Printer head for strand element printing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11654697-B2
Application number	US-202217646992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2022
Priority date	Mar 8, 2019
Publication date	May 23, 2023
Grant date	May 23, 2023

Abstract

A system and method of printing on a strand element with a printer head. The printer head includes a conduit and a cavity formed within the conduit, wherein the cavity is configured to receive the strand element and pass the strand element from a first end of the cavity to a second end of the cavity. The printer head also includes a set of nozzles formed on the conduit and positioned on a perimeter of the cavity around a first target location within the cavity, wherein at least one of the nozzles is a fluid nozzle configured to dispense a fluid, and at least one of the nozzles is a vacuum nozzle configured to apply a vacuum force on the cavity.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for printing on a strand element, the apparatus comprising:
a printer head, the printer head comprising:
a conduit;
a cavity formed within the conduit, the cavity configured to receive the strand element and pass the strand element from a first end of the cavity to a second end of the cavity; and
a set of nozzles positioned on a perimeter of the cavity around a first target location within the cavity, wherein each nozzle in the set of nozzles is positioned to aim at the first target location, and the first target location corresponds to a location of a first segment of the strand element when the strand element is positioned within the cavity,
wherein:
at least one of the nozzles is configured as a fluid nozzle configured to dispense a fluid;
at least one of the nozzles is configured as a vacuum nozzle to apply a vacuum force on the cavity; and
at least one fluid nozzle is positioned opposite at least one vacuum nozzle on the perimeter of the cavity such that, when the strand element passes through the cavity, the strand element will pass between at least one fluid nozzle and at least one vacuum nozzle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one fluid nozzle is configured to dispense the fluid in the form of a pressure-driven meniscus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a set of jet heads, wherein each of the jet heads is in fluid communication with a respective one of the fluid nozzles.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein each of the jet heads is configured to dispense fluid through a respective fluid nozzle in the form of a continuous column of fluid extending radially inward from a respective nozzle.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein each of the jet heads is configured to apply one of fluidic pressure, a magnetic field, and ultrasonic acoustic pressure to form the continuous column of fluid.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the conduit is cylindrical in shape.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each nozzle of the set of nozzles is positioned radially about the cavity.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a vacuum supply body, which includes a vacuum channel that applies the vacuum force to the cavity through the vacuum nozzle.

9. A method for printing on a strand element, the method comprising:
providing a printer head, the printer head comprising:
a conduit;
a cavity formed within the conduit; and
a set of nozzles formed on the conduit and positioned on a perimeter of the cavity,
wherein:
at least one of the nozzles is configured as a fluid nozzle configured to dispense a fluid,
at least one of the nozzles is configured as a vacuum nozzle to apply a vacuum force on the cavity, and
at least one fluid nozzle is positioned opposite at least one vacuum nozzle on the perimeter of the cavity such that the strand element passes between at least one fluid nozzle and at least one vacuum nozzle;

applying the vacuum force on the cavity of the print head;
passing the strand element through the cavity of the printer head; and
dispensing the fluid from each of the fluid nozzles toward the strand element within the cavity of the printer head.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein fluid is drawn from at least one fluid nozzle to the opposite side of the strand element by at least one vacuum nozzle.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the fluid nozzle is configured to dispense the fluid in the form of a pressure-driven meniscus.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising a set of jet heads, wherein each of the jet heads is in fluid communication with a respective one of the fluid nozzles.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the jet heads is configured to dispense fluid through a respective fluid nozzle in the form of a continuous column of fluid extending radially inward from a respective nozzle.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein each of the jet heads is configured to apply one of fluidic pressure, a magnetic field, and ultrasonic acoustic pressure to form the continuous column of fluid.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the conduit is cylindrical in shape.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein each nozzle of the set of nozzles is positioned radially about the cavity.

17. The method of claim 9 , wherein the printer head further comprises a vacuum supply body, which includes a vacuum channel that applies the vacuum force to the cavity through the vacuum nozzle.

18. The method of claim 9 , wherein the strand element is one of the following: a thread, yarn, filament, wire, optic fiber, microtube for fluid flow, cable, or rope.

Assignees

• Palo Alto Res Ct Inc

Inventors

• Mei Ping
• Jackson Warren
• Ready Steven E

Classifications

• D06P5/30

  Ink jet printing · CPC title

• D06B11/0023

  by spraying or pouring · CPC title

• B41J2/045

  by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers · CPC title

• B41J2/1404

  Geometrical characteristics · CPC title

• D05C11/24

  incorporating devices for dyeing or impregnating the threads · CPC title