Method for removing solidified ink or varnish using adhesive strips

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9943888-B2
Application number	US-201514670762-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2015
Priority date	Mar 27, 2014
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

A method for removing solidified ink or varnish from a surface includes applying a cleaning agent to the ink on the surface. The cleaning agent applied to the ink on the surface is substantially solvent-free and water-based and reduces adhesion between the ink and the surface without dissolving the ink. An adhesive side or face of a single-sided or single face adhesive element is applied to the surface. As the adhesive element is removed from the surface, the ink that has been treated with the cleaning agent but is undissolved adheres to the adhesive element and is thus removed from the surface together with the adhesive element without splitting.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for removing ink from a surface of an object, the method comprising the following steps:
applying a cleaning agent to treat a solidified layer of ink on the surface, the cleaning agent applied to the solidified layer of ink on the surface being substantially solvent-free and water-based, permeating the solidified layer of ink and reducing adhesion of the solidified layer of ink to the surface without dissolving the solidified layer of ink;
applying an adhesive side of a one-sided adhesive element to the treated solidified layer of ink on the surface; and
removing the adhesive element from the surface together with substantially entire treated solidified layer of ink adhering to the adhesive element, causing the entire treated solidified layer of ink adhering to the adhesive element and having been treated with the cleaning agent but being substantially undissolved to adhere to the adhesive element without splitting.

2. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises:
initially applying the cleaning agent to an impermeable flexible carrier medium;
applying the carrier medium with the cleaning agent to the surface to be treated; and
removing the carrier medium from the surface, leaving a thin film of the cleaning agent on the surface.

3. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises applying the cleaning agent directly to the adhesive element and applying the cleaning agent to the surface together with the adhesive element.

4. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises:
providing the cleaning agent in capsules disposed on the adhesive element;
opening the capsules as the adhesive element is pressed onto the surface; and
releasing and dispersing the cleaning agent between the adhesive element and the surface.

5. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises applying the cleaning agent to the surface using an inkjet head.

6. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises applying the cleaning agent only to edge regions of an area of the surface covered with solidified ink.

7. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises removing excess cleaning agent using a liquid-absorbent cloth.

8. The method according to claim 7 , which further comprises rinsing with water and subsequently drying a part of the surface having been treated with the cleaning agent.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning agent is a gel.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ink to be removed is a layer of ink having been cured by UV light.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ink to be removed is a layer of ink having been cured thermally or oxidatively.

Assignees

• Heidelberger Druckmasch Ag
• Heidelberger Druckmasch Ag

Inventors

• Worgt Silvia
• Gioia Jessica
• Schloerholz Matthias
• Pitz Heiner

Classifications

• C09D9/00

  Chemical paint or ink removers (fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00) · CPC title

• B44D3/16

  Implements or apparatus for removing dry paint from surfaces, e.g. by scraping, by burning (chemical paint-removers C09D9/00) · CPC title

• B08B7/04

  by a combination of operations · CPC title

• B08B7/0028 Primary

  by adhesive surfaces · CPC title

• B08B7/0014 Primary

  by incorporation in a layer which is removed with the contaminants · CPC title