Granted Patent B2

US 12,194,492 · App. 17/322,966 · Granted Jan 14, 2025

Inventor: René Pankoke (Bielefeld, DE)

Assignee: Hymmen GmbH Maschinen- und Anlagenbau

B05D3/12B05D3/002B05D3/0486B05D3/067B05D5/02B05D7/584B41F23/08B41J2/2114B41J3/407B41J11/0015B41J11/002B41M3/06B41M5/0047B41M7/0027B41M7/0045B41M7/0054B41M7/0081B41M7/009B44C3/02B05D5/061B44C5/04B44F1/02B44F9/02B44F11/04E04F13/0873E04F15/107

Abstract

Claims (78)

1. An apparatus ( 18 ) for producing a decorative surface on a workpiece ( 1 ), comprising:

a transport device ( 20 ) having a transport direction ( 28 ), the transport device ( 20 ) being adapted to transport a workpiece ( 1 ) coated with a liquid layer ( 2 ),

a digital printing station, and

a dispenser adapted to apply an agent capable of at least partially absorbing electromagnetic radiation to at least a partial area of the surface of the liquid layer ( 2 );

a curing station comprising a radiation source which is adapted to irradiate at least one of the liquid layer ( 2 ) and the applied agent with electromagnetic radiation having different wavelengths in different time intervals at least until at least one of the liquid layer ( 2 ) and the applied agent is partially cured;

control means adapted to control the apparatus ( 18 ) to perform the following:

feeding (S 10 ) the workpiece ( 1 ) coated with a liquid layer ( 2 ) to the digital printing station, and

applying (S 12 ) the agent using the dispenser, at least on a partial area of the surface of the liquid layer ( 2 ), or which, in contact with the surface, produces a reaction product which is capable of at least partially absorbing electromagnetic radiation, and

curing (S 16 ) of the layer ( 2 ) is carried out by irradiation with the electromagnetic radiation,

wherein the irradiation of the surface of the liquid layer ( 2 ) and of the agent is carried out with the electromagnetic radiation.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the dispenser is adapted to spray or apply the agent onto the liquid layer ( 2 ) in the form of at least one of:

fine droplets ( 3 a ) having a volume of 0.1 pl to 1 pl, and

droplets ( 3 ) having a volume of 1 pl to 80 pl;

wherein the agent absorbs at least 10% of incident electromagnetic radiation.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the dispenser is adapted to dispense the droplets ( 3 ) and the fine droplets ( 3 a ) having the volume of 0.1 pl to 1 pl such that upon impact on the surface of the liquid layer ( 2 ) they at least one of:

at least partially penetrate the surface of the liquid layer ( 2 ),

come to rest on the surface of the liquid layer ( 2 ), and

displace the surface of the liquid layer and introduce depressions,

wherein at least one of the droplets ( 3 ) and the fine droplets ( 3 a ) having the volume of 0.1 pl to 1 pl are adapted in at least one of volume and speed in order to influence a penetration depth and a displacement.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control means is further adapted to control the apparatus ( 18 ) to perform the following:

formatting a microstructure or nanostructure is carried out by irradiation (S 14 ) of the surface of the liquid layer ( 2 ) with the electromagnetic radiation in the surface of the uppermost partial area of the liquid layer ( 2 ), wherein the microstructure or the nanostructure scatters light reflection and thus results in an optically more matte impression.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the dispenser is adapted to apply the agent when the agent is a member of a group consisting of at least one of:

a polymeriable acrylate mixture,

a solvent-containing liquid, and

an aqueous mixture.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control means is further adapted to control the apparatus ( 18 ) to perform the following:

curing (S 16 ) of the layer ( 2 ) is carried out by at least one of:

irradiation with electromagnetic radiation,

irradiation with electron radiation,

passive drying,

active drying, and

reaction curing.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control means is further adapted to control the apparatus ( 18 ) to perform the following

irradiating (S 14 ) the surface of the liquid layer ( 2 ) and of the agent with electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of less than 300 nm.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the dispenser is adapted to apply the agent when the agent is a member of a group consisting of at least one of the following ingredients:

a substance from the group of hindered amines in a concentration of 0-20%;

wherein the applied agent comprises, at least one of an alcohol and a glycol having a total content of 10-99 and

at least one of the following ingredients in the indicated concentration (vol %):

a substance from the group of hindered amines in a concentration of 0-20%,

a substance from the group of N,N′-diphenyleoxamides in a concentration of 0-20.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the radiation source is adapted to irradiate the agent with the electromagnetic radiation so as to induce evaporation of the agent within less than 3 minutes.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the dispenser is adapted to dispense the agent such that upon impact on the surface of the layer ( 2 ), the agent undergoes a change of the surface occurs at the respective areas.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation source is adapted to irradiate the agent with electromagnetic radiation so as to induce a chemical reaction with the layer ( 2 ) such that the reaction product achieves by the irradiation (S 14 ) at this area less micro-formation and nanostructure formation than on the areas on which no agent has been applied to the surface.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control means is further adapted to control the apparatus ( 18 ) to perform the at least one of the following:

applying (S 20 ) the liquid layer ( 2 ) to a surface of the workpiece ( 1 ), and structuring the layer ( 2 ) by at least one of:

using an embossing roller

applying further structuring droplets,

wherein depressions are introduced into the layer ( 2 ), and

applying a decorative image to the surface of the workpiece ( 1 ) when the surface is at least partially cured or which has a surface solidified by polymerization;

applying the layer ( 2 ) by digital printing when the surface is at least partially cured or which has a surface solidified by polymerization.

13. The apparatus ( 18 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a radiation source ( 6 ), which is adapted to irradiate the surface of the liquid layer ( 2 ) with electromagnetic irradiation ( 6 a ) having a wavelength of less than 300 nm

wherein the curing station comprises at least one of:

a fluid source which is adapted to flow air around the layer ( 2 ),

an electron beam source which is adapted to irradiate the liquid layer ( 2 ) and/or the applied agent with electron radiation at least until its partial curing, and

a drying station adapted to receive the workpiece ( 1 ) until at least partial curing of the layer ( 2 ) and to provide a predetermined drying temperature to which the workpiece ( 1 ) with the layer ( 2 ) can be exposed.

14. The apparatus ( 18 ) according to claim 1 further comprising one or more of the following:

a reaction zone adapted to allow at least one of evaporation and a chemical reaction,

wherein the reaction zone is adapted as a zone through which the transport device transports the workpiece ( 1 ) at at least one of, expansion and a transport speed which are matched to one another such that at least one of the evaporation and the reaction are at least partially possible

a protective gas chamber ( 24 ) adapted to surround at least one of the workpiece ( 1 ), the layer ( 2 ) and the agent with a protective gas,

an application device ( 10 ) adapted to apply the liquid layer ( 2 ) to the workpiece ( 1 ),

an embossing roller adapted to introduce a structure into the liquid layer ( 2 ),

a digital print head, which is adapted to introduce a structure into the liquid layer ( 2 ), and

an application device having at least one digital print head adapted to paint a decorative image onto the surface of at least one of the layer ( 2 ) and the workpiece ( 1 ).

15. The apparatus ( 18 ) according to claim 14 , wherein

the reaction zone extends to trigger at least one of evaporation and a chemical reaction.

16. The apparatus ( 18 ) according to claim 1 , wherein

the transport device ( 20 ) comprises a conveyor belt;

wherein the digital printing station, the dispenser, and the curing station are arranged one after the other in the transport direction ( 28 ).

17. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation source being adapted to irradiate the liquid layer ( 2 ) for curing when the liquid layer ( 2 ) consists of a polymerizable acrylate mixture.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the dispenser is adapted to dispense the ageny such that upon impact on the surface of the layer ( 2 ), the agent undergoes a change of the surface occurs at the respective areas.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the dispenser is adapted to dispense the ageny such that upon impact on the surface of the layer ( 2 ), the agent undergoes a chemical reaction.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the dispenser is adapted to apply the agent when the agent consists of a polymer content of 10-99% and at least one of the following ingredients:

a substance from the group of benzophenones in a concentration of 0-15%,

a substance from the group of benzotrialzoles in a concentration of 0-15%, and

a substance from the group of N,N′-diphenyleoxamides in a concentration of 0-20%.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (6)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (400)