Hybrid printing process

• US 10,647,130 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2013
• Issued: 05/12/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jim Cheng
• Original Assignee: Jim Cheng
• Inventors: Cheng, Jim
• Primary Examiner(s): Seo, Justin
• Application Number:
  US13/844,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20140267474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,614 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 17/001 Pad printing apparatus or machines
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 19/007 with selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet or thermal printers
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 23/005 of non-flat articles
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 23/04 by heat drying, by cooling, by applying powders B41F23/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0015 for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing selective coating B41J2/2114
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/00214 using UV radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/546 Combination of different types, e.g. using a thermal transfer head and an inkjet print head
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0017 Application of ink-fixing material, e.g. mordant, precipitating agent, on the substrate prior to printing, e.g. by ink-jet printing, coating or spraying
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 7/0045 using protective coatings or film forming compositions cured by mechanical wave energy, e.g. ultrasonics, cured by electromagnetic radiation or waves, e.g. ultraviolet radiation, electron beams, or cured by magnetic or electric fields, e.g. electric discharge, plasma

Abstract

A new method of combining pad printing with digital printing is presented, where the pad printer lays down a layer of ink and adhesive primer to accept the digital image. The pad printed surface is baked and a high-definition digital image is printed on top of the primer coat. The result is clear-coated and the coating treated with UV curing.

Claims

1. A method of hybrid printing of hard-surface parts, the method comprised of the steps of

assembling a hybrid printing apparatus,

the hybrid printing apparatus comprised of a pad printing system, a direct printing system, a clear coat sprayer, and an ultraviolet (UV) curing system,

the pad printing system comprised of a pad printer and an oven,

the direct printing system comprised of a digital printer,

assembling the parts to be printed on,

flattening said parts if they are not flat,

pad printing a primer base on said parts using the pad printer,

baking said parts after pad printing in the oven at 250°

Fahrenheit for ten to fifteen minutes, allowing the parts to cool to less than 84°

Fahrenheit,

orienting the parts diagonally to the digital printer print head travel path, at 45 degrees of arc,

on the digital printer, selecting the resolution of the image, the ink drop size, the number of passes required to print the image, the focal point of the image, and the color profile,

printing an image on the parts with the digital printer,

selecting on the clear coat sprayer, the percentage of coverage, the drop size, the resolution, and the number of passes,

applying a clear coat on the parts using the clear coat sprayer,

setting the UV curing system focal point and conveyor speed,

curing the clear coat using the UV curing system.

2. The method of hybrid printing of hard-surface parts as in claim 1 where the primer base is TCP series 9900 ink and the digital printer is an ink jet printer.