Pre-treatment of fibers for printing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024003081-A1
Application number	US-202118038222-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 8, 2021
Priority date	Dec 8, 2020
Publication date	Jan 4, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Apparatus and method for pre-treatment of synthetic fabrics, for example brushed polyester fabric, prior to printing to prevent fibrillation effects of the fabric on the print quality. The apparatus comprises a printing pre-treatment location where fabric is treated prior to printing and a heat source applying heat to a predefined printing area on the fabric at the printing pre-treatment location. The heat applied is sufficient to fuse outwardly extending fibers of the fabric back into the fabric using thermoplastic deformation, thereby to produce a treated printing area for printing. The apparatus may be online with a printer or may be offline and the heat treatment may optionally be combined with spraying.

First claim

1 . Apparatus for pre-treatment of a synthetic fabric the treatment for application prior to printing on the fabric, comprising:
a printing pre-treatment location for treating said fabric prior to providing to a printing location for printing; a heat source configured to apply heat to a predefined printing area on said fabric at said printing pre-treatment location, said heat being sufficient to fuse outwardly extending fibers of said fabric back into said fabric using thermoplastic deformation, thereby to produce a treated printing area for printing.

2 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said heat source is a non-contact heat source.

3 . Apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said non-contact heat source is a flame source.

4 . Apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said source is heated air.

5 . Apparatus according to claim 4 , comprising a nozzle for providing said heated air in a directed manner at said predefined printing area.

6 . Apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said heated air is heated to at least two hundred and fifty degrees Celsius.

7 . Apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said heated air is sufficiently hot to heat said fabric to at least two hundred and fifty degrees Celsius.

8 . Apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said source comprises an air heater for producing said heated air and a blower for blowing said heated air through said nozzle.

9 . Apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said non-contact heat source comprises a laser source.

10 . Apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said non-contact heat source comprises an infra-red source.

11 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said heat source comprises a phased plate heat press, the phased plate heat press comprising edges having a shallow receding angle.

12 . Apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said phased plate heat press comprises a heating plate and a reaction plate, and said edges having a shallow angle are on said reaction plate.

13 . Apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said shallow receding angle is between one and six degrees.

14 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a spray source for spraying the predetermined treatment area with a selected liquid prior to application of heat from said non-contact heat source, and/or after said application of heat.

15 . Apparatus according to claim 14 , comprising a second spray source between said non-contact heat source and said printing area, for spraying the predetermined treatment area after heating and before printing.

16 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a feeder for feeding said fabric via said fabric pre-treatment location and onwards to a printing location.

17 . A method of pre-treatment of synthetic fabric, the treatment for application prior to printing, comprising:
placing said fabric at a printing pre-treatment location; applying heat to a predefined printing area on said fabric at said printing pre-treatment location, said heat fusing outwardly extending fibers of said fabric back into said fabric using thermoplastic deformation, thereby to produce a treated printing area for printing.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said applying heat comprises heating air to a temperature suitable for thermoplastic deformation and blowing said air through a nozzle to produce a concentrated heat effect on a given location on said fabric.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said applying heat comprises applying a contact heat element to a given location on said fabric for a time not exceeding ten seconds.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said applying heat comprises applying a contact heat element to a given location on said fabric for a time not exceeding five seconds.

21 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said applying heat comprises applying a contact heat element to a given location on said fabric for a time not exceeding three seconds.

Assignees

• Kornit Digital Ltd

Inventors

• Mordechai Nadav
• Mann Jacob
• Mano Iian Shmuel

Classifications

• D06P5/2083 Primary

  heating with IR or microwaves · CPC title

• D06Q1/12

  by transferring a chemical agent or a metallic or non-metallic material in particulate or other form, from a solid temporary carrier to the textile {(for uniform treatment D06M23/02)} · CPC title

• D06P5/2072 Primary

  before dyeing · CPC title

• D06C9/02

  by flame · CPC title

• B41J3/4078

  Printing on textile · CPC title