An inkjet printing method forming a decorative printed layer having a three-dimensional texture on a printing surface is described. The inkjet printing method includes: printing dots of curable ink that cure under a predetermined condition based on dot pattern data indicative of printed positions of the dots to be printed on the printing surface; and curing the printed dots. The dot pattern data indicates that: a distance between the adjacent dots becomes a distance where the adjacent dots before the curing are allowed to be maintained independently without bonding to one another in a first region; and the distance between the adjacent dots becomes a distance where the adjacent dots before the curing bond to one another in a second region different from the first region. Such a method may allow forming a decorative printed layer having a three-dimensional texture with a desired gloss level.

An inkjet printing method forming a decorative printed layer having a three-dimensional texture on a printing surface is described. The inkjet printing method includes: printing dots of curable ink that cure under a predetermined condition based on dot pattern data indicative of printed positions of the dots to be printed on the printing surface; and curing the printed dots. The dot pattern data indicates that: a distance between the adjacent dots becomes a distance where the adjacent dots before the curing are allowed to be maintained independently without bonding to one another in a first region; and the distance between the adjacent dots becomes a distance where the adjacent dots before the curing bond to one another in a second region different from the first region. Such a method may allow forming a decorative printed layer having a three-dimensional texture with a desired gloss level.

A system and method for applying patterns to surfaces. A pattern may be applied to a surface of an object using a three-dimensional (3D) printer system. The 3D printer system may include a printer head including an applicator holding material used to form the pattern on the surface, a structure configured to hold a substrate to which the material will be applied, and a controller for adjusting a location of the printer head relative to a surface and initiating applying material from the applicator onto the surface. The applicator may be a syringe with a needle. 3D coordinates at which material is to be applied to a surface to form the pattern may be determined and identified based on a relative location of the substrate and the pattern. The pattern may be a speckle dot pattern used in Digital Image Correlation (DIC) material testing and characterization techniques.

A system and method for applying patterns to surfaces. A pattern may be applied to a surface of an object using a three-dimensional (3D) printer system. The 3D printer system may include a printer head including an applicator holding material used to form the pattern on the surface, a structure configured to hold a substrate to which the material will be applied, and a controller for adjusting a location of the printer head relative to a surface and initiating applying material from the applicator onto the surface. The applicator may be a syringe with a needle. 3D coordinates at which material is to be applied to a surface to form the pattern may be determined and identified based on a relative location of the substrate and the pattern. The pattern may be a speckle dot pattern used in Digital Image Correlation (DIC) material testing and characterization techniques.

A method of controlling a printer is described, for printing a pattern from a first row of fluid ejection nozzles and a second row of fluid ejection nozzles in a multi-pass printing mode. The first and second rows of fluid ejection nozzles eject fluid of a first type and fluid of a second type, respectively. The method comprises: assigning respective parts of the pattern to be printed to the first and second rows of fluid ejection nozzles; applying a first mask to the first row of said ejection nozzles and a second mask to the second row of fluid ejection nozzles for printing with selected nozzles of each of the rows of fluid ejection nozzles during each pass; wherein the first mask comprises a mesa portion and the second mask comprises a mesa portion wherein the mesa portion of the first mask includes at least a first peak and the mesa portion of the second mask includes at least a second valley, the first peak overlapping with the second valley.

An ink refilling container includes a bottle and a cap. The bottle includes an ink outlet forming portion including an ink outlet and a valve. The valve has valve segments segmented by slits. The cap includes a top portion, which faces the ink outlet when the cap is put on the bottle. A protruding portion extending in the central axis direction is provided at the center of the top portion. An annular-shaped sealing portion is provided on the top portion radially outside the protruding portion. The radius of the protruding portion is less than the length of the slit. In a sealed state wherein the cap is in thread engagement with the bottle and wherein the sealing portion seals the ink outlet, the tip end of the protruding portion is inserted in the inside of the bottle through the slits at the center region of the ink outlet.

An ink refilling container includes a bottle and a cap. The bottle includes an ink outlet forming portion including an ink outlet and a valve. The valve has valve segments segmented by slits. The cap includes a top portion, which faces the ink outlet when the cap is put on the bottle. A protruding portion extending in the central axis direction is provided at the center of the top portion. An annular-shaped sealing portion is provided on the top portion radially outside the protruding portion. The radius of the protruding portion is less than the length of the slit. In a sealed state wherein the cap is in thread engagement with the bottle and wherein the sealing portion seals the ink outlet, the tip end of the protruding portion is inserted in the inside of the bottle through the slits at the center region of the ink outlet.

An ink refilling container includes a bottle and a cap. The bottle includes an ink outlet forming portion including an ink outlet and a valve. The valve has valve segments segmented by slits. The cap includes a top portion, which faces the ink outlet when the cap is put on the bottle. A protruding portion extending in the central axis direction is provided at the center of the top portion. An annular-shaped sealing portion is provided on the top portion radially outside the protruding portion. The radius of the protruding portion is less than the length of the slit. In a sealed state wherein the cap is in thread engagement with the bottle and wherein the sealing portion seals the ink outlet, the tip end of the protruding portion is inserted in the inside of the bottle through the slits at the center region of the ink outlet.

A system and method for applying patterns to surfaces. A pattern may be applied to a surface of an object using a three-dimensional (3D) printer system. The 3D printer system may include a printer head including an applicator holding material used to form the pattern on the surface, a structure configured to hold a substrate to which the material will be applied, and a controller for adjusting a location of the printer head relative to a surface and initiating applying material from the applicator onto the surface. The applicator may be a syringe with a needle. 3D coordinates at which material is to be applied to a surface to form the pattern may be determined and identified based on a relative location of the substrate and the pattern. The pattern may be a speckle dot pattern used in Digital Image Correlation (DIC) material testing and characterization techniques.

A system and method for applying patterns to surfaces. A pattern may be applied to a surface of an object using a three-dimensional (3D) printer system. The 3D printer system may include a printer head including an applicator holding material used to form the pattern on the surface, a structure configured to hold a substrate to which the material will be applied, and a controller for adjusting a location of the printer head relative to a surface and initiating applying material from the applicator onto the surface. The applicator may be a syringe with a needle. 3D coordinates at which material is to be applied to a surface to form the pattern may be determined and identified based on a relative location of the substrate and the pattern. The pattern may be a speckle dot pattern used in Digital Image Correlation (DIC) material testing and characterization techniques.