Method and apparatus for ink jet printing

• US 20020044188A1
• Filed: 08/17/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: Codos, Richard N.
• Granted Patent: US 6,726,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/106
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/00214 using UV radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/01 Ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4078 Printing on textile
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0047 by ink-jet printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0064 on plastics, horn, rubber, or other organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 7/0072 using mechanical wave energy, e.g. ultrasonics; using magnetic or electric fields, e.g. electric discharge, plasma
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 7/0081 using electromagnetic radiation or waves, e.g. ultraviolet radiation, electron beams
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 7/009 using thermal means, e.g. infrared radiation, heat
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 11/00 Machines for sewing quilts or mattresses control of workpiece-holding frames, or of sewing machines, in order to obtain particular seam configuration D05B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06P 5/2005 Treatments with alpha, beta, gamma or other rays, e.g. stimulated rays
• CPC Class Codes: D06P 5/30 Ink jet printing

Abstract

Ink jet printing is provided using ultraviolet (UV) light or other curable composition or stable or other printable substance having a dye-component therein. The ink is jetted onto a substrate, the composition is cured, then heated to set the dye. Sublimation dye-based UV ink printing onto polyester is preferred.

Claims

1. A method of printing on fabric comprising the steps of:

jetting an ink composition containing a UV curable ink component and a dye component onto a fabric;

then

substantially curing at least the UV curable jetted ink component on the fabric by exposing the UV curable ink component to UV light, the curing resulting in a substantially cured UV ink component on the fabric containing uncured monomers of the UV curable ink and the dye component;

then

heating the fabric having the substantially cured UV cured ink component thereon and thereby reducing the level of the uncured monomers of the UV curable ink component on the fabric and effecting the dyeing of the fabric with the dye component.

2. A method of printing on textile comprising the steps of:

jetting onto a textile substrate a substance containing a UV curable component and a dye component;

then

substantially curing at least the UV curable jetted component on the substrate by exposing the UV curable component on the substrate to UV radiation.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

heating the substance containing the substantially cured exposed UV component and the dye component on the substrate.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the substance includes a pigment therein.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the substantially cured UV curable component includes at least some uncured monomers and the heating of the substance includes reducing the amount of uncured monomers on the substrate.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

heating the substance containing the substantially cured exposed UV component and the dye component on the substrate;

the heating includes contacting the substrate with a heated plate.

7. A printing method useful for printing on large area substrates comprising:

printing onto a substrate a dye contained in a substance that is stable until contacted with a curing medium;

at least partially curing of the substance on the substrate by applying the curing medium thereto;

then

heating the dye containing the at least partially cured substance on the substrate to dye the substrate.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein:

printing includes jetting the substance having the dye contained therein onto the substrate.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the substance is a UV curable ink having a pigment and the dye suspended therein.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the at least partially cured substance includes at least some uncured monomers and the heating includes reducing the amount of uncured monomers on the substrate.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the at least partial curing of the substance on the substrate includes freezing the substance on the substrate by applying the curing medium to the substance immediately upon the printing thereof to reduce the spread of the substance on the substrate.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the at least partial curing of the substance on the substrate includes freezing the substance on the substrate by exposing the substance to UV light immediately upon the printing thereof onto the substrate to reduce the spread of the substance on the substrate.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the heating includes contacting the substrate with a heated plate.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein:

the depositing includes the jetting of the substance onto the substrate.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein:

the substance is a UV curable ink having a pigment contained therein.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein:

the substantially polymerized substance includes at least some unpolymerized monomers and the heating includes reducing the amount of unpolymerized monomers on the substrate.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein:

the heating includes contacting the substrate with a heated plate.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein:

the curable liquid is a UV curable polymer; and

the curing of the liquid on the substrate includes exposing the UV curable component on the substrate to UV radiation.

14. A method of printing onto a substrate comprising:

depositing a polymerizable substance containing a dye onto a substrate;

polymerizing the substance by initiating a polymerizing reaction in the substance and maintaining the reaction until the substance is substantially polymerized;

then

heating the substantially polymerized substance and the dye contained therein while on the substrate to effect the dyeing of the substrate.

19. An ink jet printing method comprising:

jetting onto a substrate a curable liquid having a dye component contained therein;

then

substantially curing the liquid on the substrate;

then

heating the substantially cured liquid on the substrate so as to effect the dyeing of the substrate.

21. An ink jet printing method comprising:

jetting onto a substrate a curable liquid polymer having dye suspended therein;

then

substantially curing the liquid polymer on the substrate to fix the position of the suspended dye on the substrate;

then

heating the substantially cured liquid polymer on the substrate to activate the dye and thereby effect the dyeing of the substrate.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein:

the dye is a sublimation dye;

the heating includes heating the dye to sublime the dye to dye the substrate.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein:

the curable liquid polymer is a UV curable substance;

the dye is a sublimation dye;

the curing includes exposing the substance to UV light for a sufficiently short time after jetting the substance onto the substrate to at least partially prevent a spreading of the polymer on the substrate;

the heating includes heating the dye to sublime the dye.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising:

means for heating the substrate having the cured component and dye component thereon.

24. An ink jet printing apparatus comprising the steps of:

means for jetting onto a substrate a substance containing a curable component and a dye component;

means substantially curing at least the curable jetted component on the substrate by exposing the curable component on the substrate to a curing medium.