Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080204538 | PRINTING ON CORRUGATED SUBSTRATES - Methods and devices for forming, such as by printing, high quality, high throughput, ultraviolet curable gel ink images on corrugated substrates for packaging applications are disclosed. The methods and devices have excellent edge acuity and do not require precoating of the substrate prior to printing or nitrogen inerting during curing. | 08-28-2008 |
20080218570 | IMAGING ON FLEXIBLE PACKAGING SUBSTRATES - Methods and devices for forming, such as by printing, high quality, high throughput, ultraviolet curable gel ink images on flexible substrates for packaging applications are disclosed. The methods and devices have excellent image quality and do not require pinning of the ink during color printing or nitrogen inerting during curing. | 09-11-2008 |
20080299327 | Surface Energy Control Methods For Color Filter Printing - Black matrix (BM) material is deposited on glass and patterned to form walls that define an array of wells. Various surface treatments and masking schemes are utilized to achieve surface energy control of the BM glass. The surface treatments include one or more of chemically treating the BM walls by depositing hydrophobic self-assembled monolayers on the uppermost wall surfaces, and plasma treatments to control the surface energy of the various BM glass surfaces. Masking processes include backside exposure and development of photoresist, and maskless, self-aligned photo-patterning of the monolayers. Color filter ink is then injected into each well from an ink jet print head. The high surface energy of the lower and side wall surfaces facilitates wetting of the ink, and the low surface energy of the monolayers prevents intermixing of ink between adjacent wells. The ink then dries to form a color filter in each well. | 12-04-2008 |
20090145641 | COMBINING DISCRETE ELECTRONIC ELEMENTS WITH PRINTED ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS - A method of printing electronic circuits uses pattern recognition to detect locations of interconnects on electronic components oriented on a substrate such that the interconnects face away from the substrate, the interconnects having ramps between the interconnects and the substrate, adjusts routing paths as needed based upon a difference between an intended placement and an actual placement of the electronic components, and generates a new image file for printing with adjusted routing paths. A device has at least one electronic component having interconnects, a ramp from a surface of the substrate to the interconnects, wherein the ramp is formed of one of either a polymer or an adhesive, a printed, conductive path on the ramp providing electrical connection to at least one of the interconnects. | 06-11-2009 |
20090153942 | PARTICLE DISPLAY WITH JET-PRINTED COLOR FILTERS AND SURFACE COATINGS - An improved method of forming a display is described. The method includes the operation of forming a cell in an array of cells. Walls of the cell are used to confine both a color filter and a display material prior to sealing the cell. The method is particularly useful when jet printing particulate display materials and filter materials to form pixels in a display. | 06-18-2009 |
20090201325 | Method For The Printing Of Homogeneous Electronic Material With A Multi-Ejector Print Head - Printing systems are disclosed that produce homogenous, smooth edged printed patterns (such as integrated circuit (IC) patterns) by separating pattern layouts into discrete design layers having only parallel layout features. By printing each design layer in a printing direction aligned with the parallel layout features, the individual print solution droplets deposited onto the substrate do not dry before adjacent droplets are deposited. Therefore, printed patterns having accurate geometries and consistent electrical properties can be printed. | 08-13-2009 |
20100055407 | Ultra-Violet Curable Gellant Inks For Creating Tactile Text And Images For Packaging Applications - A method for forming tactile images or a combination of tactile images and regular images, on a flexible packaging substrate comprising depositing an ultraviolet curable phase change ink composition comprising an optional colorant and a phase change ink vehicle comprising a radiation curable monomer or prepolymer; a photoinitiator; a reactive wax; and a gellant directly onto a flexible packaging substrate or depositing the ink onto an intermediate transfer member, in an image area to form a tactile image area or a combination of tactile image area and regular image; forming the tactile image by depositing multiple layers of the ink in locations of the tactile image or portion thereof; when an intermediate transfer member is used, transferring the deposited ink from the intermediate transfer member to the flexible packaging substrate; and curing the ink. | 03-04-2010 |
20100101716 | APPARATUS FOR FIXING A RADIATION-CURABLE GEL-INK IMAGE ON A SUBSTRATE - An apparatus fixes ink on a substrate, such as in ink-jet printing. A leveling member is positioned to contact an ink-bearing side of the substrate at a nip. A radiation source is positioned to direct radiation to the ink-bearing side of the substrate at the nip, the radiation suitable for curing the ink on the substrate. | 04-29-2010 |
20100103235 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FIXING A RADIATION-CURABLE GEL-INK IMAGE ON A SUBSTRATE - An apparatus fixes ink on a substrate, such as in ink-jet printing. A leveling member is positioned to contact an ink-bearing side of the substrate at a nip. A radiation source is positioned to direct radiation to the ink-bearing side of the substrate at the nip, the radiation suitable for curing the ink on the substrate. | 04-29-2010 |
20100177151 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FIXING A RADIATION-CURABLE GEL-INK IMAGE ONTO A SUBSTRATE - An apparatus prints and/or fixes ink on a substrate, such as in ink-jet printing with UV-curable inks. A conformable member is positioned to contact an ink-bearing side of the substrate at a nip. The conformable member substantially comprises a silicone-based elastomer having a conformability from about 20 shore A to about 10 shore A. A radiation source directs radiation to the ink-bearing side of the substrate at the nip, the radiation suitable for curing the ink on the substrate. The apparatus is particularly useful for printing onto corrugated cardboard or otherwise non-planar surfaces, since the resulting ink image is impressed uniformly onto the substrate by the conformable member without voids in the ink layer in the recesses of the non-planar surface. | 07-15-2010 |
20100231636 | Method For The Printing Of Homogeneous Electronic Material With A Multi-Ejector Print Head - Printing systems are disclosed that produce homogenous, smooth edged printed patterns (such as integrated circuit (IC) patterns) by separating pattern layouts into discrete design layers having only parallel layout features, and by printing each design layer using individual print solution droplets deposited onto the substrate. A first alignment operation is performed to achieve a specified orientation between the printhead and a first set of alignment marks on the substrate using first image data generated by the imaging sensor of the camera before performing a first print operation, and a second alignment operation to orient the printhead relative to a second set of alignment marks is performed before a second print operation. A first pattern layout portion includes first layout elements aligned parallel to a first reference axis, and the first print operation is performed by making multiple printing passes in a print direction aligned with the first reference axis. | 09-16-2010 |
20100231637 | Method For The Printing Of Homogeneous Electronic Material With A Multi-Ejector Print Head - Printing systems are disclosed that produce homogenous, smooth edged printed patterns (such as integrated circuit (IC) patterns) by separating pattern layouts into discrete design layers having only parallel layout features, and by printing each design layer using individual print solution droplets deposited onto the substrate. A printhead alignment operation includes printing a first spot from a first printhead ejector on a first substrate location, positioning a second ejector over the first substrate location and printing a second spot, measuring a distance between the first spot and the second spot, adjusting a rotational orientation between the print head and the substrate to reduce the distance between the first spot and the second spot, and then repeating the printing, measuring and adjusting processes until the first and second spots are separated by a predefined threshold value apart. The design layers are then printed. | 09-16-2010 |
20100231638 | Method For The Printing Of Homogeneous Electronic Material With A Multi-Ejector Print Head - Printing systems are disclosed that produce homogenous, smooth edged printed patterns (such as integrated circuit (IC) patterns) by separating pattern layouts into discrete design layers having only parallel layout features, and by printing each design layer using individual print solution droplets deposited onto the substrate. A printhead alignment operation includes positioning the printhead and printing a spot onto the substrate from each ejector, determining a vertical offset between an expected location of each spot along a vertical axis and the actual location of the spot along the vertical axis, calculating a linear fit line for the vertical offset of each spot plotted against an expected location of the spot along a horizontal axis, calculating the slope of the linear fit line, and rotating the printhead relative to the substrate according to an angle defined by the slope of the linear fit line. | 09-16-2010 |
20110115861 | METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING TEXTURED SURFACE TO CURABLE GEL INK - A printing system has a print mechanism to dispense a curable ink onto print media, a texture roller having a textured surface arranged to transfer a texture through a film to the curable ink on the media resulting in textured ink, and a curing mechanism to cure the textured ink. A printing system has a print head to dispense a curable ink onto print media, a film arranged adjacent a side of the media upon which the ink is dispensed, a texture roller arranged on a side of the film opposite the media to transfer texture to the curable ink, resulting in textured ink, and a curing mechanism to cure the textured ink. A method of controlling gloss in a printed image includes forming a printed image on print media using curable ink, using a roller to transfer a texture pattern to the curable ink, and curing the ink such that the pattern cures into the ink. | 05-19-2011 |
20110261127 | METHODS OF LEVELING INK ON SUBSTRATES AND APPARATUSES USEFUL IN PRINTING - Methods of leveling ink on substrates and apparatuses useful in printing are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the methods includes irradiating ink disposed on a surface of a porous substrate with radiation emitted by at least one radiant energy source. The radiation heats the ink to at least a viscosity threshold temperature of the ink to allow the ink to flow laterally on the surface to produce leveling of the ink. The ink is heated sufficiently rapidly that heat transfer from the ink to the substrate is sufficiently small during the leveling that ink at the substrate interface is cooled to a temperature below the viscosity threshold temperature thereby preventing any significant ink permeation into the substrate. | 10-27-2011 |
20130087167 | TUNABLE SURFACTANTS IN DAMPENING FLUIDS FOR DIGITAL OFFSET INK PRINTING APPLICATIONS - A dampening fluid useful in offset ink printing applications contains water and a surfactant whose structure can be altered. The alteration in structure aids in reducing accumulation of the surfactant on the surface of an imaging member. The surfactant can be decomposed, switched between cis-trans states, or polymerizable with ink that is subsequently placed on the surface. | 04-11-2013 |
20140020624 | METHODS OF LEVELING INK ON SUBSTRATES AND APPARATUSES USEFUL IN PRINTING - Methods of leveling ink on substrates and apparatuses useful in printing are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the methods includes irradiating ink disposed on a surface of a porous substrate with radiation emitted by at least one radiant energy source. The radiation heats the ink to at least a viscosity threshold temperature of the ink to allow the ink to flow laterally on the surface to produce leveling of the ink. The ink is heated sufficiently rapidly that heat transfer from the ink to the substrate is sufficiently small during the leveling that ink at the substrate interface is cooled to a temperature below the viscosity threshold temperature thereby preventing any significant ink permeation into the substrate. | 01-23-2014 |
20140035992 | AUTOMATED HIGH PERFORMANCE WAVEFORM DESIGN BY EVOLUTIONARY ALGORITHM - A method can include receiving an initial waveform and generating, testing, and evaluating the performance of an initial child set of waveforms based on an initial parent set of waveforms from the initial waveform. The method can also include determining whether a termination condition has been met based on the evaluating and, if so, providing an optimized waveform. If the termination condition has not been met, the method can also include generating subsequent child sets of waveforms based on the previous child set(s). | 02-06-2014 |
20140216141 | Piezo Actuated Fluid Dispenser Fluid Characterization - A technique, including a system and a method, for measuring a fluid property using a piezo-actuated fluid dispenser, is disclosed. The technique includes generating a pressure wave in a channel in the piezo-actuated fluid dispenser using a piezo element, detecting, using the piezo element, a residual pressure oscillation in the channel caused by the generating, obtaining a resonance frequency of the pressure oscillation, and determining, using the resonance frequency, the fluid property. | 08-07-2014 |
20140267488 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING RESPONSE TO ACTUATION OF ELECTRO-MECHANICAL TRANSDUCER IN PRINT HEAD ASSEMBLY FOR INKJET PRINTING SYSTEM - A measurement device for measuring a response to actuation of an electro-mechanical transducer in a print head assembly for an inkjet printing system includes a sensing circuit and a measurement circuit. The sensing circuit provides a path to system ground for the transducer. The transducer is associated with an ink chamber in the print head assembly. The transducer is configured to transfer energy to contents of the chamber in response to an actuation of the transducer in conjunction with electronics controller and waveform amplifier modules of the printing system. The measurement circuit monitors a ground signal at a transducer-side of the sensing circuit and a reference signal at a system ground-side of the sensing circuit. The measurement circuit generates a difference signal indicative of a difference between the ground and reference signals. Various embodiments of methods for measuring the response and additional embodiments of devices are provided. | 09-18-2014 |
20150040939 | TUNABLE SURFACTANTS IN DAMPENING FLUIDS FOR DIGITAL OFFSET INK PRINTING APPLICATIONS - A dampening fluid useful in offset ink printing applications contains water and a surfactant whose structure can be altered. The alteration in structure aids in reducing accumulation of the surfactant on the surface of an imaging member. The surfactant can be decomposed, switched between cis-trans states, or polymerizable with ink that is subsequently placed on the surface. | 02-12-2015 |
20150054879 | INKJET PRINT HEAD HEALTH DETECTION - A method and apparatus for self-sensing the detection of print head conditions on high resolution/multiple nozzle piezoelectric ink jet print heads resulting in increased ink jet efficiency and reduced ejection failure with no use of ink. This is done by creating a pressure wave in an ink-fillable ink jet head ejection chamber where the intensity of the induced pressure wave is below a threshold value necessary to produce ejection of a normal sized ink drop through the nozzle. An electrical signal based on the pressure wave is generated and analyzed to determine ink jet head ink drop ejection performance. | 02-26-2015 |