Inkjet print apparatus
An inkjet print apparatus includes a print head discharging ink onto a substrate, the print head including a first heater; a reservoir storing the ink; a first pipe supplying the ink to the reservoir; a second pipe collecting surplus ink; a mixing unit located on the first pipe and mixing the ink; a pump located on the second pipe and pressurizing and supplying the surplus ink to the reservoir; a temperature sensor located between the mixing unit and the print head and sensing a temperature of the ink; and a controller controlling a temperature of at least one of the first heater and the second heater in response to information received from the temperature sensor. The print head includes a heat insulator blocking heat emitted from the first heater between the substrate and the first heater.
1. An inkjet print apparatus comprising:
a print head discharging ink onto a substrate, the print head including a first heater heating the ink;
a reservoir storing the ink;
a first pipe supplying the ink to the reservoir from the print head;
a second pipe collecting surplus ink to the reservoir from the print head;
a mixing unit located on the first pipe, the mixing unit including a second heater heating the ink, the mixing unit mixing the ink;
a pump located on the second pipe, the pump pressurizing the surplus ink and supplying the surplus ink to the reservoir;
a temperature sensor located on the first pipe between the mixing unit and the print head, the temperature sensor sensing a temperature of the ink; and
a controller controlling a temperature of at least one of the first heater and the second heater in response to information received from the temperature sensor,
wherein the print head comprises a heat insulator blocking heat emitted from the first heater between the substrate and the first heater.
2. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the print head comprises a nozzle discharging the ink, and
the heat insulator comprises an opening overlapping the nozzle in a thickness direction.
3. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a cooling unit located on the second pipe between the pump and the reservoir, the cooling unit cooling the surplus ink.
4. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the cooling unit comprises a thermoelement.
5. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the cooling unit maintains a temperature of the surplus ink to be equal to a temperature of the ink initially supplied to the print head from the reservoir.
6. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller maintains a temperature of the print head to be equal to that of the ink heated by the second heater, through the first heater.
7. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second heater comprises a thermoelement or a silicon rubber heater.
8. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mixing unit comprises a static mixer or a mixer using a surface acoustic wave (SAW).
9. An inkjet print apparatus comprising:
a print head discharging ink onto a substrate, the print head including a first heater heating the ink;
a reservoir storing the ink;
a first pipe supplying the ink to the reservoir from the print head;
a second pipe collecting surplus ink to the reservoir from the print head;
a mixing unit located on the first pipe, the mixing unit including a second heater heating the ink, the mixing unit mixing the ink;
a pump located on the second pipe, the pump pressurizing the surplus ink and supplying the surplus ink to the reservoir;
a temperature sensor located on the first pipe between the mixing unit and the print head, the temperature sensor sensing a temperature of the ink;
a first pressure sensor located on the first pipe between the mixing unit and the print head, the first pressure sensor sensing a pressure of the ink; and
a controller controlling a temperature of at least one of the first heater and the second heater in response to information received from the temperature sensor,
wherein the print head comprises a heat insulator blocking heat emitted from the first heater between the substrate and the first heater.
10. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 9 , wherein, in case that the pressure sensed by the first pressure sensor is higher than a predetermined pressure, the controller heats the ink to a predetermined temperature corresponding to the sensed pressure, through the first heater.
11. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a second pressure sensor located on the second pipe between the print head and the pump, the second pressure sensor sensing a pressure of the surplus ink.
12. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 11 , wherein, in case that a difference between the pressure sensed by the first pressure sensor and the pressure sensed by the second pressure sensor exceeds a predetermined range, the controller heats the ink in proportion to the difference between the pressures, through the first heater.
13. An inkjet print apparatus comprising:
a print head discharging ink;
a solvent circulating unit supplying a solvent comprised in the ink to the print head; and
a particle circulating unit supplying a particle-containing solution comprised in the ink to the print head,
wherein the solvent circulating unit comprises:
a first reservoir storing the solvent;
a first pipe supplying the solvent to the print head from the first reservoir; and
a second pipe collecting a surplus solvent comprised in surplus ink to the first reservoir from the print head,
wherein the particle circulating unit comprises:
a particle supply unit supplying the particle-containing solution to the first pipe;
a second reservoir located on the second pipe, the second reservoir storing the surplus ink;
a third pipe collecting a surplus particle-containing solution separated from the surplus solvent of the surplus ink to the particle supply unit from the second reservoir;
a concentration sensor located on the first pipe between the particle supply unit and the print head, the concentration sensor sensing a concentration of the ink; and
a supply controller controlling a supply amount of the particle-containing solution in response to information received from the concentration sensor.
14. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the particle supply unit comprises:
a third reservoir storing the collected surplus particle-containing solution; and
a first pump supplying the surplus particle-containing solution to the first pipe from the third reservoir.
15. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 13 , wherein, in case that the concentration of the ink, which is sensed by the concentration sensor, is lower than a predetermined concentration, the supply controller increases the supply amount of the particle-containing solution through the first pump.
16. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a second pump located on the third pipe, the second pump pressurizing the surplus particle-containing solution and supplying the surplus particle-containing solution to the particle supply unit.
17. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the second reservoir separates the surplus ink into the surplus solvent and the surplus particle-containing solution by using a surface acoustic wave (SAW).
18. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the print head comprises a first heater heating the ink.
19. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising a mixing unit located on the first pipe between the particle supply unit and the concentration sensor,
wherein the mixing unit comprises a second heater heating the ink and mixes the solvent and the particle-containing solution.
20. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising a temperature sensor located on the first pipe between the mixing unit and the print head, the temperature sensor sensing a temperature of the ink.
21. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 19 , comprising a controller controlling a temperature of the print head to be equal to that of the ink heated by the second heater, through the first heater.
22. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the mixing unit comprises a static mixer or a mixer using a surface acoustic wave (SAW).
23. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a cooling unit located on the second pipe between the second reservoir and the third reservoir, the cooling unit cooling the surplus solvent.
24. The inkjet print apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the cooling unit maintains a temperature of the surplus solvent to be equal to a temperature of the solvent initially supplied to the print head from the first reservoir.