Specialty Toner Calibration via Color Reference Layer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods lack a robust and easy means for measuring and controlling the laydown of clear toner and other specialty toners like white, pearlescent, metallic, and fluorescence toners on substrates after fusing, due to their low contrast with white paper, which complicates maintaining consistent high-quality print results.

Innovation Solution

A method involving depositing a region of color toner and varying amounts of specialty toner on a substrate, fusing them, measuring the color response signal, calculating a color response curve, and adjusting the charging voltage of the image forming module to match a target curve, ensuring consistent laydown and print quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If clear toner and specialty toners are deposited on white substrate, then gloss control and security printing effects are achieved, but measurement and control of laydown becomes difficult due to low contrast

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegloss control and security printing effectsVSAvoidmeasurement and control of laydown

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a color toner layer as an intermediary between the white substrate and the clear/specialty toner. This color layer provides contrast that enables measurement of the specialty toner laydown, while the clear toner is still deposited on top to achieve the desired gloss control and security printing effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes color toner deposition to create a measurable contrast layer. By depositing color toner before the clear/specialty toner, the system creates a visible color change that can be measured to control the laydown of the otherwise invisible clear toner, while maintaining the optical effects of the specialty toner.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple color profiles are used to account for clear toner effects, then color consistency is improved, but process control capability is reduced due to lack of measurement means

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor consistencyVSAvoidprocess control capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback control system where the color response is measured after depositing the color toner and clear/specialty toner layers. The measured color response is used to calculate the actual clear toner laydown, which then feeds back to adjust the charging voltage to achieve the target laydown, enabling precise process control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the need for direct physical measurement of clear toner laydown with an optical measurement system. By measuring color response and using it to infer laydown, the system substitutes a complex direct measurement mechanism with a simpler optical detection approach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Manufacturing precision

If charging voltage is adjusted to control specialty toner laydown, then print quality consistency is improved, but measurement capability remains insufficient without proper reference

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprint quality consistencyVSAvoidmeasurement capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary deposition of a color toner layer before depositing the clear/specialty toner. This preliminary action creates a measurable reference layer that enables subsequent measurement and control of the clear toner laydown through color response analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the measurement parameter from direct physical measurement of clear toner to optical color response measurement. By measuring the color response of the combined color and clear toner layers, the system can infer the clear toner laydown with sufficient precision for process control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 provides a simple and effective process control system for managing the maximum laydown of specialty toners, enhancing print consistency and quality by adjusting the charging voltage based on measured color responses.

Implementation Method 1

depositing a region of color toner and varying amounts of specialty toner on a substrate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrostatic deposition: Electrostatic Deposition

Implementation Method 2

fusing them

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Data Source

PatentUS9008527B2Method for calibrating specialty color toner

Publication Date: 2015.04.14 EASTMAN KODAK CO

AI summary

A method for calibrating specialty toner, the method includes providing a substrate; depositing an invariant or substantially invariant laydown of a color toner on the substrate; depositing a varying laydown of the specialty toner; fusing the color toner and specialty toner to the substrate; measuring a color response signal of the substrate, color toner, and specialty toner; calculating a color response curve as function of the varying laydown of the specialty toner; comparing the color response curve to a target color response curve; and modifying printing parameters of the specialty toner to set the color response curve equal to or substantially equal to the target color response curve.