Gloss control through selective deposition of transparent ink

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016355030-A1
Application number	US-201615057012-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 29, 2016
Priority date	Jul 28, 2014
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention take advantage of the change in gloss caused by overprinting a printed image with clear ink. Embodiments of the invention thus implement gloss control functionality in a printer without the requirements of a pin and cure or other known systems.

First claim

1 . A method for gloss control, comprising:
receiving a selection of a percentage of clear ink to apply to a printed image and/or print medium relative a gloss response curve to determine a value of gloss control; and in accordance with said selection, depositing small (0-25%) amounts of clear ink to said image and/or print medium to lower said image and/or print medium gloss level, wherein the image and/or print medium is more matte.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
applying clear ink equally to said entire image and said print medium.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
applying clear ink selectively to portions of any of said image and said print medium.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
curing said ink immediately after deposition, while said ink is proud of said image and print medium.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a user gloss control selection.

6 . The method of claim 5 , said gloss control selection comprising any of a matte, satin, and gloss print.

7 . The method of claim 5 , said gloss control selection comprising a variable value gloss control.

8 . A method for gloss control, comprising:
providing a gloss response curve relative to a percentage of clear ink applied to a printed image and/or print medium, said gloss response curve effecting control of said printer's print engine; and responsive to user selection of said gloss response curve, depositing small (0-25%) amounts of clear ink to said image and/or print medium to lower said image and/or print medium gloss level, wherein the image and/or print medium is more matte.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
applying clear ink equally to said entire image and said print medium.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
applying clear ink selectively to portions of any of said image and said print medium.

11 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
curing said ink immediately after deposition, while said ink is proud of said image and print medium.

12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving a user gloss control selection.

13 . The method of claim 12 , said gloss control selection comprising any of a matte, satin, and gloss print.

14 . The method of claim 12 , said gloss control selection comprising a variable value gloss control.

15 . An apparatus, comprising:
a non-transitory storage medium containing information representing a gloss response curve for controlling a printer print engine to effect control of a percentage of clear ink to be applied to a printed image and/or print medium; responsive to user selection, said gloss response curve providing control signals to said printer for depositing clear ink over said printed image and/or a print medium in accordance with said selection to effect selected control of glossiness of said printed image and/or said medium; and said control signals operating a printer to deposit small (0-25%) amounts of clear ink to said image and/or print medium to lower said image and/or print medium gloss level, wherein the image and/or print medium is more matte.

Assignees

• Electronics For Imaging Inc

Inventors

• Heath Peter

Classifications

• B41J2/2114

  Ejecting specialized liquids, e.g. transparent or processing liquids (B41J2/211 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B41J11/0015 Primary

  for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing (selective coating B41J2/2114) · CPC title

• B41M7/0045

  using protective coatings or film forming compositions cured by mechanical wave energy, e.g. ultrasonics, cured by electromagnetic radiation or waves, e.g. ultraviolet radiation, electron beams, or cured by magnetic or electric fields, e.g. electric discharge, plasma · CPC title

• B41M5/0023

  Digital printing methods characterised by the inks used (inks per se C09D11/00) · CPC title

• B41J11/001

  Handling wide copy materials · CPC title