings has a separate inking system located within the ink stick assembly that is in fluid communication with one or more printheads. The ink stick assemblies of the present teachings can be easily shuttled into and out of the printing system and can be held in a storage station near the printing system.

Drawings

A better understanding of the features and advantages of the present disclosure will be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, which are intended to illustrate, and not to limit, the present teachings. In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numerals may describe similar components in different views. Like numerals having different letter suffixes may represent different instances of similar components.

Figure 1 generally illustrates a perspective view of a printing system of the present teachings.

FIG. 2 generally illustrates a schematic view of an ink stick assembly including an embodiment of a fluid control.

FIG. 3A generally illustrates a schematic perspective view of an ink stick assembly according to the present teachings. FIG. 3B is an expanded view of a section of the ink stick assembly shown in FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4 generally illustrates a schematic front view of an ink stick assembly of the present teachings, including on-board electronics.

FIG. 5A generally illustrates a schematic perspective side view of a fluidic subassembly of an ink stick assembly of the present teachings. FIG. 5B generally illustrates a schematic bottom perspective view of a fluidic subassembly of an ink stick assembly of the present teachings.

FIG. 6 generally illustrates a schematic perspective view of an ink stick assembly of the present teachings positioned for mounting to a carriage assembly of a printing system.

Detailed Description

For various embodiments of printhead assemblies or ink stick assemblies of the present teachings, each ink stick assembly may be a separate assembly, wherein multiple separate ink stick assemblies may be easily interchanged into a printing system during the printing process. Various embodiments of the self-contained ink stick assembly may have a fluidic system that may include a local ink reservoir that may be in fluid communication with a main ink reservoir. Filling of the main ink reservoir may be accomplished in a manual or automatic mode. In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the bulk ink reservoir may have a volume sufficient to provide a continuous supply of ink to the local ink reservoir during the printing process. Replenishment of the ink supply from the bulk ink reservoir to the local ink reservoir may maintain a steady level of ink in the local ink reservoir, which may be in fluid communication with the printhead during printing. In this way, by providing a constant head pressure on the printhead, the steady level of ink in the local ink reservoir may provide negligible ink pressure variations at the plurality of printhead nozzles in the printhead. In this regard, various embodiments of an ink stick assembly may include at least one liquid level indicator for maintaining a defined fill level of a local ink reservoir such that ink from a main ink reservoir continuously replenishes the local ink reservoir to the defined fill level during printing.

Various embodiments of an ink stick assembly may have a manifold assembly that may include an upper manifold assembly, a middle manifold assembly, and a lower manifold assembly with channels having controlled fluid flow fabricated within the manifold assembly. In this regard, the manifold assembly of the present teachings can provide for interconnection between a bulk ink reservoir and a local ink reservoir in a fluidic subassembly of an ink stick assembly that does not use conventional tubing connections. Thus, a separate ink stick assembly that does not require conventional plumbing may provide zero dead volume interconnection throughout the fluidic subassembly of the ink stick. Further, because the fluidic subassembly is entirely within a separate ink stick assembly, the need for cumbersome tube disconnection and reconnection during replacement of various ink stick assemblies can be eliminated.

In this regard, efficient exchange of ink stick assemblies is facilitated by a pneumatic interface board and a low insertion force electrical interface board that are connected to an external pneumatic source and power source required during the printing process. Such an external pneumatic source (e.g., a nitrogen gas source or a vacuum source) can be readily integrated with the fluidic function of the ink stick. Also, an external power source may be easily connected to the on-board electronics of the ink stick assembly. Various ink stick assemblies of the present teachings have a drive board, an I/O and power distribution PCB, and a microprocessor board for each of the more printheads of the ink stick assembly.

In various embodiments of an ink stick assembly, each of a plurality of interchangeable ink stick assemblies may have a unique identity or identification code. For various embodiments, an identity or identification code may be physically indicated on the ink stick components and electronically associated with each ink stick component. For various embodiments of ink stick assemblies, an identity or identification code may associate each cell with a unique set of operational information for each ink stick assembly. For example, and without limitation, the unique operating information may include a unique location of an ink stick assembly in the maintenance module, an ink formulation contained in the ink stick assembly, and printhead calibration data. Such unique operational information may be stored on the storage device. For various embodiments, the storage device may be an onboard storage device that travels with each ink stick assembly.

Various embodiments of the present teachings include a storage station for storing and maintaining a plurality of ink stick assemblies when the ink stick assemblies are not in use. The storage station of the present teachings is positioned proximate to the motion system of the printing system to provide efficient exchange of ink sticks during the printing process.

Fig. 1 generally illustrates a printing tool 5000, wherein the printing system 2000 may include a printing system base 2100 mounted on a printing tool tray 1050. The printing system 2000 mounted on the printing system base 2100 may include a split axis motion system including a bridge 2130 and the X-axis carriage assembly 2300 may be mounted on the bridge 2130. The X-axis carriage may support one of a plurality of ink stick assemblies. The moving X-axis carriage 2300 assembly can be precisely controlled using a linear air bearing motion system. The storage station 600 may be mounted adjacent to the bridge 2300. As shown, the storage station 600 may be used to store and maintain a plurality of ink stick assemblies (10 a.. 10N). Various bundles of cables, wires, optical fibers and conduits supplying pneumatics that provide electrical, fluidic and optical interconnections may be located within the electronic chain cabinet 2400.

FIG. 2 generally illustrates a schematic view of the fluidic elements of the ink stick 10 of the present teachings, and the fluidic interconnections between the fluidic elements and their controls. The ink stick may have a main ink reservoir 20 that is in fluid communication with a local ink reservoir 50 during a printing operation. During a printing operation, the local ink reservoir 50 is in fluid communication with one or more printheads, shown as three printheads in fig. 3. As shown in fig. 2, body ink reservoir 20 may be in fluid communication with a waste line P2. The ink stick 10 may have an on-board valve assembly 200 that may include a solenoid valve manifold 200, the solenoid valve manifold 200 controlling actuation of a pneumatic valve assembly 250, the pneumatic valve assembly 250 may control the fluid distribution of the ink within the ink stick. Pneumatic valve assembly 250 reduces the thermal load within the ink mass, which is useful for providing a stable thermal environment for the various inks used in the printing process. The solenoid valve manifold 200 as shown has solenoid valves that control the pneumatic inputs P6 to each of the pneumatic valves in the pneumatic valve assembly 250. For example, but not limiting of, solenoid valve 230 controls pneumatic actuation of pneumatic valve 240, and pneumatic valve 240 controls a vacuum source to local ink supply 50. Similarly, by way of another non-limiting example, the solenoid valve 233 controls the pneumatic actuation of the pneumatic valve 243, the pneumatic valve 243 controlling the fluid communication between the main body ink supply 20 and the local ink supply 50.

In FIG. 3A, a perspective view of the ink stick 10 generally shows the ink stick housing 310, the ink stick base 320, and the ink stick pull latch 330, the ink stick pull latch 330 being used in the process of installing an ink stick into a carriage assembly. The pneumatic interface board 210 has a first port 212 for connection to a high pressure gas source for operating a pneumatic valve as previously described, such as a nitrogen source (see P6 of fig. 2), a second port 214 for connection to a vacuum (see P5 of fig. 2) in fluid communication with the local ink reservoir 50 and a third port 216 for a low pressure gas source, such as a nitrogen source (see P4 of fig. 2) in fluid communication with the local ink reservoir 50. The on-board electronics assembly 400 of the ink stick 10 may include an electrical interface board 410. The electrical interface board 410 may accordingly provide the required connections to the print

head drive boards

420A, 420B, and 420C for each

print head

500A, 500B, and 500C (see fig. 2), as well as other on-board electronic components that will be discussed later herein. The ink stick body ink delivery assembly 20 may include a top cover 22, a reservoir body 24, and a bottom cover 26. Top cap 22 and bottom cap 26 include fluidic interfaces for body ink reservoir 20 to manifold assembly 100. The all-polymer subassembly can be welded, for example, using IR welding, to form a continuous smooth-walled container that eliminates the possibility of ink entrapment in dead volume spaces. The manifold assembly 100 of the ink stick 10 may include an upper manifold 110, a middle manifold 130, and a lower manifold 150, all of which are in fluid communication and provide fluid connectivity between the bulk ink reservoir and the local ink reservoir via channels fabricated within each manifold. In FIG. 3B, an expanded view of the top portion of the main body ink delivery assembly 20 is shown, illustrating the various ports of the main body ink delivery assembly 20. Port 23A is an ink fill port, shown with a syringe adapter to facilitate bubble-free filling using a syringe, and port 23B is a vent port, which is necessary during the filling process. In addition to the fill port and vent port, port 23C is a waste discharge port (see P2 of fig. 2). Finally, port 23D is an ink recovery or extraction port that allows ink to be recovered from the ink stick. As shown in FIG. 2, port P3 (i.e., port 23C of FIG. 3B) has a conduit that allows ink in the ink stick to be recovered.

FIG. 4 generally illustrates various components of on-board electronics, including an ink stick assembly. Within housing 310, a driver board assembly 420, a microprocessor 430, and I/O and a power distribution Printed Circuit Board (PCB). In addition, the on-board valve assembly for the ink stick 10 may include a solenoid valve manifold 220 and a pneumatic valve 250 for controlling fluid flow between the fluid elements of the fluid subassembly of the ink stick.

Fig. 5A and 5B generally illustrate the fluidic subassembly 15 of the ink stick 10 of fig. 2-4 of the present teachings. Fig. 5A is a perspective side view of fluidic subassembly 15 depicting main body ink-reservoir assembly 20 and partial ink-reservoir assembly 50. The ink stick partial ink delivery assembly 50 may include a top cap 52, a reservoir body 54, and a bottom cap 56. The top cover 52 and bottom cover 56 include fluidic interfaces for the local ink reservoir 50 to the manifold assembly 100. The all-polymer subassembly can be welded using, for example, IR welding to form a continuous smooth-walled container that eliminates the possibility of ink retention in dead volumes. The manifold assembly 100 of the ink stick 10 may include an upper manifold 110, a middle manifold 130, and a lower manifold 150, all of which are in fluid communication and provide fluid connectivity between the bulk ink reservoir and the local ink reservoir via channels fabricated within each manifold. The manifold assembly 100 of the ink stick 10 provides zero dead volume connections between the fluidic elements of the fluidic subassembly 15. In addition to the zero dead volume connections between the fluidic elements of the fluidic subassembly 15, the pneumatic valves of the pneumatic manifold assembly 250 reduce thermal loading near the fluidic subassembly 15, thereby providing a stable thermal environment within the ink stick. By way of non-limiting example: pneumatic valve 240 of the fluidic subassembly 15 controls the connection to the vacuum source (see P5 of fig. 2), pneumatic valve 241 of the fluidic subassembly 15 controls the connection to the low pressure gas source (see P4 of fig. 2, 3), pneumatic valve 242 of the fluidic subassembly 15 controls the connection between the print head and the connection of the body ink reservoir to the waste line (see P2 of fig. 2), and pneumatic valve 243 of the fluidic subassembly 15 controls the connection between the body ink reservoir and the local ink reservoir.

Fig. 5B is a bottom perspective view of the fluidic subassembly 15, which generally illustrates various fluidic level sensor assemblies associated with a main ink reservoir and a local ink reservoir. The main body ink reservoir 20 may have an upper layer fluid sensor 30A and a lower layer fluid sensor 30B. The local ink reservoir 50 may have an upper fluid sensor 60A, a middle fluid sensor 60B, and a lower fluid sensor 30B. In accordance with the present teachings, the fluidic system of the ink stick is configured such that the main ink reservoir 20 can maintain the fluid level within the local ink reservoir at a steady level. In this way, by providing a constant head pressure on the printhead, the steady level of ink in the local ink reservoir may provide negligible ink pressure variations at the plurality of printhead nozzles in the printhead. The fluidic subassembly 15 may provide an inlet fitting and an outlet fitting for interconnection with at least one printhead. For example, inlet fitting 172 and outlet fitting 173 may be used to connect a first printhead, while inlet fitting 174 and outlet fitting 175 may be used to connect a second printhead, and inlet fitting 176 and outlet fitting 177 may be used to connect a third printhead.

Fig. 6 generally illustrates a carriage assembly 2300 that may be mounted to a motion system of a printing system (see fig. 1). As previously mentioned, by way of non-limiting example, for various inks that require a constant thermal environment to achieve chemical stability or properties such as stable jetting, it may be desirable to maintain a stable thermal environment in the fluid system. Considering that the various on-board electronic components of the ink stick may generate heat during operation, during the printing process, air may be drawn through the ink stick's exhaust port 340, as indicated by arrow A, and then exhausted through an exhaust tube or conduit, as indicated by arrow B, thereby dissipating the heat generated by the electronic components of the ink stick and maintaining a stable internal thermal environment within the ink stick.

Claims

1. An ink stick assembly for use with a printing tool, the ink stick assembly comprising:

a print head;

a drive plate for each print head;

an electrical interface board for electrical connection with each of the drive plates;

a pneumatic interface plate for pneumatic connection of the ink stick assembly, wherein the pneumatic interface plate has a first port for connection to a high pressure gas source, a second port for connection to a vacuum, and a third port for connection to a low pressure gas source; and

an ink reservoir fluidly coupled to the printhead.

2. The ink stick assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a pneumatic manifold in fluid communication with the pneumatic interface plate;

pneumatically actuated valves, each pneumatically actuated valve controlling ink flow in the ink stick assembly; and

a solenoid for each pneumatically actuated valve fluidly coupling the pneumatically actuated valve with the pneumatic manifold.

3. The ink stick assembly of claim 2, wherein there are at least three print heads and there is a pneumatically actuated valve for each print head.

4. The ink stick assembly of claim 2, wherein:

the ink reservoir is a first ink reservoir and the ink stick assembly further comprises a second ink reservoir; and is

One of the pneumatically actuated valves is used to control ink flow between the first and second ink reservoirs.

5. The ink stick assembly of claim 4, wherein:

the ink stick assembly further includes an ink fill port to receive ink into the second ink reservoir; and is

The ink stick assembly also includes at least one liquid level indicator for maintaining a defined fill level of the first ink reservoir.

6. The ink stick assembly of claim 5, wherein the ink fill port comprises a syringe adapter to receive ink from a syringe.

7. The ink stick assembly of claim 1, further comprising a pneumatically actuated valve to control ink flow in the ink stick assembly, the pneumatically actuated valve being operably coupled to the pneumatic interface plate by the pneumatic connection.

8. The ink stick assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical interface board is for supplying a low connection force mating engagement with a corresponding interface of the printing tool.

9. The ink stick assembly of claim 1, wherein the pneumatic interface plate is for supplying a low connection force mating engagement with a corresponding interface of the printing tool.

10. The ink stick assembly of claim 1 further comprising an on-board digital memory to store calibration data and an identification code corresponding to each of the printheads to distinguish the ink stick assembly from other ink stick assemblies.

11. The ink stick assembly of claim 1 further comprising an on-board digital memory to store data describing an ink formulation carried by the ink stick assembly.

12. A printing apparatus, comprising:

a printing tool;

a plurality of ink stick assemblies for interchangeable use with a printing tool, each of said ink stick assemblies comprising

The print head is provided with a print head,

a drive plate for each print head,

an electrical interface board for electrical connection with each of the drive plates and the print tool,

a pneumatic interface board for pneumatic connection with the print tool, wherein the pneumatic interface board has a first port for connection to a high pressure gas source, a second port for connection to a vacuum, and a third port for connection to a low pressure gas source, and

an ink reservoir to supply ink to the printhead.

13. The printing device of claim 12, wherein each ink stick assembly further comprises:

a pneumatic manifold in fluid communication with the pneumatic interface plate;

14. A printing device according to claim 13, wherein there are at least three print heads and there is a pneumatically actuated valve for each print head.

15. The printing device of claim 13, wherein, for each ink stick assembly:

16. The printing device of claim 15, wherein each ink stick assembly further comprises:

an ink fill port to receive ink into the second ink reservoir; and

at least one liquid level indicator for maintaining a defined fill level of the first ink reservoir.

17. The printing device of claim 12, wherein each ink stick assembly further comprises a pneumatically actuated valve to control ink flow in the ink stick assembly, the pneumatically actuated valve being operably coupled to the pneumatic interface board through the pneumatic connection.

18. The printing device of claim 12, wherein each ink stick assembly further comprises an on-board digital memory to store calibration data and an identification code corresponding to each of the printheads to distinguish the ink stick assembly from other ink stick assemblies.

19. The printing device of claim 12, wherein each ink stick assembly further comprises an on-board digital memory to store data describing an ink formulation carried by the ink stick assembly.