# US 9,039,146 B2 · Material deposition system and method for depositing materials on a substrate > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,039,146 B2 - Document ID: US9039146B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/663,942 - Filed: 2012-10-30 - Published: 2013-07-11 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2010-08-25 - Assignees: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Applicants: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Inventors: Kenneth C. Crouch; Kui-Chiu Kwok; Robert W. Tracy; Rita Mohanty; Thomas J. Karlinski; Scott A. Reid - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039146B2 ## CPC - H05K 3/0091: {Apparatus for coating printed circuits using liquid non-metallic coating compositions} - B41J 2/045: by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers - B41J 2/14: Structure thereof {only for on-demand ink jet heads} - B41J 2202/02: Air-assisted ejection - H05K 2203/11: Treatments characterised by their effect, e.g. heating, cooling, roughening - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract A material deposition system includes a frame, a support coupled to the frame to support an electronic substrate during a deposit operation, a gantry coupled to the frame, and a deposition head coupled to the gantry. The deposition head is movable over the support by movement of the gantry. The deposition head includes a chamber to hold material, an actuator to push a volume of material out of the chamber, a needle extending from the chamber and terminating in a needle orifice, and at least two air jets located on opposite sides of the needle orifice. A desired volume of material is formed at the needle orifice in response to the actuator, and each of the at least two air jets produce a timed pulse of air to create a micro-droplet from the desired volume and to accelerate the micro-droplet to high velocity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A material deposition system for depositing material on an electronic substrate, the material deposition system comprising: a frame; a support coupled to the frame, the support being configured to support an electronic substrate during a deposit operation; a gantry coupled to the frame; and a deposition head coupled to the gantry, the deposition head being movable over the support by movement of the gantry, the deposition head including a chamber configured to hold material, an actuator configured to push a volume of material out of the chamfer, a needle extending from the chamber and terminating in a needle orifice, and at least two air jets located on opposite sides of the needle orifice, wherein a desired volume of material is formed at the needle orifice in response to the actuator, wherein each of the at least two air jets produce a timed pulse of air to create a micro-droplet from the desired volume and to accelerate the micro-droplet to high velocity, and wherein the timed pulse is directed perpendicular to a direction of the micro-droplet. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The material deposition system of claim 1, further comprising a control system for synchronizing the timed pulse of air from the at least two air jets with the formation of the desired volume of material at the needle orifice by the actuator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The material deposition system of claim 2, wherein the control system activates the at least two air jets prior to the formation of the desired volume of material at the needle orifice. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The material deposition system of claim 3, wherein the control system deactivates the at least two air jets after the creation of the micro-droplet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The material deposition system of claim 1, wherein the material includes low viscosity and high viscosity materials. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The material deposition system of claim 5, wherein the micro-droplet is equal to or smaller than the needle orifice. ### Claim 7 A material deposition system for depositing material on an electronic substrate, the material deposition system comprising: a frame; a support coupled to the frame, the support being configured to support an electronic substrate during a deposit operation; a gantry coupled to the frame; and a deposition head coupled to the gantry, the deposition head being movable over the support by movement of the gantry, the deposition head including a chamber configured to hold material, an actuator configured to push a volume of material out of the chamber, a needle extending from the chamber and terminating in a needle orifice, wherein a desired volume of material is formed at the needle orifice in response to the actuator, and means, located on opposite sides of the needle orifice, for producing a timed pulse of air to create a micro-droplet from the desired volume and to accelerate the micro-droplet to high velocity, wherein the timed pulse is directed perpendicular to a direction of the micro-droplet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The material deposition system of claim 7, further comprising a control system for synchronizing the timed pulse of air with the formation of the desired volume of material at the needle orifice by the actuator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The material deposition system of claim 8, wherein the control system activates at least two air jets prior to the formation of the desired volume of material at the needle orifice. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The material deposition system of claim 9, wherein the control system deactivates the at least two air jets after the creation of the micro-droplet. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The material deposition system of claim 7, wherein the material includes low viscosity and high viscosity materials. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The material deposition system of claim 11, wherein the micro-droplet is equal to or smaller than the needle orifice.