Internal Pneumatic Shutter for Aerosol Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerosol-based printing technologies face challenges in achieving precise and efficient shuttering of aerosol streams for direct printing of discreet structures, often resulting in defocusing, particle scattering, and material buildup due to external mechanical or pneumatic shuttering methods.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an internal pneumatic shuttering system within the print head, using solenoid valves to divert the aerosol stream and combine it with the sheath gas flow, maintains constant pressure and prevents external impact, allowing for rapid and precise shuttering of aerosol streams without external components, enabling precise deposition of sub-micron features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If external mechanical or pneumatic shuttering methods are used, then shuttering function is achieved, but defocusing and particle scattering occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces external mechanical shuttering systems with an internal pneumatic shuttering mechanism. The shuttering is achieved by modulating the carrier gas flow within the aerosol generation chamber using a solenoid valve, eliminating the need for external mechanical components that cause defocusing and particle scattering.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary pneumatic control mechanism (solenoid valve) that modulates the carrier gas flow to achieve shuttering. This intermediary approach allows precise control of aerosol stream emission without direct mechanical contact, preventing disturbance to the aerosol particles and maintaining focus.
2Ease of operation
If external pneumatic shuttering is used, then shuttering is achieved, but material buildup occurs on external components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the shuttering function from external components and relocates it to the internal aerosol generation chamber. By implementing the pneumatic shuttering mechanism within the chamber, the system eliminates material buildup on external components since the aerosol stream is shuttered before it can contact external surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The aerosol generation chamber performs the shuttering function for itself through internal pneumatic control. The carrier gas flow modulation occurs within the chamber, allowing the system to self-regulate aerosol emission without requiring external shuttering components that would be subject to material deposition.
3Productivity
If fast shuttering is implemented, then printing speed improves, but pressure stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains continuous carrier gas flow through the aerosol generation chamber while using rapid solenoid valve modulation to control aerosol emission. This continuous flow approach ensures pressure stability is maintained even during fast shuttering operations, as the gas supply never fully interrupts.
Solution Approach 2:
The solenoid valve operates in periodic on/off cycles to achieve fast shuttering while maintaining overall pressure stability. The rapid periodic modulation of the valve allows precise control of aerosol emission timing without causing significant pressure fluctuations in the continuous gas flow system.
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
This approach enables fast shuttering times of up to 10 milliseconds, reduced working distance, improved print quality, and extended operational times with minimal material waste, allowing for precise deposition of aerosol droplets as small as 10 microns and maintaining high-definition edge definition.
Implementation Method 1
using solenoid valves to divert the aerosol stream and combine it with the sheath gas flow
Implementation Method 2
Aerodynamic Focusing Using an Aerodynamic Lens
Implementation Method 3
maintains constant pressure and prevents external impact
Data Source
AI summary
The object of the invention is the provision of apparatuses and methods for stable direct printing of continuous films or discreet structures on a substrate using an internal pneumatic shutter. The invention uses an aerodynamic focusing technique, with a print head comprising an aerosolization source, a flow cell, an aerodynamic lens system, and a pneumatic shutter assembly. The method uses an interchangeable and variable aerodynamic lens system mounted in the flow cell, and an annularly flowing sheath gas to produce a highly collimated micrometer-size stream of aerosolized droplets. The lens system is comprised of a single-orifice or multi-orifice lens coupled to a converging fluid dispense nozzle. A liquid atomizer with temperature control is used to produce an aerosol size distribution that overlaps the functional range of the aerodynamic lens system. The shutter assembly can be attached directly to the print head, or mounted external to the print head in a control module. The preferred embodiment of the invention contains no moving parts internal to the print head, and provides non-contact shuttering of an aerosol stream. Internal shuttering of the aerosol stream is accomplished using co-propagating compressed gas and vacuum flows, a single vacuum exhaust flow, or by redirecting an aerosol carrier gas from the input port of an aerosol chamber to a continuously propagating sheath gas flow. The apparatus uses no external parts to collect or redirect the aerosol stream outside the print head. The internal shutter design allows for a reduced printer working distance, so that a substrate may be placed at the focal point of small aerosol droplets focused near the print head exit nozzle. The method produces well-defined traces on a substrate with line widths in a range from approximately 10 to 1000 microns, with sub-micron edge definition and shuttering times as small as 10 milliseconds.