1. A method of controlling a separation distance between a print head and a substrate, comprising the steps of:
(a) biasing a print head toward a substrate onto which flowable material from the print head is applied under pressure; and
(b) controlling a separation distance between the print head and substrate by forming a gas cushion between the print head and substrate that opposes the biasing applied in step (a),
wherein the print head includes a nozzle plate having at least one array of nozzles and wherein the method further comprises the step of translating the nozzle plate in a direction toward or away from the substrate using the gas cushion.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing the print head in a fixture that is spaced from the substrate by a substantially fixed distance, wherein step (a) further comprises biasing the print head away from the fixture using at least one biasing member coupled to both the fixture and the print head.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of applying the gas cushion via outlets in the nozzle plate that are located around the perimeter of the at least one array of nozzles.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of venting the gas cushion using a plurality of vents positioned between the outlets and nozzles such that gas from the gas cushion vents from between the nozzle plate and the substrate without substantially interfering with the application of the flowable material onto the substrate.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the flowable material comprises an organic material and wherein the method further comprises the step of carrying out organic vapor jet printing by applying the organic material to the substrate through the print head while simultaneously carrying out steps (a) and (b).
6. A printing head mechanism for use in applying flowable material to a substrate, comprising:
a print head mounted for translational movement relative to the substrate on which flowable material from the print head is to be applied, said print head being biased toward the substrate in the absence of an applied external force; and
a gas cushion feed assembly that supplies a gas under pressure between said print head and the substrate which opposes biasing of said print head toward the substrate so as to form a space between said print head and the substrate,
wherein said print head includes a nozzle plate having a surface at which one or more nozzles is located and which confronts the substrate when in use, and wherein the print head includes a nozzle feeder connected to said nozzle plate for supplying the flowable material under pressure to said nozzle plate, said nozzle plate including passages that provide fluidic communication between said nozzle feeder and said one or more nozzles, said one or more nozzles comprising apertures located in the surface of said nozzle plate, wherein when in use, said surface of said nozzle plate is positioned opposite the substrate with said surface being spaced from the substrate by a separation distance across which the flowable material moves under pressure as it is applied by said print head from said one or more nozzles onto the substrate.
7. A printing head mechanism as defined in claim 6, further comprising a fixture supporting said print head, said print head being biased toward the substrate via at least one biasing member disposed between said print head and said fixture.
8. A printing apparatus including a printing head mechanism as defined in claim 6, wherein said print head includes a plurality of nozzles and a plurality of outlets disposed about said nozzles, and further comprising a gas pressure source, a control valve connected between said gas pressure source and said outlets to control the supply of gas to said outlets based on an input control signal to said control valve, and a controller that generates and supplies the control signal to said control valve.
9. A printing apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said print head includes at least one vent positioned between said one or more outlets and said nozzles, said one or more vents being sized to permit gas from the gas cushion to vent from between said print head and the substrate without substantially interfering with the application of the flowable material onto the substrate.
10. A printing head mechanism for use in applying flowable material to a substrate, comprising:
a print head having a nozzle plate and a nozzle feeder connected to said nozzle plate for supplying flowable material under pressure to said nozzle plate, said nozzle plate including at least one array of nozzles and passages that provide fluidic communication between said nozzle feeder and said nozzles, said nozzles comprising apertures located in a surface of said nozzle plate, wherein when in use, said surface of said nozzle plate is positioned opposite the substrate with said surface being spaced from the substrate by a separation distance across which the flowable material moves under pressure as it is applied by said print head from said nozzles onto the substrate;
a fixture supporting said nozzle plate and permitting relative motion between said fixture and said nozzle plate such that said separation distance is adjustable;
one or more biasing members coupled to said print head and said fixture, said one or more biasing members biasing said nozzle plate toward the substrate when in use; and
a gas cushion feed assembly comprising at least one gas cushion feed line and one or more outlets located at said nozzle plate such that gas supplied through said one or more outlets provides a gas cushion between said nozzle plate and the substrate that opposes the biasing of said one or more biasing members to thereby permit control of the separation distance based on the pressure of the gas supplied via said gas feed lines.
11. A printing head mechanism as defined in claim 10, wherein said one or more biasing members comprise a plurality of springs positioned between said fixture and said nozzle plate.
12. A printing head mechanism as defined in claim 10, wherein said nozzle plate includes a central region at which said nozzles are located and wherein said one or more outlets comprise a plurality of outlets connected to said feed lines and being located in said nozzle plate in an area surrounding and spaced from said nozzles.
13. A printing head mechanism as defined in claim 10, wherein said nozzle plate includes at least one vent positioned between said one or more outlets and said apertures of said nozzles, said one or more vents being sized to permit gas from the gas cushion to vent from between said nozzle plate and the substrate without substantially interfering with the application of the flowable material onto the substrate.
14. A printing head mechanism as defined in claim 10, wherein said fixture has a fixed spacing relative to the substrate when in use.
15. A printing head mechanism as defined in claim 10, wherein said nozzle feeder extends longitudinally in a direction substantially perpendicular to said surface and is attached to said print head at a rear surface of said nozzle plate.
16. A printing head mechanism as defined in claim 10, wherein said fixture comprises a collar surrounding said nozzle feeder.
17. A printing apparatus comprising a printing head mechanism as defined in claim 10 and further including:
a gas pressure source;
a control valve connected between said gas pressure source and said at least one feed line to control the supply of gas into at least one said feed line based on an input control signal to said control valve; and
a controller that generates and supplies the control signal to said control valve.
18. An organic vapor jet printing apparatus comprising the printing head mechanism of claim 10.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A chocolate or chocolate-like food comprising an oil and fat,
said oil and fat comprising 50 to 85% by weight of triglyceride in which oleic acid is bound at position 2 and saturated fatty acids having 16 or more carbon atoms is bound at positions 1 and 3 (XOX type triglyceride); and 5 to 18% by weight of triglyceride in which two oleic acids are bound and one saturated fatty acid having 16 or more carbon atoms is bound (XO2 type triglyceride).
2. The chocolate or chocolate-like food according to claim 1, wherein said oil and fat comprises, as said XOX type triglyceride, 12 to 40% by weight of triglyceride in which oleic acid is hound at position 2 and palmitic acid and stearic acid are bound at each of positions 1 and 3 (POSt type triglyceride); and 22 to 36% by weight of triglyceride in which oleic acid is bound at position 2 and stearic acid is bound at positions 1 and 3 (StOSt type triglyceride).
3. The chocolate or chocolate-like food according to claim 1, wherein said oil and fat comprises as said XO2 type triglyceride, 4 to 16% by weight of triglyceride in which two oleic acids are bound and one stearic acid is bound (StO2 type triglyceride.).
4. The chocolate or chocolate-like food according to claim 1, wherein said oil and fat comprises less than 5% by weight of triglyceride in which unsaturated fatty acid having 16 or more carbon atoms is bound at all of positions 1, 2, and 3 (U3 type trialyceride) and less than 2% by weight of trans fatty acid as a constituent fatty acid.
5. The chocolate or chocolate-like food according to claim 1,
wherein said oil and fat is a mixed oil and fat comprising 5 to 40% by weight of the following oil and fat composition A:
a oil and fat composition comprising 30 to 50% by weight of StOSt type triglyceride and 20 to 45% by weight of StO2 type triglyceride.
6. The chocolate or chocolate-like food according to claim 5, wherein said oil and fat composition A comprises less than 2% by weight of triglyceride in which oleic acid is bound at position 2 and stearic acid and arachidic acid are bound at each of positions 1 and 3 (StOAr type triglyceride).
7. A chocolate product comprising said chocolate or chocolate-like food according to claim 1.
8. A method of inhibiting low-temperature bloom on a chocolate or chocolate-like food comprising an oil and fat,
comprising making a content of triglyceride having, an oleic acid at position 2 and saturated fatty acids having 16 or more carbon atoms at positions 1 and 3 (XOX type triglyceride) to 50 to 85% by weight; and making a content of triglyceride in which two oleic acids are bound and one saturated fatty acid having 16 or more carbon atoms is bound (XO2 type triglyceride) to 5 to 18% by weight in said oil and fat.
9. An oil and fat composition comprising 30 to 50% by weight of triglyceride in which oleic acid is bound at position 2 and stearic acid is bound at positions 1 and 3 (StOSt type triglyceride) and 20 to 45% by weight of triglyceride in which two oleic acids are bound and one stearic acid is bound (StO2 type triglyceride).
10. The oil and fat composition according to claim 9, wherein a content of StOSt type triglyceride is 30 to 47% by weight, said oil and fat composition comprising less than 2% by weight of triglyceride in which oleic acid is bound at position 2 and stearic acid and arachidic acid are bound at each of positions 1 and 3 (StOAr type triglyceride).
11. The oil and fat composition according to claim 9, which said oil and fat composition is one used in said chocolate or chocolate-like food.
12. A method of producing said oil and fat composition according to claim 9,
comprising the step of bringing an oil and fat rich in triglyceride in which oleic acid is bound at position 2 and lower alkyl ester of stearic acid into a transesterification reaction.
13. A method of producing a chocolate or chocolate-like food comprising an oil and fat,
comprising the step of blending the oil and fat composition according to claim 9 in said oil and fat of said chocolate or chocolate-like food in an amount of 5 to 40% by weight.
14. A method of inhibiting low-temperature bloom on a chocolate or chocolate-like food comprising, an oil and fat,
comprising the step of blending the oil and fat composition according to claim 9 in said oil and fat of said chocolate or chocolate-like food in an amount of 5 to 40% by weight.
15. A low-temperature bloom inhibitor comprising 30 to 50% by weight of triglyceride in which oleic acid is bound at position 2 and stearic acid is bound at positions 1 and 3 (StaSt type triglyceride) and 20 to 45% by weight of triglyceride in which two oleic acids are bound and one stearic acid is bound (StO2 type triglyceride).