Method and apparatus for digital dyeing of thread

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11318757-B2
Application number	US-201916506162-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2019
Priority date	Jul 9, 2019
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

A thread printing system includes a source spool containing thread. The system also includes various print heads, each of which is fluidly connected to an ink tank. The print heads are positioned to direct and apply ink to a segment of the thread as the thread travels along a transport path along from the source spool. The system also includes a fuser having one or more print rollers that are connected to a heating element. The fuser receives the dyed thread and fuses the ink to the thread. The system may include a controller that is configured to apply ink of different colors to different segments of the thread.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A thread printing system, comprising:
a source spool for holding a thread;
a plurality of print heads, each of which is fluidly connected to an ink tank for holding ink, wherein the print heads are positioned to direct and apply ink to a segment of the thread as the thread travels along a transport path along from the source spool; and
a fuser comprising:
a first roller that is connected to a heating element, wherein the fuser is positioned to receive the thread after the print heads apply ink to the thread so that heat will fuse the ink to the thread, and
a second roller that is positioned to contact the first roller at a contact point;

wherein the fuser is positioned to pass the thread through the contact point, and the fuser is configured to pull the thread along the transport path past the print heads.

2. The thread printing system of claim 1 , further comprising a drive motor that is configured to cause the first roller, the second roller, or both to rotate.

3. The thread printing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller;
and
a memory containing programming instructions that are configured to cause the controller to:
receive a pattern comprising a first segment length and a first color,
cause the print heads to apply ink of the first color to a first segment of the thread as the thread travels along the transport path past the print heads, wherein the first segment of the thread has a length that corresponds to the first segment length, and
stop the print heads from applying the ink of the first color to the thread when the first segment length has passed the print heads.

4. The thread printing system of claim 3 , further comprising additional programming instructions that are configured to cause the controller to:
use the pattern to identify a second segment length and a second color,
cause the print heads to apply ink of the second color to a second segment of the thread as the thread travels along the transport path past the print heads, wherein the second segment of the thread is adjacent to the first segment of the thread and has a length that corresponds to the second segment length, and
stop the print heads from applying the ink of second color to the thread when the second segment length has passed the print heads.

5. The thread printing system of claim 1 , further comprising a guide structure that is positioned and configured to receive the thread from the source spool at any of a plurality of angles and direct the thread to the transport path.

6. The thread printing system of claim 1 , further comprising a take-up spool that is positioned and configured to receive the thread from the fuser and wrap the thread around a bobbin.

7. The thread printing system of claim 1 , wherein the fuser further comprises:
a first frame element that is attached to the first roller;
a second frame element that is attached to the second roller; and
a spring that is connected to the first frame element and the second frame element to draw the frame elements and rollers toward each other.

8. The thread printing system of claim 1 , wherein the ink is an ultraviolet (UV) ink, and the system further comprises a UV light source positioned between the print heads and the fuser and operable to direct UV light toward the thread before the thread enters the fuser.

9. The thread printing system of claim 1 , further comprising a shield positioned over at least a portion of the fuser and configured to retain gas emitted by the ink in an area of the fuser during operation.

10. The thread printing system of claim 1 , wherein the first roller and the second roller are configured such that, during operation, the thread will, after passing through the contact point, be wound around one of the rollers and again pass through the point of contact.

11. A method of applying ink to thread, the method comprising:
by a thread printing system that comprises a source spool, a plurality of print heads, a controller, and a fuser comprising a pair of rollers that touch at a contact point and that are connected to a heating element:
receiving a pattern comprising a first segment length and a first color;
passing thread from the source spool along a transport path that corresponds to ink ejection locations of the print heads by applying a force from the pair of rollers to the thread at the contact point as the thread passes through the contact point;
by the print heads, applying ink of the first color to a first segment of the thread as the thread travels along the transport path past the print heads;
transporting the thread with applied ink to the fuser; and
by the fuser, applying heat to the thread to fuse the applied ink to the thread.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
by the controller, using the pattern to identify a second segment length and a second color; and
by the print heads, applying ink of the second color to a second segment of the thread as the thread travels along the transport path past the print heads.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the system further comprises a take-up spool; and
the method further comprises, by the take-up spool, receiving the thread from the fuser and wrapping the thread around a bobbin.

14. The method of applying ink to thread of claim 11 , wherein after the thread exits the point of contact, the thread is wound around one of the rollers and again passes through the point of contact.

15. A thread printing system, comprising:
a source spool for holding a thread;
a plurality of print heads, each of which is positioned to direct and apply ink to the thread as the thread travels along a transport path along from the source spool; and
a fuser comprising:
a first roller that is connected to a first heating element, and
a second roller that is positioned to contact the second roller at a contact point,
wherein the fuser is positioned to receive the thread at the contact point after the print heads apply ink to the thread so that the heat will fuse the ink to the thread, and
wherein the fuser is configured to pull the thread along the transport path from the source spool through the contact point.

16. The thread printing system of claim 15 , further comprising a drive motor that is configured to cause the first roller, the second roller, or both to rotate.

17. The thread printing system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a controller;
and
a memory containing programming instructions that are configured to cause the controller to:
receive a pattern comprising a first segment length, a first color, a second segment length and a second color,
cause the print heads to apply ink of the first color to a first segment of the thread as the first segment travels along the transport path past the print heads,
stop the print heads from applying the ink of the first color when the first segment length has passed the print heads,
cause the print heads to apply ink of the second color to a second segment of the thread as the second segment travels along the transport path past the print heads, and
stop the print heads from applying the ink of second color when the second segment length has passed the print heads.

18. The thread printing system of claim 15 , further comprising a take-up spool that is positioned and configured to receive the thread from the fuser and wrap the thread around a bobbin.

19. The thread printing system of claim 15 , wherein the fuser further comprises:
a first frame element that is attached to the fir

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Leo Michael
• Casey Brendan C
• Buchar Wayne A

Classifications

• B41J2/2132

  Print quality control characterised by dot disposition, e.g. for reducing white stripes or banding (methods for local corrections by dot omission, image edge enhancement, or multi-pass mask selection G06K15/102; colour conversion H04N1/40) · CPC title

• B41J2/21 Primary

  for multi-colour printing · CPC title

• B41M3/00

  Printing processes to produce particular kinds of printed work, e.g. patterns ({printing apparatus or machines of special type or for particular purposes B41F17/00;} special designs or pictures per se B44F; manufacturing printed circuits using printing techniques H05K3/12 {; manufacturing organic semiconductor devices using printing techniques H10K71/13}) · CPC title

• B41J11/0024

  using conduction means, e.g. by using a heated platen · CPC title

• B41M7/009

  using thermal means, e.g. infrared radiation, heat · CPC title