Apparatus and method of transferring, focusing and purging of powder for direct printing at low temperature

摘要

Disclosed herein are apparatus and method for transferring, focusing and purging powder for direct printing at low temperature. A filter is provided between an operation chamber housing in which a work target is disposed and a reservoir tank which contains powder to adjust the amount of particles transferred from the reservoir tank into the operation chamber housing. A pressure unit connected to the reservoir tank generates air pressure for applying powder to the work target. A purging unit connected to the reservoir tank generates pressure for returning powder that has remained in the operation chamber housing, the filter, etc. to the reservoir tank after work has been completed. The apparatus is configured such that a series of process of transferring powder to be applied to the surface of the work target and returning remnant powder to the reservoir tank can be rapidly and smoothly conducted.

主权项

1. An apparatus for transferring, focusing and purging powder for direct printing at low temperature, comprising:
an operation chamber housing receiving a work target therein, the operation chamber housing having therein an internal space maintained at a negative pressure; an injection nozzle installed in the operation chamber housing, the injection nozzle applying powder to the work target; a reservoir tank connected to the operation chamber housing by a pipe, the reservoir tank defining an internal space for containing the powder therein, an upper portion of the internal space of the reservoir tank being at a higher pressure than a lower portion of the internal space; a filter provided on the pipe between the operation chamber housing and the reservoir tank, the filter adjusting the amount of particles of the powder transferred from the reservoir tank into the operation chamber housing; a pressure unit closeably connected to the reservoir tank by a pipe, the pressure unit: using a pressure difference between an operation chamber housing side that is a low pressure side based on to the upper and lower portions of the reservoir tank and a bottom side of the reservoir tank that is a high pressure side; generating a compression wave or a shock wave resulting from collapse of the pressure difference when the pressure unit is opened; and transmitting the compression wave or the shock wave to the powder, thus accelerating and aerosolizing the powder; and a purging unit connected to the reservoir tank by a pipe, the purging unit returning transfer gas that has been mixed with the aerosolized powder that remains in the operation chamber housing, the filter and the pipes to an outside of the reservoir tank after an operation of printing a pattern on the work target has been completed by closing the pressure unit, closing the pressure unit and operating the purging unit being conducted at the same time, and interrupting the purging unit and opening the pressure unit being conducted at the same time.