Plasma micronozzle adapter
US11993011B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 20, 2021 |
| Grant date | May 28, 2024 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 28, 2042 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J2237/31732
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Plasma micro nozzle adapters having various configurations and operating principles are disclosed. The plasma micro nozzle adapter is employed with a commercial plasma jet printer to produce smaller printed features than those possible with the original plasma jet printer. In a first class of embodiments, the plasma micro nozzle adapter narrows a plasma jet using electrostatic or magnetostatic lensing, permitting the printing of ceramic, metallic, dielectric, or plastic features with line widths of 10 μm or less. In a second class of embodiments, the plasma micro nozzle adapter narrows the plasma jet using a gas sheath. By adjusting the flow rate or pressure of the gas used to form the gas sheath, the cross-sectional shape of the plasma jet may form, for example, an ellipse, thereby controlling the width of the printed feature. A third class of embodiments employs both electrostatic (or magnetostatic) lensing along with the gas sheath.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.