3D Article Inkjet Printing via Recirculating Conveyor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current inkjet printing technologies struggle to achieve high-quality label formation on three-dimensional articles, with single pass systems being faster but producing lower quality prints compared to multi-pass systems, and existing methods fail to effectively address the quality gap between printing on 3D and flat surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize a re-circulating loop conveyor system to create non-linear motion between three-dimensional articles and a deposition device, allowing for multiple passes and enabling high-speed, high-quality printing on curved surfaces by using a combination of inkjet print heads and optional surface treatment devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If single pass printing is used, then printing speed is improved, but print quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The article conveyor creates continuous relative motion between the article and deposition device, eliminating idle indexing time while maintaining continuous deposition of material. This allows multi-pass printing to occur without stopping the production flow, thus maintaining high speed while improving quality through multiple passes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses dynamic relative motion where the article conveyor moves the article through the deposition zone continuously, and the deposition device can be positioned at multiple locations along the conveyor path. This dynamic arrangement enables multi-pass printing with continuous motion, resolving the contradiction between speed and quality.
2Manufacturing precision
If multi-pass printing is used, then print quality is improved, but printing speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By arranging multiple deposition devices along the conveyor path and maintaining continuous article motion, the system performs multiple printing passes without stopping or indexing the article. This continuous multi-pass process achieves high quality printing while maintaining high production speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from single-point deposition to distributed deposition along the conveyor path. By placing deposition devices at multiple locations (different positions along the article travel path), the system performs parallel multi-pass printing, achieving both high quality and high speed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If printing is performed on three-dimensional articles, then direct printing capability is improved, but print quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The article conveyor provides continuous relative motion that accommodates three-dimensional article shapes. The deposition device maintains optimal positioning relative to the moving article surface, enabling high-quality direct printing on 3D objects without requiring flat surfaces or complex indexing mechanisms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves up to 60 articles per minute with improved print quality on three-dimensional articles, maintaining consistent distance and orientation, and allows for direct printing on curved surfaces without the need for pre-printed labels, enhancing efficiency and quality compared to existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
a printhead configured to eject drops in a direction parallel with the axis of rotation onto the substrate supported by the rotating platen
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A
AI summary
A process for depositing a substance onto an article (10) is disclosed. The process concerns the operation of directly printing on three- dimensional articles. The process involves creating a re-circulating relative motion between at least one article (10) and a substance deposition device (26). In some embodiments, the articles (10) can be conveyed in a closed loop path past one or more substance deposition devices (26). The articles (10) are conveyed past the substance deposition device(s) (10) at least two times, and during each pass by the substance deposition device(s) (26), a portion of a predetermined pattern is applied to the articles (10) by the substance deposition device(s) (26).