US 11,932,030 B2
Inkjet printer with temperature controlled substrate support
Digby Pun, San Jose, CA (US); Cormac McKinley Wicklow, Newark, CA (US); Christopher Buchner, Sunnyvale, CA (US); and Alexander Sou-Kang Ko, Santa Clara, CA (US)
Assigned to Kateeva, Inc., Newark, CA (US)
Filed by Kateeva, Inc., Newark, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 18, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/302,693.
Application 18/302,693 is a continuation of application No. 17/457,721, filed on Dec. 6, 2021, granted, now 11,660,891.
Application 17/457,721 is a continuation of application No. 16/713,218, filed on Dec. 13, 2019, granted, now 11,225,097, issued on Jan. 18, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/814,529, filed on Mar. 6, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/782,595, filed on Dec. 20, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0249485 A1, Aug. 10, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B41J 11/00 (2006.01); B41J 3/407 (2006.01); B41J 29/377 (2006.01); B41J 3/28 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 29/377 (2013.01) [B41J 3/407 (2013.01); B41J 11/001 (2013.01); B41J 11/0015 (2013.01); B41J 3/28 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
using a gas cushion substrate support to support a substrate, the gas cushion substrate support comprising a metal support surface and a plurality of holes formed through the metal support surface;
flowing a gas through a gas conduit and through the plurality of holes to form a gas cushion between the substrate and the metal support surface to support the substrate;
depositing a print material on the substrate while the substrate is supported by the gas cushion; and
thermally controlling the substrate by adjusting a flowrate of the gas, adjusting a temperature of the gas using a thermal control system coupled to the gas conduit, or both.
 
12. A method, comprising:
using a gas cushion substrate support to support a substrate, the gas cushion substrate support comprising a metal support surface and a plurality of holes formed through the metal support surface;
flowing a gas through a gas conduit and through the plurality of holes to form a gas cushion between the substrate and the metal support surface to support the substrate;
exhausting gas from the gas cushion through a plurality of gas escape passages formed through the gas cushion substrate support;
depositing a print material on the substrate while the substrate is supported by the gas cushion; and
thermally controlling the substrate by adjusting a flowrate of the gas, adjusting a temperature of the gas using a thermal control system coupled to the gas conduit, or both.
 
19. A method, comprising:
using a gas cushion substrate support to support a substrate, the gas cushion substrate support comprising a metal top member, a support plate, and a plurality of holes formed through the metal support member and the support plate;
flowing a gas through a gas conduit and through the plurality of holes to form a gas cushion between the substrate and the metal support surface to support the substrate;
exhausting gas from the gas cushion through a plurality of gas escape passages formed through the top member and the support plate;
depositing a print material on the substrate while the substrate is supported by the gas cushion;
controlling the gas cushion by controlling a flowrate of the gas; and
thermally controlling the substrate by adjusting a temperature of the gas using a thermal control system coupled to the gas conduit, the thermal control system comprising a thermal unit that circulates and controls a thermal medium and a heat exchanger that thermally couples the thermal medium with the gas.