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US 8,075,080 B2Granted
Camera-based automatic nozzle and substrate alignment system
AssigneeUlvac, Inc.
InventorsDavid Albertalli, Robert G. Boehm, Jr., Ralph D. Fox, Perry West
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to the present disclosure, a printer apparatus may include a chuck configured to support a substrate thereon, a rail spaced apart from the chuck, a printhead carriage frame coupled to the rail and containing a printhead carriage housing at least one printhead therein, a first camera assembly configured to capture image data of the printhead and provide the image data to a computer, and a computer receiving the image data from the first camera assembly and configured to determine a deviation between a desired position of the printhead and an actual position of the printhead.
Claims13
A printing apparatus comprising:
- a chuck configured to support a substrate thereon;
- a rail spaced apart from the chuck;
- a printhead carriage frame coupled to the rail and containing a printhead carriage housing at least one printhead therein;
- a first camera assembly coupled to the chuck and configured to capture image data of the printhead and provide the image data to a computer;
- a second camera assembly moveably coupled to the rail, wherein the second camera assembly is configured to capture an image of the substrate;
- a fiducial mark coupled to the chuck that is viewable by both the first and second camera assemblies;
- and
- a computer receiving the image data from the first camera assembly and configured to determine a deviation between a desired position of the printhead and an actual position of the printhead,
- wherein the computer is configured to control at least one of firing of the printhead and relative movement between the chuck and the printhead carriage frame based upon the deviation, and
- wherein a camera of the first camera assembly is configured to be movable in a direction generally perpendicular to an upper surface of the chuck,
- wherein the computer is configured to:
- determine relative positioning between the first camera assembly and the second camera assembly based on (i) imaging by the first camera assembly of the fiducial mark and (ii) imaging by the second camera assembly of the fiducial mark;
- determine relative positioning between the printhead and the first camera assembly based on the image data of the printhead;
- determine relative positioning between the substrate and the second camera assembly based on the image of the substrate;
- and
- determine relative positioning between the printhead and the substrate based on (i) the determined relative positioning between the printhead and the first camera assembly, (ii) the determined relative positioning between the substrate and the second camera assembly, and (iii) the determined relative positioning between the first camera assembly and the second camera assembly.
13 more elements
A printing apparatus comprising:
- a chuck configured to support a substrate thereon;
- a rail spaced apart from the chuck;
- a printhead carriage frame coupled to the rail and containing a printhead therein;
- a first camera assembly configured to capture image data of the printhead, wherein a camera of the first camera assembly is configured to be moveable in a direction generally perpendicular to an upper surface of the chuck;
- a second camera assembly configured to capture image data of the substrate;
- and
- a computer in communication with the first and second camera assemblies,
- wherein one of the first and second camera assemblies includes a fiducial mark viewable by both the first and second camera assemblies, and
- wherein the computer is configured to:
- determine relative positioning between the first camera assembly and the second camera assembly based on (i) imaging by the first camera assembly of the fiducial mark and (ii) imaging by the second camera assembly of the fiducial mark;
- determine relative positioning between the printhead and the first camera assembly based on the image data of the printhead;
- determine relative positioning between the substrate and the second camera assembly based on the image data of the substrate;
- and
- determine relative positioning between the printhead and the substrate based on (i) the determined relative positioning between the printhead and the first camera assembly, (ii) the determined relative positioning between the substrate and the second camera assembly, and (iii) the determined relative positioning between the first camera assembly and the second camera assembly.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.