Embossing Die Creation

• US 20140283699A1
• Filed: 10/27/2011
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Indigo BV (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Indigo BV (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Peleg, Eyal, Stein, Shahar
• Granted Patent: US 9,636,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 101/28
• CPC Class Codes: B31F 1/07 Embossing , i.e. producing impressions formed by locally deep-drawing, e.g. using rolls provided with complementary profilesB31F1/128 takes precedence; corrugating B31F1/20; embossing in combination with printing B41F19/02, B41M1/24; typewriters for embossing B41J3/38; stamping in combination with deforming B41K3/36
• CPC Class Codes: B31F 2201/0717 Methods and means for forming the embossments
• CPC Class Codes: B41C 1/003 the relief or intaglio pattern being obtained by imagewise deposition of a liquid, e.g. by an ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/41 for electrostatic printing B41J2/39 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B44B 5/026 Dies B44B5/028 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/08 using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/224 Machines for forming tactile or three dimensional images by electrographic means, e.g. braille, 3d printing
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/225 using contact-printing

Abstract

An embossing die is created by printing multiple ink layers (530, 540) in superposition thereby to build up a printed relief pattern (510) in accordance with received design data specifying a design to be embossed. The design data is modified after receipt to introduce into the printed relief pattern to be built, one or more channels (610) which extend depth-wise through multiple ink layers of the printed relief pattern (510) and serve to fully or partially segment the printed relief pattern.

Claims

1. A method of creating an embossing die comprising:

receiving (181) design data (170) specifying a design to be embossed; and

forming an embossing die by printing multiple ink layers (530, 540) in superposition thereby to build up a printed relief pattern (510) in accordance with the design data;

the method further comprising modifying (184;

185) the design data after receipt to introduce into the printed relief pattern to be built, one or more channels (610, 620) which extend depth-wise through multiple ink layers of the printed relief pattern (510) and serve to fully or partially segment the printed relief pattern.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more channels, introduced by the modifying (184;

185) of the design data, are introduced only into regions (902) of the printed relief pattern (900) that exceed a threshold value in at least one dimension.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one said channel, introduced by the modifying (184;

185) of the design data, extends depth-wise through only some of the ink layers of the printed relief pattern such that the bottom and/or top of at least a length of the channel is spanned by an ink layer.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one said channel (610A, 620A;

610B, 620B;

610C, 620C), introduced by the modifying (184;

185) of the design data, terminates short of an edge of the printed relief pattern (510) that it would otherwise meet.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving an input indicative of the thickness of media to be embossed using the embossing die, the modifying (184;

185) of the design data including setting the width of said one or more channels (610, 620) to a value no greater than a predetermined multiple W of the indicated thickness of the media to be embossed where W has a value in the range 0.3 to 1.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the modifying (184;

185) of the design data introduces multiple parallel channels (801-803) into the printed relief pattern (510) to be built, the spacing of the channels being at least equal to a predetermined multiple S of the maximum height of the printed relief pattern to be built where S has a value in the range 2 to 5.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising converting (182) the design data from the form in which it is received into layer data specifying each ink layer to be printed, the modifying (184;

185) of the design data to introduce one or more channels being effected to the layer data.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the modifying (184;

185) of the design data to introduce one or more channels is effected by applying at least one predetermined channel layout (701-706) to some or all the ink layers of one or more regions of the printed relief pattern (510) to be built.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said at least one predetermined channel layout (701-706) comprises at least one of the following layouts:

equally spaced channels (801) extending parallel to the process direction (P) of the printing process used to form the embossing die by printing multiple ink layers in superposition;

equally spaced channels (802) extending transverse to the process direction (P) of the printing process used to form the embossing die by printing multiple ink layers in superposition;

a grid of two orthogonal sets of equally spaced channels (803);

concentric circular channels (804) of different diameter;

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein at least one parameter of said at least one predetermined channel layout (701-706) is set in dependence on one or more parameters of the design to be embossed, and/or the media to be embossed, and/or the printing process used to form the embossing die by printing multiple ink layers in superposition.

11. An embossing die created by the method of claim 1.

12. Apparatus for creating an embossing die comprising:

a data processing arrangement (150) for receiving design data (170) specifying a design to be embossed; and

a print engine (100) operatively coupled to the data processing arrangement and arranged to form an embossing die by printing multiple ink layers (530, 540) in superposition thereby to build up a printed relief pattern (510) in accordance with the design data;

the data processing arrangement (150) being arranged to modify the design data after receipt to introduce into the printed relief pattern to be built, one or more channels (610, 620) which extend depth-wise through multiple ink layers of the printed relief pattern (510) and serve to fully or partially segment the printed relief pattern.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the data processing arrangement (150) is further arranged:

to receive an input indicative of the thickness of media to be embossed using the embossing die; and

in modifying the design data, to set the width of said one or more channels (610, 620) to a value no greater than a predetermined multiple W of the indicated thickness of the media to be embossed where W has a value in the range 0.3 to 1.

14. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the data processing arrangement (150) is arranged to modify the design data to introduce one or more channels by applying at least one predetermined channel layout (701-706) to some or all the ink layers of one or more regions of the printed relief pattern (510) to be built.

15. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the data processing arrangement (150) is formed by a control and processing sub-system of said print engine (100).