# US 10,500,880 B2 · Gas enclosure systems and methods utilizing an auxiliary enclosure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,500,880 B2 - Document ID: US10500880B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/446,984 - Filed: 2017-03-01 - Published: 2017-08-24 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2008-06-13 - Assignees: Kateeva, Inc. - Applicants: Kateeva, Inc. - Inventors: Justin Mauck; Alexander Sou-Kang Ko; Eliyahu Vronsky; Shandon Alderson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500880B2 ## CPC - B41J 29/02: Framework - B05C 15/00: Enclosures for apparatus; Booths (spray booths B05B16/00) - B23P 6/00: Restoring or reconditioning objects (straightening or restoring form of sheet metal, metal rods, metal tubes, metal profiles, or specific articles made therefrom B21D1/00, B21D3/00; repairing defective or damaged objects by casting techniques B22D19/10) - B41J 2/01: Ink jet - B41J 29/17: Cleaning arrangements - F24F 3/163: Clean air work stations, i.e. selected areas within a space which filtered air is passed - H10P 72/0462: {characterised by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers} - Y10T 29/49721: with disassembling - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - B05C: APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (spraying apparatus, atomising apparatus, nozzles B05B; plant for applying liquids or other fluent materials to objects by electrostatic spraying B05B5/08) - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract The present teachings disclose various embodiments of a gas enclosure system can have a gas enclosure that can include a printing system enclosure and an auxiliary enclosure. In various embodiments of a gas enclosure system of the present teachings, a printing system enclosure can be isolated from an auxiliary enclosure. Various systems and methods of the present teachings can provide for the ongoing management of a printing system by utilizing various embodiments of isolatable enclosures. For example, various measurement and maintenance process steps for the management of a printhead assembly can be performed in an auxiliary enclosure, which can be isolated from a printing system enclosure of a gas enclosure system, thereby preventing or minimizing interruption of a printing process. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for the automated maintenance of an industrial printing system, the method comprising: maintaining an inert gas environment in a gas enclosure; said gas enclosure defining a total enclosure volume, the gas enclosure comprising: a printing system enclosure defining a first volume of the total gas enclosure volume, the printing system enclosure housing a printing system, the printing system comprising a substrate support apparatus to support a substrate and a printhead assembly to deposit organic material on a substrate supported by the substrate support apparatus in the printing system enclosure; an auxiliary enclosure defining a second volume of the total gas enclosure volume adjacent the printing system enclosure; and a first sealable opening allowing access between the printing system enclosure and the auxiliary enclosure; wherein for maintaining an inert environment in the printing system enclosure, when the first sealable opening is opened, the auxiliary enclosure is maintained in an inert environment; positioning a handler proximal to the first sealable opening between the printing system enclosure and the auxiliary enclosure; removing a component part of the printhead assembly using the handler; and moving the removed component part to the auxiliary enclosure using the handler. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, removing the removed component part from the auxiliary chamber through a second sealable opening between the auxiliary chamber and an environment exterior to the gas enclosure, wherein the first sealable opening between the printing system enclosure and the auxiliary enclosure is sealed when the auxiliary enclosure is exposed to a non-inert gas. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: retrieving a replacement component part for the printing system using the handler; and inserting the replacement component part into the printing system using the handler; wherein retrieving and inserting the replacement component part occurs after removing the component part from the printing system or after moving the removed component part to the auxiliary enclosure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: placing a replacement component part for the printing system into the auxiliary enclosure while the second sealable opening is opened; closing the second sealable opening; and recovering the gas environment of the auxiliary enclosure to an inert gas environment; wherein removing the removed component part from the auxiliary enclosure and placing a replacement component part into the auxiliary enclosure can be done in any order. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second volume of the auxiliary enclosure is between about 1% to about 10% of the total volume of the gas enclosure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the printing system is configured to print an OLED substrate having a size of between about generation 3.5 to about generation 10. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the inert gas environment of the gas enclosure comprises using nitrogen. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the inert gas environment of the gas enclosure comprises using any of the noble gases, combinations thereof, and combinations with nitrogen. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the inert gas environment of the gas enclosure comprises water and oxygen each at a level of of 1 ppm or less. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the inert gas environment of the gas enclosure comprises water and oxygen each at a level of of 100 ppm or less. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the handler has an end effector. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the end effector is selected from a blade-type end effector, a gripper-type end effector and a clamp-type effector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the handler proximal to the first sealable opening is done when the handler is located in the printing system enclosure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the handler proximal to the first sealable opening is done when the handler is located in the auxiliary enclosure. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary enclosure defining a second volume is an adaptable controlled-environment enclosure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the adaptable controlled-environment enclosure is readily movable. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary enclosure is a transfer chamber. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary enclosure is a load lock chamber. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate support apparatus is a floatation table and the method further comprises supporting a substrate in the printing system enclosure relative to the printing system using the floatation table. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the substrate has a size of between about generation 3.5 to about generation 10. ### Claim 21 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the replacement component part is chosen from an ink cartridge and a printhead. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the component part is chosen from an ink cartridge and a printhead. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising performing, in the auxiliary enclosure, at least one of a maintenance task or a measurement task on the printhead assembly. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing an organic material from the printing system onto a substrate supported in the printing system enclosure. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the depositing occurs before the positioning, removing, and moving. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the organic material is a material used in forming an organic light emitting diode display.