Multi-nozzle electrohydrodynamic printing
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of Michigan
InventorsLai Yu Leo Tse, Kira Barton, Ethan John McMillan
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Abstract
An electrohydrodynamic print head includes a plurality of nozzles and a common electrode. Separately controllable electrostatic fields between the common electrode and each nozzle are provided. The common electrode can also shield adjacent electrostatic fields from each other. Each nozzle can be associated with separately controllable gas flow fields and separately back pressures. The print head enables simultaneous e-jet printing of different printing fluids and/or different resolutions. The print head may be part of a printing system with interchangeable cartridges. Each cartridge has multiple nozzles, and printing fluid extraction parameters can be made separately controllable for each nozzle.
Claims20
An electrohydrodynamic print head comprising a plurality of nozzles and a common electrode at a fixed position relative to the nozzles, wherein the print head is configured to provide separately controllable electrostatic fields between the common electrode and each nozzle, the print head further comprising:
- a carrier;
- a printer cartridge that includes a housing, the plurality of nozzles, and the common electrode, wherein the carrier supports the printer cartridge for relative movement over a printing surface,
- wherein the housing provides connectivity for at least one of the following:
- a voltage source for an extraction electrode, a pressurized gas source for a gas flow field in which extracted printing fluid travels toward the printing surface, and a backpressure source for application to printing fluid in the nozzles, and
- wherein the printer cartridge is removably supported by the carrier for replacement with a different printer cartridge comprising a housing with the same connectivity.
An electrohydrodynamic printing system, comprising:
- a plurality of printer cartridges, each printer cartridge comprising a housing, a plurality of nozzles, and a common electrode at a fixed position relative to the nozzles;
- and
- a carrier configured to interchangeably support each one of the printer cartridges individually for relative movement over a printing surface,
- wherein the housing of each printer cartridge provides connectivity for at least one of the following when the corresponding printer cartridge is being supported by the carrier:
- a voltage source for an extraction electrode of the cartridge, a pressurized gas source for a gas flow field in the cartridge in which extracted printing fluid travels toward the printing surface, and a backpressure source for application to printing fluid in the nozzles of the cartridge, and
- wherein the printing system is configured to provide separately controllable electrostatic fields between the common electrode and each nozzle of the same cartridge when the respective cartridge is being supported by the carrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.