There is disclosed print agent drying unit 10, 20, 30 to dry print agent 40 on a substrate 14, the drying unit comprising: a substrate support 12 to support a substrate 14; an exciter 18, 28, 38 to excite a boundary layer of print agent 40 applied on the substrate 14, to thereby dissociate the boundary layer from the print agent; and a radiation source 16 to direct radiation energy to the substrate to dry the print agent. Methods of drying print agent 40 on a substrate 14 are also disclosed, including a method comprising: causing the substrate 14 to vibrate to dissociate a boundary layer of print agent 40 on the substrate 14; and heating the print agent 40 to dry the print agent 40.

The disclosure relates to a light irradiation device which can improve curability of photo-curable materials. A light irradiation device includes a first supply section having a porous portion, the first supply section being capable of supplying a gas to a photo-curable material through the porous portion; and an irradiation section disposed in alignment with the porous portion or disposed downstream from the porous portion, the irradiation section being capable of irradiating the photo-curable material with light.

A print curing apparatus comprising an LED array comprising a body; the body comprising a mounting area with one or more LED modules mounted thereon; at least one heat sink; and one or more cooling modules, adjacent to the or each heat sink. The one or more cooling modules comprises at least one water-cooled holder comprising at least one fluid inlet channel and at last one fluid outlet channel therethrough; at least one heat pipe held substantially within the or each water-cooled holder, wherein the or each water-cooled holder is shaped to hold at least one heat pipe.

The present invention is directed to a floor panel that is processed on roll equipment, whereby a decorative design consisting of elongated striations is printed with the elongated striations oriented in an across-machine direction. The decorative design is printed on a print layer and is subsequently laminated to a substrate layer. The laminated flooring material is then cut such that the elongate sides of the panels are cut in the across machine direction. This results in a floor panel with greater dimensional stability on the elongate side.

Serpentine microwave dryers and a method of fabricating same are disclosed. The serpentine microwave dryers utilize microwave waveguides that includes passages through a short axis of the microwave waveguides that are sized to pass a continuous-form print medium. A long axis of the microwave waveguides are positioned across a width of a media path of the continuous-from print medium. Electromagnetic energy transported along the microwave waveguides is used to dry wet colorants applied to the continuous-form print medium. At least one of the microwave waveguides has an offset from other microwave waveguides that is perpendicular to the media path of the continuous-form print medium. The offset reduces an attenuation of the electromagnetic energy in microwave waveguide(s) that are offset.

Microwave dryers that utilize multi-path and/or space saving configurations are disclosed. In a multi-path configuration, a print medium makes two or more passes through the passage(s) of microwave waveguide(s) in a microwave dryer, thereby increasing the exposure time of the print medium to electromagnetic energy within the waveguide(s). In a space saving configuration, the print medium takes a non-linear path through the microwave dryer, thereby reducing a footprint of the microwave dryer.

Serpentine microwave dryers and a method of fabricating same are disclosed. The serpentine microwave dryers utilize microwave waveguides that includes passages through a short axis of the microwave waveguides that are sized to pass a continuous-form print medium. A long axis of the microwave waveguides are positioned across a width of a media path of the continuous-from print medium. Electromagnetic energy transported along the microwave waveguides is used to dry wet colorants applied to the continuous-form print medium. At least one of the microwave waveguides has an offset from other microwave waveguides that is perpendicular to the media path of the continuous-form print medium. The offset reduces an attenuation of the electromagnetic energy in microwave waveguide(s) that are offset.

Microwave dryers that utilize multi-path and/or space saving configurations are disclosed. In a multi-path configuration, a print medium makes two or more passes through the passage(s) of microwave waveguide(s) in a microwave dryer, thereby increasing the exposure time of the print medium to electromagnetic energy within the waveguide(s). In a space saving configuration, the print medium takes a non-linear path through the microwave dryer, thereby reducing a footprint of the microwave dryer.

A multi-beam LED emitter unit is provided that combines multiple LED emitter modules, each equipped with at least one LED for emission of UV radiation of a wavelength below 430 nm or IR radiation of a wavelength above 780 nm. Each LED emitter module includes a housing equipped with a radiation exit window and is designed as an insertion assembly for a docking station. The docking station includes at least one connecting means for establishing a form-fitting mechanical connection to the housing and one plug element of an electrical plug connection. The housing includes a rear side including a mechanical counterpart corresponding to the connecting means and a counter element corresponding to the plug element. The connecting means and the corresponding mechanical counterpart are arranged such that establishing the form-fitting mechanical connection is associated with establishing an electrical connection between plug element and counter element.

A light irradiation module includes: a stage on which a substrate and a coating layer on the substrate are seated, and which is configured to move in a first direction; a body on the stage; a light-emitting element in a center of the body, and configured to emit light onto the stage; a first suction tube adjacent to the light-emitting element in a second direction crossing the first direction; a duct connected to the first suction tube; and a suction pump connected to the duct, and configured to supply a negative pressure having an absolute value proportional to an intensity of the light to the first suction tube.