Textile Digital Printing with Diluent-Assisted Two-Face Penetration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Digital printing on textiles faces challenges in achieving even penetration and a two-face vision, particularly with light color areas, as the limited ink deposition results in poor penetration and surface retention, hindering the creation of bi-face effects in fabrics like flags and curtains.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a dedicated diluent substance, chosen based on the digital dye or ink type, is applied simultaneously with printing to evenly distribute the dye volume and concentration, ensuring consistent penetration depth regardless of color intensity, utilizing a modified printing system with a printing head that injects a solvent to facilitate this even distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If small amounts of ink are used for light color areas in digital printing, then the desired light tone pattern is achieved, but the penetration depth is insufficient and the dye remains only on the top surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dedicated diluent substance as an intermediary carrier that facilitates deep penetration of dye materials through fabric. The diluent penetrates the fabric first, creating a pathway that allows subsequent dye application to reach the desired depth even when using small amounts of ink for light color areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the ink by introducing a dedicated diluent substance with specific properties (viscosity, surface tension, penetration capability). This modifies the ink's behavior to enable deep penetration without increasing the overall ink amount, thus maintaining light tone patterns while achieving sufficient penetration depth.
2Quantity of substance
If variable ink amounts are used for different color intensities in digital printing, then chromatic saturation is controlled, but even penetration and two-face vision cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The dedicated diluent acts as a universal intermediary that ensures consistent penetration behavior across all color intensities. By separating the penetration function (performed by diluent) from the coloring function (performed by dye), the system achieves uniform penetration depth regardless of the varying dye amounts used for different chromatic saturations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the ink into two functional components: a dedicated diluent substance responsible for penetration and distribution, and the dye material responsible for coloration. This segmentation allows independent optimization of penetration uniformity and chromatic saturation control.
3Ease of manufacture
If fixed ink concentration is used in digital printing, then ink formulation is simplified, but the ability to achieve even penetration across different color areas is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The dedicated diluent substance serves as a specialized intermediary component that compensates for the limitations of fixed concentration formulations. It provides the necessary penetration capability and distribution uniformity across all color areas, while the dye concentration can remain fixed, thus maintaining ease of manufacture.
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 allows for even penetration of coloring materials across the fabric, enabling a two-face vision with varying chromatic saturation, enhancing digital printing capabilities by ensuring both light and dark colors penetrate to the desired depth, thus overcoming the limitations of conventional digital printing methods.
Implementation Method 1
applying a diluting substance, specifically designed so as to evenly distribute the volume and concentration of the coloring materials
Implementation Method 2
achieve an even penetration, i.e. a two-face vision, as colored areas which are colored with a different chromatic saturation
Data Source
AI summary
A method for digitally printing on textile articles comprises a digital application of a dedicated diluent substance, according to the type of used coloring material (digital ink), thereby evenly distributing the volume and concentration of the dyeing substances, independently from the intensity of a desired color. An apparatus for carrying out the method uses a portion of a printing module, i.e. a printing head, not involved by the printing of the basic colors C-M-Y-K-, for injecting a specific diluent substance selectively integrating the printing, in which the color or dye, because of its low intensity, would be less than the amount necessary for achieving a passing of the coloring substances up to the opposite side of the fabric material to be printed upon.