Adjustable Gloss Level For Compact Printhead Arrangement

• US 20170120520A1
• Filed: 10/06/2016
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Miller, Todd W.
• Granted Patent: US 10,589,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/209 Heads; Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/264 Arrangements for irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/002 Coloured
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0022 Bright, glossy or shiny surface
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/00214 using UV radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/2114 Ejecting transparent or white coloured liquids, e.g. processing liquids B41J2/211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/407 for marking on special material

Abstract

A method and apparatus for printing 2D layers and 3D structures is disclosed. The method includes dispensing a print material from a printhead assembly onto a base and curing the print material with a curing device assembly. The spacing between the printhead assembly and the curing device assembly can be adjusted to vary gloss levels in a printed feature. The printhead assembly can include at least one row of nozzles with colored inks and at least one row of nozzles with a clear structural print material.

Claims

1. An apparatus for printing a printable feature onto a base, the apparatus comprising:

a printing surface for receiving the base;

a printhead assembly comprising a first printhead and a second printhead;

a curing device assembly comprising a first curing device and a second curing device;

an actuating system configured to move the printhead assembly and the curing device assembly along an upper surface of the base;

wherein the first printhead is configured to dispense a first print material in a liquid state while the actuating system moves the printhead assembly and the curing device assembly;

wherein the first curing device is configured to cure the first print material while the actuating system moves the printhead assembly and the curing device assembly;

wherein the second printhead is configured to dispense a second print material while the actuating system moves the printhead assembly and the curing device assembly; and

wherein the second curing device is configured to cure the second print material while the actuating system moves the printhead assembly and the curing device assembly.

2. The apparatus for printing as in claim 1, wherein the first curing device is spaced apart from the first printhead by a first separation distance;

and

wherein the second curing device is spaced apart from the second printhead by a second separation distance, the first separation distance being greater than the second separation distance.

3. The apparatus for printing as in claim 1, wherein the first curing device is spaced apart from the first printhead by a first separation distance;

and

wherein the second curing device is spaced apart from the second printhead by a second separation distance, the first separation distance being equal to the second separation distance.

4. The apparatus for printing as in claim 1, wherein the actuating system is configured to maintain the first separation distance between the first curing device and the first printhead when moving the printhead assembly and the curing device assembly;

and

wherein the actuating system is configured to maintain the second separation distance between the second curing device and the second printhead when moving the printhead assembly and the curing device assembly.

5. The apparatus for printing according to claim 1, wherein the first printhead comprises a first row of print nozzles;

the second printhead comprises a second row of print nozzles; and

wherein the first row of print nozzles is disposed adjacent to and parallel with the second row of print nozzles.

6. The apparatus for printing according to claim 5, wherein the first row of print nozzles are aligned with the second row of print nozzles to form a column of print nozzles that is perpendicular to each row of print nozzles.

7. The apparatus for printing according to claim 5, wherein a first nozzle in the first printhead and in the column of print nozzles is disposed closer to the first curing device than any remaining nozzles in the first printhead;

and

wherein a second nozzle in the second printhead and in the column of print nozzles is disposed closer to the second curing device than any remaining nozzles in the second printhead.

8. The apparatus for printing according to claim 1, wherein the first printhead comprises nozzles configured to print colored print materials and wherein the second printhead comprises nozzles configured to print clear print materials.

9. The apparatus for printing according to claim 1, wherein the printable feature is a three-dimensional structural component.

10. The apparatus for printing as in claim 1, wherein the first curing device can be spaced apart from the first printhead in a range between a first inward spacing and a first outward spacing;

and

wherein the first curing device is spaced closer to the first printhead with the first inward spacing than with the first outward spacing.

11. The apparatus for printing as in claim 10, wherein the second curing device can be spaced apart from the second printhead in the range between a second inward spacing and a second outward spacing;

and

wherein the second curing device is spaced closer to the second printhead with the second inward spacing than with the second outward spacing.

12. The apparatus for printing as in claim 11, wherein the first inward spacing corresponds with a matte finish for print material printed by the first printhead and wherein the second inward spacing corresponds with the matte finish for print material printed by the second printhead;

and

wherein the first outward spacing corresponds with a glossy finish for print material printed by the first printhead and wherein the second outward spacing corresponds with the glossy finish for print material printed by the second printhead.

13. The apparatus for printing as in claim 12, wherein the position of the curing device assembly relative to the printhead assembly is configured to be adjusted manually.

14. The apparatus for printing as in claim 12, wherein the position of the curing device assembly relative to the printhead assembly is configured to be adjusted automatically.

15. The apparatus for printing as in claim 14, wherein a printing system includes a controller that automatically adjusts the positions of the curing device assembly relative to the printhead assembly according to a target gloss level for a portion of the printable feature.

16. The apparatus for printing as in claim 1, wherein the base is an upper for an article of footwear.

17. An apparatus for printing a three-dimensional structural component onto a base, the apparatus comprising:

a printing surface for receiving the base;

a printhead assembly comprising a first printhead and a second printhead;

the first printhead comprising a first row of print nozzles and the second printhead comprising a second row of print nozzles;

the first row of print nozzles being disposed adjacent to and parallel with the second row of print nozzles;

the first row of print nozzles being aligned with the second row of print nozzles to form a column of print nozzles that is perpendicular to each row of print nozzles;

a curing device assembly comprising a first curing device aligned with the first printhead and a second curing device aligned with the second printhead;

wherein the first printhead is configured to dispense a first print material onto the base and wherein the first curing device is configured to cure the first print material; and

wherein the second printhead is configured to dispense a second print material onto the base and wherein the second curing device is configured to cure the second print material.

18. The apparatus for printing as in claim 17, the apparatus further comprising:

an actuating system configured to move the printhead assembly and the curing device assembly relative to the printing surface and the base;

wherein the actuating system is further configured to position the first curing device relative to the first printhead and independently of the second curing device; and

wherein the actuating system is further configured to position the second curing device relative to the second printhead and independently of the first curing device.

19. The apparatus for printing as in claim 18, wherein the actuating system is further configured to position the first curing device relative to the first printhead to at least an inward spacing and an outward spacing;

wherein the actuating system is further configured to position the second curing device relative to the second printhead to at least the inward spacing and the outward spacing; and

wherein the first curing device is spaced closer to the first printhead with the inward spacing than with the outward spacing and wherein the second curing device is spaced closer to the second printhead with the inward spacing than with the outward spacing.

20. The apparatus for printing as in claim 19, wherein the inward spacing corresponds with a matte finish and wherein the outward spacing corresponds with a glossy finish.

21. The apparatus for printing as in claim 19, further comprising:

a controller configured to receive a first target gloss level for printing the three-dimensional structural component using the first print material from the first printhead and to receive a second target gloss level for printing the three-dimensional structural component using the second print material from the second printhead;

wherein the controller selects between at least the inward spacing and the outward spacing for the first curing device based on the first target gloss level; and

wherein the controller selects between at least the inward spacing and the outward spacing for the second curing device based on the second target gloss level.

22. The apparatus for printing as in claim 21, wherein the controller selects an intermediate spacing between the inward spacing and the outward spacing for the first printhead when the first target gloss level indicates an intermediate target gloss level between the glossy finish and the matte finish.

23. The apparatus for printing as in claim 17, wherein the first print material comprises one or more pigments and wherein the second print material is clear.

24. A method of printing a three-dimensional structural component with a printhead assembly having a first printhead and a second printhead, comprising:

printing a colored print material from the first printhead onto a base;

printing a clear structural print material from the second printhead onto the base;

wherein the first printhead comprises a first row of print nozzles of the printhead assembly and wherein the second printhead comprises a second row of print nozzles of the printhead assembly, the second row of print nozzles being parallel with the first row of print nozzles; and

curing the colored print material and the clear structural print material using a curing device assembly.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising:

receiving a first target gloss level for printing a portion of the three-dimensional structural component using a first print material from the first printhead;

receiving a second target gloss level for printing another portion of the three-dimensional structural component using a second print material from the second printhead;

selecting a spacing between a first curing device of the curing device assembly and the first printhead according to the first target gloss level; and

selecting the spacing between a second curing device of the curing device assembly and the second printhead according to the second target gloss level.