METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING AN INKJET PRINTING SYSTEM

• US 20070256709A1
• Filed: 04/28/2007
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Kurita, Shinichi, Sun, Lizhong, SHANG, QUANYUAN
• Application Number:
  US11/741,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20070256709A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/18
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1606 Coating the nozzle area or the ink chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16552 using cleaning fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/03 Specific materials used
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/09 Ink jet technology used for manufacturing optical filters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

The invention provides a method of operating a inkjet printing system that may include a print head parking structure and a print head cleaning station. A print head parking structure may include a solvent and/or nozzle surface treatment bath 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 dipped in a solvent bath to dissolve or wash away any ink that has been deposited on the print heads. The print heads may be coated with a surface treatment that improves jetting reliability. The print heads may be dried and moved to the print head cleaning station where they may be wiped and pre-jetting may be performed.

Claims

1. A method of operating an inkjet printing system for manufacturing color filters for flat panel displays, comprising:

processing a print head in a parking structure;

processing the print head in a cleaning station;

pre-jetting the print head in the cleaning station; and

printing a color filter.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the print head in the parking structure includes:

sealing nozzles of the print head in the parking structure; and

dipping the nozzles in a solvent in a pool.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein processing the print head in the parking structure further includes:

spraying the print heads with solvent emitted by spray nozzles positioned in the pool of solvent.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein processing the print head in the parking structure further includes:

purging the print head into the pool.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein processing the print head in the parking structure further includes:

draining used solvent from the solvent pool.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein processing the print head in the parking structure further includes:

refilling the solvent pool with new solvent.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein processing the print head in the parking structure further includes:

filling the solvent pool with a surface treatment solution.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein processing the print head in the parking structure further includes:

dipping the nozzles in the surface treatment solution.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the surface treatment solution includes a mixture of alkyl thiol and ionic alkyl thiol dissolved in a solvent.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein processing the print head in the parking structure further includes:

drying the print head.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the drying the print head is achieved through the use of clean dry air.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the print head in the cleaning station further includes:

wiping the print head with a cleaning medium.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the parking station is coupled to a moving platform adapted to position the parking station directly under the print head.

14. A system for inkjet printing color filters for flat panel displays comprising:

a print head mounted on a bridge and adapted to be moved between a printing location, a parking location, and a cleaning location;

a parking structure disposed at the parking location; and

a cleaning station disposed at the cleaning location.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the system is operative to:

process the print head in the parking structure;

process the print head in the cleaning station;

pre-jet the print head in the cleaning station; and

print a color filter.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the parking structure further includes a solvent pool in which nozzles of the print head are dipped.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the parking structure further includes a solvent pool including at least one spray nozzle for spraying the print head with solvent.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the parking structure further includes a pool of surface treatment solution in which nozzles of the print head are dipped.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the surface treatment solution includes hydrophobic materials.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the surface treatment solution includes inkphobic materials.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the surface treatment solution includes a mixture of alkyl thiol and ionic alkyl thiol dissolved in a solvent.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the parking station further includes clean dry air for drying the print head.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the cleaning station further includes a cleaning medium adapted to wipe the print head.