Inkjet printing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12384169-B2
Application number	US-202118013633-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2021
Priority date	Jun 29, 2020
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

An inkjet printing apparatus includes: an airflow stage extending in a first direction; a print head unit disposed above the airflow stage; and an electric field generating unit that moves in the first direction and generates electric field above the airflow stage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inkjet printing apparatus comprising:
an airflow stage extending in a first direction;
a print head unit disposed above the airflow stage;
an electric field generating unit that moves in the first direction and generates an electric field on the airflow stage; and
a substrate transferring unit that transfers a target substrate in the first direction over the airflow stage, wherein
the electric field generating unit is configured to generate an electric field on the target substrate in case that the target substrate moves along with the substrate transferring unit,
the electric field generating unit to apply an electric field to ink after it leaves the print head unit and both before and after the ink lands on the target substrate.

2. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the print head unit includes a print head, and
the print head includes nozzles that spray the ink including dipoles.

3. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the print head is configured to spray the ink onto the airflow stage on which the electric field is formed.

4. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the dipoles are light-emitting diodes used to produce a display device.

5. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the airflow stage includes a plurality of air holes formed on an upper surface of the airflow stage, and
at least some of the plurality of air holes is configured to discharge air onto the airflow stage.

6. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substrate transferring unit includes a first substrate transferrer disposed adjacent to a first side of the airflow stage in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

7. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein
the first substrate transferrer further includes a gripper, and
the gripper is configured to adsorb the target substrate onto a surface of the gripper by generating negative pressure between the gripper and the target substrate.

8. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the substrate transferring unit further includes a second substrate transferrer disposed adjacent to a second side of the airflow stage opposite to the first side of the airflow stage.

9. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electric field generating unit includes a probe unit and a probe driving device that drives the probe unit.

10. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 9 , wherein
the probe unit of the electric field generating unit is in contact with electrode pads on the target substrate, and
the electric field generating unit to transfer electric signals to the target substrate to generate an electric field on the target substrate.

11. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the electric field generating unit moves together with the substrate transferring unit in a same direction and at a synchronized speed while the electric field generating unit generates an electric field on the target substrate.

12. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electric field generating unit changes a direction of the electric field based on a change in state between the ink sprayed from the print head unit and the ink landing on the target substrate.

13. An inkjet printing apparatus comprising:
an airflow stage extending in a first direction, the airflow stage including:
a loading part sequentially arranged in the first direction, the loading part in which a target substrate is aligned, and
a printing part upon which ink is sprayed onto the target substrate;

a print head unit disposed above the printing part, the print head unit sprays the ink;
an electric field generating unit disposed on a side of the airflow stage, the electric field generating unit generates an electric field on the target substrate in case that the target substrate moves in the first direction;
a substrate transferring unit that transfers the target substrate in the first direction over the airflow stage, wherein
the electric field generating unit is configured to generate an electric field on the target substrate in case that the target substrate moves along with the substrate transferring unit,
the electric field generating unit to apply an electric field to the ink after it leaves the print head and both before and after the ink lands on the target substrate.

14. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the substrate transferring unit is disposed adjacent to a first side of the airflow stage in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

15. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 14 , wherein
the substrate transferring unit further includes a gripper, and
the gripper is configured to adsorb a surface of the target substrate onto a surface of the gripper facing the surface of the target substrate by generating negative pressure between the gripper and the target substrate.

16. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the electric field generating unit includes a probe unit and a probe driving device that drives the probe unit.

17. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein
the airflow stage includes a plurality of air holes that lift up the target substrate by discharging air onto the airflow stage.

18. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
an alignment checking unit disposed above the loading part.

19. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the electric field generating unit changes a direction of the electric field based on a change in state between the ink sprayed from the print head unit and the ink landing on the target substrate.

20. An inkjet printing apparatus comprising:
an airflow stage extending in a first direction, the airflow stage including:
a loading part sequentially arranged in the first direction, the loading part in which a target substrate is aligned, and
a printing part upon which ink is sprayed onto the target substrate;

a print head unit disposed above the printing part, the print head unit sprays the ink;
an electric field generating unit disposed on a side of the airflow stage, the electric field generating unit generates an electric field on the target substrate in case that the target substrate moves in the first direction; and
a first guide unit extending in the first direction and disposed adjacent to a first side of the airflow stage in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,
wherein the electric field generating unit includes:
a first base substrate disposed on the first guide unit,
a probe unit disposed on the first base substrate, and
a probe driving device spaced apart from the probe unit and disposed on the first base substrate.

21. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 20 , further comprising:
a second guide unit extending in the first direction and disposed between the first guide unit and the airflow stage; and
a substrate transferring unit that transfers the target substrate along the second guide unit over the airflow stage,
wherein the substrate transferring unit includes:
a second base substrate disposed on the second guide unit, and
a gripper disposed on the second base substrate and fixing the target substrate.

22. The inkjet printing apparatus of claim 20 , further comprising:
a gripper disposed on the first base substrate, the gripper that transfers the target substrate in the first direction.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Byung Chul
• Jeong Heung Cheol
• Huh Myung Soo
• Kwag Jin Oh
• Lee Do Hun

Classifications

• H10K71/135

  using ink-jet printing · CPC title

• B41M7/0072

  using mechanical wave energy, e.g. ultrasonics; using magnetic or electric fields, e.g. electric discharge, plasma · CPC title

• B41J11/005

  Guides in the printing zone, e.g. guides for preventing contact of conveyed sheets with printhead · CPC title

• B41J2202/02

  Air-assisted ejection · CPC title

• B41J23/00

  Power drives for actions or mechanisms (B41J9/00 {, B41J19/305}  take precedence) · CPC title