Micro-extrusion printhead with nozzle valves
First Claim
1. A micro-extrusion system comprising:
- a printhead assembly including;
at least one inlet port, anda nozzle structure defining a plurality of elongated nozzle channels including a first nozzle channel, each elongated nozzle channel having at least one inlet portion communicating with said at least one inlet port, and an outlet portion communicating with an associated nozzle outlet orifice;
a valve structure movably disposed adjacent to the associated nozzle outlet orifice of each of said plurality of elongated nozzle channels;
a material feed system for pumping a conductive gridline material and a non-conductive sacrificial material into said printhead assembly through said at least one inlet port such that said materials are supplied at a predetermined pressure into said inlet portion of each of said plurality of elongated nozzle channel; and
a valve control device for controlling said valve structure between first and second operating states,wherein the printhead assembly is arranged such that, when the valve control device positions the valve structure in the first operating state, a first portion of said valve structure is positioned such that at least one of said conductive gridline and non-conductive sacrificial materials are prevented by said first portion from passing from the outlet orifice of said first nozzle channel onto said substrate, and when the valve control device positions the valve structure in the second operating state, said first portion of said valve structure is positioned such that both of said conductive gridline and non-conductive sacrificial materials flow through said associated nozzle outlet orifice of said first nozzle channel and are simultaneously co-extruded onto said substrate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A solar cell extrusion printing system includes a printhead assembly having one or more elongated valve structures that are adjustably disposed adjacent to the outlet orifices of selected nozzle channels, and a valve control device for controlling the position of the valve structures to facilitate controllable ink flow through selected nozzle channels of the printhead assembly during the gridline printing process. The printhead assembly defines an elongated opening (e.g., a slot or hole) that that intersects (i.e., passes through) each of the selected nozzle channels, and an elongated member is movably disposed in the slot and is selectively movable between a first (opened) position, in which the valve structure extrusion material is passed by the valve structure through the nozzle channel and out of the printhead, and a closed position, in which the extrusion material is blocked by the valve structure and prevented from passing through the nozzle channel.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A micro-extrusion system comprising:
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a printhead assembly including; at least one inlet port, and a nozzle structure defining a plurality of elongated nozzle channels including a first nozzle channel, each elongated nozzle channel having at least one inlet portion communicating with said at least one inlet port, and an outlet portion communicating with an associated nozzle outlet orifice; a valve structure movably disposed adjacent to the associated nozzle outlet orifice of each of said plurality of elongated nozzle channels; a material feed system for pumping a conductive gridline material and a non-conductive sacrificial material into said printhead assembly through said at least one inlet port such that said materials are supplied at a predetermined pressure into said inlet portion of each of said plurality of elongated nozzle channel; and a valve control device for controlling said valve structure between first and second operating states, wherein the printhead assembly is arranged such that, when the valve control device positions the valve structure in the first operating state, a first portion of said valve structure is positioned such that at least one of said conductive gridline and non-conductive sacrificial materials are prevented by said first portion from passing from the outlet orifice of said first nozzle channel onto said substrate, and when the valve control device positions the valve structure in the second operating state, said first portion of said valve structure is positioned such that both of said conductive gridline and non-conductive sacrificial materials flow through said associated nozzle outlet orifice of said first nozzle channel and are simultaneously co-extruded onto said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification