Lamination processes

#This disclosure is generally directed to lamination processes, and where there is prepared laminated layers with aligned channels or openings therein and inkjet print heads thereof.

#There are known a number of processes for aligning and bonding polymers to mating plates where, for example, two cut sheets with specific patterns encompass the mating plate. The cut sheets can then be independently and mechanically aligned within an assembly to perform specific functions. However, disadvantages with these processes are that proper alignments are dependent on factors, such as the materials, like polymers selected, humidity conditions, design features, and rigidity of the parts, which renders part-to-part alignment increasingly difficult and not achievable in some instances. Also, costly automated optical alignment equipment and humidity/temperature control devices are often not sufficient to obtain an acceptable alignment of, for example, substantially all the channels present in ink jet heads. Misaligned areas, such as ink channels, cause ink droplets to eject at different angles resulting in images on a printed surface to be of a poor or unacceptable quality. Additionally, because of the misalignment of the areas and openings between a mating member and the layers coated thereon, there is a decrease in the amount of material being ejected, and eventually the apparatus in which these mating members are utilized can be rendered inoperative, and where the areas, channels, or apertures become plugged. Further, with these processes there can result internal ink leaking and color mixing, and there can be formed obstructed fluidic paths to and from the print head.

#In some known thermal and piezo driven inkjet print heads, the aperture layer or layers may be a polymer layer in which apertures are formed using laser ablation. The advantages of using a polymer layer include low cost and the ability to taper or otherwise shape the apertures. Using a polymer layer can present challenges to print head design in that the outlet plate is generally prepared from a metal layer, such as stainless steel, and where the metal layer is etched with openings that fluidly couple the apertures in the polymer aperture plate to a pressure chamber in a body layer once the print head assembly is completed. Since the apertures in the polymer aperture plate are smaller than the openings in the outlet plate, solid portions of the polymer aperture plate extend over the openings in the outlet plate. Thus, the attendant lack of support for these portions as the metallic outlet plate is pressed against the polymer aperture plate produces uneven pressure on the polymer aperture plate and causes the polymer aperture plate to warp and form dimples resulting in the warped apertures ejecting droplets at different angles, and different shapes thereby reducing print quality.

#The following Figures are provided to further illustrate the laminates disclosed herein.

#FIGS. 1A through 1E illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

#FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram embodiment of the present disclosure.

#For a general understanding of the environment for the processes and laminates disclosed herein, a printer encompasses any apparatus that performs a print outputting function for any suitable purpose, such as aqueous ink jet systems, solid ink jet systems that contain known gel inks and known wax-based inks, and where inks can also refer to any fluid that can be driven from ink jets including water-based solutions, solvents and solvent based solutions, and UV curable polymers. The word polymer means, for example, any one of a broad range of carbon-based compounds formed from long-chain molecules including thermoset polyimides, thermoplastics, resins, polycarbonates, and related compounds known to the art. The word metal means, for example, either single metallic elements including, but not limited to, copper, aluminum, or titanium, or metallic alloys including, but not limited to, stainless steel or aluminum-manganese alloys. Plurality and at least one first polymer and at least one second polymer means, for example, from about 1 to about 15, from about 1 to about 10, from about 2 to about 7, from 1 to about 5, from 1 to about 3, from 2 to about 5, or from 1 to 2 layers. Rigid refers, for example, to a plate, supporting substrate, or layer exhibiting sufficient stiffness that bowing or other dimensional displacement that adversely impacts the jetting of ink droplets from the openings in the polymer layers does not occur. Rigid refers, for example, to both rigid and semi-rigid layers.

#Generally, with respect to the present disclosure and the FIGS. 1A through 1E and 2, there is tacked or bonded a blank sheet of a polymer film or a plurality of sheets of polymer film, to one side of a mating plate or mating layer having channels etched therein, followed by aligning a laser with the channels of the mating plate, and ablating the features, such as by forming channels in the polymer film. Following the first laser ablation process, a second blank sheet of polymer film or a plurality of sheets of polymer film is tacked or bonded on the side of the mating plate that is opposite the first polymer. The laser is again aligned with the channels of the mating plate and the features on the second polymer layer are then ablated.

#In FIGS. 1A to 1E, the disclosed processes and laminated structures thereof are, more specifically, illustrated, and where the same numerals represent the same layers of the laminates shown.