DECOR PAPER OR FOIL

Abstract

A decor paper or foil for application to panel shaped substrates may include a base layer, an inkjet receiving surface, and a digitally printed pattern. The pattern may be obtained via printing with a single-pass printer. The pattern may include a matrix of a plurality, preferably at least 200, printed ink dots per inch. The matrix, as seen in the width direction of the paper or foil, may be generally uniformly made up with uniformly sized printed ink dots, with the exception of a minority of the area of the printed pattern, in which the matrix may be modified.

Claims

1. A decor paper or foil for application to panel shaped substrates, the decor paper or foil comprising: a base layer; an inkjet receiving surface; and a digitally printed pattern obtained by printing with a single-pass printer and including a matrix of a plurality of printed ink dots per inch; wherein the matrix, in the width direction of the paper or foil, is uniformly made up with uniformly sized printed ink dots, with the exception of a minority of an area of the printed pattern wherein the matrix is modified.

2. The decor paper or foil according to claim 1, wherein the modification at least comprises the availability of additional printed dots in the matrix; and/or the absence of printed dots from the matrix; and/or the availability of one or more printed dots in the matrix which have a smaller or larger dot size.

3. The decor paper or foil according to claim 1, wherein the area continuously extends in the length direction of the decor paper or foil.

4. The decor paper or foil according to claim 1, wherein the modification of the matrix concerns in the width direction an individual dot, a pair of dots, or a series of dots smaller than six dots.

5. The decor paper or foil according to claim 1, wherein the modification is a correction for color intensity variations in the width direction.

6.-9. (canceled)

10. The decor paper or foil according to claim 1, wherein the inkjet receiving surface comprises an inkjet receiver coating that includes at least a binder and pigments.

11. The decor paper or foil according to claim 10, wherein the pigments are present in the inkjet receiver coating mainly in a layer adjacent to a surface of the base layer, while being absent, or present in a significantly lower amount, in an upper layer of the inkjet receiving coating.

12. The decor paper or foil according to claim 10, wherein an upper layer of the inkjet receiver coating further comprises a flocculating agent.

13. The decor paper or foil according to claim 1, wherein the digitally printed pattern forms a representation of a wood grain.

14. The decor paper or foil according to claim 1, wherein the decor paper or foil has a width of at least 1200 mm.

15. The decor paper or foil according to claim 1, wherein the digitally printed pattern is formed using water-based pigmented inks.

16. A decor paper or foil for application to panel shaped substrates, the decor paper or foil comprising: a base layer; an inkjet receiving surface; and a digitally printed pattern obtained by printing with a single-pass printer having one or more inkjet heads, each inkjet head including a plurality of nozzles for firing ink droplets, each droplet forming an ink dot; wherein the digitally printed pattern includes a matrix of a plurality of printed ink dots per inch; wherein the digitally printed pattern includes areas wherein the matrix is corrected on a nozzle level.

17. The decor paper or foil according to claim 16, wherein the correction is based on an earlier printed image.

18. The decor paper or foil according to claim 16, wherein the correction at least comprises: the addition of extra printed dots to the matrix; and/or the omission of printed dots from the matrix; and/or a modification of the dot size of one or more of the printed dots in the matrix.

19. The decor paper or foil according to claim 16, wherein the correction at least comprises a shifted dot position of relevant printed ink dots.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0069] With the intention of better showing the characteristics according to the invention, in the following, as an example without limitative character, an embodiment is described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0070] FIG. 1 in a top view represents a decor paper in accordance with the invention;

[0071] FIG. 2 at a larger scale gives a cross-section along the line II-II indicated on FIG. 1;

[0072] FIGS. 3 and 4 at a larger scale give a top view on the area F3, respectively F4, indicated on FIG. 1;

[0073] FIGS. 5 to 8 in a similar view as FIG. 4 represent variants.

DESCRIPTION OF NON-LIMITING EMBODIMENTS

[0074] FIG. 1 gives a top view on a decor paper 1 in accordance with the invention. The decor paper 1 is part of a larger web 2, which could for example come from a roll. It is clear that alternatively the decor paper 1 may be available in sheet form.

[0075] FIG. 2 shows that the decor paper 1 comprises a base paper layer 3 provided with an inkjet receiving surface 4 and a digitally printed pattern 5. The digitally printed pattern 5 is obtained via printing with a single-pass printer. In the present case the inkjet receiving surface 4 is formed by an inkjet receiver coating 6 provided at that side 7 of the base paper layer 3 comprising the digitally printed pattern 5. From FIG. 2 it is apparent that the inkjet receiver coating 6 penetrates the side 7 of the base paper layer 3 at least to some extent. In the represented example the base paper layer 3 is free from thermosetting resin or other liquidly applied and solidified filler materials. The base paper layer 3 is a standard printing paper having a Gurley value of about 20 seconds, and having a base paper weight of 70 grams per square meter.

[0076] FIG. 3 shows that the digitally printed pattern 5 includes a matrix 8 of a plurality of printed ink dots 9 per inch. Said matrix 8, as seen in the width direction W of the paper, is generally uniformly made up with printed ink dots 9 of a common general size, as shown here. Of course in some areas greyscale or halftone printing may have been practiced, depending on the decor features printed. The latter is not shown here.

[0077] FIG. 4 shows an area of the printed pattern 5 where said matrix 8 is modified in accordance with the invention. In this case the modified matrix 8 aims at hiding a line 10 of missing dots created by a clogged or missing nozzle. The modification here comprises printed dots 9A of a dot size larger than said common general size on both dot lines 11-12 adjacent to the line 10 of the missing dots. As shown here a pattern comprising dots of two sizes is created. The pattern has a repeat length R of 4 dots.

[0078] FIG. 5 shows another possibility of modification. In this case the modification aims at lowering the local color intensity and comprises the absence of printed dots from the matrix at predefined positions 13. The modification of FIG. 6 also aims at lowering the local color intensity and does so by the presence of ink dots 9B of a size smaller than the common general size.

[0079] FIG. 7 shows yet another possibility of modification. In this case the modification aims at compensating for a directional error of position. In FIG. 7 the printed ink dots on line 14 are shifted over a distance D from the ideal line 14A of the square matrix 8. Such shift may give raise to visible color intensity variations. The modification of FIG. 7 aims at compensating by, according to the example, modifying the matrix 8 by decreasing the dot size of every second dot 9C on the shifted line 14A of dots, and by increasing the dot size of every second dot 9D on the neighboring dot line 15 opposite the direction of the offset.

[0080] FIG. 8 shows yet another possibility of modification. In this case the modification of the matrix 8 aims at increasing the local color intensity and does so by comprising additional printed dots 9E, in this case of a smaller size.

[0081] With respect to FIGS. 3 to 8 it is clear that the modification of the matrix 8 as shown in these figures is preferably repeated over the length L of the decor paper 1 and/or the digitally printed pattern 5. Further it is noted that the lines of the square matrix 8, more particularly their intersections, represent the maximum attainable definition or resolution wherein, theoretically speaking, the center of one printed ink dot would coincide with each intersection. It is clear that, in the case of a single pass printer, the definition in the width direction W is defined by the print unit or print heads which extend in said width direction, while the definition in the length direction L may be adapted by varying the speed of the relative movement of the paper or foil passed the print unit. In accordance with the invention the resolution in the width direction W and in the length direction L is at least 200 dots per inch, but is preferably larger, e.g. at least 600, 850 or 1200 dots per inch in both directions.

[0082] With reference to FIG. 1 it is further remarked that the decor paper or foil of the invention may comprise markings 16 having a fixed position with respect to digitally printed pattern 5. Preferably these markings are placed outside the actual pattern, for example, as is the case here, in one or both longitudinally extending borders 17 of the sheet 2. Such markings 16 may be used in a method for manufacturing laminate panels, e.g. with the aim of positioning the digitally printed pattern with respect to a pressing device, a dividing operation, such as a saw or punch, and/or a milling operation.

[0083] It is further clear that the decor paper 1 of the example of FIG. 1 has been provided with a digitally printed pattern 5 forming a representation of a wood grain, in this case with said wood grains running in the length direction L of said decor paper 1.

[0084] It is noted that the examples of the figures illustrate embodiments of the first as well as of the second aspect of the invention as mentioned in the introduction.

[0085] The present invention is in no way limited to the above described embodiments, but such decor paper or foil may be realized according to several variants without leaving the scope of the invention.