Printer Mask Cooling via Airflow Blocking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in printing solder on a substrate is that the temperature increase of the mask surface due to heat sources within the printer device causes significant changes in solder viscosity, leading to unfavorable printing results.
Innovation Solution
A printer device with a ventilation port for blowing cooled air into the device and a mask holding mechanism that includes a support member and a blocking member to prevent direct airflow contact with the mask, ensuring the solder is cooled without drying, thus maintaining appropriate viscosity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the mask surface is cooled by blowing air from a ventilation port, then the solder temperature is reduced and viscosity is maintained, but the solder may dry out due to direct airflow contact
Solution Approach 1:
A blocking member is introduced as an intermediary element between the airflow and the solder. This blocking member redirects the airflow path so that air flows around rather than directly onto the solder, enabling cooling of the mask surface while preventing direct airflow contact that would cause drying.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking member creates different airflow conditions in different locations: areas near the blocking member experience redirected flow that prevents drying, while other areas receive cooling airflow. This spatial differentiation of airflow quality allows simultaneous prevention of drying and maintenance of cooling effect.
2Temperature
If heat sources inside the device are removed or reduced, then mask temperature increase is prevented, but the device loses necessary heating functionality for other processes
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate functional zones with independent temperature control. A ventilation port and blocking member system are added as separate components that provide localized cooling to the mask area without affecting other heating functions elsewhere in the device. This segmentation allows different parts of the device to operate at different temperatures as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling airflow is activated periodically or on-demand rather than continuously, allowing the device to switch between cooling mode for solder printing and heating mode for other processes. This temporal separation enables the device to perform different functions at different times without requiring permanent removal of heat sources.
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 solution effectively cools the solder on the mask surface, preventing viscosity changes and ensuring favorable printing by inhibiting drying, thereby stabilizing the printing process.
Implementation Method 1
cooling the solder on the surface of the mask as a result of the inside of the device being cooled by air from the ventilation port
Implementation Method 2
a blocking member for preventing an air flow introduced from the ventilation port from directly coming into contact with the mask
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The inside of a housing of a printer device is cooled by the air from a ventilation port and, consequently, the temperature of solder SP on a mask surface supported by a mask holding frame inside the housing can be kept low. Moreover, provided is a mask cover for blocking the air flow from the ventilation port toward the mask, and the drying of the solder SP caused by the wind from the ventilation port is thereby inhibited as a result of the wind from the ventilation port not coming into contact with the solder SP on the mask surface. In this way, the solder SP is cooled while inhibiting the drying of the solder SP and, consequently, it is possible to appropriately inhibit the change in viscosity of the solder SP, and favorable printing can be realized.