Method and apparatus for ink jet printing

Abstract

Ink jet printing is provided on large area substrates such as wide width textile webs. The printheads are driven by linear servo motors (633) across a bridge (630) that extends across the substrate. The timing of the jetting of the ink is coordinated with the motion of the printheads (640, 641), so that the heads can be rapidly moved and the ink can be jetted while the printheads are accelerating or decelerating as they move on the bridge. Preferably, ultraviolet (UV) light curable ink is jetted and first partially cured with UV light (645, 646) and then subjected to heating to more completely reduce uncured monomers of the ink on the substrate. Preferably, the heat is applied by contacting the substrate with a heated plate (661, 662). Ink jet printing is provided using ultraviolet (UV) light curable or other curable composition or stable or other printable substance. In certain embodiments the UV ink has 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. A release layer of protective material (702, 704) such as a TEFLON film or sheet, covers a substrate support (705, 706). A porous substrate to be printed, such as a textile material (711), is supported on or above the support. Ink is jetted onto the substrate, with some of the ink passing through pores in the substrate and landing on the protective material. UV curable ink is preferably used and is exposed by UV light from a UV light curing head, which solidifies the ink on the substrate. The UV curing light has a long enough focal length to focus on the surface of the substrate and also, where it passes through pores in the substrate, on ink on the protective material, thereby solidifying the ink on the protective material. When the substrate is removed from the support, the solidified ink on the protective material may be wiped from the protective material.

Description

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application No. 09 / 932,427 filed August 17, 2001, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application No. 09 / 824,517 filed April 2, 2001, and then The latter is in turn a continuation-in-part of US Patent Application No. 09 / 823,268 filed March 30,2001. [0002] This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 327,622 filed on October 5, 2001 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 333,319 filed on November 26, 2001, both of which are incorporated herein as refer to. [0003] This application is also related to the following patent: "Method and Apparatus for Printing on Rigid Panel and Other Contoured or Textured Surfaces" filed on March 30, 2001, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Printing on Rigid Panel and Other Contoured or Textured Surfaces )" and U.S. Patent Application No. 90 / 822,794 entitled "Printing and Quilting Method and Apparatus", both...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Handling and disposal of ink-laden layers is messy and inconvenient

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