Embossing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9440453-B2
Application number	US-201514631378-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2015
Priority date	Jan 31, 2012
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

An embossing apparatus comprises an embossing die comprising a printed relief pattern, and a resilient surface for pressing media against the embossing die to emboss features corresponding to the printed relief pattern on the media, in which the printed relief pattern comprises a number of layers of a deposited material, and in which a number of layers of the deposited material closest to the top of the printed relief pattern comprises a deposited material with a relatively lower coefficient of adhesion than layers of the deposited material disposed under the deposited material closest to the top of the printed relief pattern. A printed relief pattern for embossing media comprises a number of preliminary layers, the preliminary layers comprising a first material, and a number of terminal layers, the terminal layers comprising a second material, in which the second material has a lower adhesive coefficient than the first material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An embossing system comprising:
an input for receiving digital data defining a relief pattern for embossing;
an impression cylinder;
a developer configured to dispense material according to the digital data to a surface of the impression cylinder to form the relief pattern directly on the surface of the impression cylinder;
a print media feeding system comprising a nip for pressing print media against the relief pattern on the impression cylinder to emboss the print media; and
a controller to:
cause the developer to form the relief pattern directly on the surface of the impression cylinder based on the digital data; and
cause the print media feeding system to press the print media against the relief pattern, directly on the surface of the impression cylinder, to emboss the print media.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the material dispensed by the developer comprises ink.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the input is also configured to receive print data defining an image to be printed in ink on print media, the developer configured to form the image for transfer to print media.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the developer forms the image on a photo-imaging cylinder.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the developer forms successive layers of the relief pattern on the photo-imaging cylinder, with each successive layer being transferred to the impression cylinder to form the relief pattern on the impression cylinder.

6. The system of claim 5 , further comprising a blanket cylinder for transferring both printed images and layers of the relief pattern from the photo-imaging cylinder to the impression cylinder.

7. The system of claim 3 , wherein the print media feeding system is configured to recirculate a single sheet of print media for both embossing the sheet with the relief pattern and transferring an ink image to the sheet.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the print media feeding system temporarily ceases feeding print media through the system while the relief pattern is formed on the impression cylinder by the developer.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive layer on the impression cylinder to increase adhesion of the relief pattern.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the print media feeding system passes a single sheet of print media through the nip multiple times to emboss the relief pattern into the sheet of print media.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the impression cylinder is heated to promote embossing of the print media.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a curing station for curing the material forming the relief pattern on the impression cylinder.

13. A method of embossing print media, the method comprising:
forming successive layers of a relief pattern with a developer configured to dispense material so as to build up the relief pattern based on digital data defining the relief pattern, the relief pattern being formed directly on an impression cylinder; and
feeding print media through a nip for pressing the print media against the relief pattern to form both raised areas and depressed areas in the print media surface with the relief pattern.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the material used to build the relief pattern comprises ink.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising passing a single sheet of print media through the nip multiple times to emboss the relief pattern into the sheet of print media.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising curing the material forming the relief pattern.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising repairing the relief pattern by depositing more material with the developer.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
forming an ink image with the developer; and
transferring the ink image to the print media to produce a printed and embossed sheet of print media.

19. The method of claim 13 , further comprising using at least two different materials dispensed by the developer to form the relief pattern.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein top portions of the relief pattern for contact with print media are formed of a less adhesive material than a second material used to form other portions of the relief pattern.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Indigo Bv

Inventors

• Cohen Zvika
• Peleg Eyal
• Stein Shahar
• Shaul Itzik

Classifications

• B41F19/02

  with embossing · CPC title

• B41J3/38 Primary

  for embossing, e.g. for making matrices for stereotypes · CPC title

• B41M3/16

  Braille printing (typewriters or selective printing mechanisms for Braille printing B41J3/32) · CPC title

• B41F19/06

  Printing and embossing between a negative and a positive forme after inking and wiping the negative forme; Printing from an ink band treated with colour or "gold" · CPC title

• B44B5/02 Primary

  Dies; Accessories · CPC title