Inkjet Printing on Absorbent Articles with Weighted Random Patterns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for printing absorbent article components, such as diapers, face challenges including high costs and quality issues due to offline printing, which requires handling, winding, and storage of substrates, leading to uneven deformations and complex registration processes. Additionally, contact printing methods lack flexibility in design changes and cannot efficiently print random or weighted distributions of images.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using inkjet printing to print graphics directly on advancing substrates during the assembly process, allowing for flexible design changes and random or weighted distributions of images based on ink cost, volume, or printhead usage, by controlling the printheads with a controller to achieve desired image distributions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If offline printing is used to print substrates separately from converting lines, then printing operations can be performed independently, but additional costs are incurred for handling, winding, unwinding, storing and shipping substrates, and quality deteriorates due to uneven deformations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the printing operation with the converting line by integrating an inkjet printing system directly into the substrate processing path. The printing system prints graphics on substrates as they advance through the converting line, eliminating the need for separate offline printing operations and associated handling, winding, unwinding, storing and shipping steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a controller as an intermediary that coordinates between the converting line operation and the inkjet printing system. The controller receives substrate position information from the converting line and controls the printing system to print at the correct positions, enabling seamless integration without disrupting the converting operation.
2Productivity
If contact printing processes are used for high production rates, then productivity increases, but flexibility to change graphic designs decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical contact printing system with a non-contact inkjet printing system. Instead of using physical printing plates or drums that require shutdown and restart for design changes, the inkjet system uses digitally controlled droplet ejection to print graphics. This allows graphic designs to be changed by updating digital commands to the printhead controller while maintaining high production rates.
3Adaptability or versatility
If non-contact inkjet printing is used for design flexibility, then ease of design changes improves, but ability to print random or weighted distributions of images is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic printing system where the controller can adjust printing parameters in real-time based on random number generation and weighted probability calculations. The system dynamically selects which graphics to print and where to position them on each substrate, enabling random or weighted distributions while maintaining high production rates through automated control.
4Ease of manufacture
If substrates are wound into rolls for offline printing, then storage and handling are simplified, but uneven compression forces cause excessive deformations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the printing operation from the rolled substrate handling process and performs printing on continuously advancing substrates. By taking the printing operation out of the rolled substrate context and performing it on flat, advancing material, the system eliminates the uneven compression forces that cause deformations while maintaining ease of handling through continuous web processing.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed are methods and apparatuses for inkjet printing including printing graphics on an absorbent article component, comprising the steps of: providing one or more printheads; providing a substrate extending in a machine direction, the substrate comprising a first surface and an opposing second surface and defining a width in a cross direction; advancing the substrate in the machine direction past the one or more printheads; ejecting one or more inks from the one or more printheads onto the first surface of the substrate to define a graphic of a plurality of images, each of the plurality of images not being identical to another; wherein the distribution of each of the plurality of images printed on the substrate are not all equal to each other.