Fast measurement of droplet parameters in industrial printing system
US9832428B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 31, 2015 |
| Grant date | Nov 28, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 23, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T7/0004
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A droplet measurement system (DMS) is used in concern with an industrial printer used to fabricate a thin film layer of a flat panel electronic device. A clear tape serves as a printing substrate to receive droplets from hundreds of nozzles simultaneously, while an optics system photographs the deposited droplets through the tape (i.e., through a side opposite the printhead). This permits immediate image analysis of deposited droplets, for parameters such as per-nozzle volume, landing position and other characteristics, without having to substantially reposition the DMS or printhead. The tape can then be advanced and used for a new measurement. By providing such a high degree of concurrency, the described system permits rapid measurement and update of droplet parameters for printers that use hundreds or thousands of nozzles, to provide a real-time understanding of per-nozzle expected droplet parameters, in a manner that can be factored into print planning.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.