Textile printing method, printed matter, and recording apparatus

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Solution Overview

Problem

Textile printing using an ink jet system for nonwoven fabrics often results in dyeing unevenness, white background remaining, and poor durability due to the large gaps between fibers, difficulty in dye penetration, and color loss, especially with disperse dyes.

Innovation Solution

A textile printing method that uses a combination of dyeing and non-dyeing inks, where the non-dyeing ink contains a water-soluble organic solvent with a specific Hansen Solubility Parameter (HSP) value to enhance dye penetration and durability, and the inks are applied in overlapping patterns to suppress dyeing unevenness and color separation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If ink jet printing is applied to nonwoven fabric, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to dyeing unevenness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting efficiencyVSAvoiddyeing uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The printing process is segmented into multiple passes: a first printing that applies dyeing ink to the nonwoven fabric, and a second printing that applies additional dyeing ink or non-dyeing ink to overlapping regions. This segmentation allows different functional inks to be applied at different stages, improving both productivity and dyeing uniformity by addressing different aspects of the printing challenge in separate steps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different types of ink to different regions of the fabric: dyeing ink is applied in the first printing to provide color, while non-dyeing ink is applied in the second printing to overlapping regions to suppress white background and improve uniformity. This local differentiation of ink quality allows each region to receive the specific treatment it needs, resolving the contradiction between efficiency and uniformity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If disperse dye is used for synthetic fibers, then manufacturing precision is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to color loss and poor durability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedye penetration qualityVSAvoidcolor durability

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The first printing applies dyeing ink containing disperse dye to the nonwoven fabric as a preliminary step to ensure good dye penetration and color quality. The second printing then applies non-dyeing ink to overlapping regions as a protective measure to prevent color loss and improve durability. This preliminary action followed by protective action resolves the contradiction between dye penetration quality and color durability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a composite approach by combining dyeing ink (containing disperse dye for good penetration) with non-dyeing ink (for durability and white background suppression). The combination of these two different ink types creates a composite printing system that achieves both good dye penetration quality and improved color durability, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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

The method achieves uniform dyeing and improved durability by ensuring even dye penetration and preventing color separation on nonwoven fabrics, particularly those made of synthetic fibers.

Implementation Method 1

a first printing of ejecting a predetermined dyeing ink by an ink jet system, and a second printing of ejecting a predetermined non-dyeing ink to the nonwoven fabric

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInk jet ejection:

Implementation Method 2

the non-dyeing ink contains a water-soluble organic solvent with a specific Hansen Solubility Parameter (HSP) value to enhance dye penetration

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWetting: Wetting

Implementation Method 3

the non-dyeing ink contains a water-soluble organic solvent with a specific Hansen Solubility_parameter (HSP) value to enhance dye penetration

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSolvation: Solvation

Implementation Method 4

the inks are applied in overlapping patterns to suppress dyeing unevenness and color separation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Data Source

PatentEP3978680B1Textile printing method, printed matter, and recording apparatus

Publication Date: 2025.12.31 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A textile printing method for printing on a fabric, the fabric being a nonwoven fabric containing synthetic fibers. includes a first adhering step of adhering to the fabric by ejecting a dyeing ink by an ink jet method, and a second adhering step of adhering a non-dyeing ink to the fabric. The dyeing ink contains a disperse dye, a water-soluble organic solvent, and water, and the non-dyeing ink contains a water-soluble organic solvent and water. The water-soluble organic solvent contained in the non-dyeing ink contains a glycol-based organic solvent having a HSP value of 13.6 or more, and the content of the glycol-based organic solvent is 80% by mass or more relative to the total amount of the organic solvent contained in the non-dyeing ink. The adhesion position of the dyeing ink and the adhesion position of the non-dyeing ink are at least partially overlapped each other.