Thermostable PTFE Coating for Continuous-Tone Culinary Decoration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current decoration techniques for culinary items, such as screen printing and sublimation printing, are costly and inefficient for small batches, and traditional inkjet printing cannot produce thermostable coatings with multi-colored, continuous tone designs that withstand high temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A method involving inkjet printing directly onto an opaque surface of a culinary item using a thermostable coating composition that includes a binder or is binder-free, allowing for the creation of bichrome or multichrome decorations that can withstand temperatures above 300°C, without the need for an ink-receiving layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If screen printing or pad printing is used to apply multi-colored patterns, then decoration quality is improved, but production cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the decoration process by applying different colors sequentially using a single print head that can be repositioned, rather than using multiple screen printing units. Each color is applied in separate printing passes with the print head moving to different positions on the support
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses digital copying of the decoration pattern through inkjet printing, where the same digital design can be reproduced without requiring physical screens or molds for each color, eliminating the need to manufacture and store multiple printing screens
2Manufacturing precision
If screen printing is used for multi-colored patterns, then decoration quality is improved, but production time increases due to multiple printing passes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains continuous printing action by using a single print head that can rapidly reposition between colors without the need to change screens or molds between color applications, reducing idle time between printing passes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary positioning of the print head at predetermined locations for each color application, allowing rapid sequential printing of multiple colors without the time-consuming screen changing operations required in traditional screen printing
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional inkjet printing is used on culinary items, then production flexibility is improved, but thermal stability deteriorates at high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the ink composition by incorporating specific binders and additives that provide thermal stability, allowing the inkjet-printed decoration to withstand high temperatures during culinary use while maintaining adhesion and color fastness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite ink formulations combining pigments, binders, and functional additives that provide both the desired decoration qualities and enhanced thermal resistance, creating a multi-functional coating that adheres to culinary item surfaces and withstands cooking temperatures
4Adaptability or versatility
If sublimation printing is used to decorate articles of any shape, then versatility is improved, but process complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical pressure and heat transfer system of sublimation printing with a direct inkjet deposition system that can accommodate various shapes without requiring complex positioning and pressure application mechanisms
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
Enables the production of high-quality, thermally stable, multi-colored decorations on culinary items that maintain their appearance and functional properties after high-temperature baking, reducing production costs and complexity compared to traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
the decoration is applied by inkjet printing
Implementation Method 2
baking at a temperature above 300°C
Data Source
Figure 1~7
Figure 8
AI summary
The present invention relates to a heating article (1) comprising a substrate having two opposite faces (21, 22), of which at least one (21) is opaque, and a thermostable coating (3) placed on the opaque face. According to the invention, the heating article has been subjected to firing at a temperature above 300°C and the heat-stable coating comprises: - a decor (31) at least bichrome in continuous tones in the form of a continuous layer or discontinuous, - an opaque sub-layer (4) in fluorocarbon resin based on PTFE or in sol-gel material covering one of the substrate faces, and/or - a continuous and transparent finishing layer (32) based on PTFE or sol-gel material, which is placed on the decoration or placed between the substrate (or the underlayer if applicable) and the decoration. and The present invention also relates to a method of making an article.