METHODS FOR DIGITAL PRINTING ON PRODUCTS MADE FROM PAPER, POLYETHYLENE OR OTHER MATERIALS

Abstract

A method for digital printing of single or multiple color graphics and/or text on flexible and semi-rigid packaging materials comprising: digitally pre-printing on a sheet or roll of paper, polyethylene or other material, or digitally post printing on a bag, pouch, or sheet of material by depositing a thin layer of ink or toner onto a packaging material surface to form an image, and then adhering the ink or toner to the packaging material surface by use of a fuser fluid, heat, UV curing process, or any combination.

Claims

1. A method for printing black and white or color graphics and/or text on pinch bottom or flat bottom bags through use of a digital printing system comprising: manually transferring pinch bottom or flat bottom bags produced on a bag machine to a feed system of a digital printing system separate from said bag machine; depositing a thin layer of ink or toner onto a bag surface to form an image; adhering said ink or toner to said bag surface by use of a fuser fluid, heat, UV curing process, or any combination.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said bags comprise paper.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said bags comprise polyethylene.

4. A method for printing black and white or color graphics and/or text on rolls of bag material used to make pinch bottom or flat bottom bags through use of a digital printing system comprising: unrolling a length of bag material from a continuous roll of bag material; depositing ink or toner onto surface of said bag material to form an image in a continuous manner as additional lengths of said bag material are unrolled; adhering said ink or toner to surface of said bag material by use of a fuser fluid, heat, UV curing, or any combination; adjusting ink or toner deposition on locations of said bag material.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said bag material is paper.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said bag material is polyethylene.

7. A method for printing black and white or color graphics and/or text on pinch bottom or flat bottom bags through use of a digital printing system comprising: transferring pinch bottom or flat bottom bags produced on a bag machine and feeding said pinch bottom or flat bottom bags to an attached digital printing system; storing in a storage drawer connected to said digital printing machine pinch bottom or flat bottom bags to be printed on; automatically withdrawing from said storage drawer and feeding to said digital printing system bags to be printed on; feeding bags to be printed on to said digital printing system individually via a conveyor belt or through an automatic feeding system to said digital printing system; depositing a thin layer of ink or toner onto a surface of said bag to form an image; adhering of ink or toner to said surface of said bag by use of a fuser fluid, heat, UV curing or any combination.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said bags comprise paper.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said bags comprise polyethylene.

10. A method for digital printing of single or multiple color graphics and/or text on flexible and semi-rigid packaging materials comprising: manually transferring said packaging materials produced on a packaging machine to a feed system of a digital printing system separate from said packaging machine; depositing a thin layer of ink or toner onto said packaging material surface to form an image; adhering said ink or toner to said packaging material surface by use of a fuser liquid, heat, UV curing process, or any combination; wherein said packaging materials comprise paper or polyethylene.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said packaging materials comprise products including bags, rolls of bags, corrugate, sheets of corrugate, sheets of cardboard, cardboard and cartons.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said packaging materials comprise products including t-sacks, sheeting, tubing covers such as furniture covers and dust covers, storage bags such as mattress bags and food pouches.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said packaging material is printed on before converting said packaging material into finished products.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein said packaging material is converted to a finished product before digitally printing on said packaging material.

15. A method of using a digital printing system separate from a packaging machine to pre-print single or multiple color graphics and/or text on rolls of packaging material comprising: pre-printing on rolls of said packaging material by a digital printing system separate from said packaging machine prior to feeding said packaging material to said packaging machine for producing packaging; depositing ink or toner onto surface of said packaging material to form an image before converting said packaging material to packaging; forming a thin layer with said ink or toner on said surface of said packaging material; adhering said ink or toner to said packaging material by using fuser fluid, heat, UV curing, or a combination of same.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said packaging material is paper used to make paper bags.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said packaging material is polyethylene used to make polyethylene bags.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said packaging material is fed from a roll via a drive mechanism.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein said packaging material is wound on a roll after printing by an integrated drive mechanism.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said integrated drive mechanism comprises a motor, transmission, and gripping apparatus.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein said packaging material is used to make pinch bottom bags or flat bottom bags.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein said digital printing system prints continuously on said packaging material as it is unrolled and fed to a packaging machine.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein said digital printing system prints repeated images of said graphics and/or text on said packaging material.

24. The method of claim 15 wherein said digital printing system prints graphics and/or text on said packaging material so that when said packaging material is formed into bags, said image or text is in same location on every bag produced.

25. A method of post printing using a digital printing system for single or multiple color graphics and/or text on bags comprising: taking bags already separately produced on a bag machine and feeding said bags to a separate digital printing system; post-printing on said bags using said separate digital printing system; depositing ink or toner onto said bag surface to form an image; said ink or toner forming a thin layer on said surface of said bag; adhering said ink or toner to said bag by using a fuser fluid, heat, UV curing, or combination of same.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said bag comprises paper.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein said bag comprises polyethylene.

28. A method for post-printing on bags with a digital printing system comprising: placing said bags to be printed in a storage unit such as a drawer or tray connected to said digitally printing system; automatically withdrawing bags to be printed from said storage unit; automatically flowing previously produced bags through an integrated feed mechanism on an attached digital printing system to digitally print said bags; said integrated feed system comprising a conveyor belt or similar transporting system; depositing ink or toner onto surface of said bag to form an image; forming a thin layer of ink or toner on said surface of said bag; adhering said ink or toner to said bag by using fuser fluid, heat, UV curing, or combination of same.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said bag comprises paper.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein said bag comprises polyethylene.

31. A method for digitally pre-printing single or multiple color graphics and/or text on sheets or rolls of polyethylene film comprising: depositing ink or toner onto surface of said polyethylene sheets or rolls; forming an image on said film before converting said polyethylene film to products such as a bag; forming a thin layer of ink or toner on surface of said polyethylene film; adhering said ink or toner to said polyethylene film by using fuser fluid, heat, curing or combination of same.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said polyethylene film comprises: sheets, tubing, bags, plastic t-sacks, sheeting, covers such as furniture covers and dust covers, and storage bags such as mattress bags and food pouches.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein said film comprises an antimicrobial component.

34. The method of claim 31 further comprising: printing continuously on said polyethylene film.

35. The method of claim 31 further comprising: printing repeated images of said graphics and/or text on said polyethylene film.

36. The method of claim 31 wherein when said polyethylene film is formed into finished products, said print graphics and/or text on said polyethylene film is in same location on every product produced.

37. A method for digital post printing single or multiple color graphics and/or text on polyethylene products such as bags comprising: taking polyethylene products already separately produced on a machine and feeding said polyethylene products to a separate digital printing system; post-printing on said polyethylene products using a separate digital printing system; depositing ink or toner onto surface of said polyethylene products to form an image; forming a thin layer of ink or toner on said polyethylene product surface; adhering said ink or toner to said polyethylene product by using a fuser fluid, heat, UV curing, or combination of same.

38. A method for using a digital printing system to post print single or multiple color graphics and/or text on polyethylene products comprising: placing said polyethylene products to be printed on in a storage unit such as a drawer or tray connected to said digital printing system; automatically withdrawing from said storage unit said polyethylene products; automatically flowing previously produced polyethylene products through an integrated feed mechanism on an attached digital printing system to digitally print said polyethylene product; said feed mechanism comprising a conveyor belt or similar transporting system; depositing ink or toner onto surface of said polyethylene product to form an image; forming a thin layer of ink or toner on said surface of said polyethylene product; adhering ink or toner to said polyethylene product by using fuser fluid, heat, UV curing, or combination.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising: receiving and stacking said printed polyethylene products by using an integrated drive mechanism.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein said drive mechanism comprises a motor, transmission, and gripping apparatus to receive and stack said printed polyethylene products.

41. The method of claim 31 wherein said polyethylene film is unwound from a roll via an unwinder and fed to a bag machine for forming said polyethylene film into a bag which is then fed into a digital printing system via integrated drive mechanism to deliver individual bags to said digital printing system and an integrated drive mechanism to receive and stack printed bags in a reservoir.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein said printed bags are received individually on a table for packing.

43. The method of claim 4 wherein when said bag material is formed into said pinch bottom or said flat bottom bags, said graphics or text is in same location on finished bag for every bag produced.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0032] FIG. 1 is a digital printing system for deposition and fusing of ink or toner to a bag delivered from a reservoir with an integrated drive mechanism to deliver individual bags to the digital printing system and an integrated drive mechanism to receive and stack printed bags.

[0033] FIG. 2 is large format digital printing system for deposition and fusing of ink or toner onto a substrate fed from a roll via a drive mechanism and wound onto a roll after printing by an integrated drive mechanism.

[0034] FIG. 3 is a bag machine connected to a digital printing system with an integrated drive mechanism to be used in conjunction with the digital printing system, having a motor, transmission, and gripping apparatus to transmit bags to be printed upon to the digital printing system.

[0035] FIG. 4 is a bag machine connected to a digital printing system with an integrated drive mechanism to be used in conjunction with the digital printing system, having a motor, transmission, and gripping apparatus to receive and stack printed bags.

[0036] FIG. 5 is a digital printing system connected to a bag machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] FIG. 1 shows digital printing system 10 for deposition and fusing of ink or toner to a blank bag 20 delivered from a reservoir 30 with an integrated drive mechanism (not pictured) to deliver individual bags 20 to the digital printing system 10 and an integrated drive mechanism (not pictured) to receive and stack bags that have been printed on 40 in a reservoir 50.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows substrate 60 being unwound from a roll 70 via an unwinder 80 and fed to a digital printing system 10 for deposition and fusing of ink or toner onto the substrate 60. The printed substrate 90 is wound on a roll 100 via a winder 110.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows substrate 60 being unwound from a roll 70 via an unwinder 80 and fed to a bag machine 200 for forming the substrate 60 into a bag which is then fed into a digital printing system 10 via an integrated drive mechanism (not pictured) to deliver individual bags. Printed bags 40 are received individually on a table 120 for packing.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows substrate 60 being unwound from a roll 70 via an unwinder 80 and fed to a bag machine 200 for forming the substrate 60 into a bag which is then fed into a digital printing system 10 via an integrated drive mechanism (not pictured) to deliver individual bags to the digital printing system 10 and an integrated drive mechanism (not pictured) to receive and stack printed bags 40 in a reservoir 50.

[0041] FIG. 5 shows substrate 60 being unwound from a roll 70 via an unwinder 80 and fed to a digital printing system 10 for deposition and fusing of ink or toner onto the substrate 60. Substrate 60 with printing is then fed to a bag machine 200 via an integrated device mechanism (not pictured) to deliver substrate sheet to the bag machine. Printed bags from the bag machine 200 are received on a table 120 for packing.