Liquid charging apparatus, liquid charging method, and manufacturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11247459-B2
Application number	US-201916518754-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2019
Priority date	Jul 22, 2019
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus and method configured to eject an electrically charged liquid. The apparatus and method include a liquid-ejecting apparatus including a reservoir for storing a liquid, an electrically conductive faceplate for ejecting the liquid, a plurality of channels connecting the reservoir to the electrically conductive faceplate, and a voltage source to change and maintain an electric potential difference between the liquid and the electrically conductive faceplate during ejection from the electrically conductive faceplate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid-ejecting apparatus comprising:
a reservoir for storing a liquid;
an electrically conductive faceplate for ejecting the liquid;
a plurality of channels connecting the reservoir to the electrically conductive faceplate;
a dispenser for moving the liquid from the reservoir through the plurality of channels to the electrically conductive faceplate and for ejecting the liquid from the faceplate; and
a voltage source, separate from the dispenser, to change and maintain an electric potential difference between the liquid and the electrically conductive faceplate during ejection from the electrically conductive faceplate,
wherein the electric potential difference changed and maintained by the voltage source is based on a predetermined spreading characteristic.

2. The liquid-ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the liquid at the electrically conductive faceplate is ejected as a plurality of droplets, and
wherein each of the plurality of droplets, is ejected onto a substrate at a location positionally-adjacent to a previously ejected droplet of different electric potential.

3. The liquid-ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first electrode with a first end positioned in the reservoir and a second end connected to a first terminal of the voltage source; and
a second electrode with a first end connected to a second terminal of the voltage source and a second end connected to the electrically conductive faceplate.

4. The liquid-ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an electrically conductive housing storing the reservoir;
a first electrode with a first end connected to a first terminal of the voltage source and a second end connected to the electrically conductive housing; and
a second electrode with a first end connected to a second terminal of the voltage source and a second end connected to the electrically conductive faceplate.

5. The liquid-ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first electrode with a first end positioned in the reservoir and a second end connected to a first terminal of the voltage source; and
a second electrode with a first end connected to a second terminal of the voltage source and a second end connected to the plurality of channels,
wherein the plurality of channels include electrically conductive sidewalls.

6. The liquid-ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an electrically conductive housing storing the reservoir;
a first electrode with a first end connected to a first terminal of the voltage source and a second end connected to the electrically conductive housing; and
a second electrode with a first end connected to a second terminal of the voltage source and a second end connected to the plurality of channels,
wherein the plurality of channels include electrically conductive sidewalls.

7. The liquid-ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage source provides varying electric potential differences to an electrically conductive opening at each of the plurality of channels based on a predetermined value, upon ejection of the liquid.

8. The liquid-ejecting apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the predetermined value for providing the electric potential difference to the electrically conductive opening at each of the plurality of channels is based on the electric potential difference provided to a positionally-adjacent electrically conductive opening.

9. A method for controlling a liquid-ejecting apparatus comprising:
storing a liquid in a reservoir;
moving, via a dispenser, the liquid from the reservoir to an electrically conductive faceplate through a plurality of channels connecting the reservoir to the electrically conductive faceplate;
changing and maintaining an electric potential difference, via a voltage source separate from the dispenser, between the liquid and the electrically conductive faceplate; and
ejecting, from the electrically conductive faceplate, the liquid with the electric potential difference applied,
wherein the electric potential difference changed and maintained by the voltage source is based on a predetermined spreading characteristic.

10. The method according to claim 9 ,
wherein the ejected liquid at the electrically conductive faceplate ejects as a plurality of droplets, and
wherein each of the plurality of droplets, is ejected onto a substrate at a location positionally-adjacent to a previously ejected droplet of different electric potential.

11. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
connecting a first electrode with a first end positioned in the reservoir and a second end connected to a first terminal of the voltage source; and
connecting a second electrode with a first end connected to the second terminal of the voltage source and a second end connected to the faceplate.

12. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
storing the reservoir in an electrically conductive housing;
connecting a first electrode with a first end connected to a first terminal of the voltage source and a second end connected to the electrically conductive housing; and
connecting a second electrode with a first end connected to a second terminal of the voltage source and a second end connected to the electrically conductive faceplate.

13. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
connecting a first electrode with a first end positioned in the reservoir and a second end connected to a first terminal of the voltage source; and
connecting a second electrode with a first end connected to a second terminal of the voltage source and a second end connected to the plurality of channels,
wherein the plurality of channels include electrically conductive sidewalls.

14. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
storing the reservoir in an electrically conductive housing;
connecting a first electrode with a first end connected to a first terminal of the voltage source and a second end connected to the electrically conductive housing; and
connecting a second electrode with a first end connected to a second terminal of the voltage source and a second end connected to the plurality of channels,
wherein the plurality of channels include electrically conductive sidewalls.

15. The method according to according to claim 9 , wherein the voltage source applies varying electric potential differences to an electrically conductive opening at each of the plurality of channels based on a predetermined value upon ejecting the liquid.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the predetermined value for applying the electric potential difference to the electrically conductive opening at each of the plurality of channels is based on the electric potential difference applied to a positionally-adjacent electrically conductive opening.

17. A method of manufacturing an article, the method comprising:
applying a formable material on a substrate while controlling a liquid-ejecting apparatus using a control method according to claim 9 ;
curing the formable material to form a cured layer on the substrate; and
processing the substrate on which the cured layer has been formed.

18. The method for controlling a liquid-ejecting apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the liquid is a resist.

19. The method for controlling a liquid-ejecting apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the liquid is ejected onto a substrate in a predetermined pattern.

20. The li

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Khusnatdinov Niyaz
• Ye Zhengmao

Classifications

• B41J2/085 Primary

  Charge means, e.g. electrodes · CPC title

• B41J2/08

  charge-control type · CPC title

• B41J2/095

  electric field-control type · CPC title

• B41J2/135

  Nozzles · CPC title

• B41J2/06 Primary

  by electric or magnetic field · CPC title