Printing and selective drying

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Solution Overview

Problem

Digital printing on textiles faces challenges with drying, as dark areas tend to burn due to rapid temperature rise from light energy sources like UV or IR, while alternative methods like hot air result in inefficient and larger systems.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that analyze a print job to identify imaged, image-adjacent, and remote segments, applying a cooling liquid to adjacent segments and controlling illumination to selectively dry only the imaged areas, avoiding exposure to remote segments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If light energy sources (UV, visible light, or IR) are used to dry the substrate, then drying efficiency is improved, but dark non-printed areas absorb radiation and temperature rises quickly causing fabric burning

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrying efficiencyVSAvoidfabric burning

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate is divided into multiple segments (imaged segments, image-adjacent segments, and remote segments) based on their proximity to printed areas. Different drying strategies are applied to each segment: full illumination for imaged segments, reduced illumination for image-adjacent segments, and no illumination for remote segments. This segmentation allows efficient drying of printed areas while protecting dark non-printed areas from burning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the substrate are treated with different illumination intensities and durations based on their specific requirements. Imaged segments receive full drying illumination, image-adjacent segments receive reduced illumination or shorter exposure, and remote segments receive no illumination. This local differentiation optimizes drying efficiency where needed while preventing fabric burning in vulnerable areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If hot air drying is used instead of light energy sources, then fabric burning is avoided, but the system becomes larger and less efficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefabric burning preventionVSAvoiddrying efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameters of light energy source application by controlling illumination intensity and duration for different substrate segments. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, the system maintains the high drying efficiency of light energy sources while preventing the harmful effect of fabric burning that occurs with uniform high-intensity illumination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If uniform drying illumination is applied across the entire substrate, then drying of printed areas is achieved, but dark non-printed areas absorb excessive radiation and burn

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrying completionVSAvoidtemperature rise in non-printed areas

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The drying illumination system operates dynamically by adjusting illumination intensity and duration for different substrate segments. The system transitions from static uniform illumination to dynamic selective illumination, where each segment receives customized drying conditions based on its position relative to printed areas and its absorption characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 efficient and high-quality drying of textile substrates without burning non-printed areas, enhancing customer satisfaction and printer installations by optimizing the printing and drying process.

Implementation Method 1

The array of illumination elements is controlled to apply a drying illumination to the imaged segments and the image-adjacent segments of the printed print job

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 2

A cooling liquid is applied to the set of image-adjacent segments of the printed print job utilizing a second set of printheads

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS11685173B2Printing and selective drying

Publication Date: 2023.06.27 HP SCITEX LTD

AI summary

In an example of the disclosure, a print job is received. The print job includes an image to be printed upon a substrate utilizing printheads. The print job is analyzed to determine a set of imaged segments, a set of image-adjacent segments, and a set of remote segments. The print job is printed upon the substrate utilizing a first set of printheads. A cooling liquid is applied to the set of image-adjacent segments of the printed print job utilizing a second set of printheads downstream from the first set of printheads. The printed job is exposed to an array of controllable illumination elements. The array of illumination elements is controlled to apply a drying illumination to the imaged segments and the image-adjacent segments of the printed print job, without providing the drying illumination to the remote segments.