Apparatus and method for control of print gap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9302513-B2
Application number	US-201514807628-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2015
Priority date	Aug 9, 2011
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

Gas bearing systems, print gap control systems, and methods of print gap control are provided. The gas bearing systems can accommodate one or more print module packages. The systems and methods can be used for inkjet and/or thermal printing applications such as manufacturing organic light emitting devices (OLEDs). Gas bearing systems can employ one or more of pressurized gas and vacuum. For oxygen-sensitive applications, an inert gas, such as nitrogen gas, can be employed as the pressurized gas. Fluid channels and apertures of the gas bearing systems can be varied in terms of size and relative position to one another. Fluid channels and apertures can be grouped and paired with one or more manifolds and ultimately a pressurized gas and/or vacuum source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gas bearing system comprising:
a housing comprising a sidewall having an exterior surface and an interior surface and defining an interior cavity configured to receive a print module package, the interior surface terminating at an opening to the interior cavity, the sidewall further having an end surface between the exterior surface and the interior surface, the end surface comprising a first plurality of apertures and a second plurality of apertures, the sidewall further comprising a first plurality of fluid channels extending from the first plurality of apertures into the sidewall and communicating with a first manifold, and a second plurality of fluid channels extending from the second plurality of apertures into the sidewall and communicating with a second manifold, wherein the first manifold is in fluid communication with an environment outside of the housing via a first port, the second manifold is in fluid communication with an environment outside of the housing via a second port, and the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of apertures surround the opening to the interior cavity.

2. The gas bearing system of claim 1 , wherein the end surface further comprises a third plurality of fluid channels extending into the sidewall and communicating with a third manifold that differs from the first and second manifolds.

3. The gas bearing system of claim 2 , wherein the third manifold is in fluid communication with an environment outside of the housing via a third port.

4. The gas bearing system of claim 3 , wherein the housing comprises a base plate, a manifold compartment mounted on the base plate, and a face plate mounted on the manifold, the face plate comprising the end surface.

5. The gas bearing system of claim 4 , wherein the base plate comprises the first, second, and third ports and the manifold compartment comprises the first, second, and third manifolds.

6. The gas bearing system of claim 1 , wherein individual apertures of the first and second pluralities of apertures are spaced apart from one another by a mean distance of from about 1.0 mm to about 10 mm.

7. The gas bearing system of claim 1 , wherein the apertures of the first and second pluralities of apertures have a mean diameter of from about 0.001 inch to about 0.1 inch.

8. The gas bearing system of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of apertures have a mean diameter of from about 0.005 inch to about 0.025 inch and the second plurality of apertures have a mean diameter of from about 0.030 inch to about 0.090 inch.

9. The gas bearing system of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of fluid channels are in fluid communication with a pressurized gas source and the second plurality of fluid channels are in fluid communication with a vacuum source.

10. The gas bearing system of claim 9 , wherein the pressure gas source comprises a pressurized inert gas source.

11. The gas bearing system of claim 10 , wherein the pressurized inert gas source comprises a source of nitrogen, a source of a noble gas, or a combination thereof.

12. The gas bearing system of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a base plate, a manifold compartment mounted on the base plate, and a face plate mounted on the manifold, the face plate comprising the end surface.

13. The gas bearing system of claim 12 , wherein the base plate comprises the first and second ports and the manifold compartment comprises the first and second manifolds.

14. The gas bearing system of claim 12 , further comprising a connector flange connected to the base plate and configured for connection to at least one of a support and an actuator.

15. The gas bearing system of claim 1 , further comprising a second opening to the interior cavity, the second opening located opposite the first opening such that the interior cavity comprises a through hole through the housing.

16. The gas bearing system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one print module package mounted in the interior cavity.

17. The gas bearing system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one print module package comprises at least one thermal printing printhead having at least one transfer surface, and at least one heater in thermal communication with the at least one transfer surface.

18. The gas bearing system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one print module package comprises at least one inkjet printhead.

19. A print gap control system comprising:
the gas bearing system of claim 18 ; and
a substrate;
wherein the end surface lies in a first plane, the at least one inkjet printhead lies in a second plane, and a first planar surface of the substrate lies in a third plane, the first, second, and third planes are substantially parallel to one another, a gas bearing gap is defined by a distance between the first plane and the third plane, and a print gap is defined by a distance between the second plane and the third plane, and at least one of the end surface, the inkjet printhead, and the first planar surface of the substrate is adjustable to control a size of the print gap.

20. The print gap control system of claim 19 , further comprising a second gas bearing system facing the first gas bearing system wherein the substrate is positioned between the first gas bearing system and the second gas bearing system.

21. The print gap control system of claim 20 , wherein the second gas bearing comprises a plurality of pressurized gas channels and optionally a plurality of vacuum channels.

22. The print gap control system of claim 19 , wherein the gas bearing system is positioned above the substrate.

23. The print gap control system of claim 19 , wherein the gas bearing system is positioned below the substrate.

Assignees

• Kateeva Inc

Inventors

• Lowrance Robert B
• Miller Michael
• Somekh Sass
• Madigan Conor
• Vronsky Eliyahu
• Birang Manoocher

Classifications

• B41J29/377

  Cooling or ventilating arrangements · CPC title

• B41J25/3084 Primary

  by means of a spacer contacting the matter to be printed · CPC title

• B41J25/308 Primary

  with print gap adjustment mechanisms · CPC title

• B41J2/05

  produced by the application of heat · CPC title

• B41J2/32

  using thermal heads · CPC title