IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0968748
(2010-12-15)
|
등록번호 |
US-9527307
(2016-12-27)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
2 인용 특허 :
27 |
초록
Systems and methods of applying a gaseous inhibitor into a printing region to hinder the curing process of ink on the print heads caused by the presence of stray light in the printing environment.
대표청구항
▼
1. A printing system comprising: a print carriage having opposing sides, wherein the print carriage is configured to traverse forwards and backwards with respect to a substrate, wherein the print carriage includes a curing station positioned at one of the opposing sides of the print carriage, wherei
1. A printing system comprising: a print carriage having opposing sides, wherein the print carriage is configured to traverse forwards and backwards with respect to a substrate, wherein the print carriage includes a curing station positioned at one of the opposing sides of the print carriage, wherein the curing station includes an ultraviolet light source, a nitrogen applicator, and an oxygen applicator; anda printing block positioned between the curing station and the other of the opposing sides of the print carriage, wherein the printing block includes a plurality of print heads that are configured to deposit ultraviolet curable ink onto the substrate;wherein the ultraviolet light source is configured to illuminate and cure an application of the deposited ultraviolet curable ink on the substrate;wherein the nitrogen applicator is configured to emit a blanket of nitrogen gas onto the substrate as the print carriage traverses forwards and backwards with respect to the substrate, wherein the nitrogen applicator is positioned such that the blanket of nitrogen gas is applied after the application of ultraviolet curable ink onto the substrate, before the ultraviolet light source traverses over the applied ultraviolet curable ink, and before the application of ultraviolet curable ink is illuminated with ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source, wherein gases proximate to the substrate are supplanted by the blanket of nitrogen gas, and wherein the blanket of nitrogen is delivered onto the substrate in a trailing fashion toward the ultraviolet light source; andwherein the oxygen applicator is configured to emit a blanket of oxygen gas onto the substrate as the print carriage traverses forwards and backwards with respect to the substrate, wherein the oxygen applicator is positioned such that the blanket of oxygen gas is applied before the printing block traverses over the substrate for the application of ultraviolet curable ink onto the substrate, wherein the blanket of nitrogen and other gases proximate to the substrate are supplanted by the blanket of oxygen gas, and wherein the blanket of oxygen gas is delivered onto the substrate in a trailing fashion toward the printing block; anda nitrogen generator configured to generate substantially-pure oxygen and substantially-pure nitrogen,deliver the substantially-pure oxygen to the oxygen applicator, anddeliver the substantially-pure nitrogen to the nitrogen applicator; anda controller coupled with the nitrogen generator, wherein the controller is configured to activate or deactivate flow of the substantially-pure nitrogen, andactivate or deactivate flow of the substantially-pure oxygen. 2. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the print carriage further comprises: a second curing station positioned at the other of the opposing sides of the print carriage, wherein the second curing station includes an additional ultraviolet light source;wherein the ultraviolet light source illuminates and cures an application of ink on the substrate during the forwards traversal of the print carriage, and wherein the additional ultraviolet light source illuminates and cures an application of ink on the substrate during the backwards traversal of the print carriage. 3. The printing system of claim 2, wherein the second curing station includes an additional nitrogen applicator configured to emit an additional blanket of nitrogen gas onto the substrate as the print carriage traverses forwards and backwards with respect to the substrate; wherein the additional nitrogen applicator is positioned such that the blanket of nitrogen gas is applied after the application of ultraviolet curable ink onto the substrate during the forwards traversal of the print carriage and before the application of ultraviolet curable ink is illuminated with ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source during the forwards traversal of the print carriage; andwherein the additional nitrogen applicator is positioned such that the additional blanket of nitrogen gas is applied after the application of ultraviolet curable ink onto the substrate during the backwards traversal of the print carriage and before the application of ultraviolet curable ink is illuminated with ultraviolet light from the additional ultraviolet light source during the backwards traversal of the print carriage. 4. The printing system of claim 3, wherein the second curing station includes an additional oxygen applicator configured to emit an additional blanket of oxygen gas onto the substrate as the print carriage traverses the substrate; wherein the oxygen applicator is positioned such that the blanket of oxygen gas is applied before a first application of ultraviolet curable ink during the forwards traversal of the print carriage, thereby protecting the plurality of print heads from ultraviolet ink curing onto the plurality of print heads due to stray light in the printing system, and such that the blanket of nitrogen gas from the nitrogen applicator supplants the blanket of oxygen, thereby facilitating curing of the ultraviolet curable ink by the ultraviolet light source during the forwards traversal of the print carriage; andwherein the additional oxygen applicator is positioned such that the additional blanket of oxygen gas is applied before an additional application of ultraviolet curable ink during the backwards traversal of the print carriage, thereby protecting the plurality of print heads from ultraviolet ink curing onto the plurality of print heads due to stray light in the printing system, and such that the additional blanket of nitrogen gas from the additional nitrogen applicator supplants the additional blanket of oxygen, thereby facilitating curing of the ultraviolet curable ink by the additional ultraviolet light source during the backwards traversal of the print carriage. 5. The printing system of claim 4, further comprising: a processing unit operatively coupled with the oxygen applicator, the additional oxygen applicator, the nitrogen applicator, and the additional nitrogen applicator,wherein the processing unit is configured for selectively activating and deactivating the oxygen applicator, the additional oxygen applicator, the nitrogen applicator, and the additional nitrogen applicator, depending on when their use is required. 6. The printing system of claim 1, further comprising: a second printing block positioned between the printing block and the other of the opposing sides of the print carriage, wherein the second printing block an additional plurality of print heads; andan intermediary oxygen applicator;wherein the second printing block is separated from the printing block by the intermediary oxygen applicator, wherein the intermediary oxygen applicator is configured to supply a blanket gas beneath the printing block during the forwards traversal of the print carriage and to supply a blanket gas beneath the additional group of print heads during the backwards traversal of the print carriage. 7. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet light source includes a light emitting diode. 8. A method of printing comprising: traversing a print carriage backwards and forwards with respect to a substrate, wherein the print carriage includesa printing block including a group of print heads; a first curing station located adjacent to a first side of the printing block, wherein the first curing station includes a first ultraviolet source, a first nitrogen applicator, and a first oxygen applicator; anda second curing station located adjacent to a second side of the printing block opposite to the first curing station, wherein the second curing station includes an additional ultraviolet source, an additional nitrogen applicator, and an additional oxygen applicator;emitting a blanket of oxygen gas from the first oxygen applicator onto the substrate during a forwards traversal of the print carriage before the printing block traverses forwards over the substrate, thereby creating an oxygen rich environment, wherein the blanket of oxygen gas is delivered onto the substrate in a trailing fashion toward the printing block;applying an application of ultraviolet curable ink from the group of print heads onto the substrate in the oxygen rich environment;emitting a blanket of nitrogen gas from the first nitrogen applicator onto the substrate after the application of ultraviolet curable ink during the forwards traversal of the print carriage before the first ultraviolet light source traverses forwards over the applied ultraviolet curable ink, thereby supplanting the blanket of oxygen gas and creating a nitrogen rich environment, wherein the blanket of nitrogen is delivered onto the substrate in a trailing fashion toward the first ultraviolet light source;exposing the application of ultraviolet curable ink to light in the nitrogen rich environment from the first ultraviolet light source during the forwards traversal of the print carriage, thereby curing the ultraviolet curable ink;emitting an additional blanket of oxygen gas from the additional oxygen applicator that is directed onto the substrate during a backwards traversal of the print carriage before the printing block traverses backwards over the substrate, thereby creating an oxygen rich environment, wherein the additional blanket of oxygen gas is delivered onto the substrate in a trailing fashion toward the group of print heads;applying an application of ultraviolet curable ink from the group of print heads onto the substrate in the oxygen rich environment;emitting an additional blanket of nitrogen gas from the additional nitrogen applicator onto the substrate after the application of ultraviolet curable ink during the backwards traversal of the print carriage before the additional ultraviolet light source traverses backwards over the applied ultraviolet curable ink, thereby supplanting the additional blanket of oxygen gas and creating a nitrogen rich environment, wherein the blanket of nitrogen gas is delivered onto the substrate in a trailing fashion toward the additional ultraviolet light source;generating substantially-pure oxygen and substantially-pure nitrogen using a membrane-based nitrogen generator operatively coupled with the first nitrogen applicator, the additional nitrogen applicator, the first oxygen applicator, and the additional oxygen applicator, wherein the membrane-based nitrogen generator includes a controller, wherein the controller activates or deactivates flow of the substantially-pure nitrogen, and wherein the controller activates or deactivates flow of the substantially-pure oxygen; andexposing the application of ultraviolet curable ink to light in the nitrogen rich environment from the additional ultraviolet light source during the backwards traversal of the print carriage, thereby curing the ultraviolet curable ink. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the print carriage further comprises: a second printing block including an additional group of print heads separated from the printing block by a further oxygen applicator,the method further comprising:emitting a blanket of oxygen gas from the further oxygen applicator onto the substrate during both of the forwards traversal and the backwards traversal of the print carriage, thereby enhancing the oxygen rich environment. 10. The method of claim 8, further comprising: selectively activating and deactivating, by a processor, the oxygen applicator, the additional oxygen applicator, the nitrogen applicator, and the additional nitrogen applicator, depending on when their use is required.
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