Energy activated printing process
AssigneeSawgrass Technologies, Inc.
InventorsNathan Hale, Ming Xu, Kimberlee Thompson, Sukun Zhang
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Abstract
Reactive inks and methods of generating an image on a substrate using both reactive and heat activated inks are presented. An image is printed on a substrate, without reacting the reagents in the ink. Subsequently, the reagents are reacted to fix the image to a substrate, with substantial permanency and fastness. Sublimation or similar heat activated dyes are printed are also printed on the substrate. The sublimation or similar heat activated dyes are activated, and have an affinity for polymer that is applied to the substrate.
Claims19
A method of digital printing, comprising the steps of:
- preparing a reactive ink comprising a first reagent, and a second reagent, wherein said first reagent is reactive with said second reagent;
- supplying a digital printer with said reactive ink;
- digitally printing said reactive ink on a substrate;
- digitally printing an ink comprising a heat activated dye on said substrate;
- and
- subsequently reacting said first reagent with said second reagent to bind said reactive ink to said substrate, and heat activating said heat activated dye to fix said heat activated dye to a polymer that is present on said substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.