Print agent drying apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12496845-B2
Application number	US-201917311884-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2019
Priority date	Apr 30, 2019
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

A method of drying print agent is disclosed. The method comprises blowing hot air onto an absorbent printable medium that bears water- and/or solvent-based print agent to reduce the viscosity of the print agent and to promote absorption of at least some water and/or solvent in the print agent by the printable medium; and, subsequent to the blowing of hot air, irradiating the printable medium with ultraviolet radiation to dry the unabsorbed portion of print agent on the printable medium. A printer ink drying apparatus and a print apparatus are also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method of drying print agent, the method comprising:
blowing hot air onto an absorbent printable medium that bears water- and/or solvent-based print agent to reduce the viscosity of the print agent and to promote absorption of at least some water and/or solvent in the print agent by the printable medium, wherein the hot air heats the water- and/or solvent-based print agent without causing evaporation of the water- and/or solvent-based print agent, wherein the water- and/or solvent-based print agent is non-curable; and subsequent to the blowing of hot air, drying the unabsorbed portion of the water- and/or solvent-based print agent on the printable medium by irradiating the printable medium with ultraviolet radiation.

2 . A method according to claim 1 , further comprising, prior to said blowing:
depositing water- and/or solvent-based print agent from a print agent distributor onto the absorbent printable medium.

3 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein a temperature of the hot air is selected or controlled such that water and/or solvent in the print agent is not readily evaporated before it is absorbed into the printable medium.

4 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein blowing hot air comprises blowing air having a temperature of between around 40 degrees centigrade and around 100 degrees centigrade.

5 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein blowing hot air comprises blowing air having a temperature of between around 50 degrees centigrade and around 80 degrees centigrade.

6 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein blowing hot air comprises blowing air at a velocity of between around 1 metre per second and around 35 metres per second.

7 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the absorbent printable medium comprises cardboard or paper.

8 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein irradiating the printable medium comprises emitting ultraviolet radiation from an array of ultraviolet light emitting diodes.

9 . A printer ink drying apparatus to dry printer ink, the printer ink drying apparatus comprising:
printer ink, wherein the printer ink is non-curable and comprises at least water and/or a solvent, and a colorant; a hot air unit to direct hot air onto the printer ink that has been deposited onto a substrate, wherein the hot air unit is to direct hot air to heat up the printer ink, to thereby flush at least a portion of the water and/or the solvent into the substrate; and a light source to emit ultraviolet light towards the printer ink on the substrate; wherein the light source is located downstream of the hot air unit in a direction of advancement of the substrate.

10 . A printer ink drying apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the hot air unit is to direct air of a temperature high enough to reduce a viscosity of the printer ink, and low enough that water and solvent is not caused to evaporate.

11 . A printer ink drying apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the hot air unit is to direct air having a temperature of between around 40 degrees centigrade and around 100 degrees centigrade, and at a velocity of between around 1 metre per second and around 35 metres per second.

12 . A printer ink drying apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the light source comprises an array of ultraviolet light emitting diodes.

13 . A print apparatus comprising:
a printing substance distribution unit storing a non-curable solvent-based printing substance comprising water and/or a solvent, and a colorant onto an absorbent substrate; and a dryer unit comprising:
an air blower to blow air onto the printing substance, to cause a portion of the water and/or the solvent to be absorbed into the absorbent substrate, wherein the air blower heats the water- and/or solvent without causing evaporation of the water- and/or solvent; and
a light source to emit ultraviolet radiation towards the absorbent substrate, to dry an unabsorbed portion of the printing substance;
wherein the light source is located downstream of the air blower in a direction of advancement of the absorbent substrate.

14 . A print apparatus according to claim 13 , which comprises an inkjet print apparatus.

15 . A print apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the light source is to emit radiation having a wavelength of between around 200 nm and around 450 nm.

Assignees

• Hp Scitex Ltd

Inventors

• Veis Alex
• Bi Yubai
• Kotik Eyal
• Hesed Amir

Classifications

• F26B21/35

  Temperature; Pressure · CPC title

• B41F23/0426

  using heated air · CPC title

• B41F23/0409

  Ultraviolet dryers · CPC title

• B41F23/0466

  by using heated air · CPC title

• B41F23/0453

  by ultraviolet dryers · CPC title