Gloss control through selective deposition of transparent ink

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9724935-B2
Application number	US-201615057012-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 29, 2016
Priority date	Jul 28, 2014
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

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

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for gloss control, comprising:
receiving a user gloss control selection;
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, the selection based on the user gloss control selection; 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 projected from a surface of said image and print medium.

5. The method of claim 1 , said gloss control selection comprising any of a matte, satin, and gloss print.

6. The method of claim 1 , said gloss control selection comprising a variable value gloss control.

7. 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.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
applying clear ink equally to said entire image and said print medium.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
applying clear ink selectively to portions of any of said image and said print medium.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
curing said ink immediately after deposition, while said ink is projected from a surface of said image and print medium.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving a user gloss control selection.

12. The method of claim 11 , said gloss control selection comprising any of a matte, satin, and gloss print.

13. The method of claim 11 , said gloss control selection comprising a variable value gloss control.

14. 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;
a control circuit configured to, responsive to user selection, use said gloss response curve to provide control signals to said printer print engine 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 said printer print engine 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

• B41J2/211

  Mixing of inks, solvent or air prior to paper contact · CPC title

• B41M5/0023

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

• B41J2/2117

  Ejecting white liquids · CPC title