Game ball or other article of sports equipment printed with visible light-curable ink and method
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorThomas J. Kennedy, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Sports equipment, particularly game balls, are printed with an ink cured with light in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The ink uses a photoinitiator that absorbs light in both the ultraviolet region and in a range of from about 400 nm to about 690 nm in the visible light region, a Type I photoinitiator compound absorbing in only the visible region, or a Type II photoinitiator compound either containing an abstractable hydrogen or used with a free radical-curable material comprising an abstractable hydrogen.
Claims20
A golf ball having a printed indicium on a surface, wherein the indicium is obtained by pad printing an ink onto to the golf ball in the form of an indicium and curing the printed ink by exposure to visible light having a wavelength in a range of about 400 nm to about 690 nm to obtain a cured, printed indicium on the ball, wherein the ink comprises (a) a free radical-curable material, (b) a colorant, and (c) a photoinitiating component comprising photoinitiator consisting of a member selected from the group consisting of:
- (i) compounds that absorb light in both the ultraviolet region and in a range of from about 400 nm to about 690 nm in the visible light region of the electromagnetic spectrum to generate free radicals and combinations thereof;
- (ii) Type I photoinitiator compounds and Type II photoinitiator compounds containing an abstractable hydrogen that absorb light in a range of from about 400 nm to about 690 nm in the visible light region of the electromagnetic spectrum to generate free radicals and combinations thereof;
- and combinations thereof, wherein the adhesion between the indicium and the surface after curing renders the surface suitable for use in competitive play.
A golf ball having a printed indicium on a surface, wherein the indicium is obtained by pad printing an ink onto to the golf ball in the form of an indicium and curing the printed ink by exposure to visible light having a wavelength in a range of about 400 nm to about 690 nm to obtain a cured, printed indicium on the ball, wherein the ink comprises (a) a free radical-curable material comprising an abstractable hydrogen, (b) a colorant, and (c) a photoinitiating component comprising photoinitiator consisting of a member selected from the group consisting of Type II photoinitiator compounds, wherein the ink is free from amine compounds and wherein the adhesion between the indicium and the surface after curing renders the surface suitable for use in competitive play.
A method of applying an indicium to an article of sports equipment, comprising
- (a) printing an ink in the form of an indicium on the article, wherein the ink comprises a free radical-curable material, a colorant, and a photoinitiating component comprising photoinitiator consisting of a member selected from the group consisting of
- (i) compounds that absorb light in both the ultraviolet region and in a range of from about 400 nm to about 690 nm in the visible light region of the electromagnetic spectrum to generate free radicals and combinations thereof;
- (ii) Type I photoinitiator compounds and Type II photoinitiator compounds containing an abstractable hydrogen that absorb light in a range of from about 400 nm to about 690 nm in the visible light region of the electromagnetic spectrum to generate free radicals and combinations thereof;
- and combinations thereof;
- (b) curing the printed indicium with one or more LED lights that emit visible light having a wavelength absorbed by the photoinitiator to obtain a cured, printed indicium on the article;
- and
- (c) optionally, applying a clear top coat over the printed indicium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.