Digital print with water-based ink on panel surfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9994010-B2
Application number	US-201514602581-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2015
Priority date	Jan 24, 2014
Publication date	Jun 12, 2018
Grant date	Jun 12, 2018

Abstract

A water-based ink and a method to form a digital print with the water-based ink on a dense substrate including a polymer material or on surfaces that are heated and pressed after printing. The substrate is prior to the printing step preferably heated in order to prevent floating of the water-based ink drops.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of forming a building panel, wherein the method comprises:
heating a substrate to a temperature of at least about 80° C.;
printing a digital image with a print head by applying drops of a water-based ink on the heated substrate, wherein the water-based ink comprises a colorant comprising an aqueous pigment dispersion, a binder comprising an acrylic resin dispersion, and a viscosity increasing substance comprising glycol or glycerine;
applying a transparent wear resistant layer on the digital image; and
connecting the substrate to a core with heat and pressure, thereby forming a building panel,
wherein the substrate is connected to the core prior to the heating of the substrate to a temperature of at least about 80° C.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a thermoplastic material mixed with fillers.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the substrate, prior to printing, is laminated with heat and pressure to the core.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a thermoplastic foil or a melamine formaldehyde impregnated paper.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the substrate, after printing, is embossed in register with the digital image.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the print head is a piezoelectric print head configured to apply ink drops with a viscosity of at least about 5 cps.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising applying essentially dry and coloured particles on the substrate prior to the application of the water-based ink.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the essentially dry and coloured particles comprise a thermoplastic material.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the water-based ink comprises about 15-35 wt % of the aqueous pigment dispersion, and about 5-20 wt % of the acrylic resin dispersion.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the substrate is heated to a temperature in the range of about 80 to about 130° C.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the transparent wear resistant layer is a foil comprising thermoplastic material.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the digital image is formed by spot colours.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a thermoplastic material.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the substrate is heated to a temperature between 90° C. and 120° C.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the substrate is heated to a temperature of about 110° C.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the drops of the water-based ink applied by the print head are sized between 5 and 20 picoliters.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising applying a sublayer between the core and the substrate.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the sublayer is a softer material than the substrate.

19. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising
applying a protective layer on top of the transparent wear resistant layer, wherein the protective layer is printed directly on the transparent wear resistant layer with a digital print head, and
curing the printed protective layer at a UV curing station.

20. A method of forming a building panel, wherein the method comprises:
heating a substrate to a temperature of at least about 80° C., the substrate comprising polyvinyl chloride;
printing a digital image with a print head by applying drops of a water-based ink on the heated substrate, wherein the water-based ink comprises a colorant comprising an aqueous pigment dispersion, a binder comprising an acrylic resin dispersion, and a viscosity increasing substance comprising glycol or glycerine;
applying a transparent wear resistant layer on the digital image; and
connecting the substrate to a core with heat and pressure, thereby forming a building panel.

21. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the water-based ink comprises about 45-80 wt % of the viscosity increasing substance.

22. The method as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the water-based ink comprises about 45-80 wt % of the viscosity increasing substance.

Assignees

• Ceraloc Innovation Ab

Inventors

• Pervan Darko

Classifications

• B41M5/0011

  Pre-treatment or treatment during printing of the recording material, e.g. heating, irradiating (after-treatment of prints B41M7/00; printers for treating or overcoating copy materials before, during or after printing B41J11/0015) · CPC title

• B32B2317/16

  Wood, e.g. woodboard, fibreboard, woodchips · CPC title

• B32B2255/10

  on synthetic resin layer or on natural or synthetic rubber layer · CPC title

• B32B2419/04

  Tiles for floors or walls · CPC title

• B44C5/04

  Ornamental plaques, e.g. decorative panels, decorative veneers · CPC title