Lightweight Media Sheet Flatness Control Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-speed inkjet printing faces issues with paper media such as cockle, curl, wrinkle, and misregistration due to non-uniform hygro-expansion caused by water-based inkjet inks, leading to productivity and quality problems.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight media sheet with a flatness control layer interposed between the substrate and ink-receiving layer, comprising polymers like polyvinyl alcohol, polyamide, or polyethylene oxide, which increases water holding time and prevents solvent migration, thereby maintaining media flatness and reducing the need for costly additives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If water-based inkjet inks are used for high-speed printing, then printing speed and variable content capability are improved, but cockle, curl, and misregistration occur due to non-uniform hygro-expansion
Solution Approach 1:
A flatness control layer is introduced as an intermediary between the substrate and the ink-receiving layer. This layer acts as a mediator that absorbs and distributes the moisture from water-based inkjet inks uniformly, preventing non-uniform hygro-expansion of the substrate that causes cockle and curl, while allowing high-speed printing to proceed
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional paper media is used with inkjet printing, then printing cost is reduced, but runnability and product quality deteriorate due to cockle, wrinkle, and misregistration
Solution Approach 1:
The media sheet is constructed as a composite material system consisting of a substrate, a flatness control layer, and an ink-receiving layer. The flatness control layer, made from specific polymers or compositions, provides the necessary moisture management properties to prevent runnability issues while maintaining cost-effectiveness compared to traditional heavy-coated papers
3Manufacturing precision
If heavy coating is applied to paper substrate, then flatness is improved, but weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly heavy coating across the entire paper, the flatness control function is localized to a specific intermediate layer with optimized composition and thickness. This layer provides the necessary flatness control through its moisture management properties rather than relying on mass, enabling lightweight media construction
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 media sheet exhibits improved runnability and flatness during high-speed printing, minimizing curl and cockle issues, and allowing for effective evaporation of inks and solvents, resulting in higher quality output without the need for additional layers or additives.
Implementation Method 1
The flatness control layer can increase the water holding time of the media and prevent or minimize the migration of water and/or solvents into the substrate
Implementation Method 2
inkjet printing has a much higher moisture level than offset and gravure printing due to the colored pigments of the inkjet ink being applied to the paper media using a generally water based liquid vehicle, which will cause non-uniform hygro-expansion that appears to be related to cockle/waviness and misregistration issues
Implementation Method 3
the water and/or other solvents from printed inks (and their respective ink vehicles) reside closer to the surface of the media, and therefore, can more effectively evaporate during printing and subsequent processing
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides recording media and methods. In one example, a light weight media sheet for high speed printing can comprise a paper substrate having a basis weight of less than 100 gsm; a first flatness control layer applied directly to a first side of the paper substrate, the first flatness control layer having a coating weight from 1 to 15 gsm, wherein the first flatness control layer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of a polyvinyl alcohol, a polyamide, a polyimide, a polyethylene oxide, a polyvinyl pyrrolidone, a cellulose, a starch, an acrylate, copolymers thereof, and mixtures thereof; and a first ink-receiving layer applied directly to the first flatness control layer, the first ink-receiving layer having a coating weight from 1 to 40 gsm, where the light weight media sheet has a total basis weight from 40 to 150 gsm.