Printer calibration module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12157304-B2
Application number	US-202318480418-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2023
Priority date	May 31, 2019
Publication date	Dec 3, 2024
Grant date	Dec 3, 2024

Abstract

An inkjet printer is disclosed that has a substrate support; a calibration module disposed adjacent to the substrate support and comprising a stage member; and a print assembly disposed across the substrate support, the print assembly comprising a printhead and a calibration imaging device positionable to face the stage member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inkjet printer, comprising:
a substrate support;
a calibration module disposed adjacent to the substrate support and comprising a stage member with a vacuum extension that provides a chucking force for a test substrate that is greater at peripheral areas than central areas the vacuum extension comprising a vacuum surface, an internal plenum, and openings in the vacuum surface that provide fluid flow from the surface to the internal plenum; and
a print assembly disposed across the substrate support, the print assembly comprising a printhead and a calibration imaging device positionable to face the stage member.

2. The inkjet printer of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum extension comprises a porous body.

3. The inkjet printer of claim 1 , wherein the calibration module further comprises a tensioner that comprises a metal strip.

4. The inkjet printer of claim 1 , wherein the calibration module further comprises a linear positioner.

5. The inkjet printer of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum extension comprises holes and slots.

6. The inkjet printer of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum extension has a vacuum surface that is flat.

7. The inkjet printer of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum extension engages with a test substrate to provide a deviation from flatness of the substrate surface that is less than about 5 μm.

8. The inkjet printer of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum extension comprises a holder and a porous body embedded in the holder.

9. An inkjet printer, comprising:
a substrate support;
a calibration module disposed adjacent to the substrate support and comprising a stage member with a vacuum extension that provides a chucking force for a test substrate that is greater at peripheral areas than central areas the vacuum extension comprising a vacuum surface in fluid communication with an internal plenum; and
a print assembly disposed across the substrate support, the print assembly comprising a printhead and a calibration imaging device movable independently from the printhead and positionable to face the stage member.

10. The inkjet printer of claim 9 , wherein the vacuum surface has a plurality of openings arranged symmetrically across the surface.

11. The inkjet printer of claim 9 , wherein the calibration module further comprises a tensioner that comprises a metal strip.

12. The inkjet printer of claim 9 , wherein the calibration module further comprises a linear positioner.

13. The inkjet printer of claim 9 , wherein the vacuum surface comprises a ceramic porous body.

14. The inkjet printer of claim 13 , wherein the vacuum extension further comprises a holder for the ceramic porous body.

15. The inkjet printer of claim 9 , wherein the vacuum surface has slots.

16. The inkjet printer of claim 15 , wherein the slots comprise short slots and long slots.

17. The inkjet printer of claim 9 , wherein the vacuum surface has holes arranged in rows.

18. An inkjet printer, comprising:
a substrate support;
a calibration module disposed adjacent to the substrate support and comprising a stage member with a vacuum extension having a flat vacuum surface that provides a chucking force for a test substrate that is greater at peripheral areas than central areas, wherein the flat vacuum surface engages with a test substrate to provide a deviation from flatness of the substrate surface that is less than about 5 μm; and
a print assembly disposed across the substrate support, the print assembly comprising a printhead and a calibration imaging device movable independently from the printhead and positionable to face the stage member.

Assignees

• Kateeva Inc

Inventors

• Kollata Eashwer Chandra Vidhya Sagar
• Buchner Christopher
• Ko Alexander Sou-Kang
• Ly Senn Van
• Sheffield Matthew Burton

Classifications

• B41J2/04586

  controlling heads of a type not covered by groups B41J2/04575 - B41J2/04585, or of an undefined type · CPC title

• G06K15/027

  Test patterns and calibration (arrangements for controlling or analysing printing mechanisms of typewriters or selective printing units B41J29/393 takes precedence; colour correction using test pattern analysis in general H04N1/6033) · CPC title

• B41J11/0085

  Using suction for maintaining printing material flat (on rotatable drums B41J13/226) · CPC title

• B41J11/001

  Handling wide copy materials · CPC title

• B41J3/28

  for printing downwardly on flat surfaces, e.g. of books, drawings, boxes {, envelopes, e.g. flat-bed ink-jet printers} · CPC title