METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR INKJET PRINTING USING MULTIPLE SETS OF PRINT HEADS

Abstract

In a first aspect, a system is provided for inkjet printing. The system includes (1) a first set including a first inkjet print head having a first plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a first ink, and a second inkjet print head having a second plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a second ink, (2) a second set including a third inkjet print head having a third plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a third ink and a fourth inkjet print head having a fourth plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a fourth ink and (3) a stage adapted to support and transport the substrate below the first and second sets during a printing pass such that the first set and second sets are adapted to dispense respective first/second and third/fourth inks into adjacent color wells of a display pixel on a substrate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for inkjet printing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram of a top view of a portion of an apparatus for inkjet printing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram of an enlarged top view of a portion of the apparatus for inkjet printing shown in FIG. 2A in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a method of inkjet printing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a top view of an apparatus for inkjet printing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a top view of an apparatus for inkjet printing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a perspective view of an apparatus for inkjet printing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a top view of an apparatus for inkjet printing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a top view of an apparatus for inkjet printing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A system for inkjet printing, comprising: a first set including a first inkjet print head having a first plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a first ink, and a second inkjet print head having a second plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a second ink;a second set including a third inkjet print head having a third plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a third ink and a fourth inkjet print head having a fourth plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a fourth ink; anda stage adapted to support the substrate and transport the substrate below the first and second sets during a printing pass;wherein the first set is adapted to dispense the first and second inks into respective adjacent color wells of a display pixel on a substrate and the second set is adapted to dispense the third and fourth inks into respective adjacent color wells of a display pixel on a substrate.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a camera coupled to the stage and adapted to at least one of: align the substrate on the stage;determine a location for an ink drop; andcalculate an offset for a print head.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the stage further comprises at least one of a vacuum chuck and a hold down region to maintain substrate alignment.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first ink has a different color than the second ink, and the third ink has a different color than the fourth ink.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a first bridge adapted to support at least one of the first set and the second set above the substrate.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising: a third set including a fifth inkjet print head having a fifth plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a fifth ink and a sixth inkjet print head having a sixth plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a sixth ink; anda fourth set including a seventh inkjet print head having a seventh plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a seventh ink and an eighth inkjet print head having an eighth plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense an eighth ink.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising: a second bridge adapted to support at least one of the third set and the fourth set above the substrate.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first set includes a ninth inkjet print head, the second set includes a tenth inkjet print head, the third set includes an eleventh inkjet print head, and the fourth set includes a twelfth inkjet print head.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the inkjet print heads included in any of the first, second, third and fourth sets are each adapted to print a different color.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the three print heads included in each of the first, second, third and fourth sets are adapted to print red, green and blue ink respectively.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein all of the first, second, third and fourth sets are adapted to be used during a printing pass, reducing a number of times the substrate is required to pass under the first, second, third and fourth sets during a printing operation.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein all of the first, second, third and fourth sets are adapted to be used simultaneously during a print pass.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first and second bridges are aligned approximately parallel to a direction in which the stage transports the substrate.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first set is adapted to be offset a distance along the first bridge from the second set and the third set is adapted to be offset a distance along the second bridge from the fourth set.

15. A method of inkjet printing, comprising: grouping a first plurality of inkjet print heads into a first set;grouping a second plurality of inkjet print heads into a second set;moving a substrate under the first and second sets in a print direction during a printing pass; andemploying both the first set and the second set to dispense ink onto a display object on a substrate during the printing pass.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein employing both the first set and the second set comprises employing all of the plurality of inkjet print heads in both the first set and the second set during the printing pass.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: aligning the substrate relative to the first and second sets;determining a location for an ink drop dispensed from one of the print heads included in one of the first and second sets; andcalculating an offset for a print head grouped in one of the first and second sets.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising: applying a vacuum force to maintain a substrate alignment.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising: reducing a number of times the substrate is moved under the first and second sets such that ink is dispensed from the first and second sets on the substrate.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein each of the inkjet print heads included in the plurality of inkjet print heads grouped in the first set dispenses a different color of ink and each of the inkjet print heads included in the plurality of inkjet print heads grouped in the second set dispenses a different color of ink.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising: grouping a third plurality of inkjet print heads into a third set;grouping a fourth plurality of inkjet print heads into a fourth set; andemploying both the third set and the fourth set to dispense ink onto a display object on a substrate during the printing pass.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising: arranging the first set and the second set at a first position along the print direction while offsetting the first and second sets in a direction perpendicular to the print direction; andarranging the third set and the fourth set at a second position along the print direction while offsetting the third and fourth sets in a direction perpendicular to the print direction;wherein the first position along the print direction is different from the second position along the print direction.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first, second, third and fourth sets each include three print heads.

24. An apparatus for inkjet printing, comprising: a first set including a first inkjet print head having a first plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a first ink, and a second inkjet print head having a second plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a second ink; anda second set including a third inkjet print head having a third plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a third ink and a fourth inkjet print head having a fourth plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a fourth ink;wherein the first set is adapted to dispense the first and second inks into respective adjacent color wells of a display pixel on a substrate and the second set is adapted to dispense the third and fourth inks into respective adjacent color wells of a display pixel on a substrate.