Assessing printer quality by assigning quality scores to images
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11954849
Disclosed here is a system enabling users/customers to receive an objective assessment of the performance of a printer. This is accomplished by comparing a quality score of an earlier-in-time image with a quality score of a later-in-time image. A processor analyzes each image based on several criteria and uses various image-analysis methods, to flag errors within an image. A numeric quality score, based on the number of errors, is provided to the user to objectively evaluate whether the…
Controlling multiple eversion-based actuators
Granted: March 26, 2024
Patent Number:
11939995
Disclosed here is a system and method to control multiple eversion-based actuators using a single motor, or no motor, thereby reducing the size and cost of the multiple eversion-based actuators. An activation mechanism can include a motor rotating in an expansion direction, rotating shaft, clutch, brake, pressure source under high pressure, and/or valve. The activation mechanism can cause the actuators including a wound reel of material to unwind and lengthen. A retraction mechanism can…
Upwards jetting digital printing platform
Granted: June 27, 2023
Patent Number:
11685157
A printing platform includes a printing engine with one or more printheads arranged such that the ink drops are jetted vertically upwards against the action of gravity; and a substrate transportation system where the normal to the surface in contact with the substrate is parallel and with opposite direction to the travelling direction of the jetted ink drops. It is necessary to counteract the weight of the substrate during the printing process to avoid it from falling under the action of…
Woodgrain suppression in inkjet printing
Granted: June 6, 2023
Patent Number:
11667133
The present embodiments relate to a printing apparatus capable of mitigating/preventing instances of turbulent deviation of ink jetted from print heads when printing onto a substrate, a severe form of which looks like woodgrain. The printing apparatus can include a jet plate that has a first width and that is disposed between the substrate and a series of print heads. The jet plate can also include a series of apertures formed in the jet plate that each correspond to one or more of the…
Systems and methods for determining printing conditions based on samples of images printed by shuttle-based printers
Granted: May 30, 2023
Patent Number:
11660892
Embodiments include a method performed by a system operative to determine a condition related to a printed section printed by a shuttle-based printer. The method includes printing a portion of an image on a section of a medium, thereby providing a printed section. The section of the medium can have a size defined by at least a step size taken by the shuttle-based printer to advance the medium in a downstream direction. The method also includes scanning at least the printed section to…
Inkjet process for three-dimensional relief on tiles
Granted: April 25, 2023
Patent Number:
11633972
A technique is described for the application of three-dimensional (3D) relief to a substrate such as a ceramic tile using digital inkjet technology. In an example embodiment, the introduced technique includes application of binder ink to a portion of the surface of a substrate using a digital inkjet process. This binder ink forms a barrier layer which protects the portion of the surface of the substrate. Next, a brushing process is applied to remove unprotected portions of the substrate,…
Spot gloss and gloss control in an inkjet printing system
Granted: February 28, 2023
Patent Number:
11590771
Embodiments of the invention provide a technique that effects spot gloss or gloss control and/or variations on one image without requiring clear inks. This is preferably accomplished by use of a multilayer printing process in which an image is first printed using a first set of color print heads and then cured, and in which the image is again printed using a second set of color print head, but where the image remains uncured for a predetermined interval to allow the ink drops applied to…
Multi-color multi-speed printing apparatus with circulation
Granted: January 24, 2023
Patent Number:
11559993
Methods, systems, and devices related to a printer system that includes a first primary ink tank holding a dark-colored ink, a second primary ink tank holding a light-colored ink, a first selector valve configured to change a state, a first secondary ink tank connected to the first primary ink tank via the first selector valve, a second secondary ink tank connected to the first and second primary ink tanks via the first selector valve, a second selector valve connected to the first…
Multi-color multi-speed printing apparatus with circulation
Granted: January 24, 2023
Patent Number:
11559993
Methods, systems, and devices related to a printer system that includes a first primary ink tank holding a dark-colored ink, a second primary ink tank holding a light-colored ink, a first selector valve configured to change a state, a first secondary ink tank connected to the first primary ink tank via the first selector valve, a second secondary ink tank connected to the first and second primary ink tanks via the first selector valve, a second selector valve connected to the first…
Method and composition for ink jet printing on a nonabsorbent substrate
Granted: January 10, 2023
Patent Number:
11548306
Ink jet printing on a non-absorbent substrate involves a wet primer having a primer viscosity. The wet primer is applied on the non-absorbent substrate. An ink jet ink having an ink jet viscosity lower than the primer viscosity is jetted over the wet primer while the primer is still wet. The wet primer and ink are simultaneously cured on the substrate.
Ultraviolet (UV) heat-activated laminating adhesive for an inkjet printing process
Granted: December 20, 2022
Patent Number:
11529800
Apparatus, compositions, and systems for ultraviolet (UV) heat-activated laminating adhesives applied via an inkjet printing process are disclosed. A system includes a first inkjet mechanism configured to deposit ink in a particular pattern onto a surface of a rigid medium. A second inkjet mechanism is configured to deposit a laminating adhesive onto the particular pattern printed on the surface of the rigid medium. A pair of stainless steel plates is configured to receive an overlay…
Linear rotary encoder
Granted: December 13, 2022
Patent Number:
11525707
A linear rotary encoder includes a pair of rotational surfaces. A contact belt has a first end coupled to a first rotational surface in the pair and a second end coupled to a second rotational surface in the pair. The contact belt is driven to rotate around the pair of rotational surfaces by a driving force applied to media to move the media from the first end toward the second end. An encoding scale is coupled to an inner surface of the contact belt. A reader is positioned to read the…
Assessing printer quality by assigning quality scores to images
Granted: October 11, 2022
Patent Number:
11468554
Disclosed here is a system enabling users/customers to receive an objective assessment of the performance of a printer. This is accomplished by comparing a quality score of an earlier-in-time image with a quality score of a later-in-time image. A processor analyzes each image based on several criteria and uses various image-analysis methods, to flag errors within an image. A numeric quality score, based on the number of errors, is provided to the user to objectively evaluate whether the…
Apparatus to flatten a substrate along a print path of a printer
Granted: April 19, 2022
Patent Number:
11305563
Disclosed here is an apparatus to flatten the substrate as the substrate travels along the print path of a printer, thus reducing damage to the transport belt, motor, gearbox, etc., and increasing print quality. The apparatus includes two strapping metal bands mounted on the printer and parallel to the print path. The two strapping metal bands are under tension from a torsion spring and a ratchet placed at least at one end of the print path. In a rest position, the two strapping metal…
Multiple zone printer vacuum tables, systems and methods
Granted: January 25, 2022
Patent Number:
11230122
Disclosed are printer vacuum tables, and corresponding systems and methods for their use, in which the printer vacuum tables include multiple zones to apply vacuum, to hold a variety of media types and thicknesses within a given flatness range, to allow high definition printing. The vacuum zones run in the print direction, and each can be controlled for vacuum on and off. In an illustrative embodiment, the vacuum zones include one or more vacuum zones that are fixed with respect to a…
Printing non-user patterns with a print job
Granted: January 18, 2022
Patent Number:
11227200
The systems and methods presented here completely separate a non-user pattern from the user jobs being printed. In fact, depending on the number of images in the job and the number of patterns provided by the manufacturer or press operator, the patterns may appear on different images of the job each time the job is printed. This is because the image marks are generated and processed according to the configuration of ROUS, independent of the user jobs being printed.
Shape packing technique
Granted: January 11, 2022
Patent Number:
11219928
A shape packing technique is introduced that can be applied in various applications such as automated print production. In an example embodiment, items that are to be placed into a target shape are sorted based on size to form item groups that include similarly sized items. Potential blocks including arrangements of one or more items are created from the sorted item groups. A placement solution is then generated by placing the potential blocks in the target shape using a recursive…
Interactive three-dimensional (3D) color histograms
Granted: December 28, 2021
Patent Number:
11212421
Techniques for interactively determining/visualizing the color content of a source image and how the corresponding image data is mapped to device colors are described herein. For example, the color content of a digital image can be converted between different color spaces to identify gamut limitations of an output device (e.g., a printing assembly), discover color(s) that cannot be accurately reproduced, etc. Color space conversions enable the transformation of the color content of the…
Wide format staggered single pass printing apparatus
Granted: December 21, 2021
Patent Number:
11203212
The disclosed embodiments relate to a wide format single pass printing apparatus. The printing apparatus can include multiple print housings configured to receive print beams with print heads configured to print onto a substrate. The print housings can be horizontally adjacent to one another relative to a horizontal plane. The print housings can also be oriented opposite to one another. The print beams can be inserted and/or removed from each print housing from opposing ends, allowing…
Woodgrain suppression in inkjet printing
Granted: November 16, 2021
Patent Number:
11173724
The present embodiments relate to a printing apparatus capable of mitigating/preventing instances of turbulent deviation of ink jetted from print heads when printing onto a substrate, a severe form of which looks like woodgrain. The printing apparatus can include a jet plate disposed on a subjacent surface of the printing apparatus that can include a series of apertures formed in the jet plate that are configured to receive corresponding print heads of the printing apparatus. The jet…
