Method and apparatus for creating 3D effects with ceramic inkjet inks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9630425-B2
Application number	US-201514695856-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2015
Priority date	Apr 24, 2015
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

A 3D relief effect is created on a ceramic tile with an inkjet printer and an inkjet print head by printing a relief pattern with an effect ink having a low surface tension on the ceramic tile. The inkjet printer and inkjet print head apply an aqueous glaze slurry having a high surface tension on top of the effect ink. An image is printed on the glaze and the tile is fired. A difference in surface tensions causes the aqueous glaze to move away from the printed effect ink, resulting in a relief pattern in the image at locations of the printed relief pattern.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for creating a 3D relief effect on a ceramic tile, comprising in order the following steps:
step one, with an inkjet printer and an inkjet print head, printing a relief pattern with an effect ink having a low surface tension on a ceramic tile;
step two, with said inkjet printer and an inkjet print head, applying an aqueous glaze slurry, having a high surface tension, on top of said effect ink;
step three, printing an image on said glaze; and
step four, firing said tile;
wherein a difference in surface tensions causes the aqueous glaze to move away from the printed effect ink, resulting in a relief pattern in said image at locations of the printed relief pattern.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein area and depth of the relief pattern is determined by the area and quantity of printed effect ink.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the effect ink comprises a curable fluid.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
printing the effect ink on any of a dry tile; an engobe; and a glaze.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said glaze comprises any of glossy and matte glazes.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
printing the effect ink before at least one application of an aqueous mixture.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
applying one or more aqueous mixtures by any of analog methods, digital methods, or by a combination of both analog and digital methods.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
drying said aqueous glaze before printing said image.

9. A method for creating a 3D relief effect on a substrate, comprising in order the following steps:
step one, with an inkjet printer, using an inkjet print head, printing an ink on said substrate to provide a 3D effect;
step two, with said inkjet printer, and an inkjet print head, applying an aqueous glaze over said ink on said substrate;
step three, drying the glaze; and
step four, with the inkjet printer, and an inkjet print head, printing an image over said glaze.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said substrate comprises a pre-glazed ceramic tile and further comprises firing the tile after said image is printer thereon.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein said image comprises a wood grain.

Assignees

• Electronics For Imaging Inc

Inventors

• Zavada Mark
• Weber David
• GOOD Ursula

Classifications

• B41J3/38

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

• B41J3/407 Primary

  for marking on special material · CPC title

• B41M3/008

  Sequential or multiple printing, e.g. on previously printed background; Mirror printing; Recto-verso printing; using a combination of different printing techniques; Printing of patterns visible in reflection and by transparency; by superposing printed artifacts · CPC title

• B41M5/007

  on glass, ceramic, tiles, concrete, stones, etc. · CPC title

• B41M5/0047

  by ink-jet printing · CPC title