Selective Spray Application of Scented Printing Material
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for applying scented varnishes or inks in printing processes, such as offset, rotogravure, and flexographic printing, are limited by the need for additional expensive printing units, restricted to 2-3 types of scented materials per side, lack direct control over application amounts, and require similar rheological parameters, hindering flexibility and accuracy in printing multiple scented fields on a moving substrate.
Innovation Solution
The method employs hydrodynamic or pneumatic spraying of scented printing materials in the form of microcapsules using adjustable nozzles and a control system to apply the material selectively onto a moving substrate, allowing for multiple types and locations of scented fields with precise control over application amounts, independent of the printing machine's parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If offset, rotogravure, or flexographic printing techniques are used to apply scented varnish or ink, then the scented material can be applied to the printing substrate, but additional expensive printing units are required and the machine must be designed for printing with scented material from the construction stage
Solution Approach 1:
The spray application device is integrated into the existing printing machine structure, combining the scented material application function with the printing process without requiring separate additional printing units. The device utilizes the printing machine's existing infrastructure while adding spray nozzle assemblies that can be positioned along the substrate path.
Solution Approach 2:
The spray application device can apply multiple types of scented varnishes or inks through a single integrated system. The device accepts different material types and can switch between them, providing universal functionality for various scented printing needs without requiring dedicated printing units for each material type.
2Device complexity
If a single printing unit is used to apply scented varnish or ink, then the structure is simplified, but the number of different scented field types that can be printed in a single row is limited to 2-3 per side
Solution Approach 1:
The application system is divided into multiple independent spray nozzle assemblies, each capable of applying a different scented material. These segmented nozzles are positioned along the substrate path and can be independently controlled, allowing multiple different scented fields to be printed in a single row without requiring multiple complete printing units.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of expanding horizontally with multiple printing units, the solution adds vertical dimensionality by stacking multiple spray nozzle assemblies at different positions along the substrate path. This dimensional approach allows multiple scented fields to be applied in sequence as the substrate moves through the machine, overcoming the limitation of 2-3 fields per side.
3Reliability
If offset, rotogravure, or flexographic printing techniques are used, then scented material can be applied, but direct control of the amount of applied scented varnish is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The spray application device incorporates sensors and control systems that monitor the amount of scented material being applied in real-time. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adjust spray parameters dynamically to achieve precise control over the application amount, ensuring consistent and accurate deposition of scented varnish or ink.
Solution Approach 2:
The spray nozzle system uses dynamic control of spray parameters such as nozzle opening time, spray pressure, and substrate speed to precisely control the amount of material applied. Unlike static printing units, the spray system can rapidly adjust these parameters during operation to achieve exact application quantities.
4Reliability
If transparent scented printing varnish is applied, then the substrate can be enhanced with scent, but colorimetric techniques cannot be used to control the amount of applied varnish
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses reflective or fluorescent markers incorporated into the transparent varnish formulation, or employs optical sensors that detect substrate properties changes during spraying. These optical detection methods enable colorimetric or near-colorimetric measurement techniques to monitor and control the application amount of transparent varnish, overcoming the traditional measurement limitation.
5Reliability
If an additional printing unit is used to apply scented varnish or ink, then the scented material can be applied, but the unit cannot independently adjust parameters such as rotational speed of rollers, requiring scented materials with similar rheological parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The spray application device uses pneumatic or hydraulic spray nozzles that deliver scented materials through fluid dynamics rather than mechanical roller contact. This eliminates the constraint of roller rotational speed and rheological parameter compatibility, allowing the system to handle a wide variety of scented material viscosities and flow characteristics by simply adjusting spray pressure and flow rate parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the fundamental application parameters from mechanical roller contact to spray deposition, allowing independent control of material delivery through spray pressure, nozzle opening duration, and substrate speed. This parameter transformation enables the application of scented materials with diverse rheological properties without requiring the additional unit to match specific roller speed requirements.
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 approach enables simultaneous application of multiple scented materials with different rheological parameters, precise control over application amounts, and flexibility in field placement, eliminating the need for additional printing units and ensuring accurate, efficient application of scented printing materials on moving substrates.
Implementation Method 1
The scented printing material selectively applied, in the form of hydrodynamic spraying, onto the moving printing substrate is applied by a brief, ranging from 1 ms to 200 ms, opening of an electromagnetically- or pneumatically-controlled valve which supplies the scented printing material under pressure to a hydrodynamic spray nozzle.
Implementation Method 2
Spraying of the scented printing material onto the moving printing substrate through the pneumatic spray nozzle occurs as a result of entrainment of particles of the scented printing material by a jet of compressed air having a pressure in the range of 0.1 MPa to 3.0 MPa.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The object of the invention is a method consisting in the use of hydrodynamic or pneumatic spraying for the application of a scented printing material on any chosen field of a moving printing substrate (9) and is implemented by means of hydrodynamic spray nozzles (8) as hydrodynamic spraying or by means of pneumatic spray nozzles (26) as pneumatic spraying. The object of the invention is also a device for selective spray application of the scented printing material, consisting of an application head (6) in which the hydrodynamic spray nozzles (8) or the pneumatic spray nozzles (26) are mounted. The device consists of a tank (1) for the scented printing material with a circulation pump (2) which, in the hydrodynamic spraying variant, is connected to a high-pressure positive displacement pump (3) supplied, from the network, with compressed air having a pressure adjustable by means of an electrically-controlled reducing valve (4), wherein the high-pressure pump (3) is connected through a high- pressure pipe (5) to the application head (6) consisting of an electrically-controlled valve (7) and of a hydrodynamic spray nozzle (8) located above or under the moving printing substrate (9). A filter (10), a pressure gauge (11) and a flow meter (12) are mounted to the high-pressure pipe (5). The device has a device controller (13) mounted, which is connected to a control system (14) of the printing machine (15), to the flow meter (12), to the electrically-controlled reducing valve (4), to the electrically-controlled valve (7) in the application head (6). The printing unit of the printing machine (15) or other polygraph machine has an inductive sensor (16) of the printing cylinder position mounted, connected to the device controller (13).