KR100603328B1 - Apparatus for controlling an Inkjet head and method for controlling the inkjet head - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides an inkjet head control apparatus which maintains a predetermined angle with respect to an array pattern on a substrate and controls one or more inkjet heads having a plurality of nozzles, the array pattern being applied to the plurality of nozzles. A plurality of conversion units based on the array pattern conversion data stored in the pattern storage unit, a conversion unit for converting into conversion data and calculating delay times for a plurality of nozzles, a pattern storage unit for storing the array pattern conversion data, and the pattern storage unit And separately applying a discharge signal to each of the four nozzles, and applying the discharge signal to the remaining nozzles other than the reference nozzles with a delay time with respect to the reference nozzle discharge signal. The time is that the reference nozzle is one array pattern of the corresponding column If the match value, and provides to the other array pattern position when viewed in the traveling direction adjacent each of said ink-jet head an ink jet head control device, characterized in that each time it takes to move said ink jet head

Description

{Apparatus for controlling an Inkjet head and method for controlling the inkjet head}

1A is a schematic diagram showing an inkjet head forming a pattern on a substrate and one surface thereof according to the prior art;

1B and 1C are schematic plan views showing a kinematic relationship between an array pattern on a substrate and an array pattern and an inkjet head according to the prior art;

2A is a schematic diagram of an inkjet head control apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2B is a schematic plan view showing the mechanical relationship between an array pattern and an inkjet head, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2C is a schematic plan view showing the mechanical relationship between an array pattern and an inkjet head, according to another embodiment of the present invention.

<Brief description of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100, 310 ... substrate 110 ... array pattern

120, 320 ... inkjet head 200 ... inkjet head control unit

210 ... converter 220 ... main controller

221 pattern storage section 222 global timer

223 ... clock generator 224 ... signal processor

230 ... Auxiliary Controls ...

The present invention relates to an inkjet head control apparatus and an inkjet head control method, and more particularly, to an inkjet head control apparatus and an inkjet head control method for forming a stripe pattern of pixels and electrodes of a flat panel display panel using an inkjet head inclined with respect to a traveling direction. will be.

Recently, researches on various display devices other than display devices such as CRTs are being activated. Such display devices are non-light-emitting display devices which require a separate light emitting element according to the light emission form, and can emit light by themselves. It can be divided into a self-luminous display device. Representative examples of the non-luminous display device may include an LCD that requires an auxiliary element such as a backlight when emitting light, and an organic electroluminescence display device may be mentioned as the self-luminous display device. This type of display element consists of numerous electrodes and pixels. For example, an organic electroluminescent display element is basically composed of a first electrode layer as an anode and a second electrode layer as a cathode, and an organic electroluminescent portion formed between these electrodes. In addition, the organic electroluminescent unit includes an organic emission layer, and in some cases, may further include a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an electron transport layer, an electron injection layer, and the like.

The organic light emitting layer of the organic electroluminescent display device may be formed through various deposition methods according to the material of the organic material used, for example, molecular weight. When the organic material used is a low molecular weight material, the organic light emitting layer may be formed by a deposition method, Alternatively, when the organic material is a high molecular weight material, the organic light emitting layer may be formed by an application method. Among the coating methods, the inkjet method is widely used in that it not only prevents waste of materials but also reduces manufacturing costs and thus reduces costs.

1A schematically shows a plan view of an inkjet head and a substrate inclined with respect to the advancing direction. An inkjet head 120 having a plurality of nozzles 121 is disposed on one surface of the substrate 100. As the inkjet head 120 moves, the plurality of nozzles 121 ejects the jetting liquid (ink) at a corresponding position. By discharging, the stripe-shaped array pattern 110 formed of many dots can be formed. In order to meet the required resolution for the electrodes and / or pixels to be applied, it is required that the spacing between the electrodes and / or pixels is quite narrow, for which the inkjet head 120 is arranged to maintain a constant angle with respect to the application direction. This allows the horizontal spacing between the inkjet head nozzles to match the spacing between the array pattern rows.

1B shows an example of an array pattern to be applied through the inkjet head, which is represented by several rows of hatched dots with minimum unit vertical spacing Y. FIG. 1C shows a conceptual diagram of a conventional method of forming electrodes and / or pixels by the inkjet method. An inkjet head 120 having a plurality of nozzles 121 is disposed on one surface of the substrate 100 to be patterned. The nozzles are driven by information of 1 bit per nozzle for determining whether each nozzle is discharged and a common discharge pulse signal applied to all nozzles in common. To this end, the array pattern 110 on the substrate 100 is stored in the memory (not shown) as conversion data in the form of a discharge signal applied to the nozzle.

FIG. 1C shows a method of implementing the horizontal line I as an example of the inkjet head control method according to the prior art. In the drawing, the dark dots indicate nozzles to be ejected while the inkjet head 120 proceeds, and the dots in the empty spaces indicate nozzles which do not eject the ejection liquid (ink). The arrow indicates the direction of movement of the stage on which the substrate is placed, and the moving object is not limited to the stage, and in some cases, the inkjet head may move. If the minimum unit vertical interval of the pattern array is Y, the moving interval of the inkjet head 120 should be kept smaller than the minimum unit vertical interval (Y).

When the common discharge pulse signal is applied, the controller (not shown) determines whether to discharge the corresponding nozzle based on the discharge status signal drawn out through the pattern array conversion data stored in the memory (not shown). For example, assuming that the inkjet head 120 moves by dividing the minimum vertical gap Y in four steps, as shown in FIG. 1C, the pattern array conversion data stored in the memory with respect to the horizontal line I is angulated. Depending on the stage, the signals become (1 0 0 1), (0 0 1 0), (0 1 0 0), and (1 0 0 1). That is, when the common discharge pulse signal is received in the first step, the discharge signal is applied to the first nozzle and the fourth nozzle in accordance with a signal of (1 0 0 1), which is stored pattern array conversion data, and the ink (ejection liquid) Is discharged through the first and fourth nozzles, while the discharge signal is not applied to the second and third nozzles. After the first step, the inkjet head 120 (or the stage on which the substrate is placed) moves by a constant interval s. Subsequently, for each step, the controller applies a discharge signal to each nozzle according to the corresponding pattern array conversion data to form a horizontal line I, that is, one pattern column.

However, according to this method, the inkjet head 120 may move by more subdivided values than in the example of dividing the minimum vertical distance Y into four stages so that ink is ejected at a more accurate horizontal dot position. At the same time, in order to meet the increasing demand for high resolution in display production, the inkjet head 120 is provided with a large number of nozzles, so that the array pattern with the inkjet head in this way is quite large. Not only is a memory of capacity required, but in some cases a considerable amount of time and load is applied in signal processing of a large capacity of memory, which entails difficulty in achieving accurate and smooth operation of the inkjet head.

An object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet head control apparatus and an inkjet head control method which enable patterning of high resolution using less memory.

In order to achieve the above object, according to an aspect of the present invention, in the inkjet head control apparatus for maintaining and proceeding a constant angle with respect to the array pattern on the substrate, and controlling one or more inkjet head having a plurality of nozzles A conversion unit for converting the array pattern into array pattern conversion data to be applied to a plurality of nozzles, calculating a delay time for the plurality of nozzles, a pattern storage unit for storing the array pattern conversion data, and the pattern storage A discharge time signal is individually applied to the plurality of nozzles based on the array pattern conversion data stored in the controller, and each delay time signal for each of the other nozzles other than the reference nozzles is delayed with respect to the reference nozzle discharge signal. Further comprising a control unit for applying the Time is each time it takes for the inkjet head to move to each other array pattern position proximate in the direction of travel of the inkjet head when the reference nozzle coincides with one array pattern position of the row. Provide inkjet head control device

According to another aspect of the present invention, the control unit provides an inkjet head control apparatus, characterized in that provided for each nozzle individually.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inkjet head control apparatus, wherein the spacing between the one or more inkjet heads is a multiple of the spacing between the rows of the array pattern.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, an inkjet head control apparatus for controlling an inkjet head having a plurality of nozzles, which proceeds while maintaining a constant angle with respect to an array pattern to be applied on a substrate, the array pattern data inputted, Converting the array pattern data based on the inclination angle of the head and the advancing speed of the head, and when the reference nozzle coincides with the position of one array pattern of the corresponding column, each other array pattern close to the advancing direction of the inkjet head A conversion unit for calculating each delay time for moving the inkjet head to a position, a pattern storage unit for storing the array pattern conversion data, a clock generator for generating a clock, and a reset after a predetermined time based on the clock signal Main control unit having a global timer, when the delay And a plurality of auxiliary controllers allocated to each nozzle to generate a nozzle ejection signal based on the array pattern conversion data loaded from the main controller by comparing the signal from the global timer and the delay time. It provides an inkjet head ejection apparatus characterized in that it comprises.

According to another aspect of the invention, the array pattern conversion data is provided to the inkjet head ejection apparatus, characterized in that is loaded into the auxiliary control unit each time the global timer is reset.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inkjet head control apparatus, wherein the spacing between the one or more inkjet heads is a multiple of the spacing between the rows of the array pattern.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of controlling one or more inkjet heads having a plurality of nozzles and maintaining a predetermined angle with respect to an array pattern on a substrate, wherein the array patterns are arranged in the array pattern row of the nozzles. Converting to array pattern conversion data to be applied to the nozzle when in one position, calculating respective discharge delay times for the discharge time signal application time of the reference nozzles of the plurality of nozzles, the delay time Storing the delay time by accumulating the clock signal from the clock generator to the control unit and comparing the delay time with the signal from the global timer, which is reset after a predetermined time. Control to match the global timer signal with a stored delay time The method may further include sending a discharge signal to a corresponding nozzle based on the array pattern conversion data.

According to another aspect of the invention, the global timer provides an inkjet head control method, characterized in that the reference nozzle of the plurality of nozzles are reset at each initial position of the repeating section of the row of the array pattern.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the data for each nozzle of the array pattern conversion data is loaded into the respective control unit for each nozzle each time the global timer is reset, characterized in that the An inkjet head control method is provided.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the step of calculating the delay time, when the position of the reference nozzle and the position of the array pattern with respect to the reference nozzle coincide, each remaining nozzle in the heading direction of the head corresponding And calculating the time to move to an array pattern position close to the nozzle from the array pattern data, the ink jet head tilt angle, and the traveling speed.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2A shows an embodiment of the inkjet head control apparatus according to the present invention. The inkjet head is arranged to proceed while maintaining a constant angle [theta] with respect to the array pattern on the substrate, wherein the inkjet head is provided with a plurality of nozzles (see FIG. 2B). The inkjet head control apparatus 200 includes a converter 210, a main controller 220, and one or more auxiliary controllers 230.

The conversion unit 210 includes data of an array pattern indicating a discharge position on a substrate, an inclination angle θ with respect to an array pattern column of the inkjet head, and a relative moving speed of the inkjet head (v, a moving speed of the inkjet head or a substrate). Moving speed of the arranged stage) is input as an input value. Of these, the array pattern data is not limited to the data type, but may be input in the form of a bitmap or CAD data, for example. The conversion unit 210 converts the array pattern data based on the input value, and generates array pattern conversion data indicating whether or not each nozzle is ejected according to the progress of the inkjet head (the progress of the stage).

In addition, the converter 210 generates a discharge signal application delay time for the reference nozzles among the plurality of nozzles based on the input array pattern data, the inclination angle of the inkjet head, and the relative speed of the inkjet head. Here, the delay time is best for each of the remaining nozzles in the advancing direction of the inkjet head when the position of the first nozzle coincides with the array pattern position with respect to the first nozzle as the reference nozzle, for example, the inkjet head moves. It is set to each time it takes for the inkjet head to move up to each adjacent array pattern position. This will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2B.

2B illustrates a kinematic relationship between an array pattern and an inkjet head for explaining an inkjet head control method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. On the substrate 310 is shown an array pattern in the form of a hatched dot representing the position to be applied. An inkjet head 320 having a plurality of nozzles is provided on the substrate 310. The dark dots show the nozzles to which the ejection signal is applied, the dots in the empty space show the nozzles to which the ejection signal is not applied, and the arrow indicates the moving direction of the inkjet head.

The inkjet head 320 is inclined at a constant angle θ with respect to the array pattern array on the substrate 310. The array pattern conversion data is ejection status data sequentially applied to the nozzles according to the advancing direction of the inkjet head 320, that is, the reference nozzle of the inkjet head 320, for example, the position of the first nozzle on the left side of the drawing is ①. When placed in, the data corresponding to the positions of ②, ③, ④ for the second to fourth nozzles. At this time, if the distance (a, b, c) to the corresponding position (②, ③, ④) for each nozzle is defined as the delay distance, the delay distance is the minimum unit vertical and horizontal intervals (Y, X) and Have a relationship.

a = Xtanθ

b = 2Xtanθ-Y

c = 3Xtanθ-2Y

This relationship is obtained with respect to an example, and may have various values depending on the geometric arrangement of the array pattern and the inclination angle of the inkjet head. By dividing these delay distances by the moving speed v of the inkjet head, the delay times t _d2 , t _d3 , t _{d4 of} the second to fourth nozzles can be obtained as follows.

The delay distance and delay time are constants that can be calculated from the preset array pattern geometry (X, Y), the inclination angle (θ) of the inkjet head and the moving speed (v), in particular the delay time in pulses in practical embodiments. Can be replaced. Since the arrays on the substrate 310 are regularly arranged at regular intervals (X, Y), they have the same delay time for each column (e.g., the column where the dotted inkjet head is located). 2B illustrates an example of an array pattern and an inkjet head, wherein a larger number of arrays are arranged on the substrate and the inkjet head may have a larger number of nozzles.

As described above, after the transform data and the delay time are generated in the converter 210, the signal data generated from the converter 210 is processed by the main controller 220. The main controller 220 includes a pattern storage unit 221, a clock generator 222, a global timer 223, and a signal processor 224, which illustrate one embodiment and may be variously configured in addition to this configuration. It may be.

The pattern storage unit 221 stores the array pattern conversion data generated from the conversion unit 210. The pattern conversion data may be loaded into an auxiliary control unit to be described later as needed. The clock generator 222 generates a clock at a predetermined time interval and outputs the clock to the global timer 223. The global timer 223 accumulates the input clock signal and sends the accumulated signal to the auxiliary control unit described later. The global timer 223 is reset after a predetermined time. That is, by comparing the accumulated clock number with the preset clock number, when the accumulated clock number reaches the preset clock number, the global timer 223 is reset, which means that the reference nozzle of the inkjet head is set to the minimum number. It is set according to the time to move the unit vertical interval (Y).

Meanwhile, the communication between the converter 210 and the main controller 220 may be in various forms. For example, the converter 210 (for example, a PC) transmits a signal to the main controller 210 by serial communication for rapid signal processing, and the main controller 210 separate UART (universal asynchronous receiver). A signal from the converter 210 may be received through a parallel chip such as a transmitter. In addition, the signal processing of the main control unit 220 is also performed by the signal processor 224 such as, for example, a digital signal processor (DSP) from the pattern storage unit 221, the clock generator 222, and the global timer 223. Signals may be processed, which is not limited to this as an example of the present invention.

On the other hand, the inkjet head control apparatus 200 according to the present invention includes a plurality of auxiliary control unit 230. The clock signals accumulated in the global timer 223 are sent to all the auxiliary controllers 230, and the respective delay times for the individual nozzles generated by the converter 210 are stored in the individual auxiliary controllers 230. The cumulative clock signals transmitted from the global timer 223 and transmitted to the plurality of auxiliary controllers 230 are compared with the stored respective delay times, thereby confirming the ejection order of the corresponding nozzles, and the delay time stored in the respective auxiliary controllers 230. When the cumulative clock signal coincides with the received cumulative clock signal, the auxiliary control unit 230 manages a discharge signal of the nozzle.

At this time, based on the array pattern conversion data loaded in the auxiliary control unit 230, after determining whether to eject the nozzle, the signal generated through the signal generator 231 is applied to the nozzle as a discharge signal, and the ejection liquid is ejected. To control, the array pattern conversion data is loaded into the auxiliary control unit 230 every time the global timer 223 is reset.

On the other hand, the inkjet head control method according to the present invention is not limited to having only one inkjet head, but may be applied to the case of having one or more inkjet heads as shown in FIG. 2C, which applies different materials. In doing so, it is possible to be executed in the same work step, thereby significantly reducing work time. At this time, when the first nozzle of the second inkjet head coincides with the corresponding array pattern position, the distance d to the array pattern positions (⑥, ⑦, ⑧) that the remaining nozzles will first encounter in the advancing direction of the inkjet head. e, f) is preferably equal to the distance (a, b, c) to the corresponding positions of the remaining nozzles except the reference nozzle of the first inkjet head, for easier control the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head More preferably, the distance between them is a multiple of the minimum unit vertical interval. Also in this case, the inkjet head control device preferably includes as many auxiliary controls as the total number of nozzles of the first and second inkjet heads. Therefore, when a plurality of inkjet heads are provided, one or more nozzles having the same delay time may be provided, so that when any accumulated clock signal is input to the auxiliary control unit, one or more nozzles may operate simultaneously.

The present invention as described above, in controlling the discharge signal of one or more inkjet heads having a plurality of nozzles, by performing a delay control for the reference nozzles to reduce the amount of array pattern to be stored, the burden on the memory It is possible to provide an inkjet head control apparatus and a control method which can significantly reduce the number of times, and in some cases, to provide an inkjet head control apparatus and method that can reduce the time and load required for signal processing by reducing the amount of array pattern data storage required. You may.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to one embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, this is merely exemplary, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible. Could be. Therefore, the true scope of protection of the present invention should be defined only by the appended claims.

Claims (10)

An inkjet head control apparatus for controlling inkjet heads having a plurality of nozzles while maintaining a predetermined angle with respect to an array pattern on a substrate, A converting unit converting the array pattern into array pattern conversion data to be applied to a plurality of nozzles and calculating delay times for the plurality of nozzles; A pattern storage unit for storing the array pattern conversion data, and The ejection signal is individually applied to the plurality of nozzles based on the array pattern conversion data stored in the pattern storage unit, and the ejection signal for the remaining nozzles other than the reference nozzles is respectively applied to the reference nozzle ejection signal. And a control unit for applying a delay time of The delay time is each time it takes for the inkjet head to move to each other array pattern position close to each other in the advancing direction of the inkjet head when the reference nozzle coincides with one array pattern position of the corresponding row. Inkjet head controller. The inkjet head control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is provided separately for each nozzle. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spacing between the inkjet heads is a multiple of the spacing between the rows of the array pattern. An inkjet head control apparatus for controlling inkjet heads having a plurality of nozzles, wherein the inkjet heads are provided with a plurality of nozzles while maintaining a predetermined angle with respect to an array pattern to be applied on a substrate. The array pattern data is converted based on the input array pattern data, the inclination angle of the head, and the traveling speed of the head, and when the reference nozzle coincides with the position of one array pattern of the corresponding column, in the traveling direction of the inkjet head. A converting unit for calculating each delay time for moving the inkjet head to each other array pattern position in close proximity; A main controller including a pattern storage unit for storing the array pattern conversion data, a clock generator for generating a clock, and a global timer reset after a predetermined time based on the clock signal; Storing the delay time, comparing the delay time with the signal from the global timer, and generating a nozzle ejection signal according to the array pattern conversion data loaded from the main controller; An ink jet head ejection apparatus comprising an auxiliary control section. The inkjet head ejection apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the array pattern conversion data is loaded into the auxiliary control unit whenever the global timer is reset. The inkjet head control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the spacing between the inkjet heads is a multiple of the spacing between the rows of the array pattern. A method of controlling inkjet heads having a plurality of nozzles while maintaining a predetermined angle with respect to an array pattern on a substrate, the method comprising: Converting the array pattern into array pattern conversion data to be applied to the nozzle when the array pattern is on a position of the array pattern column of the nozzle; Calculating respective discharge delay times with respect to a discharge time signal application time of the plurality of nozzles; Storing the delay time in individual controllers allocated per nozzle; Comparing, by the individual controllers, the delay time with a signal from a global timer that accumulates and sends the clock signal from the clock generator to the controller and is reset after a predetermined time; And controlling, by the controller having the same global timer signal and the stored delay time, to send a discharge signal to a corresponding nozzle based on the array pattern conversion data. The inkjet head control method of claim 7, wherein the global timer resets a reference nozzle of the plurality of nozzles at each initial position of a repeating section of a corresponding row of the array pattern. 8. The inkjet head control according to claim 7, wherein the data for each nozzle of the array pattern conversion data is loaded into the respective control unit for each nozzle each time the global timer is reset. Way. The method of claim 7, wherein the calculating of the delay time comprises: when the position of the reference nozzle and the position of the array pattern with respect to the reference nozzle coincide with each other, the remaining nozzles may be viewed in the heading direction of the head. And calculating the time to move to an adjacent array pattern position from said array pattern data, said inkjet head tilt angle and advancing speed.

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