Inkjet Printing Image Processing for Cloth Bleeding Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ink jet printing on cloth faces challenges with bleeding, leading to deterioration of image quality due to the use of pretreatment liquids, which also damage the texture of the cloth, and there is a trade-off between preventing bleeding and maintaining texture, especially as the type of cloth affects ink wetting and spreading.

Innovation Solution

An image processing apparatus that acquires base material information, including fiber quality and weave type, to generate a bleeding-prevented image with controlled ink application patterns, anticipating the wetting and spreading characteristics of ink on different cloths, thereby reducing the need for pretreatment liquids and improving image quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If pretreatment liquid is used to prevent bleeding, then image quality is improved, but texture of cloth deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoidtexture deterioration
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing image processing before printing to pre-calculate and adjust the ink application pattern. The bleeding prevention image processing unit processes the image data in advance to determine optimal ink application positions and amounts that account for expected bleeding, thereby preventing bleeding without requiring pretreatment liquids that would damage the cloth texture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/chemical approach of using pretreatment liquids with a digital image processing approach. Instead of applying physical chemicals to the cloth to prevent bleeding, the system uses computational methods to adjust the ink application pattern digitally, substituting a mechanical solution with an information-processing solution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If pretreatment liquid is reduced to maintain texture, then texture is improved, but bleeding prevention capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovetextureVSAvoidbleeding prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the image data parameters (ink application position, amount, and distribution) to compensate for the absence of pretreatment liquids. The bleeding prevention image processing unit adjusts these parameters based on the expected bleeding characteristics of the target cloth, enabling effective bleeding prevention through digital parameter optimization rather than chemical treatment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a virtual model or copy of the bleeding behavior through image processing calculations. The system processes the image data to predict and compensate for bleeding effects, creating a digital representation of the optimal ink application pattern that accounts for bleeding without requiring actual pretreatment of the cloth.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Manufacturing precision

If ink application is increased to prevent bleeding, then bleeding prevention is improved, but texture deterioration worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebleeding preventionVSAvoidtexture deterioration
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making the ink application pattern non-uniform and position-dependent. The bleeding prevention image processing unit determines different ink application amounts and positions for different regions of the image, applying ink more conservatively in areas prone to bleeding and adjusting the pattern locally to achieve both bleeding prevention and texture preservation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by selectively applying ink only where necessary to achieve the desired image quality while preventing bleeding. Rather than uniformly increasing or decreasing ink application across the entire image, the system adjusts ink application locally and selectively based on the specific requirements of each region and the expected bleeding characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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 effectively prevents image quality deterioration from bleeding without using pretreatment liquids, maintaining the texture of the cloth by optimizing ink application based on the specific characteristics of each cloth type, thus enhancing printing quality across various textiles.

Implementation Method 1

the bleeding of ink, that is, the wetting and spreading of ink varies depending on the type of cloth

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWetting: Wetting

Data Source

PatentEP3482946B1Image processing device and method, program, and inkjet printing system
Publication Date: 2022.01.12 FUJIFILM CORP
  • EP3482946B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3482946B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3482946B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Provided are an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, a program, and an ink jet printing system that can perform image formation capable of preventing the deterioration of image quality caused by bleeding in a case in which printing is performed on cloth. An image processing apparatus 12 acquires base material information 42 including at least information indicating the quality of fiber in cloth which is a medium to be printed and image data 40 to be printed on the cloth and generates a bleeding-prevented image 44 indicating an ink application pattern in which at least one of an ink application position or an amount of ink applied is limited in anticipation of wetting and spreading of the ink in the cloth, on the basis of the base material information 42 and the image data 40.