Apparatus for depositing droplets
View Patent ↗An apparatus for depositing droplets on a substrate, the apparatus includes a support for the substrate, a droplet ejection assembly positioned over the support for depositing the droplets on the substrate on the support, an enclosure structure defining with the support an enclosed region through which the droplets are ejected onto the substrate, the enclosure structure also defining with the support an inlet gap and an outlet gap through which the substrate travels and a source of pressurized gas connected to the enclosure structure to provide a flow of gas from the enclosure structure through the gaps.
1. An apparatus for depositing droplets on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
a support for said substrate;
a droplet ejection assembly positioned over said support for depositing said droplets on said substrate on said support;
an enclosure structure defining with said support an enclosed region through which said droplets are ejected onto said substrate, said enclosure structure also defining with said support an inlet gap and an outlet gap through which said substrate travels; and
a source of pressurized gas connected to said enclosure structure to provide a flow of gas from said enclosure structure through the gaps.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said enclosure structure comprises an enclosure disposed above said droplet ejection assembly.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the pressure of said pressurized gas is from about 0.1 inch to about 10 inches water above nominal atmospheric pressure.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said inlet gap is from about 0.006 to about 0.100 inch.
5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said outlet gap is from about 0.006 to about 0.100 inch.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said enclosure structure comprises a manifold distribution system to deliver said pressurized gas to respective slits adjacent each gap.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the pressure of said pressurized gas is from about 0.1 inch to about 10 inches of water above nominal atmospheric pressure.
8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said inlet gap is from about 0.006 to about 0.100 inch.
9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said outlet gap is from about 0.006 to about 0.100 inch.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said droplets comprise ink.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises paper.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a continuously moving substrate.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a filer that removes particulate mater from said source of pressurized gas.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising adding moisture to said source of pressurized gas.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising adding solvent to said source of pressurized gas.
16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said gap and said pressure are sized to deliver said gas through the gap at a velocity greater than that of said substrate.
17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the gas is air.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the gas has an oxygen content less than that of air.
19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the gas has an oxygen content greater than that of air.
20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said inlet gap is from about 0.006 to about 0.100 inch.
21. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outlet gap is from about 0.006 to about 0.100 inch.
22. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said gap and said pressure are sized to flatten said substrate against said support.
23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support is continuous.
24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the continuous support comprises a porous platen.
25. An apparatus for depositing droplets on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
a support for said substrate;
a droplet ejection assembly positioned over said support for depositing said droplets on said substrate on said support; and
an enclosure structure defining with said support an enclosed region through which said droplets are ejected onto said substrate, said enclosure structure also defining with said support an inlet gap and an outlet gap through which said substrate travels, said enclosure structure configured to receive a source of pressurized gas to provide a flow of gas from said enclosure structure through the gaps.
26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the support is continuous.
27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the continuous support comprises a porous platen.
28. An apparatus for depositing droplets on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
a support for said substrate;
a droplet ejection assembly positioned over said support for depositing said droplets on said substrate on said support; and
an enclosure structure defining with said support an enclosed region through which said droplets are ejected onto said substrate, said enclosure structure also defining with said support an inlet gap and an outlet gap through which said substrate travels, said enclosure structure comprising an enclosure disposed above said droplet ejection assembly, wherein the enclosure structure is configured to receive pressurized gas to provide a flow of gas from said enclosure structure through the gaps.
29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the support is continuous.
30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the continuous support comprises a porous platen.
31. An apparatus for depositing droplets on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
a support for said substrate;
a droplet ejection assembly positioned over said support for depositing said droplets on said substrate on said support; and
an enclosure structure defining with said support an enclosed region through which said droplets are ejected onto said substrate, said enclosure structure also defining with said support an inlet gap and an outlet gap through which said substrate travels, wherein said enclosure structure comprising a mainfold distribution system configured to deliver a pressurized gas to respective slits adjacent each gap.
32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the support is continuous.
33. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the continuous support comprises a porous platen.