Adjustable gloss level for compact printhead arrangement
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for printing a printable feature onto a base, the apparatus comprising:
- a printing surface for receiving the base;
a printhead assembly comprising a first printhead and a second printhead, wherein the first printhead comprises a first row of print nozzles, wherein the second printhead comprises a second row of print nozzles, wherein the first row of print nozzles is disposed adjacent to and parallel with the second row of print nozzles, and wherein the printhead assembly is movable along a primary axis;
a curing device assembly comprising a first housing, a first curing device, a second housing, and a second curing device, wherein the first housing and the second housing are disposed on a first side of the printhead assembly, wherein the first curing device is disposed within the first housing, wherein the first housing is independently movable relative to the printhead assembly and the second housing, and wherein the second curing device is disposed within the second housing, wherein the first housing and the first curing device are movable relative to the first printhead, the second printhead, the second housing, and the second curing device along a first axis, wherein the first axis is parallel to the primary axis and the first row of print nozzles, wherein the second housing and the second curing device are movable relative to the first printhead, the first housing, the first curing device, and the second printhead along a second axis, and wherein the second axis is parallel to the primary axis, the first axis, and the second row of print nozzles;
an actuating system comprising a primary rail, a first rail, a second rail, a primary actuating device, a first actuating device, a second actuating device, and a controller, wherein the printhead assembly is mounted on the primary rail by the primary actuating device, wherein the first housing of the curing device assembly is mounted to the first rail by the first actuating device, wherein the second housing of the curing device assembly is mounted to the second rail by the second actuating device, wherein the controller is configured to independently control the primary actuating device, the first actuating device, and the second actuating device, wherein the primary actuating device is configured to move the printhead assembly along the primary axis and relative to an upper surface of the base, wherein the first actuating device is configured to independently move the first housing and the first curing device relative to the first printhead and the second curing device along the first axis in a range between a first inward spacing and a first outward spacing, and wherein the second actuating device is configured to independently move the second housing and the second curing device relative to the second printhead and the first curing device along the second axis in a range between a second inward spacing and a second outward spacing;
wherein the first printhead is configured to dispense a first print material in a liquid state while the actuating system moves the printhead assembly and the curing device assembly;
wherein the controller and the first actuating device are configured to automatically move the first curing device along the first axis to a first separation distance relative to the first printhead;
wherein the first curing device is configured to cure the first print material while the first curing device is at the first separation distance;
wherein the second printhead is configured to dispense a second print material while the actuating system moves the printhead assembly and the curing device assembly;
wherein the controller and the second actuating device are configured to automatically move the second curing device along the second axis to a second separation distance relative to the second printhead, the second separation distance being different than the first separation distance; and
wherein the second curing device is configured to cure the second print material while the second curing device is at the second separation distance.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for printing 2D layers and 3D structures is disclosed. The method includes dispensing a print material from a printhead assembly onto a base and curing the print material with a curing device assembly. The spacing between the printhead assembly and the curing device assembly can be adjusted to vary gloss levels in a printed feature. The printhead assembly can include at least one row of nozzles with colored inks and at least one row of nozzles with a clear structural print material.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus for printing a printable feature onto a base, the apparatus comprising:
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a printing surface for receiving the base; a printhead assembly comprising a first printhead and a second printhead, wherein the first printhead comprises a first row of print nozzles, wherein the second printhead comprises a second row of print nozzles, wherein the first row of print nozzles is disposed adjacent to and parallel with the second row of print nozzles, and wherein the printhead assembly is movable along a primary axis; a curing device assembly comprising a first housing, a first curing device, a second housing, and a second curing device, wherein the first housing and the second housing are disposed on a first side of the printhead assembly, wherein the first curing device is disposed within the first housing, wherein the first housing is independently movable relative to the printhead assembly and the second housing, and wherein the second curing device is disposed within the second housing, wherein the first housing and the first curing device are movable relative to the first printhead, the second printhead, the second housing, and the second curing device along a first axis, wherein the first axis is parallel to the primary axis and the first row of print nozzles, wherein the second housing and the second curing device are movable relative to the first printhead, the first housing, the first curing device, and the second printhead along a second axis, and wherein the second axis is parallel to the primary axis, the first axis, and the second row of print nozzles; an actuating system comprising a primary rail, a first rail, a second rail, a primary actuating device, a first actuating device, a second actuating device, and a controller, wherein the printhead assembly is mounted on the primary rail by the primary actuating device, wherein the first housing of the curing device assembly is mounted to the first rail by the first actuating device, wherein the second housing of the curing device assembly is mounted to the second rail by the second actuating device, wherein the controller is configured to independently control the primary actuating device, the first actuating device, and the second actuating device, wherein the primary actuating device is configured to move the printhead assembly along the primary axis and relative to an upper surface of the base, wherein the first actuating device is configured to independently move the first housing and the first curing device relative to the first printhead and the second curing device along the first axis in a range between a first inward spacing and a first outward spacing, and wherein the second actuating device is configured to independently move the second housing and the second curing device relative to the second printhead and the first curing device along the second axis in a range between a second inward spacing and a second outward spacing; wherein the first printhead is configured to dispense a first print material in a liquid state while the actuating system moves the printhead assembly and the curing device assembly; wherein the controller and the first actuating device are configured to automatically move the first curing device along the first axis to a first separation distance relative to the first printhead; wherein the first curing device is configured to cure the first print material while the first curing device is at the first separation distance; wherein the second printhead is configured to dispense a second print material while the actuating system moves the printhead assembly and the curing device assembly; wherein the controller and the second actuating device are configured to automatically move the second curing device along the second axis to a second separation distance relative to the second printhead, the second separation distance being different than the first separation distance; and wherein the second curing device is configured to cure the second print material while the second curing device is at the second separation distance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for printing a three-dimensional structural component onto a base, the apparatus comprising:
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a printing surface for receiving the base; a printhead assembly comprising a first printhead and a second printhead; the first printhead comprising a first row of print nozzles and the second printhead comprising a second row of print nozzles; the first row of print nozzles being disposed adjacent to and parallel with the second row of print nozzles; the first row of print nozzles being aligned with the second row of print nozzles to form a column of print nozzles that is perpendicular to each row of print nozzles; a curing device assembly disposed on a first side of the printhead assembly and comprising a first curing device aligned with the first printhead along a first axis and a second curing device aligned with the second printhead along a second axis; an actuating system comprising a primary rail, a first rail, a second rail, a primary actuating device, a first actuating device, a second actuating device, and a controller, wherein the primary rail, the first rail, and the second rail are spaced apart from each other and are parallel to each other, wherein the printhead assembly is coupled to the primary rail by the primary actuating device, wherein the first curing device is coupled to the first rail by the first actuating device, wherein the second curing device is coupled to the second rail by the second actuating device, wherein the controller is configured to independently control the primary actuating device, the first actuating device, and the second actuating device, wherein the primary actuating device is configured to automatically and independently move the printhead assembly relative to the primary rail and relative to the printing surface and the base, wherein the first actuating device is configured to automatically and independently move the first curing device relative to the first rail and along the first axis to a first separation distance relative to the first printhead and the second curing device, and wherein the second actuating device is configured to automatically and independently move the second curing device relative to the second rail and along the second axis to a second separation distance relative to the second printhead and the first curing device, the second separation distance being different than the first separation distance; wherein the first printhead is configured to dispense a first print material onto the base, wherein the first curing device is configured to cure the first print material, and wherein the controller is configured to move the first curing device to the first separation distance; and wherein the second printhead is configured to dispense a second print material onto the base, wherein the second curing device is configured to cure the second print material, and wherein the controller is configured to move the second curing device to the second separation distance. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of printing a three-dimensional structural component with a printhead assembly having a first printhead and a second printhead, comprising:
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printing a first print material from the first printhead onto a base; printing a second structural print material from the second printhead onto the base; wherein the first printhead comprises a first row of print nozzles of the printhead assembly and wherein the second printhead comprises a second row of print nozzles of the printhead assembly, the second row of print nozzles being parallel with the first row of print nozzles; receiving a first target gloss level for printing the first print material from the first printhead; selecting a first spacing between a first curing device of a curing device assembly and the first printhead according to the first target gloss level, wherein the curing device assembly is disposed on a first side of the print assembly, and wherein the first curing device is mounted on a first rail and is movable relative to the first rail and relative to the first printhead along a first axis to the first spacing; automatically adjusting the first curing device relative to the first rail and relative to the first printhead along the first axis to the first spacing; receiving a second target gloss level for printing the second structural print material from the second printhead; selecting a second spacing between a second curing device of the curing device assembly and the second printhead according to the second target gloss level, wherein the second curing device is mounted on a second rail and is movable relative to the second rail and relative to the second printhead along a second axis to the second spacing, the second spacing being independently selectable relative to and different than the first spacing; automatically adjusting the second curing device relative to the second rail and relative to the second printhead along the second axis to the second spacing; and curing the first print material and the second structural print material using the curing device assembly. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification