Inkjet Printing Device Gloss Control via Temperature Differential
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current inkjet printing technologies face challenges in controlling both low gloss and high gloss printing modes effectively, particularly with clear inks, as they often result in image defects like blocking due to incomplete drying and require ventilation for UV-curable inks, which are not suitable for indoor use.
Innovation Solution
An inkjet printing device and method utilizing a clear aqueous ink containing a resin and a specific compound, where the ink is discharged with a discharging head and heated by a device to control gloss levels by maintaining specific temperature relationships between the printed matter and the heating device in low and high gloss modes, preventing blocking and enhancing printing quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If UV-curable inks are used to achieve high gloss printing, then gloss quality is improved, but ventilation requirements and safety concerns arise due to polymerizable monomers
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the ink from UV-curable polymerizable monomers to aqueous-based resins with specific molecular structures (Formula 1 and 2). This parameter change allows the ink to achieve high gloss through controlled drying and film formation without requiring UV curing, thereby eliminating ventilation requirements and safety concerns associated with polymerizable monomers while maintaining the desired gloss quality
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive and hazardous UV-curable inks with simpler aqueous-based inks that use water-soluble or water-dispersible resins. These alternative inks achieve their gloss effect through natural drying and film formation processes, making them safer, more environmentally friendly, and suitable for indoor use without specialized ventilation systems
2Object-affected harmful factors
If clear aqueous ink is used for printing, then environmental friendliness is improved, but image defects like blocking occur due to incomplete drying
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the molecular structure parameters of the resin components (Formula 1 and 2) to achieve the right balance between water solubility and film-forming ability. By carefully controlling the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance and molecular weight of the resins, the ink dries completely and forms a continuous film without blocking, while maintaining its environmentally friendly aqueous-based formulation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite resin systems combining different water-soluble and water-dispersible resin components with specific functional groups. This composite approach enhances the ink's drying characteristics and film-forming properties, ensuring complete drying and preventing blocking while maintaining the environmental benefits of aqueous-based ink
3Reliability
If heating temperature is increased to prevent blocking, then drying completeness is improved, but gloss control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the thermal properties of the ink formulation by selecting resins with appropriate glass transition temperatures and drying characteristics. This allows the ink to dry completely at moderate heating temperatures without requiring excessive heat that would compromise gloss control, achieving both reliable drying and precise gloss management through optimized resin selection
4Manufacturing precision
If heating temperature is decreased to maintain high gloss, then gloss quality is improved, but blocking occurs due to incomplete drying
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the resin molecular weight, hydrophilicity, and film-forming temperature parameters to enable complete drying at lower heating temperatures. By carefully tuning these parameters, the ink achieves both high gloss quality and complete drying without blocking, even at reduced heating temperatures that preserve the desired gloss effect
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 solution allows for effective control of both low gloss and high gloss printing modes without image defects, reducing blocking issues and eliminating the need for ventilation, thereby improving printing quality and usability.
Implementation Method 1
a heating device configured to heat the printed matter, wherein the heating device heats the printed matter satisfying the following relationship 1: Tlgloss>Thgloss
Data Source
AI summary
An inkjet printing device includes an ink containing unit to contain a clear aqueous ink containing a resin, a compound represented by the following Chemical formula, and water,where R1 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a discharging head to discharge the clear aqueous ink to printed matter to form a layer thereon in a low gloss printing mode or high gloss printing mode, and a heating device to heat the printed matter, wherein the heating device heats the printed matter satisfying the following relationship 1: Tlgloss>Thgloss 1, where Tlgloss represents the temperature of the printed matter at a low gloss printing region in the low gloss printing mode and Thgloss represents the temperature of the printed matter in the high gloss printing mode when the clear aqueous ink is attached to the printed matter.