High accuracy inkjet printing
AssigneeSouthwest Research Institute
InventorsWilliam C. Flannigan, Glynn R. Bartlett, Cody E. Bressler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Large area inkjet printing includes the precise deposition of a number of graphic swathes on complex surface to form a continuous graphic image. Each of the graphic swathes should be aligned such that no spaces, gaps, or discontinuities exist within the final graphic image. A large area inkjet printing system provides the requisite accuracy for each graphic swathe forming the final graphic image through the use of an encoder pattern. An encoder pattern is deposited on the surface in a known location with respect to the most recently deposited graphic swathe. The high-accuracy inkjet printing system locates the print head with respect to the encoder pattern thereby permitting the precise positioning of the current graphic swathe.
Claims38
A liquid application system comprising:
- at least one print head that includes:
- a first liquid ejector to deposit a pigmented liquid on a surface;
- a second liquid ejector to deposit a liquid on the surface;
- and
- at least one image acquisition device;
- a plurality of actuateable elements operably coupled to the at least one print head;
- and
- a print head controller communicably coupled to the first liquid ejector, the second liquid ejector, the plurality of actuateable elements, and the at least one image acquisition device,
- the print head controller to:
- align the first liquid ejector with an encoder pattern on a first portion of the surface, the alignment based at least in part on image data received from the at least one image acquisition device;
- cause the first liquid ejector to selectively deposit the pigmented liquid as a graphic swathe across at least a portion of the encoder pattern on the first portion of the surface;
- and
- cause the second liquid ejector to selectively deposit the liquid as the encoder pattern on a second portion of the surface.
A pigmented liquid application method, comprising:
- receiving, by a print head control circuit, data representative of an encoder pattern present on a first portion of a surface;
- based at least in part on the data representative of the encoder pattern, aligning a first liquid ejector with the encoder pattern;
- causing, by the print head control circuit, the first liquid ejector to selectively deposit a graphic swath at a defined location with respect to at least a portion of the encoder pattern;
- causing, by the print head control circuit, the second liquid ejector to selectively deposit the encoder pattern on a second portion of the surface;
- and
- causing, by the print head control circuit, the print head to index at the completion of each graphic swath such that the first liquid ejector applies each subsequent graphic swath at a defined location with respect to the immediately preceding encoder pattern deposited on the second portion of the surface.
A print head controller apparatus, comprising:
- at least one input communicably coupleable to at least one optical scanner in a print head;
- at least one output communicably coupleable to at least a first liquid ejector in the print head and a second liquid ejector in the print head;
- and
- at least one controller circuit communicably coupled to the at least one input interface and the at least one output interface, the controller circuit to:
- receive, at the at least one input, at least one encoder pattern signal provided by the at least one optical scanner, the at least one encoder pattern signal including data indicative of an encoder pattern applied to a first portion of a surface;
- responsive to the receipt of the at least one encoder pattern signal, align the print head with the at least one encoder pattern;
- and
- responsive to alignment of the print head with the at least one encoder pattern:
- cause the first liquid ejector to selectively deposit a graphic swath at a defined location with respect to the encoder pattern;
- and
- cause the second liquid ejector to selectively deposit an encoder pattern on a second portion of the surface, the second portion of the surface at a defined location with respect to the first portion of the surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.