Inkjet printing method, and assembly for carrying out the method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018207934-A1
Application number	US-201515326500-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 11, 2015
Priority date	Jul 17, 2014
Publication date	Jul 26, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An inkjet printing method includes directing a printhead of an inkjet printer towards a substrate to be printed, generating ink drops in the printhead of the inkjet printer, and directing the ink drops, after they have been discharged from the nozzle of the printhead, into a zone with a locally increased temperature in such a way that the volume of the drops is actively reduced during the phase of flight to the substrate.

First claim

1 . An inkjet printing method, comprising:
directing a printhead of an inkjet printer towards a substrate to be printed; generating ink drops in the printhead of the inkjet printer and discharging the ink drops from a nozzle of the printhead; and then directing the ink drops into a zone with a locally increased temperature so as to actively reduce a volume of the ink drops during a phase of flight to the substrate.

2 . The inkjet printing method according to claim 1 , wherein a reduction in the volume of the ink drops by at least 10% occurs.

3 . The inkjet printing method according to claim 1 , wherein a reduction in the volume of the ink drops by at least 20% or up to 99.99% occurs.

4 . The inkjet printing method according to claim 1 , wherein the zone of locally increased temperature is generated by at least one filament or by at least one light source.

5 . The inkjet printing method according to claim 1 , wherein the zone of locally increased temperature is generated by an arrangement of at least two filaments, between which the ink drops are directed.

6 . The inkjet printing method according to claim 1 , wherein the zone of locally increased temperature has a temperature difference of at least 10° C. over a 1 mm path length.

7 . The inkjet printing method according to claim 1 , wherein printhead is protected from the zone of locally increased temperature by a passively or actively cooled heat shield.

8 . An assembly comprising:
an inkjet printhead having a nozzle; and at least one filament configured to have an electrical current applied thereto, or a light source between the nozzle of the inkjet printhead and a substrate to be printed, configured to generate a zone with a locally increased temperature and heating of ink leaving the printhead nozzle.

9 . The assembly according to claim 8 , comprising at least two filaments, between which the ink is directed towards a substrate.

10 . The assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the ends of at least one of the two filaments are fastened to two plates which are electrically insulated from one another.

11 . The assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the two plates are arranged directly on a passively or actively cooled heat shield, which is directed towards the printhead.

12 . The assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the filament or filaments or the light source can generate a zone of increased temperature between the printhead and the substrate which zone has a temperature profile having a temperature difference of at least 10° C. over a path length of 1 mm.

13 . An attachment for a printhead of an inkjet printer, comprising
a heat shield having an opening, first and second plates arranged directly on the heat shield, the plates being directed towards a substrate and provided with electrical supply lines, the plates being separated from one another by an intermediate space, the intermediate space being arranged underneath an opening of the heat shield, and at least one filament configured to connect the plates to one another, wherein the electrical supply lines are configured to conduct current via the plates into the at least one filament so as to generate a zone with a locally increased temperature.

14 . A printhead comprising a fastener configured to fasten an attachment according to claim 13 .

Assignees

• Forschungszentrum Juelich Gmbh

Inventors

• Yakushenko Alexey
• Bachmann Bernd
• Wolfrum Bernhard

Classifications

• B41J2202/08

  dealing with thermal variations, e.g. cooling · CPC title

• B41J2002/14443

  Nozzle guard · CPC title

• B41J2/14427 Primary

  Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators · CPC title

• B41J2/14201 Primary

  Structure of print heads with piezoelectric elements · CPC title