Method for printing a surface with a printed pattern

Abstract

A method for printing a surface (1) with a printed pattern (2) includes printing a first partial structure (3) of the printed pattern (2), printing a second partial structure (3) of the printed pattern (2) at a distance from the first printed structure (3) and treating at least one region (7) between the first printed structure (3) and the second printed structure (3), and the irradiating the region (7) between the first printed structure (3) and the second printed structure (3) with electromagnetic waves and/or soundwaves.

Claims

1. A method for printing a surface with a printed pattern, comprising: moving a printhead in a printing direction along the surface for printing a first partial structure of the printed pattern on the surface, and then; moving the printhead in the printing direction along the surface for printing a second partial structure of the printed pattern on the surface at a distance from the first printed structure in a direction perpendicular to the printing direction so that an unprinted region is defined on the surface between the first partial structure and the second partial structure; moving an application head with the printhead so that the application head moves parallel to the unprinted region between the first partial structure and the second partial structure and so that the application head always is at a position in the printing direction that aligns with areas of the surface that already have the first and second partial structures printed thereon; and operating the application head for treating the unprinted region between the first partial structure and the second partial structure as well as areas of the first and second partial structures adjacent the unprinted region by irradiating the unprinted region and the adjacent areas of the first and second partial structures with electromagnetic waves and/or soundwaves, the treating with electromagnetic waves and/or soundwaves being carried out to reduce viscosity of the first and second partial structure adjacent the unprinted region sufficiently to join the first partial structure and the second partial structure and to cover the unprinted region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of operating the application head for treating the unprinted region takes place at the same time that the printhead is printing the second partial structure to an area of the surface forward of the application head in the printing direction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic waves are in the UV range and/or IR range.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the printing of the first partial structure and the second partial structure comprises applying at least color particles and additive particles; and wavelengths of the electromagnetic waves are selected for reducing a viscosity of the color particles and/or the additive particles sufficiently to join the first partial structure and the second partial structure and to cover the unprinted region.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first partial structure and the second partial structure are strips.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first partial structure is applied to a first surface region and the second partial structure is applied to a second surface region, the first and second partial structures have viscosities selected to prevent the first and second partial structures from flowing together before irradiating the region with electromagnetic waves and/or soundwaves.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second region is not level with the first region.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising printing at least a third partial structure of the printed pattern at a distance from the second partial structures and on a side of the second partial structure opposite the first partial structure so that a second unprinted region is defined on the surface between the second partial structure and the third partial structure; moving the application head with the printhead so that the application head moves parallel to the second unprinted region between the second partial structure and the third partial structure and so that the application head always is at a position in the printing direction that aligns with areas of the surface that already have the second and third partial structures printed thereon; and operating the application head for treating the second unprinted region between the second partial structure and the third partial structure as well as areas of the second and third partial structures adjacent the second unprinted region by irradiating the second unprinted region and the adjacent areas of the second and third partial structures with electromagnetic waves and/or soundwaves, the treating of the second unprinted region with electromagnetic waves and/or soundwaves being carried out to reduce viscosity of the second and third partial structure adjacent the unprinted region sufficiently to join the second partial structure and the third partial structure and to cover the second unprinted region.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the surface is a surface of a vehicle body.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the surface is a surface of an automobile hood.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a printed pattern made up of individual partial structures.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a printing operation according to the invention that is given by way of example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) FIG. 1 illustrates a component 1, on which a schematic printed pattern 2 is arranged. The printed pattern 2 comprises individual partial structures in the form of printed strips 3 that are arranged close together. Free spaces are arranged between the printed strips 3 to illustrate that the printed strips 3 are not printed right up against one another during the printing but at small distances from one another. It is usually attempted to choose the viscosity of the paint such that the paint runs or flows a little at the margins of the printed strips, and as a result the free spaces are closed.

(4) FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the printing method according to the invention on the basis of the printed pattern 2 shown in FIG. 1. The individual printed strips 3 are printed by a printhead 4, which by way of example has a rectangular form here. The printhead 4 in this case is moved from left to right in a printing direction indicated by the arrow 5 and applies the strips 3 in series from the bottom upward. A treated region 7 is shown between the uppermost printed strip 3 and the one arranged under it. The treated region 7 comprises at least the region between the two printed strips 3 and also includes marginal regions of the two printed strips 3. The treated region 7 may be treated expediently during the printing of the uppermost printed strip 3 by an application head 6 that is arranged behind the printhead 4 with respect to the direction of movement 5 of the printhead 4 so that the application head 6 is taken along during the printing. Consequently, the treatment in the treated region 7 takes place in a continuously incrementally adapted manner from one side to the other of the treated region 7. More particularly, as soon as a second line of paint is applied by the printhead 4, the joint between the lines can be treated by means of the application head 6, so that the paint in the treated region 7 can run better.

(5) To illustrate the functional principle of the method according to the invention, the lowermost three printed strips in FIG. 2 are arranged at a distance from one another, although the free spaces between these three printed strips 3 are closed or covered with paint, since corresponding treated regions have already been irradiated with electromagnetic radiation and/or with ultrasound.