Contact Printing System for Wide Color Gamut on Absorbent Substrates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current printing processes for absorbent paper products are limited to a four-color palette, which restricts the range of colors that can be achieved, making it difficult to produce vibrant and intricate designs on substrates with low modulus and textured surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A contact printing system using X-Y printing components that apply X colors defined by L*a*b* color values within the MacAdam 3-D gamut, allowing for a wider color palette by combining additional ink colors such as red, green, and blue-violet with standard CMYK process colors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional four-color process printing is used on absorbent paper substrates, then printing speed and commercial viability are maintained, but the color palette and vibrancy of the printed design are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The printing system is segmented into multiple independent printing units, each capable of applying a specific color layer. This allows the complex task of multi-color printing to be divided into manageable segments that can be processed sequentially on the moving substrate, achieving expanded color gamut without overwhelming system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from traditional planar printing to multi-dimensional color space utilization by incorporating printing components that apply colors defined by L*a*b* color values within the MacAdam 3-D gamut. This dimensional expansion in color space enables significantly broader color palette while maintaining process printing efficiency
2Quantity of substance
If additional ink colors are added to expand the color gamut, then the range of perceivable colors increases, but the printing process complexity and device requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The printing system employs universal printing components that can handle multiple ink colors through a standardized mechanism. Each printing unit is designed to be multi-functional, capable of applying different color inks using the same basic printing technology, thereby simplifying manufacturing while expanding color capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameters of the printing system by defining colors using L*a*b* color values within the MacAdam 3-D gamut rather than traditional CMYK process colors. This parameter transformation enables broader color gamut while maintaining a systematic approach to color management and printing process control
3Productivity
If process printing is used on substrates with low modulus and textured surfaces, then commercial printing speed is achieved, but the ability to capture wide color palette is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The printing system maintains continuous operation on moving absorbent paper substrates without interruption, ensuring high productivity. Multiple printing units are arranged to apply different color layers in sequence during a single pass through the printing apparatus, maintaining continuous printing speed while achieving expanded color gamut through the accumulation of multiple color applications
Data Source
AI summary
A web substrate having indicia comprising X colors disposed thereon is disclosed. The indicia are disposed upon the web substrate by a contact printing system adapted to print the X colors upon the web substrate utilizing X−Y printing components. X and Y are whole numbers, 0<Y<X, and X>1. Each of the X colors are defined by L*a*b* color values defined by CIELab coordinate values disposed inside the boundary described by the MacAdam 3-D gamut.