Squeegee Pressure Feedback for Board Positioning in Printing Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inappropriate upward movement of a board relative to a mask can result in gaps or the mask being bowed upward, leading to difficulties in printing paste onto the board effectively due to erroneous settings or changes in board thickness.
Innovation Solution
A printer system that adjusts the board's position relative to the mask based on the pressure received by a squeegee, using a correlation between the board's position and the pressure acting on it to ensure appropriate alignment and contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the board upward movement range is set by operator setting or fixed mechanism, then the board can be positioned relative to the mask, but gaps may form between the board and mask or the mask may be lifted and bowed upward due to erroneous setting or changes in board thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by using a pressure sensor to detect the actual contact pressure between the squeegee and the mask, then using this detected pressure value to automatically adjust the board upward movement range. The controller compares the detected pressure with a target pressure and adjusts the movement range to achieve the target pressure, forming a closed-loop feedback control system that eliminates the need for manual setting and compensates for board thickness variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-adjustment by automatically modifying the board upward movement range based on the detected pressure from the squeegee-mask contact. The controller autonomously calculates the required adjustment and executes it without operator intervention, enabling the system to adapt to different board thicknesses and maintain optimal printing conditions automatically.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the board upward movement range is increased to accommodate thickness variations, then boards of different thicknesses can be processed, but gaps may form between the board and mask when the setting is erroneous
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure sensor provides real-time feedback on the contact pressure between the squeegee and mask, enabling the controller to determine whether the board is properly positioned. By monitoring the actual pressure and comparing it with the target pressure, the system can detect improper positioning and adjust the upward movement range accordingly, ensuring precise board-to-mask contact regardless of board thickness variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the upward movement range parameter based on the detected pressure and board thickness. Instead of using a fixed movement range, the controller adjusts this parameter in real-time to optimize the board positioning for each specific board, thereby maintaining both adaptability to different thicknesses and precision of contact.
3Device complexity
If manual setting of board upward movement range is used, then the device structure can be simple, but the printing quality deteriorates due to gaps or mask bowing caused by erroneous setting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a pressure sensor to detect the contact pressure between the squeegee and mask, providing feedback to the controller. This feedback mechanism enables automatic adjustment of the board upward movement range, eliminating the need for complex manual setting procedures while ensuring consistent printing quality. The feedback loop automatically compensates for positioning errors without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical setting with an automated control system that uses pressure detection and electronic control. Instead of relying on operator skill and manual adjustment mechanisms, the system uses a pressure sensor and controller to automatically determine and adjust the optimal upward movement range, thereby improving printing precision without significantly increasing mechanical complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Comprised are: a mask holder configured to hold a mask; a board driver configured to cause a board to face the mask by driving the board below the mask; a squeegee driver configured to drive a squeegee provided above the mask; a pressure detector configured to detect a pressure received by the squeegee; and a controller configured to adjust the position of the board relative to the mask in a vertical direction using the board driver based on the pressure detector's detection result of a pressure received by the squeegee brought into contact with first area of the upper surface of the mask, the first area being faced by the board.