Ulvac, Inc.

Masao Murata

Mitsuru Yahagi

Junpei Yuyama

Takahiro Miyata

Koji Hane

Hiroto Uchida

Yasuzo Tanaka

Yuya Inoue

Takanori Tsuji

Hiroshi Koshina

Jyunpei Yuyama

Satoshi Shiba

Kyuzo Nakamura

Hirofumi Minami

Kazuhiro Musha

Robert F Taff

Seiichi Satou

Kou Fuwa

Takumi Namekawa

Ralph D Fox

Atsushi Kira

Robert R McKay

Kei Baba

Susumu Sakio

Tooru Okuno

Ai Tanaka

Robert D Taff

A coated film with no observable streak is formed. The landing positions of a first discharge liquid discharged through a first printing head and the landing positions of a second discharge liquid discharged through a second printing head are disposed in a mixed manner in an area on a substrate where the first printing head and the second printing head overlap. Which discharge liquids are to be landed is determined according to random numbers. Since a coated film which is formed with the first and second discharge liquids in a mixed manner is disposed between a coated film formed with the first discharge liquids and a coated film formed with the second discharge liquids, a boundary is obscured and no streak appears.

Coated film forming method

The present invention provides applicators reducing generating bubble. Dispersion liquid is supplied while the pressure of a circulation tank on the delivery side is lower than the atmospheric pressure but higher than the pressure of the space in buffer tanks. The dispersion liquid in the discharge chambers is recovered while the pressure in a circulation tank serving as recovery destination is lower than the atmospheric pressure. Gas dissolution can be reduced because the dispersion liquid does not come into contact with gases at pressures higher than the atmospheric pressure and engulffing gas or deformation of solid microparticles can be avoided because no pump is used.

Applicator and method for transferring dispersion liquid

The backing pressure of an ink tank is controlled. The ink tank is connected to a pressure control apparatus. The pressure control apparatus has first and second check valves. When the internal pressure of the ink tank becomes smaller than that of outside atmosphere by a first predetermined pressure or more, the first check valve is switched into an open state to connect the outside atmosphere and the ink tank. To the contrary, when the internal pressure of the ink tank becomes larger than that of outside atmosphere by a second predetermined pressure or more, the second check valve is switched to an open state to connect the ink tank with the outside atmosphere. Therefore, the internal pressure of the ink tank is controlled precisely enough to stabilize the meniscus.

Discharge unit and discharge apparatus

The back pressure of an ink tank is controlled. A porous body is arranged inside the ink tank, the lower end of the porous body contacts an ink, and the ink ascends inside the porous body due to a capillary force. The upper end of the porous body is not immersed in the ink, and a maximum ascending force acts upon the ink stored in the ink tank. Therefore, the ink does not leak from a discharge head located lower than the ink tank. Further, because the ink is accumulated under the porous body and the amount of the ink contacting the porous body is small, components of the ink are less susceptible to deterioration.

Discharge device

Providing a spacer forming method by which spacers can be securely formed in a predetermined region on a substrate. Ink containing granular spacers is jetted onto a crossing portion of a black matrixin the shape of a lattice. Red pixel R, green pixel G and blue pixel B are formed in the openings of the lattice. The spacer containing ink is jetted onto the spacer forming positions from the nozzle by the ink jetting method. Plural drops of inkare jetted onto each of the spacer forming positions on one of the opposite substrates E. The gap between the opposite substrates E can be securely maintained at a constant for filling with liquid crystal.

Spacer forming method and spacer forming apparatus

According to a first invention, since a flow of a spacer dispersed liquid is formed in a transporting chamber separated from a discharging chamber by an internal filter, the spacer dispersed liquid is stably discharged through an ejection hole, while the discharging chamber on a side of a nozzle plate is not affected by the flow of the spacer dispersed liquid. According to a second invention, since a spacer dispersed liquid does not flow inside a discharging chamber in a printing state in which the spacer dispersed liquid is discharged, the spacer dispersed liquid is stably discharged through an ejection hole. To the contrary, since the spacer dispersed liquid is directed inside both the discharging chamber and the transporting chamber in a waiting state in which the spacer dispersed liquid is not discharged, spacer particles in the spacer dispersed liquid do not settle.

Head module, printing apparatus, and printing method

Growing community of inventors

Chigasaki, Japan

Masao Murata