System for printing on three-dimensional (3D) objects

Abstract

An object printing system facilitates the printing of articles of manufacture. The system includes at least one printhead, a transfer device, an ultraviolet (UV) radiator, a pressurized gas source operatively connected to the transfer device, a plurality of actuators, and a controller. The controller is configured to operate the at least one printhead to form an image on a substrate, move the substrate bearing the image past the UV radiator as the controller operates the UV radiator to cure the ejected marking material partially to prevent ink movement, and operates the pressurized gas source to conform the substrate and partially cured ejected material to a shape corresponding to a surface of an object placed on the substrate to transfer the partially cured marking material onto the surface of the object. The transfer device can be an inflatable bladder or a molded vacuum chamber.

Claims

1. An object printing system comprising: at least one printhead configured to eject marking material; a transfer device; a transport conveyor configured to move a substrate past the at least one printhead and to the transfer device; an ultraviolet (UV) radiator; a pressurized gas source operatively connected to the transfer device; a plurality of actuators; a receptacle operatively connected to one of the actuators; and a controller operatively connected to the plurality of actuators, the at least one printhead, the pressurized gas source, and at least one UV radiator, the controller being configured to operate one of the actuators to operate the transport conveyor and move the substrate past the at least one printhead as the controller operates the at least one printhead to eject marking material onto the substrate, move the substrate and the ejected marking material past the UV radiator as the controller operates the UV radiator to cure the ejected marking material partially, and move the substrate to the transfer device, the controller also being configured to operate the actuator operatively connected to the receptacle to enclose the object placed on the substrate and to operate the pressurized gas source to inflate the transfer device and conform the substrate and partially cured ejected marking material to a shape corresponding to a surface of an object placed on the substrate to transfer the partially cured ejected marking material onto the surface of the object.

2. The object printing system of claim 1 further comprising: the controller being further configured to operate the pressurized gas source to deflate the transfer device after the partially cured ejected marking material has been transferred to the surface of the object.

3. The object printing system of claim 2 wherein the transfer device is an inflatable bladder.

4. An object printing system comprising: at least one printhead configured to eject marking material; a transfer device; a transport conveyor configured to move a substrate past the at least one printhead and to the transfer device; an ultraviolet (UV) radiator; a pressurized gas source operatively connected to the transfer device; a plurality of actuators; a pressure applicator operatively connected to one of the actuators; and a controller operatively connected to the plurality of actuators, the at least one printhead, the pressurized gas source, and at least one UV radiator, the controller being configured to operate one of the actuators to operate the transport conveyor and move the substrate past the at least one printhead as the controller operates the at least one printhead to eject marking material onto the substrate, move the substrate and the ejected marking material past the UV radiator as the controller operates the UV radiator to cure the ejected marking material partially, and move the substrate to the transfer device, the controller also being further configured to operate the pressurized gas source to produce a vacuum within the transfer device and conform the substrate and partially cured ejected marking material to a molded surface of the transfer device that corresponds to at least a portion of the surface of the object and to operate the actuator operatively connected to the pressure applicator to urge the object against the partially cured ejected marking material on the substrate held by the vacuum to transfer the partially cured ejected marking material to the surface of the object.

5. The object printing system of claim 4 wherein the transfer device is molded synthetic rubber and the molded surface of the molded synthetic rubber is complementary to the surface of the object.

6. The object printing system of claim 1 further comprising: another UV radiator operatively connected to the controller; and the controller is further configured to operate the other UV radiator to finish curing the ejected material transferred to the surface of the object.

7. The object printing system of claim 1 further comprising: another transport conveyor configured to move the object to the transfer device; and the controller is further configured to operate one of the actuators to move the object to the transfer device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The foregoing aspects and other features of a printing system that prints images on 3D objects are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a system 100 configured to transfer a printed image onto a 3D object.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment 100 configured to transfer a printed image on a 3D object.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) For a general understanding of the present embodiments, reference is made to the drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals have been used throughout to designate like elements.

(5) FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a system 100 configured to transfer printed images onto a 3D object. The system 100 includes one or more printheads 104, transport conveyors 112A and 112B, an inflatable transfer device 116, a transfer chamber 120, a pressurized gas source 124, a controller 128, one or more actuators 132, and ultraviolet (UV) radiators 148 and 152. The controller 128 is configured with programmed instructions stored in a memory operatively connected to the controller so the controller can execute the programmed instructions to operate components in the system 100. Thus, the controller 128 is operatively connected to the actuators 132, the printhead(s) 104, the pressurized gas source 124, and UV radiators 148 and 152, and is configured to operate these components as described below.

(6) The controller 128 operates the actuator 132 operatively connected to the transport conveyor 112B to pass a substrate 136 past the printhead(s) 104 as the controller 128 operates the printhead(s) 104 to form an ink image 140 on the substrate 136. The substrate 136 is a sheet of material that is flexible enough to conform to irregularities in a 3D object surface without breaking or tearing. The material is also enables the passage of UV radiation as explained below. Such materials can be any material that can be used as a shrink wrap and include polyolefin, PVC, polyethylene, and polypropelene. The controller 128 continues to operate the actuator 132 operatively connected to the transport conveyor 112B to move the substrate 136 bearing the ink image past the UV radiator 148 while the controller operates the UV radiator 148 to radiate the ink image 140 on the substrate 136. The controller 128 operates the UV radiator 148 and actuator 132 to cure the UV inks forming the ink image only partially. This partial curing of the UV inks helps control ink movement and reduces the risk of color mixing in the image as the substrate 136 is manipulated by the transfer device 116 during transfer of the image onto the object 144. After the image is partially cured, the conveyor 112B is operated to move the substrate 136 having the image 140 onto the inflatable transfer device 116.

(7) The transfer device 116 is an inflatable structure made of a material that is flexible enough to conform to irregularities in a 3D object surface without breaking or tearing. The material is also enables the passage of UV radiation as explained below. Additionally, the material has to be resilient enough to be capable of repeated inflations and deflations without failure. Such materials include clear synthetic rubber. In one embodiment, the transfer device 116 is an inflatable bladder.

(8) Once a 3D object is placed on conveyor 112A, the controller 128 operates actuator 132 operatively connected to the conveyor 112A to move the object 144 onto the substrate 136 bearing the image 140 positioned on the transfer device 116. The controller 128 operates the actuator 132 operatively connected to the transfer chamber 120 to lower the chamber about the object 144. The controller 128 then operates the pressurized gas source 124 to inflate the inflatable transfer device 116 to press the substrate 136 against the object 144 to transfer the partially cured ink image from the substrate 136 onto the surface of the object 144. Because the transfer device 116 is flexible, it molds the substrate 136 to the irregularities in the surface of the object 144 as the device expands. The chamber 120 ensures the object is not pushed away from the expanding transfer device to help ensure efficient transfer of the partially cured image to the surface of the object. Once the image is transferred, the controller 128 operates the UV source 152 to finish the curing of the UV ink image on the object. After operating the pressurized gas source 124 to deflate the device 116 and return it to its original form, the controller operates the actuator 132 to move the chamber 120 away from the object so the object can be removed.

(9) An alternative embodiment of the transfer system is shown in FIG. 2. Using like reference numbers to identify like components, the system 100 of FIG. 2 includes one or more printheads 104, transport conveyors 112A and 112B, a vacuum transfer device 116, a pressure applicator 120, a pressurized gas source 124, a controller 128, one or more actuators 132, and ultraviolet (UV) radiators 148 and 152. The controller 128 is configured with programmed instructions stored in a memory operatively connected to the controller so the controller can execute the programmed instructions to operate components in the system 100. Thus, the controller 128 is operatively connected to the actuators 132, the printhead(s) 104, the pressurized gas source 124, and UV radiators 148 and 152, and is configured to operate these components as described below. The controller 128 operates the actuator 132 operatively connected to the transport conveyor 112B to pass a substrate 136 past the printhead(s) 104 as the controller 128 operates the printhead(s) 104 to form an ink image 140 on the substrate 136. The controller 128 continues to operate the actuator 132 operatively connected to the transport conveyor 112B to move the substrate 136 bearing the ink image past the UV radiator 148 while the controller operates the UV radiator 148 to radiate the ink image 140 on the substrate 136. The controller 128 operates the UV radiator 148 and actuator 132 to cure the UV inks forming the ink image only partially. This partial curing of the UV inks helps control ink movement and reduces the risk of color mixing in the image as the substrate 136 is manipulated for transfer of the image onto the object 144. After the image is partially cured, the conveyor 112B is operated to move the substrate 136 having the image 140 onto the vacuum transfer device 116. The controller 128 then operates the pressurized gas source 124 to produce a vacuum in the vacuum transfer device 116 to pull the substrate 136 against the interior of the transfer device 116. The interior of the transfer device is formed with the contours of the object 144 as a mold would be formed. In one embodiment, synthetic rubber can be molded in a shape that is complementary to the outer surface of the object and used as transfer device 116. The synthetic rubber can be molded with holes in it to enable the vacuum to be connected to the device 116 or the holes can be bored into the device 116 after it has been molded.

(10) When the substrate 136 is seated firmed within the interior of the transfer device 116 by the vacuum and a 3D object is placed on the conveyor 112A, the controller 128 operates actuator 132 operatively connected to the conveyor 112A to move the object 144 into the transfer device 116. The controller 128 then operates the actuator 132 operatively connected to the pressure applicator 120 to urge the applicator against the object 144 and transfer the partially cured ink image onto the surface of the object. Because the vacuum within the transfer device 116 conforms the substrate 136 to the interior of the device 116, the substrate 136 and the image 140 fit the irregularities in the surface of the object 144. The pressure applied by the applicator 120 ensures the surface of the object engages the partially cured image for transfer of the image to the surface of the object. Once the image is transferred, the controller 128 operates the UV source 152 to finish the curing of the UV ink image on the object. After operating the pressurized gas source 124 to release the vacuum in the device 116, the controller operates the actuator 132 to move the pressure applicator 120 away from the object so the object can be removed.

(11) It will be appreciated that variations of the above-disclosed apparatus and other features, and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art, which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.