UV dye sublimation decoration of complex-shaped objects
Various of the disclosed embodiments concern printing systems configured to deposit flexible dye sublimation inks onto flexible transfer materials. Together, the flexible ink and transfer material allow images to be transferred onto complex-shaped, i.e. non-planar, surfaces of a substrate. The flexible ink may be, for example, a thermoformable UV dye sublimation ink or a superflexible UV dye sublimation ink. In order to transfer an image onto the substrate, the transfer material is pressed onto the surface of the substrate. The substrate, transfer material, or both are heated to a temperature sufficient to cause the ink to sublimate. During the sublimation process, dye is able to permeate the substrate and form a transferred image. The flexible ink formulation may also include a soluble or solvent-sensitive component. In such embodiments, a solvent can be jetted onto the substrate and/or transfer material to remove residual ink.
1. A method for printing on complex-shaped objects, the method comprising:
depositing sublimation ink that comprises a dye component onto a rubber former to form an image;
pressing the rubber former onto a non-planar surface of a complex-shaped substrate onto which the image is to be transferred,
wherein the image is pre-distorted to account for deformation of the rubber former;
heating the sublimation ink to a temperature that is sufficient to cause at least some of the dye component to sublime, permeate the non-planar surface, and form a finalized image within the complex-shaped substrate; and
removing the rubber former from the non-planar surface of the complex-shaped substrate so that the rubber former naturally regains its original shape.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the complex-shaped substrate is partially or entirely composed of polyester.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said heating is accomplished by heating the rubber former, the complex-shaped substrate, or both for a specific period of time.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rubber former is pressed against the non-planar surface by a mold or a heat-resistant material.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein pressure applied by the mold or the heat-resistant material causes the rubber former to deform and the image to expand.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the heat-resistant material is sand.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sublimation ink further comprises a soluble component.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
ejecting a solvent onto the rubber former and the non-planar surface of the complex-shaped substrate after the rubber former has been removed,
wherein the solvent causes the soluble component to dissolve, thereby substantially removing residual sublimation ink not used to form the finalized image.
9. A method comprising:
depositing sublimation ink that comprises (i) a dye component and (ii) a soluble component onto a first surface of a rubber former to form a first image;
pressing the first surface of the rubber former onto a non-planar surface of a substrate;
heating the sublimation ink to a temperature that is sufficient to cause at least some of the dye component to sublime, permeate the non-planar surface of the substrate, and form a second image within the substrate;
removing the rubber former from the non-planar surface of the substrate;
ejecting a first solvent onto the non-planar surface of the substrate to cause dissolution of residual sublimation ink remaining on the non-planar surface of the substrate; and
ejecting a second solvent onto the first surface of the rubber former to cause dissolution of residual sublimation ink remaining on the first surface of the rubber former so that the rubber former is reusable to transfer another image into another substrate.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said pressing comprises:
applying pressure to a second surface of the rubber former with a mold that substantially complements the non-planar surface of the substrate.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein said pressing comprises:
applying pressure to a second surface of the rubber former with sand.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the temperature is based on formulation of the sublimation ink, composition of the rubber former, composition of the substrate, or any combination thereof.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first image is pre-distorted to account for deformation of the rubber former when pressed against the non-planar surface of the substrate.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first image is pre-distorted to account for expansion of the sublimation ink when exposed to heat.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second image represents an expansion of the first image by at least 200%.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the sublimation ink further includes an ultraviolet-curable (UV-curable) component.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
after the sublimation ink has been deposited onto the first surface of the rubber former,
curing at least some of the sublimation ink by exposing the sublimation ink to UV radiation.
18. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first and second solvents are the same solvent.
19. A method comprising:
depositing sublimation ink that includes (i) a dye component and (ii) a soluble component onto a surface of a rubber former;
pressing the surface of the rubber former onto a non-planar surface of a first substrate, thereby causing deformation of the rubber former;
heating the sublimation ink to a first temperature that is sufficient to cause at least some of the dye component to sublime, permeate the non-planar surface of the first substrate, and form a first image within the first substrate; and
removing the rubber former from the non-planar surface of the first substrate so that the rubber former naturally regains its original shape.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
ejecting a solvent onto the surface of the rubber former to cause dissolution of residual sublimation ink remaining on the surface of the rubber former;
depositing sublimation ink onto the surface of the rubber former;
pressing the surface of the rubber former onto a non-planar surface of a second substrate;
heating the sublimation ink to a second temperature that is sufficient to cause at least some of the dye component to sublime, permeate the non-planar surface of the second substrate, and form a second image within the second substrate; and
removing the rubber former from the non-planar surface of the second substrate.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the first and second temperatures are different temperatures.