Electrohydrodynamic inkjet printing devices, systems, and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025381776-A1
Application number	US-202418822939-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 3, 2024
Priority date	Jun 18, 2024
Publication date	Dec 18, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing system may include a nozzle having a nozzle opening, a discharge electrode, a voltage source, an imager, and a controller in communication with the voltage source and the imager. The nozzle may be configured to contain ink and discharge the ink through the nozzle opening. The discharge electrode may be configured to be in electrical communication with the ink in the nozzle to apply voltage to the ink and create a jet of the ink discharged from the nozzle opening. The voltage source may be configured to apply the voltage to the discharge electrode. The imager may be configured to image the jet of the ink discharged. The controller may be configured to analyze the images from the imager and output control signals to the voltage source based on an analysis of the images.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electrohydrodynamic printing system, comprising:
a nozzle including a nozzle opening, the nozzle is configured to contain ink and discharge the ink through the nozzle opening; a discharge electrode configured to be in electrical communication with ink in the nozzle to apply voltage to the ink and create a jet of the ink discharged from the nozzle opening; a voltage source configured to apply the voltage to the discharge electrode; an imager configured to image the jet of the ink discharged; and a controller in communication with the voltage source and the imager, and wherein the controller is configured to analyze images from the imager of the jet of the discharged ink, configure control signals for the voltage source for controlling the voltage applied to the discharge electrode to initiate the jet of the ink discharged from the nozzle opening based on the analysis of the images, and output the control signals to the voltage source.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to compare a profile of the jet of the ink discharged in the image to one or more thresholds and output the control signals to the voltage source based on the comparison of the profile of the jet of the ink discharged in the image to the one or more thresholds.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the imager is configured to image each of a plurality of jets of the ink discharged over a period of time, and the controller is configured to compare a period of the jets of the ink discharged over the period of time in the images to one or more thresholds and output the control signals to the voltage source based on the comparison of the frequency of the images of the jet of the ink discharged over the period of time to the one or more thresholds.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pressure regulator in communication with the controller and configured to control a pressure applied to the ink in the nozzle, and wherein the controller is configured to output control signals to the pressure regulator for controlling the pressure applied to the ink in the nozzle based on the analysis of the images.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an illumination source, wherein the illumination source is configured to illuminate a target area for the imager and the target area includes the jet of the ink discharged from the nozzle.

6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a groundless stage configured to receive a substrate having a surface to which the ink discharged from the nozzle is to be applied.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the groundless stage is adjustable in three dimensions.

8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a nozzle adjustment system, wherein the nozzle adjustment system is configured to adjust a position of the nozzle in three dimensions.

9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a ground electrode configured to create an electric field with the discharge electrode.

10 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a switch having a closed position in which the electric field is created between the discharge electrode and the ground electrode and an opened position in which the electric field between the discharge electrode and the ground electrode is interrupted.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the switch is in communication with the controller and the controller is configured to adjust the switch to an opened position when a standoff distance between the nozzle and a surface to which the ink is to be applied is less than a threshold value and to adjust the switch to the closed position when the standoff distance is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to output control signals to the voltage source to initiate one or more jets of ink to create a two-dimensional or three-dimension print in a micro-gravity or less environment.

13 . A nozzle head assembly for an electrohydrodynamic printing system, the assembly comprising:
a nozzle including a nozzle opening, the nozzle is configured to contain ink and discharge the ink through the nozzle opening; a discharge electrode configured to be in electrical communication with ink in the nozzle to apply voltage to the ink and create a jet of the ink discharged from the nozzle opening; an electrical connector in electrical communication with the discharge electrode, the electrical connector is configured to electrically connect with a voltage source, and wherein the nozzle and the discharge electrode are configured to discharge the ink in the jet of the ink independent of a ground electrode.

14 . The assembly of claim 13 , further comprising:
a ground electrode configured to create an electric field with the discharge electrode.

15 . The assembly of claim 14 , further comprising:
a switch having a closed position in which the electric field is created between the discharge electrode and the ground electrode and an opened position in which the electric field between the discharge electrode and the ground electrode is interrupted.

16 . The assembly of claim 13 , further comprising:
a mechanical connector coupled with the nozzle and configured to releasably engage a support on a printer system.

17 . The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the nozzle is configured to output one or more jets of ink to create a two-dimensional or three-dimensional print in a micro-gravity or less environment.

18 . A method of printing ink in a micro-gravity or less environment, the method comprising:
printing ink from an electrohydrodynamic printing system in the micro-gravity or less environment to form a two-dimensional or three-dimensional print.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein printing ink from the electrohydrodynamic printing system in the micro-gravity or less environment comprises:
applying a pressure to ink in a nozzle having a nozzle opening through which the ink is printed; applying a voltage to the ink in the nozzle without using a ground electrode to receive the voltage applied to the ink, and wherein the pressure and the voltage are configured to print the ink through the nozzle opening in the micro-gravity or less environment.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the ink is a material selected from a group consisting of conductive material, semi-conductive material, and insulating material.

Assignees

• Wisconsin Alumni Res Found

Inventors

• Qin hantang
• Jiang Liangkui
• Wolf Rayne

Classifications

• B41J2/06

  by electric or magnetic field · CPC title

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B33Y10/00 Primary

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B41J2002/062

  by using a divided counter electrode opposite to ejection openings of an electrostatic printhead, e.g. for controlling the flying direction of ejected toner particles by providing the divided parts of the counter electrode with different potentials · CPC title