Printing apparatus

Abstract

A printing apparatus is provided that includes one or more first showerheads, a plurality of second showerheads, and an actuator. The first nozzle has a first injection path, and the second nozzle has a second injection path. The actuator is configured to combine one first spray head and one second spray head together in a plurality of different combination modes. The first spray path intersects the second spray path for the first and second showerheads combined together. Therefore, the printing device has high printing efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of printing, and more particularly to a printing device. Background Art

[0002] It is known that a printing method can be used to make two droplets collide and merge in the air. For example, Chinese invention patent application CN110646327A discloses a dual-channel droplet collision observation device. The right nozzle mounting block is installed on the right rotating U-axis, and the angle of the right piezoelectric flat nozzle can be adjusted by adjusting the right rotating U-axis. The left nozzle mounting block is installed on the left rotating U-axis, and the angle of the left piezoelectric flat nozzle can be adjusted by adjusting the left rotating U-axis.

[0003] However, when more than three printing materials need to be fused, the printing efficiency of the above-mentioned observation device is low. For example, for the synthesis of DNA fragments, four bases and activators need to be fused synchronously on the substrate. If the above-mentioned observation device is used to complete this operation, the printing materials need to be frequently replaced, and the replacement process is time-consuming and laborious. Utility Model Content

[0004] The present disclosure is made in view of the above-mentioned state of the prior art. The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a printing device with higher printing efficiency.

[0005] In order to achieve the above objectives, the present disclosure adopts the following technical solutions.

[0006] The present disclosure provides a printing device as follows, comprising: one or more first nozzles, each of which has a first jet path; a plurality of second nozzles, each of which has a second jet path; and an actuator, wherein the actuator is configured to be able to combine one of the first nozzles and one of the second nozzles in a plurality of different combinations, wherein for the combined first nozzle and second nozzle, the first jet path intersects with the second jet path.

[0007] In an optional solution, the plurality of second nozzles are arranged side by side, and the actuator is configured to drive the first nozzle to move in a direction parallel to the arrangement direction of the plurality of second nozzles.

[0008] In another optional solution, the plurality of second nozzles are arranged along a straight line or an arc.

[0009] In another optional solution, for the first nozzle and the second nozzle combined together, the first spray path forms an adjustable first angle with the vertical direction, and the second spray path forms an adjustable second angle with the vertical direction.

[0010] In another optional solution, the first angle and the second angle can be adjusted to be equal to each other, and / or the first angle and the second angle can be adjusted to be unequal to each other.

[0011] In another optional scheme, it also includes a first adjusting element, a second adjusting element and a frame, the first nozzle is connected to the frame via the first adjusting element, the first adjusting element can rotate relative to the frame to change the first angle, the second nozzle is connected to the frame via the second adjusting element, the second adjusting element can rotate relative to the frame to change the second angle.

[0012] In another optional solution, it further includes a first track and a second track, wherein the first track is configured to guide the first adjusting element and the frame to rotate relative to each other, and the second track is configured to guide the second adjusting element and the frame to rotate relative to each other.

[0013] In another optional solution, the first track and / or the second track is configured as a hole.

[0014] In another optional solution, one or more fill lights are further included, and the fill lights are configured to illuminate the printing materials ejected from the first nozzle and the second nozzle to provide a light source for an optical system for observing the printing process and / or printing results.

[0015] In another optional solution, one or more blowing holes are further included, and the blowing holes are configured to deliver gas to the output end of the first nozzle and / or the second nozzle to clean the output end.

[0016] By adopting the above technical solution, by providing multiple second nozzles and actuators for realizing multiple different combinations, the printing device does not need to frequently change the printing materials when performing a fusion operation on multiple printing materials. In this way, the printing device has a higher printing efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a printing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A working principle diagram of a first nozzle and a second nozzle combined in a printing device.

[0019] Figure 3 and Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a partial structure of a printing device in FIG.

[0020] Figure 5and Figure 6 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the second nozzle and the second adjustment element of the printing device.

[0021] Description of Reference Numerals

[0022] 30 printing device;

[0023] 32 first nozzle;

[0024] 34 second nozzle;

[0025] 36 actuator;

[0026] 38 Connecting elements;

[0027] 40 first injection path;

[0028] 42 first printed material;

[0029] 44 second injection path;

[0030] 46 second printed material;

[0031] 48 Fusion Materials;

[0032] 50 first regulatory element;

[0033] 52 second regulatory element;

[0034] 54 racks;

[0035] 56 first track;

[0036] 58 first bolt;

[0037] 60 second track;

[0038] 62 second bolt;

[0039] 64 scale;

[0040] 66 indicator marks;

[0041] 68 fill light;

[0042] 70 Blowing holes;

[0043] α first angle;

[0044] β second angle;

[0045] A arrangement direction;

[0046] S vertical direction;

[0047] H Horizontal direction DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these specific descriptions are only used to teach those skilled in the art how to implement the present disclosure, and are not intended to exhaust all possible ways of the present disclosure, nor to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0049] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a printing device 30 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] The printing device 30 includes a first nozzle 32, a plurality of second nozzles 34, and an actuator 36. The plurality of second nozzles 34 are evenly arranged side by side along a straight line, that is, arranged along a straight line. The actuator 36 includes a linear motor connected to the first nozzle 32, and is used to drive the first nozzle 32 to move in a direction parallel to the arrangement direction A, so that the actuator 36 can combine a first nozzle 32 and a second nozzle 34 in a variety of different combinations.

[0051] Here, "different combinations" means that at least one nozzle in the combination is different. For example, in this embodiment, one combination may be a combination of a first nozzle 32 and a second nozzle 34, and another different combination may be a combination of the same first nozzle 32 and a different second nozzle 34.

[0052] It can be understood that by providing a plurality of second nozzles 34 and actuators 36 for realizing a plurality of different combinations, the printing device does not need to frequently change the printing materials when performing a fusion operation on a plurality of printing materials. In this way, the printing device has a higher printing efficiency.

[0053] In other embodiments, the printing device 30 may be provided with a plurality of first nozzles 32. Accordingly, in this configuration, "different combinations" are not limited to referring to different second nozzles 34 in the combination, but may also refer to different first nozzles 32.

[0054] In other embodiments, the plurality of second spray heads 34 may be arranged along an arc. Accordingly, in this configuration, the actuator 36 may drive the first spray head 32 to move along the arc.

[0055] In other embodiments, the actuator 36 may include a rotary motor and a ball screw. For example, the rotary motor may be connected to the first spray head 32 via a ball screw, and the axial direction of the screw of the ball screw may be parallel to the arrangement direction A.

[0056] In other embodiments, the actuator 36 may be connected to the second nozzle 34 to drive the second nozzle 34 to move, thereby achieving different combinations.

[0057] The printing device 30 further includes a connecting member 38. The first nozzle 32 is detachably mounted on the connecting member 38, and is connected to the actuator 36 via the connecting member 38.

[0058] The printing device 30 further includes a plurality of travel switches. Each travel switch corresponds to a second nozzle 34. When the first nozzle 32 is combined with a second nozzle 34, the connecting element 38 can trigger the travel switch corresponding to the second nozzle 34, so that the connecting element 38 can stop moving, so that the first nozzle 32 and the second nozzle 34 can be accurately combined.

[0059] Figure 2 The first nozzle 32 is combined together (see Figure 1 ) and the second nozzle 34 (see Figure 1 ) working principle diagram.

[0060] The first nozzle 32 includes a first spray path 40, and a first printing material 42 sprayed from the first nozzle 32 can move along the first spray path 40. The second nozzle 34 includes a second spray path 44, and a second printing material 46 sprayed from the second nozzle 34 can move along the second spray path 44.

[0061] For the first and second nozzles 32 and 34 combined together, the first jet path 40 intersects with the second jet path 44. Thus, the first printing material 42 and the second printing material 46 can collide at the intersection of the first and second jet paths 40 and 44 and merge into a fused material 48.

[0062] It can be understood that in some usage scenarios, compared with the asynchronous printing method (non-collision fusion printing method), by placing the first printing material 42 and the second printing material 46 on the substrate at the same time by collision, the printing time of the printing device 30 can be shortened to (N-1)t / N (where N is the number of nozzles and t is the printing time of the asynchronous printing method), so that the printing device 30 can have a higher printing efficiency.

[0063] The first jet path 40 forms an adjustable first angle α with the vertical direction S, and the second jet path 44 forms an adjustable second angle β with the vertical direction S. The first angle α and the second angle β can be set to an angle that matches the mass and initial velocity (the velocity when ejected from the nozzle) of the printing material. For example, for the first printing material 42 and the second printing material 46 with the same mass and initial velocity, the first angle α and the second angle β can be adjusted to be equal to each other, so that the fused material 48 falls freely along the vertical direction S. Specifically, according to the conservation of momentum, the simultaneous equations have

[0064]

[0065] Available,

[0066]

[0067] Further, we can get

[0068]

[0069] Wherein, m is the mass of the first printing material 42 and the second printing material 44, V0 is the initial velocity of the first printing material 42 and the second printing material 44, V v is the velocity of the fusion material 48 in the vertical direction S, V h is the speed of the fused material 48 in the horizontal direction H, and V is the falling speed of the fused material 48.

[0070] Further, when the mass and initial velocity of the first printing material 42 and the second printing material 46 are the same, the initial velocity V0 may be preferably greater than or equal to 1 m / s, and the first angle α and the second angle β may be preferably greater than or equal to 29°. For example, the initial velocity V0, the first angle α, and the second angle β may be configured as shown in Table 1. Of course, in other cases, depending on the different printing materials used, the first printing material 42 and the second printing material 46 may have different masses and initial velocities, and the first angle α and the second angle β may be adjusted to be unequal.

[0071] Table 1

[0072] V(m / s) 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 α、β(°) 48 60 66 70 73

[0073] It can be understood that by making the first angle α and the second angle β adjustable, the first angle α and the second angle β can match the characteristics of the first printing material 42 and the second printing material 46, so that the printing device 30 can have a higher synthesis efficiency.

[0074] Printing device 30 (see Figure 1 ) can be used for the synthesis of DNA fragments. In this usage scenario, the first printing material 42 is an activator droplet, and the second printing material 46 is a base droplet. Different second nozzles 34 are used to spray different base droplets. For example, at least four of the multiple second nozzles 34 are used to spray adenine nucleotide (dAMP) droplets, thymine nucleotide (dTMP) droplets, cytosine nucleotide (dCMP) droplets, and guanine nucleotide (dGMP) droplets. The printing device 30 can reserve multiple second nozzles 34 or installation positions for the second nozzles 34, so as to facilitate the expansion of the possibility and combinability of other base types. Of course, the use of the printing device 30 is not limited to this.

[0075] Figure 3is another schematic diagram of a partial structure of the printing device 30.

[0076] The printing device 30 further includes a first adjustment element 50, a second adjustment element 52, and a frame 54. The first adjustment element 50 accommodates the actuator 36 (see Figure 1 ) and a travel switch, the first nozzle 32 is connected to the frame 54 via the connecting element 38, the actuator 36 and the first adjusting element 50 in sequence. The second nozzle 34 is detachably mounted on the second adjusting element 52 and is connected to the frame 54 via the second adjusting element 52.

[0077] When the actuator 36 drives the first nozzle 32 to move, the first nozzle 32 moves relative to the frame 54, and the second nozzle 34 is stationary relative to the frame 54. In this way, when the first nozzle 32 and the second nozzle 34 are combined together, the printing device 30 has a positioning error only on the side where the first nozzle 32 is located, so that the printing device 30 can have a high repeat positioning accuracy, so that the positioning error has a small influence on the collision angle between the first printing material 42 and the second printing material 46.

[0078] Figure 4 is another schematic diagram of a partial structure of the printing device 30.

[0079] The printing device 30 further includes a plurality of first rails 56 and a plurality of first bolts 58. The first rails 56 are arc-shaped through holes provided on the frame 54, and the first bolts 58 are received by the first rails 56. The first adjustment element 50 is screwed with the first bolts 58, thereby being connected to the frame 54. When the first bolts 58 are not tightened, the first bolts 58 can move along the first rails 56, so that the first adjustment element 50 rotates relative to the frame 54 under the guidance of the first rails 56, thereby changing the first angle α (see Figure 2 ). When the first bolt 58 is tightened, the first adjustment element 50 is fixedly connected to the frame 54, thereby locking the first angle α.

[0080] Here, in one example, two first rails 56 may be provided, and the two first rails 56 may be two arc-shaped holes arranged opposite to each other on a circle.

[0081] The printing device 30 further includes a plurality of second rails 60 and a plurality of second bolts 62. The second rails 60 are arc-shaped through holes provided on the frame 54, and the second bolts 62 are received by the second rails 60. The second adjustment element 52 is screwed with the second bolts 62, thereby being connected to the frame 54. When the second bolts 62 are not tightened, the second bolts 62 can move along the second rails 60, so that the second adjustment element 52 rotates relative to the frame 54 under the guidance of the second rails 60, thereby changing the second angle β (see Figure 2). When the second bolt 62 is tightened, the second adjustment element 52 is fixedly connected to the frame 54, thereby locking the second angle β.

[0082] In one example, two second rails 60 may be provided, and the two second rails 60 may be two arc-shaped holes arranged opposite to each other on a circle.

[0083] In other embodiments, the first track 56 may be disposed on the first adjustment element 50 , and the second track 60 may be disposed on the second adjustment element 52 .

[0084] In other embodiments, the first track 56 and the second track 60 may be grooves.

[0085] In other embodiments, the first adjustment element 50 and the second adjustment element 52 may be connected to the frame 54 via bearings, for example, may be connected to the frame 54 via a rotary table including bearings.

[0086] In other embodiments, the printing device 30 may further include a driver for driving the first adjusting element 50 and the second adjusting element 52 to rotate. For example, the driver may be a motor.

[0087] The printing device 30 further includes a plurality of scales 64 and a plurality of indicator marks 66. The scales 64 are disposed on the frame 54, and the indicator marks 66 are disposed on the first bolt 58 and the second bolt 62. The scales 64 and the indicator marks 66 may be drawn marks, or may be physical structures such as protrusions or grooves. By aligning the indicator marks 66 on the first bolt 58 with the scales 64, the first angle α can be accurately adjusted to a predetermined angle. By aligning the indicator marks 66 on the second bolt 62 with the scales 64, the second angle β can be accurately adjusted to a predetermined angle. For example, the scales 64 may show one or more angles in Table 1.

[0088] In one example, the bolts may cooperate with nuts to connect the first adjustment member 50 and the second adjustment member 52 to the frame 54. In another example, the bolts may be fixedly mounted relative to the first adjustment member 50 and the second adjustment member 52 (ie, non-rotatably).

[0089] In yet another example, identification features such as scales showing the angle of the first adjustment element 50 relative to the frame 54 may be set at other locations, and the same is true for the second adjustment element 52 .

[0090] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the second nozzle 34 and the second adjustment element 52 .

[0091] The printing device 30 further includes a plurality of fill-in lights 68. The fill-in lights 68 are used to illuminate the first printing material 42 (see Figure 2), the second printing material 46 (see Figure 2 ) and fusion material 48 (see Figure 2 ), so that a camera or other optical system can observe the printing process and / or the printing result. In other words, the fill light 68 can provide a light source for the optical system used to observe the printing process and / or the printing result. Here, the optical system can be used as a part of the printing device 30. The fill light 68 is provided on the second adjustment element 52, and a plurality of fill lights 68 are arranged side by side along the arrangement direction A.

[0092] In other embodiments, the printing device 30 may be provided with only one fill light 68 .

[0093] In other embodiments, the fill light 68 may be disposed on the connecting element 38 (see Figure 1 , Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 ) or rack 54 (see Figure 1 , Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 ).

[0094] Figure 6 is another schematic diagram of the second nozzle 34 and the second adjustment element 52 .

[0095] The printing device 30 further includes a plurality of blowing holes 70. The blowing holes 70 are used to deliver gas to the output end of the second nozzle 34, thereby removing the second printing material 46 attached to the output end (see Figure 2 ) to clean the output end of the second nozzle 34. The blowing hole 70 is provided on the second adjusting element 52 and faces the output end of the second nozzle 34. A plurality of blowing holes 70 and a plurality of fill lights 68 are arranged alternately and side by side, and each blowing hole 70 corresponds to a second nozzle 34.

[0096] In other embodiments, the printing device may further include a device for cleaning the first nozzle 32 (see Figure 1 , Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 ) of the output end. For example, the blowing hole can be provided at the connecting element 38 (see Figure 1 , Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 ), and toward the output end of the first nozzle 32.

[0097] It should be understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art may make various modifications and changes to the above embodiments under the guidance of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A printing device, characterized in that: include: one or more first spray heads, the first spray heads having a first spray path; a plurality of second nozzles, each of the second nozzles having a second spray path; as well as An actuator is configured to combine the first nozzle and the second nozzle in a plurality of different combinations, wherein For the first nozzle and the second nozzle combined together, the first spray path intersects with the second spray path.

2. The printing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of second spray heads are arranged side by side, and the actuator is configured to be able to drive the first spray head to move in a direction parallel to an arrangement direction of the plurality of second spray heads.

3. The printing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The plurality of second nozzles are arranged along a straight line or an arc.

4. The printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: For the first nozzle and the second nozzle combined together, the first spray path forms an adjustable first angle with the vertical direction, and the second spray path forms an adjustable second angle with the vertical direction.

5. The printing device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first angle and the second angle can be adjusted to be equal to each other, and / or The first angle and the second angle can be adjusted to be unequal to each other.

6. The printing device according to claim 4, characterized in that: It also includes a first adjusting element, a second adjusting element and a frame, The first nozzle is connected to the frame via the first adjusting element, and the first adjusting element can rotate relative to the frame to change the first angle. The second nozzle is connected to the frame via the second adjusting element, and the second adjusting element can rotate relative to the frame to change the second angle.

7. The printing device according to claim 6, characterized in that: Also includes a first track and a second track, The first track is configured to guide the first adjustment element and the frame to rotate relative to each other. The second track is configured to guide the second adjustment element and the frame to rotate relative to each other.

8. The printing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first track and / or the second track are configured as holes.

9. The printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: It also includes one or more fill-in lights, which are configured to illuminate the printing material ejected from the first nozzle and the second nozzle to provide a light source for an optical system used to observe the printing process and / or the printing result.

10. The printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The device further comprises one or more blowing holes, wherein the blowing holes are configured to deliver gas to the output ends of the first nozzle and / or the second nozzle to clean the output ends.

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