Methods and apparatus for maintaining inkjet print heads using parking structures with spray mechanisms

• US 20070252863A1
• Filed: 07/26/2006
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Shang, Quanyuan, Sun, Lizhong
• Application Number:
  US11/493,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20070252863A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/28
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16552 using cleaning fluids

Abstract

The invention provides a print head parking structure that provides solvent and/or surface treatments for inkjet print heads. Print heads may be returned to the print head parking structure after a substrate has been printed, after one or more printing passes, and/or frequently enough to prevent ink from drying on or clogging the print heads. Once sealed within the print head parking structure, the print heads (or a portion thereof) may be sprayed with a solvent to dissolve or wash away any ink that has been deposited on the print heads.

Claims

1. A print head parking structure comprising:

an enclosure including a spray device; and

a parking location adjacent the enclosure and adapted to receive a print head such that the print head is exposed to the spray device within the enclosure.

2. The print head parking structure of claim 1 wherein the spray device is adapted to spray at least one of a solvent, a surface treatment solution, and a combination of solvent and surface treatment solution;

and

the enclosure is adapted to drain used solvent.

3. The print head parking structure of claim 2, wherein the print head includes a nozzle plate, and the spray device is arranged to direct spray onto the nozzle plate when the print head is in the parking location.

4. The print head parking structure of claim 2, wherein the spray device includes at least two sprayers.

5. The print head parking structure of claim 4, wherein the sprayers are adapted to spray over a wide angle.

6. The print head parking structure of claim 5, wherein the sprayers are adapted to spray over an angle of between about 45 and about 75 degrees.

7. The print head parking structure of claim 3, wherein the spray device is pivotable such that the spray device can be oriented between respective lateral ends of the nozzle plate.

8. The print head parking structure of claim 3, wherein the spray device is movable along a dimension of the nozzle plate.

9. The print head parking structure of claim 1 further comprising a seal adapted to sealably couple the print head parking structure to a print head received at the parking location.

10. A method comprising:

sealing a print head within a parking structure; and

spraying a nozzle plate of the print head with a solvent without getting the solvent on other parts of the print head.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising draining used solvent from the parking structure without the used solvent contacting the print head.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein sealing the print head within the parking structure includes contacting a surface of the print head with a flexible bellows structure.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein spraying a nozzle plate of the print head with a solvent includes directing a plurality of streams of the solvent at the nozzle plate from a level below the nozzle plate.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein directing the plurality of streams of the solvent includes spraying the plurality of streams intermittently.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein directing the plurality of streams of the solvent includes spraying the plurality of streams via a plurality of oscillating spray devices.

16. A system comprising:

an inkjet printer adapted to manufacture color filters for flat panel displays, the inkjet printer including a plurality of print heads, each print head including a nozzle plate; and

a print head parking structure including an enclosure having a spray device and a parking location adapted to receive a print head such that the nozzle plate of a received print head is exposed to the spray device within the enclosure.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the spray device is adapted to spray at least one of a solvent, a surface treatment solution, and a combination of solvent and surface treatment solution;

and

wherein the enclosure is adapted to drain used solvent.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the spray device is arranged to direct solvent onto the nozzle plate when the print head is in the parking location.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the spray device includes at least two sprayers.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the sprayers are adapted to spray over a wide angle.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the sprayers are adapted to spray over an angle of between about 45 and about 75 degrees.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the spray device is pivotable such that the spray device can be oriented between respective lateral ends of the nozzle plate.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the spray device is movable along a dimension of the nozzle plate.

24. The system of claim 16 further comprising a seal adapted to sealably couple the print head parking structure to a print head received at the parking location.