Dispensing Apparatus Thermal Expansion Nozzle Gap Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dispensing apparatuses face challenges in accurately applying organic light emitting material to OLED displays with closely spaced pixels, particularly due to the development of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) which complicates precise fluid application.
Innovation Solution
A dispensing apparatus equipped with a dispensing unit, gap sensor, and thermal expansion adjusting unit that adjusts nozzle gaps to match pixel gaps on the substrate by using a heater, cooler, and temperature controller to ensure accurate alignment and application of fluid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If gaps between pixels in OLED display are decreased to increase pixel density, then productivity and display resolution are improved, but manufacturing precision and alignment accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies thermal expansion parameter changes to the dispensing unit. By heating or cooling the main body of the dispensing unit, the physical dimensions of the nozzles are dynamically adjusted to match the gap sizes between pixels on the substrate. This allows the system to adapt to varying pixel densities and maintain precise alignment even when pixel gaps are decreased for higher productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispensing unit incorporates dynamic adjustability through thermal expansion mechanisms. The nozzle gaps are not fixed but can be dynamically changed by controlling the temperature of the main body. This dynamic capability enables the system to compensate for manufacturing variations and maintain alignment accuracy across different pixel configurations.
2Device complexity
If fixed nozzle gap structure is used in dispensing apparatus, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different pixel gap sizes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of designing multiple nozzle structures with different fixed gaps, the patent uses a single nozzle structure whose gap parameter can be changed through thermal expansion. By controlling the temperature of the main body, the same dispensing unit can adapt to different pixel gap sizes, maintaining versatility without increasing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispensing unit is designed to perform multiple functions by accommodating various pixel gap sizes with a single structure. The thermal expansion capability allows one nozzle assembly to serve multiple purposes across different OLED display configurations, eliminating the need for multiple specialized nozzle designs.
3Ease of operation
If manual alignment method is used between nozzles and pixels, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical alignment operations with an automated thermal expansion control system. Instead of operators manually adjusting nozzle positions, the system uses temperature control to automatically adjust the nozzle gaps to match pixel gaps. This substitution maintains ease of operation while dramatically improving alignment precision through automated feedback control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback control where the actual nozzle gap sizes are measured and compared against target values, and temperature adjustments are made accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures high alignment accuracy while maintaining simple operation through automated control.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise and flexible application of light emitting material to OLED pixel structures, accommodating variations in pixel gaps and allowing for accurate dispensing even with manufacturing errors, thus improving the efficiency and adaptability of the dispensing process.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal expansion adjusting unit configured to thermally expand or contract the main body of the dispensing unit to adjust the gap size between adjacent nozzles
Implementation Method 2
The thermal expansion adjusting unit may include a heater that increases the temperature of the main body
Implementation Method 3
The thermal expansion adjusting unit may further include a cooler that decreases the temperature of the main body
Data Source
AI summary
A dispensing apparatus includes a dispensing unit having a main body, a channel through the main body, and a plurality of nozzles connected to the main body, the plurality of nozzles being configured to dispense fluid flowing in the channel, a gap sensor unit configured to determine size of gaps between adjacent nozzles in the dispensing unit, and a thermal expansion adjusting unit configured to thermally expand or contract the main body of the dispensing unit to adjust the gap size between adjacent nozzles to a predetermined size, based on the gap size determined by the gap sensor unit.