Patent ID: 8833296
Filing Date: 2014-09-16
Classification: B05B,B41J,H01L

Abstract:
1. A dispensing apparatus, comprising: a dispensing unit including a main body, a channel through the main body, and a plurality of nozzles connected to and integral with each other and with the main body, the plurality of nozzles extending away from the surface of the main body, and the plurality of nozzles being configured to dispense fluid flowing in the channel onto a substrate; a gap sensor unit configured to determine size of gaps between adjacent nozzles in the dispensing unit; and a thermal expansion adjusting unit configured to thermally expand or contract the main body of the dispensing unit to adjust the gap size between adjacent nozzles to a predetermined size, based on the gap size determined by the gap sensor unit, the thermal expansion adjusting unit including a heater and a cooler disposed within the main body, the heater and cooler extending along the entire length of the main body, the heater and cooler being configured to respectively increase or decrease the temperature of the main body; a temperature sensor configured to sense the temperature of the main body; a temperature controller configured to control the heater such that the temperature of the main body sensed by the temperature sensor reaches a predetermined temperature corresponding to a required thermal expansion of the main body; and a seating unit configured to support the substrate with the plurality of nozzles configured in alignment or centered over respective pixels on the substrate to receive fluid dispensed from the plurality of nozzles; wherein the gap sensor unit is configured to further determine size of gaps between adjacent pixel structures on the substrate, and the thermal expansion adjusting unit is configured to adjust the gap size between adjacent nozzles in the dispensing unit in accordance with the size of gaps between the adjacent pixel structures, as determined by the gap sensor unit.