CN114434972B

CN114434972B - Printing system assembly and techniques

Info

Publication number: CN114434972B
Application number: CN202210037717.8A
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: Kateeva Inc
Priority date: 2016-07-18
Filing date: 2017-07-17
Publication date: 2023-09-29
Anticipated expiration: 2037-07-17
Also published as: CN109476159B; TW201808660A; CN109476159A; CN114434972A

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, where multiple separate ink stick assemblies may be easily interchanged into the printing system during the printing process. Various embodiments of the individual ink stick assemblies may have a fluid system that may include a local ink reservoir that may be in fluid communication with a main ink reservoir. Filling of the bulk ink reservoir may be accomplished in manual or automatic mode. In accordance with 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 assembly 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 can be used in a variety of printing processes. Various embodiments of the ink stick assembly of the present teachings may include an ink stick assembly, a storage station, and a mounting assembly for mounting the ink stick to a carriage assembly that is part of a motion system. The apparatus, devices, systems, and methods disclosed herein may be useful in accordance with the present teachings, such as, but not limited to, developing various printing processes, and providing efficient production-scale printing.

Disclosure of Invention

Various embodiments of ink stick assemblies for use in the manufacture of, for example, but not limited to, OLED panel substrates include providing end user flexibility for efficient continuous printing of various inks of various formulations on the substrate during the 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 assembly of the present teachings can be easily shuttled into and out of the printing system and can be maintained in a storage station adjacent 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, but 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.

Fig. 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 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 fluid subassembly of an ink stick assembly of the present teachings. Fig. 5B generally illustrates a schematic bottom perspective view of a fluid subassembly of the 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 the printhead assembly or ink stick assembly of the present teachings, each ink stick assembly may be a separate assembly, where multiple separate ink stick assemblies may be easily interchanged into the printing system during the printing process. Various embodiments of the individual ink stick assemblies may have a fluid system that may include a local ink reservoir that may be in fluid communication with a main body ink reservoir. Filling of the bulk ink reservoir may be accomplished in 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. The replenishment of the ink supply from the main 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. Thus, by providing a constant head pressure on the printhead, a steady level of ink in the local ink reservoir may provide negligible ink pressure variation at multiple printhead nozzles in the printhead. In this regard, various embodiments of the ink stick assembly may include at least one liquid level indicator for maintaining a defined fill level of the local ink reservoir such that ink from the main ink reservoir continuously supplements the local ink reservoir to the defined fill level during printing.

Various embodiments of the 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 with controllable fluid flow fabricated within the manifold assembly. In this regard, the manifold assembly of the present teachings may provide for interconnection between a body ink reservoir and a local ink reservoir in a fluid subassembly of an ink stick assembly that does not use conventional tubing connections. Thus, a separate ink stick assembly that does not require conventional tubing connections can provide zero dead volume interconnection throughout the fluid subassembly of the ink stick. Further, because the fluid subassemblies are entirely within individual ink stick assemblies, the need for cumbersome tube disconnection and reconnection during replacement of the various ink stick assemblies may be eliminated.

In this regard, efficient interchange of ink stick assemblies is facilitated by a pneumatic interface plate and a low insertion force electrical interface plate that are connected to external pneumatic and electrical sources as required during the printing process. Such an external pneumatic source (e.g., a nitrogen source or a vacuum source) can be easily integrated with the fluidic functions of the ink stick. Also, an external power source can be easily connected to the on-board electronics of the ink stick assembly. The various ink stick assemblies of the present teachings have a drive board, 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 the ink stick assembly, each of the plurality of interchangeable ink stick assemblies may have a unique identification or recognition code. For various embodiments, an identification or recognition code may be physically indicated on the ink stick assembly and electronically associated with each ink stick assembly. For various embodiments of ink stick assemblies, an identification or recognition 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 the ink stick assembly in the maintenance module, the ink formulation contained in the ink stick assembly, and print head calibration data. Such unique operational information may be stored on the storage device. For various embodiments, the storage device may be an on-board 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 they are not in use. The storage station of the present teachings is positioned proximate to the motion system of the printing system to provide for 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 can include a split axis motion system that includes a bridge 2130, and the x-axis carriage assembly 2300 can be mounted on the bridge 2130. The X-axis carriage may support one of a plurality of ink stick assemblies. The movement of the X-axis carriage 2300 assembly can be precisely controlled using a linear air bearing motion system. The storage station 600 may be mounted near 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, wiring, optical fibers, and conduits providing electrical, fluidic, and optical interconnections may be located within the electronic chain cabinet 2400.

Fig. 2 generally illustrates a schematic diagram of the fluid elements of the ink stick 10 of the present teachings, as well as the fluid interconnections between the fluid elements and their control. The ink stick may have a body 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, the body ink reservoir 20 may be in fluid communication with a waste line P2. Ink stick 10 may have an on-board valve assembly 200, which 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 controlling fluid distribution of ink within the ink stick. The pneumatic valve assembly 250 reduces the thermal load within the ink stick, which is useful for providing a stable thermal environment for the various inks used in the printing process. Solenoid valve manifold 200 is shown having a solenoid valve that controls the pneumatic input P6 to each of the pneumatic valves in pneumatic valve assembly 250. For example, and without limitation, solenoid valve 230 controls the pneumatic actuation of pneumatic valve 240, pneumatic valve 240 controlling the vacuum source to local ink supply 50. Similarly, by way of another non-limiting example, solenoid valve 233 controls pneumatic actuation of pneumatic valve 243, and pneumatic valve 243 controls fluid communication between body ink supply 20 and local ink supply 50.

In fig. 3A, a perspective view of ink stick 10 generally illustrates ink stick housing 310, ink stick base 320, and ink stick latch 330, with ink stick latch 330 being used in the process of mounting an ink stick into a bracket assembly. The pneumatic interface plate 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 400 of the ink stick 10 may include an electrical interface board 410. The electrical interface board 410 may accordingly provide each printhead 500A, 500B, and 500C with the required connections to the printhead drive boards 420A, 420B, and 420C (see fig. 2), as well as other on-board electronics that will be discussed later herein. 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 fluid interfaces for body ink reservoir 20 to manifold assembly 100. The all-polymer subassemblies can be welded, for example using IR welding, to form a continuous smooth-walled container that eliminates the possibility of ink stagnation in the dead volume. 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 communication between the body ink reservoir and the local ink reservoir via channels fabricated in each manifold. In fig. 3B, an expanded view of the top portion of the body ink delivery assembly 20 is shown, showing the various ports of the 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. The port 23C is a waste discharge port (see P2 of fig. 2) except for a filling port and a vent port. 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 an on-board electronic device, including an ink stick assembly. Within the housing 310, a drive board assembly 420, a microprocessor 430, and an I/O and power distribution Printed Circuit Board (PCB). Further, the on-board valve assembly for ink stick 10 may include solenoid valve manifold 220 and 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 fluid subassembly 15 of the ink stick 10 of fig. 2-4 of the present teachings. Fig. 5A is a perspective side view of fluid subassembly 15 depicting 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. Top cap 52 and bottom cap 56 include fluid interfaces for local ink reservoir 50 to manifold assembly 100. The all-polymer subassemblies can be welded using, for example, IR welding to form a continuous smooth-walled container that eliminates the possibility of ink stagnation in the dead volume. 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 communication between the body ink reservoir and the local ink reservoir via channels fabricated in each manifold. Manifold assembly 100 of ink stick 10 provides a zero dead volume connection between the fluid elements of fluid subassembly 15. In addition to zero dead volume connections between the fluid elements of the fluid subassembly 15, the pneumatic valves of the pneumatic manifold assembly 250 reduce the thermal load near the fluid subassembly 15, thereby providing a stable thermal environment within the ink stick. By way of non-limiting example: the pneumatic valve 240 of the fluid subassembly 15 controls the connection to the vacuum source (see P5 of fig. 2), the pneumatic valve 241 of the fluid subassembly 15 controls the connection to the low pressure gas source (see P4 of fig. 2, 3), the pneumatic valve 242 of the fluid subassembly 15 controls the connection between the printheads and the connection of the bulk ink reservoir to the waste line (see P2 of fig. 2), and the pneumatic valve 243 of the fluid subassembly 15 controls the connection between the bulk ink reservoir and the local ink reservoir.

Fig. 5B is a bottom perspective view of the fluid subassembly 15, generally illustrating various fluid level sensor assemblies associated with the main body ink reservoir and the local ink reservoir. The 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 layer fluid sensor 60A, a middle layer fluid sensor 60B, and a lower layer fluid sensor 30B. In accordance with the present teachings, the fluid system of the ink stick is configured such that the bulk ink reservoir 20 may maintain a fluid level within the local ink reservoir at a steady level. Thus, by providing a constant head pressure on the printhead, a steady level of ink in the local ink reservoir may provide negligible ink pressure variation at multiple printhead nozzles in the printhead. The fluid 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 is mountable to a motion system of a printing system (see fig. 1). As previously described, by way of non-limiting example, it may be desirable to maintain a stable thermal environment in a fluid system for various inks that require a constant thermal environment to achieve chemical stability or properties such as stable jetting. 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 in through the exhaust ports 340 of the ink stick, as indicated by arrow a, and then exhausted through the exhaust pipe 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:

one or more printheads;

an electrical interface board;

a pneumatic interface plate having 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 one or more printheads.

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

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

one or more 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 1, further comprising one or more pneumatically actuated valves, wherein the high-pressure gas source is for operating the one or more pneumatically actuated valves.

4. The ink stick assembly of claim 2, wherein there are at least three printheads and a pneumatically actuated valve for each printhead.

5. The ink stick assembly of claim 2, wherein

The ink reservoir is a first ink reservoir, and the ink stick assembly further includes a second ink reservoir; and is also provided with

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

6. The ink stick assembly of claim 5, wherein

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

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

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

8. The ink stick assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical interface plate is for providing 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 providing 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 corresponding to each of the printheads and an identification code 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. An ink stick assembly for use with a printing tool, the ink stick assembly comprising:

one or more printheads;

an electrical interface board;

a drive board connected to the electrical interface board;

one or more pneumatically actuated valves;

a pneumatic interface plate having a first port for connection to a high pressure gas source for operating one or more pneumatically actuated valves, 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 one or more printheads.

13. The ink stick assembly of claim 12, further comprising:

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

14. The ink stick assembly of claim 13, wherein the ink reservoir is a first ink reservoir, the ink stick assembly further comprises a second ink reservoir, and one of the pneumatically actuated valves is used to control ink flow between the first ink reservoir and the second ink reservoir.

15. The ink stick assembly of claim 14, further comprising:

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.

16. The ink stick assembly of claim 12, wherein the electrical interface plate is for providing a low-connection-force mating engagement with a corresponding interface of the printing tool.

17. The ink stick assembly of claim 12, wherein the pneumatic interface plate is for providing a low connection force mating engagement with a corresponding interface of the printing tool.

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

19. The ink stick assembly 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.