# US 11,993,092 B2 · UV/LED printing and finishing process

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- Number: US 11,993,092 B2
- Document ID: US11993092B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/781,525
- Filed: 2020-02-04
- Published: 2020-08-06
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2019-02-04
- Assignees: NFSC Holdings, LLC
- Applicants: NFSC Holdings, LLC
- Inventors: Casey R. Shingary; Gustavo Lopez; Samuel J. Ferguson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993092B2

## CPC

- B41M 5/0011: {Pre-treatment or treatment during printing of the recording material, e.g. heating, irradiating (after-treatment of prints B41M7/00; printers for treating or overcoating copy materials before, during or after printing B41J11/0015)}
- B41J 3/407: for marking on special material
- B41J 11/00214: {using UV radiation}
- B41M 5/0041: {Digital printing on surfaces other than ordinary paper (B41M5/0082 takes precedence; printing on textiles D06P5/00)}
- B41M 5/0047: {by ink-jet printing}
- B41M 5/0064: {on plastics, horn, rubber, or other organic polymers}
- B41M 7/0027: {using protective coatings or layers by lamination or by fusion of the coatings or layers}
- B41M 7/0036: {using protective coatings or layers dried without curing}
- B41M 7/0081: {using electromagnetic radiation or waves, e.g. ultraviolet radiation, electron beams}
- C09D 11/101: Inks specially adapted for printing processes involving curing by wave energy or particle radiation, e.g. with UV-curing following the printing
- H05H 1/47: {using corona discharges}
- B05D 3/0263: {with IR heaters}
- B05D 3/067: {Curing or cross-linking the coating}
- B05D 3/12: by mechanical means
- B05D 3/144: {of polymeric substrates}
- B05D 7/536: {each layer being cured, at least partially, separately}
- B05D 2201/00: Polymeric substrate or laminate
- B05D 2252/02: of indefinite length
- B41J 11/0015: {for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing (selective coating B41J2/2114)}
- B41M 7/0045: {using protective coatings or film forming compositions cured by mechanical wave energy, e.g. ultrasonics, cured by electromagnetic radiation or waves, e.g. ultraviolet radiation, electron beams, or cured by magnetic or electric fields, e.g. electric discharge, plasma}
- C09D 11/10: based on artificial resins
- C09D 11/30: Inkjet printing inks
- H05H 1/24: Generating plasma {(nuclear fusion reactors G21B1/00; gas-filled discharge reactors H01J37/32)}
- B41M: PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING, (correction of typographical errors B41J; processes for applying transfer pictures or the like B44C1/16; fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00; printing textiles D06P)
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D)
- H05H: PLASMA TECHNIQUE (apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays H05G2/00); PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS
- B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02)

## Abstract

A UV/LED printing and finishing process is disclosed. The printing and finishing process improves the manner in which printing, permanent bonding, and finishing is performed on products containing low surface energy plastics, such as high-density polyethylene furniture. The process includes abrading a surface of the low surface energy plastic and then applying a corona or plasma treatment to the surface of the low surface energy plastic to increase the adhesion capabilities of the surface. Once the surface has been treater, the process may include printing a polymer ink onto the surface of the low surface energy plastic, such as by utilizing a UV/LED flatbed or hybrid printer. The process may also include curing the printed surface of the low surface energy plastic, and then finally applying a clear inorganic top coating onto the printed surface to protect the UV/LED cured polymer ink.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising:
an abrading device configured to abrade a surface of a high-density polyethylene member;
a surface modification device configured to perform, after the surface of the high-density polyethylene member is abraded by the abrading device, a surface modification process on the high-density polyethylene member to alter and realign surface molecules on the surface, wherein the surface modification process is performed to increase an adhesion capability of the high-density polyethylene member by creating a window enabling the surface molecules of the surface of the high-density polyethylene member to accept a polymer ink to permanently bond with the high-density polyethylene member;
a printer configured to print, within the window, the polymer ink onto the high-density polyethylene member after the surface modification process is performed;
a first curing device configured to cure, during a first curing process, the polymer ink printed onto the surface of the high-density polyethylene member;
a coating device configured to perform a finishing process on the high-density polyethylene member after the polymer ink is printed onto the high-density polyethylene member and after the first curing process, wherein the finishing process comprises applying a clear top coating onto a portion of the high-density polyethylene member printed with the polymer ink; and
a second curing device comprising a heat tunnel configured to cure, during a second curing process and after application of the clear top coating onto the portion of the high-density polyethylene member printed with the polymer ink, the clear top coating cured onto the portion of the high-density polyethylene member by utilizing a heat tunnel.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the abrading device is configured to abrade the surface of high-density polyethylene member via sanding and media blasting.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the surface modification process comprises a corona-based surface modification process, a plasma surface modification process, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a first user device, a second user device, a communications network, or a combination thereof, that instruct and control the abrading device, the surface modification device, the first curing device, the second curing device, the coating device, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the printer is configured to print the polymer ink onto the high-density polyethylene member using an ultraviolet light emitting diode lamp.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the printer is configured to print the polymer ink onto the high-density polyethylene member in a manner that creates a decorative pattern on a surface of the high-density polyethylene member.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the printer is configured to print the polymer ink onto the high-density polyethylene member in a manner that creates a raised three-dimensional polymer ink coating on a surface of the high-density polyethylene member.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the polymer ink a solid-based ink.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the printer comprises a hybrid ultraviolet light emitting diode printer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the surface modification device is configured to perform the surface modification process on a low-surface energy plastic member comprising thermoplastic polyolefin, polypropylene, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the clear top coating comprises silicon dioxide, silicon carbide, titanium nitride, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the clear top coating is an inorganic clear top coating.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the clear top coating incorporates an additive.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the high-density polyethylene member is a component of furniture, a transportation device, a marine device, an aviation device, a heavy equipment device, building material, signage, or a combination thereof.