Printing assemblies and methods for using the same

US12233643B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• General Electric Company · US

Inventors

• Vadim Bromberg · Niskayuna, US
• John Sterle · Clifton Park, US
• Carlos H. Bonilla · Lebanon, US
• Kwok Pong Chan · Troy, US
• Mary Kathryn Thompson · Colfax, US
• Ruben E. Fairman · Forest Park, US
• Jacob Mayer · Cincinnati, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 22, 2020
• Grant date: Feb 25, 2025
• Expiry date: Feb 10, 2042

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B41J2/2142
• WIPO field: Textile and paper machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus includes a printing head (154) comprising jet nozzles (158) spaced apart from one another, where a distance from a first jet nozzle to a second jet nozzle positioned adjacent the first jet nozzle defines a jet-spacing, a printing head position control assembly includes a first actuator assembly (102) to move the printing head along the longitudinal axis and a second actuator assembly (103) to move the printing head along a latitudinal axis, and an control unit communicatively coupled to the printing head position control assembly. The control unit causes jet nozzles to dispense drops of binder (50) while the printing head traverses a first pass trajectory along the longitudinal axis in a first direction, indexes the printing head to a second pass trajectory along the latitudinal axis, and causes jet nozzles to dispense drops of binder while the printing head traverses the second pass trajectory along the longitudinal axis in a second direction.