Partial Curing of Printed Images on Transparent Media

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing DTS printing systems face challenges in applying images to transparent or semi-transparent media due to UV light scattering, leading to printhead fouling and inconsistent image quality, which results in production delays and quality degradation.

Innovation Solution

A method for partial curing of printed images on transparent media involves rotating the media surface away from the inkjet printing head, positioning a shaped ultraviolet illumination beam field at least 180 degrees away from the point of image expression, and optimizing the beam field edges to minimize UV exposure to the printhead, ensuring consistent and controlled UV application.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If UV illumination is applied to cure printed images on transparent media, then image quality and retention are improved, but UV light scattering causes printhead fouling and inconsistent curing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidprinthead fouling

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The curing process is divided into two distinct stages: a first UV illumination step that provides controlled UV exposure to cure the printed image, and a second UV illumination step that provides additional UV exposure. This segmentation allows optimization of each step to prevent printhead fouling while ensuring complete curing of the transparent media.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The first UV illumination step is applied before the second UV illumination step to preliminarily cure the printed image on transparent media. This preliminary action reduces the overall UV exposure required in subsequent steps, thereby minimizing UV light scattering and printhead fouling while still achieving adequate image retention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If traditional DTS printing systems use UV illumination for curing, then image retention is improved, but UV light scattering leads to production delays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage retentionVSAvoidproduction speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The curing process is divided into two distinct stages: a first UV illumination step that provides controlled UV exposure to cure the printed image, and a second UV illumination step that provides additional UV exposure. This segmentation allows optimization of each step to prevent printhead fouling while ensuring complete curing of the transparent media.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The first UV illumination step is applied before the second UV illumination step to preliminarily cure the printed image on transparent media. This preliminary action reduces the overall UV exposure required in subsequent steps, thereby minimizing UV light scattering and printhead fouling while still achieving adequate image retention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If UV illumination is applied to ensure complete curing of transparent media, then image retention is improved, but UV light scattering causes inconsistent image quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage retentionVSAvoidimage quality consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The curing process is divided into two distinct stages: a first UV illumination step that provides controlled UV exposure to cure the printed image, and a second UV illumination step that provides additional UV exposure. This segmentation allows optimization of each step to prevent printhead fouling while ensuring complete curing of the transparent media.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The first UV illumination step is applied before the second UV illumination step to preliminarily cure the printed image on transparent media. This preliminary action reduces the overall UV exposure required in subsequent steps, thereby minimizing UV light scattering and printhead fouling while still achieving adequate image retention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary 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

This process prevents printhead fouling and ensures consistent image quality on transparent or semi-transparent objects by controlling UV light dosage, reducing production delays and maintaining image retention.

Implementation Method 1

positioning a shaped ultraviolet illumination beam field at least 180 degrees away from the point of image expression, and optimizing the beam field edges to minimize UV exposure to the printhead

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotopolymerization: Photopolymerisation

Data Source

PatentEP4100258B1Method for partial curing of printed images on transparent and semi-transparent media

Publication Date: 2026.03.04 LSINC CORP

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AI summary

A printing and partial curing process for 3D objects that avoids print fouling due to scattered UV light. The process uses the steps of expressing an image from an inkjet printing head onto the surface of a rotating piece of transparent media, rotating the media surface along a single rotational axis away from the inkjet printing head to allow full wetting of an expressed image onto the media surface, and further rotating the media surface so that the expressed image enters a shaped ultraviolet illumination beam field that causes the partial curing of the image so that said image is held in place on the surface during continued rotation as additional ink is applied to the surface. The partial curing or "pinning" lamp is precisely positioned so that ultraviolet beam field avoids impinging on the inkjet print heads so that fouling does not occur.