Printing system assemblies and methods

摘要

The present teachings disclose various embodiments of a printing system for printing a substrate, in which the printing system can be housed in a gas enclosure, where the environment within the enclosure can be maintained as a controlled printing environment. A controlled environment of the present teachings can include control of the type of gas environment within the gas enclosure, the size and level particulate matter within the enclosure, control of the temperature within the enclosure and control of lighting. Various embodiments of a printing system of the present teachings can include a Y-axis motion system and a Z-axis moving plate that are configured to substantially decrease excess thermal load within the enclosure by, for example, eliminating or substantially minimizing the use of conventional electric motors. Additionally, various embodiments of a Y-axis motion system of the present teachings can include a gripper motion control assembly of a Y-axis motion system configured to provide dynamic orientation of the rotation of a substrate about the theta-Z (θ-Z) axis during Y-axis travel to maintain a high degree of precision for substrate orientation parallel to the axis of travel.

主权项

1. A printing system comprising:
a gas enclosure defining an interior, said printing system housed within the interior of the gas enclosure, the printing system comprising:
a printhead assembly comprising at least one printhead;a substrate support apparatus for supporting a substrate; anda motion system for positioning the substrate relative to the printhead assembly, the motion system comprising:
a Y-axis linear air bearing motion system configured with a substrate gripper assembly for gripping the substrate,a gripper motion control system configured to rotate the gripper assembly about the theta-Z axis so as to maintain the substrate orientation parallel to the Y-axis of travel; andan X-axis linear air bearing motion system.