CA2507234A1 - Method of and apparatus for forming nozzles - Google Patents
Method of and apparatus for forming nozzles Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2507234A1 CA2507234A1 CA 2507234 CA2507234A CA2507234A1 CA 2507234 A1 CA2507234 A1 CA 2507234A1 CA 2507234 CA2507234 CA 2507234 CA 2507234 A CA2507234 A CA 2507234A CA 2507234 A1 CA2507234 A1 CA 2507234A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- nozzle
- sub
- array
- beams
- reflecting
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
- B23K26/36—Removing material
- B23K26/38—Removing material by boring or cutting
- B23K26/382—Removing material by boring or cutting by boring
- B23K26/389—Removing material by boring or cutting by boring of fluid openings, e.g. nozzles, jets
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)
Abstract
A nozzle in a nozzle plate for an inkjet printhcad is formed by directing a laser beam at a nozzle plate. Accurate control of the divergence of the beam is achieved by splitting the beam into sub-beams, each sub-beam having divergence with an origin lying apart from the point at which the beam is created by splitting, and thereafter recombining the sub-beams. Greater accuracy in the taper and inlet shape of the manufactured nozzle is thereby obtained.
Claims (29)
1. A method of forming a nozzle in a nozzle plate for an ink jet printhead, the nozzle having a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet in respective opposite faces of said nozzle plate, the method comprising the steps of:
directing a high energy beam towards said nozzle plate; introducing divergence into said beam; thereafter directing said beam at a single aperture of a mask, thereby to shape said beam; and thereafter passing said beam through beam converging means prior to impingement on the face of said nozzle plate in which said nozzle outlet is formed, thereby to form a nozzle, the nozzle outlet being conjugate through said beam converging means with said single aperture characterised in that the step of introducing divergence into said beam comprises splitting said beam into a number of sub-beams, each sub-beam having divergence, the origin of divergence of each sub-beam lying apart from the paint at which the respective sub-beam is created by splitting; the sub-beams thereafter being passed through further beam converging means prior to being recombined and directed through said single aperture of a mask, wherein the dimensions of the section of said recombined beam directly prior to impinging the plane of said mask are substantially equal to the dimensions of the aperture in said mask.
directing a high energy beam towards said nozzle plate; introducing divergence into said beam; thereafter directing said beam at a single aperture of a mask, thereby to shape said beam; and thereafter passing said beam through beam converging means prior to impingement on the face of said nozzle plate in which said nozzle outlet is formed, thereby to form a nozzle, the nozzle outlet being conjugate through said beam converging means with said single aperture characterised in that the step of introducing divergence into said beam comprises splitting said beam into a number of sub-beams, each sub-beam having divergence, the origin of divergence of each sub-beam lying apart from the paint at which the respective sub-beam is created by splitting; the sub-beams thereafter being passed through further beam converging means prior to being recombined and directed through said single aperture of a mask, wherein the dimensions of the section of said recombined beam directly prior to impinging the plane of said mask are substantially equal to the dimensions of the aperture in said mask.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of splitting the beam into a number of sub-beams comprises passing said beam through an array of lenses.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said array comprises cylindrical lenses.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the origin of divergence of each sub-beam lies ahead of said mask.
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the origin of divergence of each sub-beam lies between the point at which the respective sub-beam is created by splitting and said mask.
6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said mask is located at a distance from said further beam converging means equal to the focal length of said further beam converging means.
7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said beam is split by passage through an array of optical elements to create an array of sub-beams; said array of sub-beams being thereafter directed towards first reflecting means for reflecting towards second reflecting means, said second reflecting means reflecting towards said nozzle plate; the positional relationship of said first and second reflecting means being such that a parallel beam impinging on said first reflecting means is reflected from said second reflecting means as a converging beam; the arrangement of said optical elements being such that all incoming sub-beams are directed by said first reflecting means towards said second reflecting means, thereafter to impinge on said nozzle plate.
8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said high energy beam is split by passage through an array of optical elements to create an array of sub-beams, said array of optical elements having a greater width in a first direction than in a second direction orthogonal to said first direction, with said first and second directions lying perpendicular to the direction of impingement of said beam on said array; thereby to form a nozzle having a bore with an angle of taper relative to the nozzle axis in a direction corresponding to said first direction that is greater than the angle of taper of the nozzle bore in a direction corresponding to said second direction.
9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said high energy beam is directed at a planar reflecting surface lying at an angle to said first direction, said surface being arranged so as to reflect said beam towards further beam reflecting means so arranged as to both invert said beam and direct said beam along an axis collinear with said first axis extending in a first direction; said surface and further reflecting means being fixedly located relative to one another, thereby to form an assembly, and rotating said assembly about said first axis;
said beam thereafter impinging on said nozzle plate, thereby to form a nozzle.
said beam thereafter impinging on said nozzle plate, thereby to form a nozzle.
10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the power of said high energy beam is initially held low and is increased with increasing depth of the nozzle formed in said nozzle plate.
11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein a further mask is interposed between the mask and the beam converging means.
12. A method of forming a nozzle in a nozzle plate for an ink jet printhead, the nozzle having a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet in respective opposite faces of said nozzle plate and a nozzle bore having an axis; the method comprising the steps of:
directing a high energy beam towards said nozzle plate; introducing divergence into said beam; and thereafter passing said beam through beam converging means prior to impingement on said nozzle plate, thereby to form a nozzle;
characterised in that the step of introducing divergence into said beam comprises passing said beam through an array of optical elements to create an array of sub-beams, each sub-beam having divergence, the origin of the divergence of each sub-beam lying apart from the respective optical element; said array of sub-beams having a greater width in a first direction than in a second direction orthogonal to said first direction, said first and second directions lying perpendicular to the direction of impingement of said beam on said array: thereafter passing said array of sub-beams through beam converging means prior to their impingement on the nozzle plate, thereby to form said nozzle; the angle of taper of the nozzle bore relative to the nozzle axis in a direction corresponding to said first direction being greater than the angle of taper of the nozzle bore in a direction corresponding to said second direction.
directing a high energy beam towards said nozzle plate; introducing divergence into said beam; and thereafter passing said beam through beam converging means prior to impingement on said nozzle plate, thereby to form a nozzle;
characterised in that the step of introducing divergence into said beam comprises passing said beam through an array of optical elements to create an array of sub-beams, each sub-beam having divergence, the origin of the divergence of each sub-beam lying apart from the respective optical element; said array of sub-beams having a greater width in a first direction than in a second direction orthogonal to said first direction, said first and second directions lying perpendicular to the direction of impingement of said beam on said array: thereafter passing said array of sub-beams through beam converging means prior to their impingement on the nozzle plate, thereby to form said nozzle; the angle of taper of the nozzle bore relative to the nozzle axis in a direction corresponding to said first direction being greater than the angle of taper of the nozzle bore in a direction corresponding to said second direction.
13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the sub-beams impinge on that face of the nozzle plate in which the nozzle outlet is formed, the nozzle tapering from nozzle inlet to nozzle outlet.
14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the array of optical elements is rectangular.
15. The method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein a mask is Diaced ahead of said array of optical elements.
16. A method of forming a nozzle in a nozzle plate for an ink jet printhead, the nozzle having a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet in respective opposite faces of said nozzle plate, the method comprising the steps of:
directing a high energy beam towards said nozzle plate; introducing divergence into said beam; and thereafter passing said beam through beam converging means prior to impingement on said nozzle plate, thereby to form a nozzle;
characterised in that the step of introducing divergence into said beam comprises passing said beam through an array of optical elements to create an array of sub-beams, each sub-beam having divergence, the origin of the divergence of each sub-beam lying apart from the respective optical element; said array of sub-beams being thereafter directed towards first reflecting means for reflecting towards second reflecting means, said second reflecting means reflecting towards said nozzle plate; the positional relationship of said first and second reflecting means being such that a parallel beam impinging on said first reflecting means is reflected from said second reflecting means as a converging beam; the arrangement of said optical elements being such that all incoming sub-beams are directed by said first reflecting means towards said second reflecting means, thereafter to impinge on said nozzle plate.
directing a high energy beam towards said nozzle plate; introducing divergence into said beam; and thereafter passing said beam through beam converging means prior to impingement on said nozzle plate, thereby to form a nozzle;
characterised in that the step of introducing divergence into said beam comprises passing said beam through an array of optical elements to create an array of sub-beams, each sub-beam having divergence, the origin of the divergence of each sub-beam lying apart from the respective optical element; said array of sub-beams being thereafter directed towards first reflecting means for reflecting towards second reflecting means, said second reflecting means reflecting towards said nozzle plate; the positional relationship of said first and second reflecting means being such that a parallel beam impinging on said first reflecting means is reflected from said second reflecting means as a converging beam; the arrangement of said optical elements being such that all incoming sub-beams are directed by said first reflecting means towards said second reflecting means, thereafter to impinge on said nozzle plate.
17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the sub-beams impinge on that face of the nozzle plate in which the nozzle outlet is formed, the nozzle tapering from nozzle inlet to nozzle outlet.
18. The method according to claim 16 or 17, wherein said first and second reflecting means each comprise a reflecting surface that is a surface of revolution.
19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the reflecting surface of said first reflecting means faces away from said nozzle plate.
20. The method according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the mean radius of the reflecting surface of the first reflecting means is less than the mean radius of the reflecting surface of the second reflecting means.
21. The method according to any of claims 16 to 20, wherein said arrangement of optical elements is such that no sub-beams from optical elements located at the centre of said array are reflected by said first and/or second reflecting means.
22. The method according to claim 21, wherein optical elements located at the centre of said array are masked.
23. A method of forming a nozzle in a nozzle plate for an ink jet printhead, the nozzle having a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet in respective opposite faces of said nozzle plate, characterised by the steps of:
directing a high energy beam having a first axis extending in a first direction towards said nozzle plate;
directing said beam at a first reflecting surface lying at an angle to said first direction, said surface being arranged so as to reflect, said beam towards a second reflecting surface so arranged as to both invert said beam and direct said beam along an axis collinear with said first axis extending in a first direction; said first and second surfaces being fixedly located relative to one another, thereby to form an assembly, and rotating said assembly about said first axis; said beam thereafter impinging on said nozzle plate, thereby to form a nozzle.
directing a high energy beam having a first axis extending in a first direction towards said nozzle plate;
directing said beam at a first reflecting surface lying at an angle to said first direction, said surface being arranged so as to reflect, said beam towards a second reflecting surface so arranged as to both invert said beam and direct said beam along an axis collinear with said first axis extending in a first direction; said first and second surfaces being fixedly located relative to one another, thereby to form an assembly, and rotating said assembly about said first axis; said beam thereafter impinging on said nozzle plate, thereby to form a nozzle.
24. The method according to claim 23 wherein the reflecting surfaces each comprises a discrete member.
25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said discrete member is a high reflectance dielectric mirror.
26. An apparatus for use with the method of claim 1, and comprising a source of a high energy beam, mask means having a single aperture and beam converging means, characterised by an array of optical elements for splitting said beam into a number of sub-beams each having divergence, the origin of divergence of each sub-beam lying apart from the plane of said array; and further beam converging means adapted to recombine said sub-beams; said array and further beam converging means being positioned relative to said mask means such that the dimensions of the section of said recombined beam directly prior to impinging the plane of said mask are substantially equal to the dimensions of the aperture in said mask.
27. An apparatus for use with the method of claim 12, and comprising a source of a high energy beam; an array of optical elements for creating an array of sub-beams each having divergence, the origin of the divergence of each sub-beam lying apart from the respective optical element; said array of sub-beams having a greater width in a first direction than in a second direction orthogonal to said first direction, said first and second directions lying perpendicular to the direction of impingement of said beam on said array; and beam converging means adapted to converge said sub-beams on the nozzle plate.
28. An apparatus for use with the method of claim 16, and comprising a source of a high energy beam; an array of optical elements for creating an array of sub-beams each having divergence, the origin of the divergence of each sub-beam lying apart from the respective optical element; first reflecting means for reflecting said array of sub-beams, second reflecting means located relative to said first reflecting means such that a parallel beam impinging on said first reflecting means is reflected from said second reflecting means as a converging beam; the arrangement of said optical elements being such that all incoming sub-beams are directed by said first reflecting means towards said second reflecting means.
29. An apparatus for use with the method of claim 23, and comprising a source of a high energy beam having a first axis extending in a first direction; an assembly comprising a first reflecting surface lying at an angle to said first direction and a second reflecting surface, said first and second reflecting surfaces being fixedly located relative to one another such that said high energy beam is reflected by said first reflecting surface towards said second reflecting surface, thereby to both invert said beam and direct said beam along an axis collinear with said first axis extending in a first direction; said assembly being rotatable about said first axis.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9601049.1 | 1996-01-18 | ||
| GBGB9601049.1A GB9601049D0 (en) | 1996-01-18 | 1996-01-18 | Methods of and apparatus for forming nozzles |
| CA002240800A CA2240800C (en) | 1996-01-18 | 1997-01-16 | Method of and apparatus for forming nozzles |
Related Parent Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002240800A Division CA2240800C (en) | 1996-01-18 | 1997-01-16 | Method of and apparatus for forming nozzles |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2507234A1 true CA2507234A1 (en) | 1997-07-24 |
| CA2507234C CA2507234C (en) | 2009-12-22 |
Family
ID=34827903
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2507234 Expired - Fee Related CA2507234C (en) | 1996-01-18 | 1997-01-16 | Method of and apparatus for forming nozzles |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2507234C (en) |
-
1997
- 1997-01-16 CA CA 2507234 patent/CA2507234C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2507234C (en) | 2009-12-22 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| KR100589986B1 (en) | Nozzle Forming Method and Printhead | |
| US6849824B2 (en) | Multibeam laser drilling apparatus | |
| US5475415A (en) | Optical head and printing system forming interleaved output laser light beams | |
| KR102132846B1 (en) | Machining device and method for laser machining a surface | |
| US6331692B1 (en) | Diode laser, laser optics, device for laser treatment of a workpiece, process for a laser treatment of workpiece | |
| US6362454B1 (en) | Method for drilling circular holes with a laser beam | |
| US4378480A (en) | Device for the optical chopping of a laser beam | |
| KR100951370B1 (en) | Device for beam shaping | |
| JP2003051645A (en) | Laser radiation source for generating processing radiation rays | |
| US20220121082A1 (en) | High-Speed Dynamic Beam Shaping | |
| EP0925546A1 (en) | Laser apparatus | |
| US6567193B2 (en) | Hologram production technique | |
| US5080474A (en) | Laser beam shaping device | |
| JP2001516473A (en) | Optical arrangement for balancing the light beams of one or more high power diode lasers, one positioned above the other | |
| JP2021519215A (en) | Equipment, laser machines and methods for machining workpieces | |
| JPS62280714A (en) | Multibeam scanning optical system | |
| EP1041422B1 (en) | Laser apparatus for simultaneously generating a plurality of mutually perpendicular laser planes from a single laser source | |
| WO2004099849A1 (en) | Optical unit and system for steering a light beam | |
| JPH1096859A (en) | Optical structure | |
| WO2002050599A1 (en) | Optical device for unifying light beams emitted by several light sources | |
| CA2507234A1 (en) | Method of and apparatus for forming nozzles | |
| KR102665093B1 (en) | Optics and method for providing two offset laser beams | |
| US4551608A (en) | Material working apparatus | |
| CN113534474B (en) | Reflective beam shaping mirror and shaping system | |
| US4605290A (en) | Coherent light vergence varying apparatus |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |
Effective date: 20160118 |