Ink jet apparatus and ink jetting method
An ink jet apparatus, includes a stage comprising a seat area to which a substrate is seated, a nozzle head comprising a plurality of nozzles, a driving part relatively moving the nozzle head and the stage to each other along a first path traversing between a first area and a second area in a first direction, and a second path traversing between the first area and the second are in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a nozzle maintaining part interposed between the nozzle head and the stage while the nozzle head and the stage relatively move along one of the first path and the second path. Thus, the present invention provides an ink jet apparatus and an ink jetting method allowing a plurality of nozzle heads to have an optimal function.
1 . An ink jet apparatus, comprising:
a stage comprising a seat area for receiving a substrate;
a nozzle head comprising a plurality of nozzles;
a driving part moving the nozzle head and the stage relatively to each other along a first path traversing between a first area and a second area in a first direction, and a second path traversing between the first area and the second are in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and
a nozzle maintaining part interposed between the nozzle head and the stage while the nozzle head and the stage relatively move along one of the first path and the second path.
2 . The ink jet apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the driving part moves the stage along the first path and the second path, and moves the nozzle head in a third direction traverse to the first direction and a fourth direction perpendicular to the first direction and the third direction.
3 . The ink jet apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a maintaining driving part positioning the nozzle maintaining part outside the seat area while the stage moves along one of the first path and the second path, and moving the nozzle maintaining part over the stage while the nozzle head moves in the third direction for moving the stage along the other of the first path and the second path.
4 . The ink jet apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the nozzle head and the stage are further distanced from each other when the nozzle maintaining part is interposed between the nozzle head and the stage than when the nozzle maintaining part is positioned outside the seat area.
5 . The ink jet apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising:
an ink supplying part jetting ink through the nozzle head; and
an ink supplying controller controlling the ink supplying part so that some nozzles jet ink while the stage moves along one of the first path and the second path, and all nozzles jet ink while the stage moves along the other of the first path and the second path.
6 . The ink jet apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein some odd-numbered and some even numbered nozzles jet ink.
7 . The ink jet apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein some nozzles jet ink to the substrate.
8 . The ink jet apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein all nozzles jet ink to the nozzle maintaining part.
9 . The ink jet apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an ink supplying part jetting ink through the nozzle head; and
an ink supplying controller controlling the ink supplying part so that some nozzles jet ink while the nozzle head and the stage relatively move to each other along one of the first path and the second path, and all nozzles jet ink while the nozzle head and the stage relatively move to each other along the other of the first path and the second path.
10 . The ink jet apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the nozzle maintaining part is positioned outside the seat area when some nozzles jet ink, and the nozzle maintaining part is interposed between the nozzle head and the stage when all nozzles jet ink.
11 . The ink jet apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the nozzle maintaining part is formed in a rectangular shape, and extends corresponding to the length of the first path or the second path in a lengthwise direction thereof.
12 . The ink jet apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the nozzle maintaining part has a width to correspond to at least a length which the nozzles are arranged.
13 . The ink jet apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the stage is formed in a quadrangular pillar, and the nozzle maintaining part is coupled to a side of the stage.
14 . The ink jet apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising a maintaining driving part coupling the nozzle maintaining part to the side of the stage while the stage and the nozzle head relatively move along one of the first path and the second path, and moving the nozzle maintaining part to be interposed between the nozzle head and the stage before the stage and the nozzle head relatively move along the other of the first path and the second path.
15 . The ink jet apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the nozzle maintaining part comprises at least one of a spittoon containing ink jetted, a capping station containing a solvent, and a blotting stage provided with an absorbing member.
16 . The ink jet apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an additional nozzle maintaining part positioned outside the stage.
17 . The ink jet apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein a couple of additional nozzle maintaining parts are provided to interpose the stage therebetween.
18 . An ink jetting method, comprising:
seating a substrate on a stage;
jetting ink on the substrate with moving relatively a nozzle head comprising a plurality of nozzles and the stage to each other along a first path traversing between a first area and a second area in a first direction;
stopping jetting ink and moving relatively the nozzle head and the stage to each other in a third direction traverse to the first direction;
disposing a nozzle maintaining part over the stage; and
jetting ink on the nozzle maintaining part with moving relatively the nozzle head and the stage to each other along a second path traversing between the first area and the second area in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
19 . The ink jetting method according to claim 18 , wherein ink is jetted on the substrate by some nozzles.
20 . The ink jetting method according to claim 19 , wherein ink is jetted by some nozzles having an odd order or an even order.
21 . The ink jetting method according to claim 18 , wherein ink is jetted on the nozzle maintaining part by all nozzles.
22 . The ink jetting method according to claim 18 , wherein the stage moves along the first path and the second path, and the nozzle head moves in the third direction and a fourth direction perpendicular to the first direction and the third direction.
23 . The ink jetting method according to claim 22 , wherein the nozzle maintaining part is positioned outside a seat area formed on the stage while the stage moves along one of the first path and the second path.
24 . The ink jetting method according to claim 18 , further comprising:
providing an additional nozzle maintaining part positioned outside the stage; and
moving the nozzle head over the additional nozzle maintaining part.