Low temperature energy curable printing systems and methods
Granted: September 19, 2017
Patent Number:
9764564
A system and methods for printing and curing ink deposited on a substrate using a first light source and a second light source. In various embodiments, the first light source emits one or more wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation subtype C (UVC), and the second light source emits one or more wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation subtype A (UVA), subtype B (UVB), subtype V (UVV), or a combination thereof. The substrate is configured such that any ink deposited on the substrate by a…
Gloss control through selective deposition of transparent ink
Granted: August 8, 2017
Patent Number:
9724935
Embodiments of the invention take advantage of the change in gloss caused by overprinting a printed image with clear ink. Embodiments of the invention thus implement gloss control functionality in a printer without the requirements of a pin and cure or other known systems.
Multi-waveform inkjet nozzle correction
Granted: August 1, 2017
Patent Number:
9718269
The uniformity of performance of inkjet nozzles within a print head containing a plurality of said nozzles is optimized by characterizing one or more performance attributes of the nozzles within said print head. A waveform set is generated that comprises a plurality of waveforms to compensate for variations of the one or more performance attributes among the nozzles. One of the waveforms within the waveform set is assigned to each nozzle to optimize the one or more performance attributes…
Multilayer white printing with white-balance
Granted: July 4, 2017
Patent Number:
9694597
White-balance is improved when printing on colored media, while minimizing the time and use of costly materials required by present approaches. In an embodiment, the typical solid white fill or background layer is altered by including in the white layer one or more of the other colors already available in the printer to shade this layer. Thus, a small amount of cyan, for example, helps balance a pink-ish (red) media; yellow is used for blue media; and magenta is used for green media; as…
External table height adjustment for printer systems
Granted: May 23, 2017
Patent Number:
9656490
An external table height adjustment technique for a printer system is disclosed. An operator can align an image gap between a printer table of the printer system and a printhead carriage via a height adjustment mechanism. The operator can perform the table height adjustment while a belt is installed on the printer table and media is loaded on top of the printer table. A height adjustment assembly is secured onto a supporting frame of the printer table such that an adjustment component…
Method and apparatus for creating 3D effects with ceramic inkjet inks
Granted: April 25, 2017
Patent Number:
9630425
A 3D relief effect is created on a ceramic tile with an inkjet printer and an inkjet print head by printing a relief pattern with an effect ink having a low surface tension on the ceramic tile. The inkjet printer and inkjet print head apply an aqueous glaze slurry having a high surface tension on top of the effect ink. An image is printed on the glaze and the tile is fired. A difference in surface tensions causes the aqueous glaze to move away from the printed effect ink, resulting in a…
Radiation curable ink compositions
Granted: January 10, 2017
Patent Number:
9540531
This invention relates to radiation curable ink compositions comprising one or more mono-functional monomers, optionally one or more oligomers, one or more antioxidants capable to react with peroxy radicals to generate radicals to propagate polymerization, and one or more photoinitiators comprising at least an acylphosphine oxide, wherein the ratio of the antioxidants to acylphpsphine is 1:1 to 1:20 by weight. The ink composition provides tack-free surface cure without requiring nitrogen…
Oxygen inhibition for print-head reliability
Granted: December 27, 2016
Patent Number:
9527307
Systems and methods of applying a gaseous inhibitor into a printing region to hinder the curing process of ink on the print heads caused by the presence of stray light in the printing environment.
InkJet printer with controlled oxygen levels
Granted: November 8, 2016
Patent Number:
9487010
An in-line printing apparatus with an inerting station that delivers an atmosphere having an optimal composition to inert a layer of ink such that LED radiation adequately cures the ink. A process for configuring a printing environment for delivering an atmosphere having an optimal composition to inert a layer of ink such that LED radiation adequately cures the ink.
Aqueous radiation curable ink composition
Granted: October 4, 2016
Patent Number:
9458334
The present invention relates to an aqueous radiation curable ink composition. The ink composition comprises: (a) an aqueous dispersion comprising anionic acrylated polyurethane and non-volatile cations; (b) at least one non-ionic or anionic surfactant; (c) at least one humectant selected from the group consisting of: polyol, polyether, polyether alcohol, polyether polyols, urea, and amide; and (d) water. The ink composition does not contain a water-soluble or water-miscible…
Ceramic inkjet ink for relief effect
Granted: September 20, 2016
Patent Number:
9446990
Disclosed are compositions, such as inkjet inks or glazes, for jetting onto a ceramic substrate, and associated methods and systems. The compositions are configured to produce a blister relief effect, wherein the incorporation of inkjet technology provides precise control over the location and degree of blistering. The enhanced compositions are configured to form gas bubbles when exposed to the elevated temperatures of a firing cycle, wherein the formed gas is trapped within the glaze,…
Method and apparatus for controlling the color accuracy of digital printing devices and adaptation to a previously defined state
Granted: August 16, 2016
Patent Number:
9420146
A method and apparatus are provided for providing color consistency on a same digital printing device at different points in time or on multiple digital printing devices. Measured spectral color values, which correspond to a particular calibration set of a printer-ink/toner-media combination, are stored as target values. Spectral color values are measured subsequently for the same printer or for other printers and compared to the target values to determine whether the output data of both…
Production planning and monitoring in inkjet devices
Granted: August 16, 2016
Patent Number:
9417829
An inkjet printer is placed in communications with a print production planning and scheduling system to allow planning, monitoring, and adjusting of an automatic digital (ink jet) printing production line. In one embodiment, the order of the print jobs is defined by the print shop owner or by the associated supervisor. Each job becomes a paper based (printed) job ticket and the order in which the jobs arrive at the print operator side defines the print order. The same is true for the…
External table height adjustment for printer systems
Granted: June 14, 2016
Patent Number:
9365061
An external table height adjustment technique for a printer system is disclosed. An operator can align an image gap between a printer table of the printer system and a printhead carriage via a height adjustment mechanism. The operator can perform the table height adjustment while a belt is installed on the printer table and media is loaded on top of the printer table. A height adjustment assembly is secured onto a supporting frame of the printer table such that an adjustment component…
Virtual ink channels
Granted: May 10, 2016
Patent Number:
9336473
Virtual ink channels are created with colored media and white ink to afford multi-channel ICC profile creation by using ICC profiling software. The available color gamut is enhanced for an device that defines a color space with a color profiler, e.g. an ICC profiler. Thus, an available color gamut for an input or output device is enhanced or extended by creating virtual ink channels for use with profiling software. This allows the use of media types and/or inks that are otherwise not…
Method and apparatus for color print management
Granted: May 10, 2016
Patent Number:
9336465
In a color printing environment, functions for printing color management are dissociated. An abstraction layer is also provided to facilitate setting and evaluation of all factors relating to color print and prediction.
Differential lighting
Granted: May 10, 2016
Patent Number:
9335157
Described is a technology for measuring ink film thickness by use of differential lighting between two differently positioned light sources. The technology involves an image capture device, a first set of light emitting diodes (LEDs), and a second set of LEDs, where the image capture device is attached to a printer. The first set of LEDs is positioned in parallel to an image capture axis to illuminate a target object evenly from above with a light perpendicular to the target object…
Selective ink cure
Granted: April 26, 2016
Patent Number:
9321281
Individually controllable ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are used to cure ink and generate different effects. The UV LEDs only expose specified areas to generate the different effect and can create multiple effects on the same substrate by exposing different areas to varying amounts of time or by performing a curing stage and post-dosage curing stages. The different effects include generating a glossy surface, a matte surface, and sharper images.
Multilayer white printing with white-balance
Granted: April 5, 2016
Patent Number:
9302490
White-balance is improved when printing on colored media, while minimizing the time and use of costly materials required by present approaches. In an embodiment, the typical solid white fill or background layer is altered by including in the white layer one or more of the other colors already available in the printer to shade this layer. Thus, a small amount of cyan, for example, helps balance a pink-ish (red) media; yellow is used for blue media; and magenta is used for green media; as…
Method and composition for ink jet printing on a nonabsorbent substrate
Granted: April 5, 2016
Patent Number:
9303097
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.
