EP3480663A1 - Procédé de conversion d'une imprimante à cartouches de toner en imprimante à toner par sublimation - Google Patents

Procédé de conversion d'une imprimante à cartouches de toner en imprimante à toner par sublimation Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3480663A1
EP3480663A1 EP18203352.2A EP18203352A EP3480663A1 EP 3480663 A1 EP3480663 A1 EP 3480663A1 EP 18203352 A EP18203352 A EP 18203352A EP 3480663 A1 EP3480663 A1 EP 3480663A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
toner
sublimation
cartridge
printing
standard
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP18203352.2A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP3480663B1 (fr
Inventor
Michael Raymond Josiah
Joseph Dovi
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
UI Technologies Inc
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UI Technologies Inc
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Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US15/800,482 external-priority patent/US10310446B2/en
Application filed by UI Technologies Inc filed Critical UI Technologies Inc
Publication of EP3480663A1 publication Critical patent/EP3480663A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP3480663B1 publication Critical patent/EP3480663B1/fr
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
    • G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
    • G03G15/0894—Reconditioning of the developer unit, i.e. reusing or recycling parts of the unit, e.g. resealing of the unit before refilling with toner
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/65—Apparatus which relate to the handling of copy material
    • G03G15/6582—Special processing for irreversibly adding or changing the sheet copy material characteristics or its appearance, e.g. stamping, annotation printing, punching
    • G03G15/6585—Special processing for irreversibly adding or changing the sheet copy material characteristics or its appearance, e.g. stamping, annotation printing, punching by using non-standard toners, e.g. transparent toner, gloss adding devices
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2215/00—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes
    • G03G2215/00987—Remanufacturing, i.e. reusing or recycling parts of the image forming apparatus

Definitions

  • the present disclosure relates generally to printer cartridge replacement. More specifically, this disclosure relates to methods and systems of converting a standard toner cartridge printer to a printer that prints with sublimation toner.
  • Cyan (C), Magenta (M), Yellow (Y), and Black (K) (or CMYK) laser or Light Emitting Diode (LED) type printers come standard with Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black toner and/or drum cartridges.
  • traditional black toner printers and CMYK toner printers are generally used in surface printing of materials, including direct-to-fabric printing, but do not become part of the fabric like dye sublimation printings does.
  • Dye sublimation printing works by heating a special type of solid ink. This is different from traditional printing techniques, such as traditional inkjet, CMYK laser, or LED type printers, which spray liquid ink onto a page or surface, staining it (as in the case of inkjet) or transferring a dry ink (toner) to a page or surface and heat pressing the toner into the page or surface. Instead, dye sublimation printing heats up the solid ink, causing it to turn into gas vapors. These vapors make their way into the target surface, where they then turn back into solid form.
  • traditional printing techniques such as traditional inkjet, CMYK laser, or LED type printers, which spray liquid ink onto a page or surface, staining it (as in the case of inkjet) or transferring a dry ink (toner) to a page or surface and heat pressing the toner into the page or surface.
  • dye sublimation printing heats up the solid ink, causing it to turn into gas vapor
  • the target surface may be transfer paper, which is coupled to a piece of polyester or another synthetic fabric, and then fed through heated rollers that combine heat with pressure to expand the cells of the fabric and convert the dye to a gaseous state.
  • the dye is sublimated into the open pores of the polymeric synthetic materials, and as it cools again, traps the sublimated dye within the cells of the fabric. Because the dye became gaseous, it does not create a dot pattern during the sublimation process like traditional printing techniques, rather it creates a continuous tone print that creates brighter and smoother color variations and transitions, and a superior overall look.
  • the toner cartridge printer methods disclosed herein preferably allow a user to convert a standard printer into one that prints using sublimation toner.
  • the methods may be used to convert a traditional toner cartridge(s) and/or drum(s) printing machine to a printing machine that prints sublimation toner from one or more of the toner cartridge(s).
  • the invention relates to a method of converting a standard color toner printer to a sublimation color toner printer, comprising the steps of providing a standard color toner printer comprising at least four toner printing cartridges: a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, a yellow toner printing cartridge, and a black toner printing cartridge; removing at least four of said toner printing cartridges, such that at least four empty toner cartridge slots are created: a cyan toner cartridge slots, a magenta toner cartridge slot, a yellow toner cartridge slot, and a black toner cartridge slot; providing at least three sublimation toner printing cartridges: a cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge, a magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge, and a yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge; installing said cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge into said cyan toner cartridge slot; installing said magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge into said magenta toner cartridge slot; and installing said yellow sublimation toner
  • said step of providing at least three sublimation toner printing cartridges comprises the steps of: disassembling said removed toner printing cartridges; emptying and cleaning said removed toner printing cartridges, such that at least four empty printing cartridges are created; and filling three of said empty printing cartridges with at least three sublimation toners: a cyan sublimation toner, a magenta sublimation toner, and a yellow sublimation toner.
  • said method further comprises the steps of: providing a black sublimation toner printing cartridge; and installing said black sublimation toner printing cartridge in said black toner cartridge slot.
  • said step of providing a black sublimation toner printing cartridge comprises filling one of said at least four empty printing cartridges with a black sublimation toner.
  • said method further comprises the steps of: providing a white replacement toner printing cartridge; and installing said white replacement toner printing cartridge in said black toner cartridge slot.
  • said step of providing a white replacement toner printing cartridge comprises filling one of said at least four empty printing cartridges with a white replacement toner, e.g. a white sublimation toner or a regular, non-sublimation specific white toner.
  • a white replacement toner e.g. a white sublimation toner or a regular, non-sublimation specific white toner.
  • said white replacement toner printing cartridge is a white sublimation toner printing cartridge or a regular, non-sublimation specific white toner.
  • said method further comprises the steps of: providing a non-standard toner printing cartridge; and installing said non-standard toner printing cartridge in said black toner cartridge slot.
  • said step of providing a non-standard toner printing cartridge comprises filling one of said at least four empty printing cartridges with a non-standard toner selected from a group of non-standard toners consisting of white, metallic, fluorescent, light, clear, clear fluorescent, ceramic and sublimation.
  • said standard color toner printer further comprises a white toner printing cartridge.
  • the step of removing at least four of said toner printing cartridges comprises removing said white toner printing cartridge such that a white toner cartridge slot is created; and wherein the method further comprises the steps of: providing a white sublimation toner printing cartridge; and installing said white sublimation toner printing cartridge in said white toner cartridge slot.
  • said step of providing a white sublimation toner printing cartridge comprises filling one of said at least four empty printing cartridges with white sublimation toner.
  • said standard color toner printer further comprises a non-standard toner printing cartridge and the step of removing at least four of said toner printing cartridges comprises removing said non-standard toner printing cartridge such that a non-standard toner cartridge slot is created; and wherein said method further comprises the steps of: providing one non-standard toner printing cartridge; and installing said one non-standard toner printing cartridge in said non-standard toner cartridge slot.
  • said step of providing one non-standard toner printing cartridge comprises filling said empty non-standard printing cartridge with a non-standard toner selected from the group of non-standard toners consisting of white, metallic, fluorescent, light, clear, clear fluorescent, ceramic and sublimation.
  • the method further comprises a step of: providing raster image processor, RIP, software for printing cartridge remapping.
  • said black toner cartridge slot is a first or fourth toner cartridge slot.
  • the invention relates to a method of sublimation printing, comprising performing the method of converting a standard color toner printer to a sublimation color toner printer according to any of the above, and further printing a print job onto a transfer material; and transferring said print job to a final print surface via a heat transfer.
  • said method of sublimation printing further comprises overprinting a layer of white on said print job in a single pass; such that said layer of white is under said print job when said transferring said print job from said transfer material to said final print surface via a heat transfer.
  • One embodiment may be a method of converting a standard CMYK color toner printer to a CMYK sublimation color toner printer.
  • a standard CMYK color toner printer may be provided and may comprise four toner printing cartridges.
  • the four toner printing cartridges may comprise a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, a yellow toner printing cartridge, and a black toner printing cartridge.
  • the four toner printing cartridges may be removed such that four empty toner cartridge slots are created, and may comprise a cyan toner cartridge slot, a magenta toner cartridge slot, a yellow toner cartridge slot, and a black toner cartridge slot.
  • Four sublimation toner printing cartridges may be provided and may comprise a cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge, a magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge, a yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge, and a black sublimation toner printing cartridge.
  • the cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the cyan toner cartridge slot.
  • the magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the magenta toner cartridge slot.
  • the yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the yellow toner cartridge slot.
  • the black sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the black toner cartridge slot.
  • a print job may be printed onto a transfer material and the print job may be transferred to a final print surface via a heat transfer.
  • the four sublimation toner printing cartridges may comprise disassembling the four toner printing cartridges, emptying and cleaning the four toner printing cartridges, such that four empty printing cartridges may be created, and filling the four empty printing cartridges with four sublimation toners: a cyan sublimation toner, a magenta sublimation toner, a yellow sublimation toner, and a black sublimation toner.
  • a standard CMYK color toner printer may be provided and may comprise four toner printing cartridges.
  • the four toner printing cartridges may comprise a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, a yellow toner printing cartridge, and a black toner printing cartridge.
  • the four toner printing cartridges may be removed such that four empty toner cartridge slots are created and may comprise a cyan toner cartridge slot, a magenta toner cartridge slot, a yellow toner cartridge slot, and a black toner cartridge slot.
  • the black toner cartridge slot may be a fourth toner cartridge slot.
  • sublimation toner printing cartridges may comprise a cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge, a magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge, a yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge, and a white sublimation toner printing cartridge.
  • the cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the cyan toner cartridge slot.
  • the magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the magenta toner cartridge slot.
  • the yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the yellow toner cartridge slot.
  • the white sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the fourth toner cartridge slot.
  • Raster image processor (RIP) software may be provided for printing cartridge remapping.
  • a print job may be printed onto a transfer material and the print job may be transferred to a final print surface via a heat transfer.
  • the four sublimation toner printing cartridges may comprise disassembling the four toner printing cartridges, emptying and cleaning the four toner printing cartridges, such that four empty printing cartridges may be created, and filling the four empty printing cartridges with four sublimation toners: a cyan sublimation toner, a magenta sublimation toner, a yellow sublimation toner, and a white sublimation toner.
  • a standard CMYK color toner printer may be provided and may comprise four toner printing cartridges.
  • the four toner printing cartridges may comprise a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, a yellow toner printing cartridge, and a black toner printing cartridge.
  • the four toner printing cartridges may be removed such that four empty toner cartridge slots are created and may comprise a cyan toner cartridge slot, a magenta toner cartridge slot, a yellow toner cartridge slot, and a black toner cartridge slot.
  • the black toner cartridge slot may be a fourth toner cartridge slot.
  • At least three sublimation toner printing cartridges may be provided and may comprise a cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge, a magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge, a yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge.
  • a non-standard toner printing cartridge may also be provided.
  • the cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the cyan toner cartridge slot.
  • the magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the magenta toner cartridge slot.
  • the yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the yellow toner cartridge slot.
  • the non-standard toner printing cartridge may be installed into the fourth toner cartridge slot.
  • Raster image processor (RIP) software may be provided for printing cartridge remapping.
  • a print job may be printed onto a transfer material and the print job may be transferred to a final print surface via a heat transfer.
  • the three sublimation toner printing cartridges may comprise disassembling the three toner printing cartridges, emptying and cleaning the three toner printing cartridges, such that three empty printing cartridges may be created, and filling the three empty printing cartridges with three sublimation toners: a cyan sublimation toner, a magenta sublimation toner, and a yellow sublimation toner.
  • the non-standard toner printing cartridge may comprise disassembling the black toner printing cartridge, emptying and cleaning the black toner printing cartridge, such that an empty printing cartridges may be created, and filling the empty printing cartridges with a non-standard toner.
  • the non-standard toner may be selected from the group of non-standard toners consisting of: white, metallic, fluorescent, light, clear, clear fluorescent, ceramic, and sublimation.
  • a standard CMYKW color toner printer may be provided and may comprise five toner printing cartridges.
  • the five toner printing cartridges may comprise a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, a yellow toner printing cartridge, a black toner printing cartridge, and a white toner printing cartridge.
  • the five toner printing cartridges may be removed such that five empty toner cartridge slots are created and may comprise a cyan toner cartridge slot, a magenta toner cartridge slot, a yellow toner cartridge slot, a black toner cartridge slot, and a white toner cartridge slot.
  • Five sublimation toner printing cartridges may be provided and may comprise a cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge, a magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge, a yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge, a black sublimation toner printing cartridge, and a white sublimation toner printing cartridge.
  • the cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the cyan toner cartridge slot.
  • the magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the magenta toner cartridge slot.
  • the yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the yellow toner cartridge slot.
  • the black sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the black toner cartridge slot.
  • the white sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the white toner cartridge slot.
  • Raster image processor (RIP) software may be provided for printing cartridge remapping.
  • a print job may be printed onto a transfer material and the print job may be transferred to a final print surface via a heat transfer.
  • the five sublimation toner printing cartridges may comprise disassembling the five toner printing cartridges, emptying and cleaning the five toner printing cartridges, such that five empty printing cartridges may be created, and filling the five empty printing cartridges with five sublimation toners: a cyan sublimation toner, a magenta sublimation toner, a yellow sublimation toner, a black sublimation toner, and a white sublimation toner.
  • a print job may be printed onto a transfer material wherein a layer of white is overprinted on the print job in a single pass.
  • the print job may be transferred from the transfer material to a final print surface via a heat transfer, such that the layer of white is under the print job on the final print surface.
  • a standard CMYKX color toner printer may be provided and may comprise five toner printing cartridges.
  • the five toner printing cartridges may comprise a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, a yellow toner printing cartridge, a black toner printing cartridge, and a non-standard toner printing cartridge.
  • the five toner printing cartridges may be removed such that five empty toner cartridge slots are created and may comprise a cyan toner cartridge slot, a magenta toner cartridge slot, a yellow toner cartridge slot, a black toner cartridge slot, and a non-standard toner cartridge slot.
  • At least four sublimation toner printing cartridges may be provided and may comprise a cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge, a magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge, a yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge, and a black sublimation toner printing cartridge.
  • a non-standard toner cartridge may also be provided.
  • the cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the cyan toner cartridge slot.
  • the magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the magenta toner cartridge slot.
  • the yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the yellow toner cartridge slot.
  • the black sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the black toner cartridge slot.
  • the non-standard toner printing cartridge may be installed into the non-standard toner cartridge slot.
  • Raster image processor (RIP) software may be provided for printing cartridge remapping.
  • a print job may be printed onto a transfer material and the print job may be transferred to a final print surface via a heat transfer.
  • the four sublimation toner printing cartridges may comprise disassembling the four toner printing cartridges, emptying and cleaning the four toner printing cartridges, such that four empty printing cartridges may be created, and filling the four empty printing cartridges with four sublimation toners: a cyan sublimation toner, a magenta sublimation toner, a yellow sublimation toner, and a black sublimation toner.
  • the non-standard toner printing cartridge may comprise disassembling the non-standard toner printing cartridge, emptying and cleaning the toner printing cartridge, such that an empty non-standard printing cartridge may be created, and filling the empty non-standard printing cartridge with a non-standard toner.
  • the non-standard toner may be selected from the group of non standard toners consisting of: white, metallic, fluorescent, light, clear, clear fluorescent, ceramic, and sublimation.
  • a standard CMYKW color toner printer may be provided and may comprise five toner printing cartridges.
  • the five toner printing cartridges may comprise a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, a yellow toner printing cartridge, a black toner printing cartridge, and a white toner printing cartridge.
  • Four toner printing cartridges may be removed such that four empty toner cartridge slots are created and may comprise a cyan toner cartridge slot, a magenta toner cartridge slot, a yellow toner cartridge slot, and a black toner cartridge slot.
  • sublimation toner printing cartridges may comprise a cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge, a magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge, a yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge, and a black sublimation toner printing cartridge.
  • the cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the cyan toner cartridge slot.
  • the magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the magenta toner cartridge slot.
  • the yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the yellow toner cartridge slot.
  • the black sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the black toner cartridge slot.
  • Raster image processor (RIP) software may be provided for printing cartridge remapping.
  • a print job may be printed onto a transfer material and the print job may be transferred to a final print surface via a heat transfer.
  • the four sublimation toner printing cartridges may comprise disassembling the four toner printing cartridges, emptying and cleaning the four toner printing cartridges, such that four empty printing cartridges may be created, and filling the four empty printing cartridges with four sublimation toners: a cyan sublimation toner, a magenta sublimation toner, a yellow sublimation toner, and a black sublimation toner.
  • a print job may be printed onto a transfer material wherein a layer of white is overprinted on the print job in a single pass. The print job may be transferred from the transfer material to a final print surface via a heat transfer, such that the layer of white may be under the print job on the final print surface.
  • the term “substantially” refers to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result.
  • an object that is “substantially” located within a housing would mean that the object is either completely within a housing or nearly completely within a housing.
  • the exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on the specific context. However, generally speaking, the nearness of completion will be so as to have the same overall result as if absolute and total completion were obtained.
  • the use of “substantially” is also equally applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result.
  • the terms “approximately” and “about” generally refer to a deviance of within 15% of the indicated number or range of numbers. In one embodiment, the term “approximately” and “about”, refer to a deviance of between 0.0001-40% from the indicated number or range of numbers.
  • the present specification discloses methods for converting a toner cartridge printer to a sublimation toner printer.
  • the methods for converting a toner cartridge printer to a sublimation toner printer preferably require no special or dedicated printer drivers.
  • printing cartridge(s) generally refers to a toner cartridge, a laser toner cartridge, a LED toner cartridge, a drum cartridge, and/or a combined toner and drum cartridge.
  • toner generally refers to a powder, particulate, or dry ink that is used in laser printers, printers, and printing machines to form the printed text and images on the medium being printed. Generally, toner particles are melted by the heat of a fuser, and bound to the media.
  • the letter "K” preferably stands for black.
  • the letter "W” preferably stands for white, but may also refer to a non-standard toner or toner color, such as white, clear, clear fluorescent, and/or metallic.
  • CMYKX printer refers to a non-standard toner or toner color, such as white, metallic, fluorescent, light, clear, clear fluorescent, ceramic, and/or sublimation.
  • transfer material may typically refer to a polyurethane media that accepts the toner print job and then allows the print job to be transferred to a final print surface via heat transfer.
  • the transfer material may also be constructed from any suitable material, such as a specially coated paper or even just plain paper.
  • the final print surface is preferably plastic or polymer, such as, for example, a polyester shirt or product.
  • FIG. 1 is a flow block diagram of one embodiment of a method of converting a standard CMYK color toner printer to a CMYK sublimation color toner printer.
  • the method 100 of converting a standard CMYK color toner printer to a CMYK sublimation color toner printer may comprise providing a standard CMYK color toner printer with four toner printing cartridges: a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, a yellow toner printing cartridge, and a black toner printing cartridge 105 .
  • the CMYK printer is a LED printer.
  • the CMYK printer may have the following configurations:
  • any one of the cartridges may be in any of the four cartridge slots.
  • the black toner printing cartridge may be in the fourth toner cartridge slot or the first toner cartridge slot.
  • the cartridges and slots may also be referred to by their position: a first toner cartridge, a second toner cartridge, a third toner cartridge, and a fourth toner cartridge; and a first toner cartridge slot, a second toner cartridge slot, a third toner cartridge slot, and a fourth toner cartridge slot.
  • the method 100 may further comprise removing the four toner printing cartridges, such that four empty toner cartridge slots are created: a cyan toner cartridge slot, a magenta toner cartridge slot, a yellow toner cartridge slot, and a black toner cartridge slot 110 .
  • the four sublimation toner printing cartridges comprise: a cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge, a magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge, a yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge, and a black sublimation toner printing cartridge 115 .
  • the cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the cyan toner cartridge slot
  • the magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the magenta toner cartridge slot
  • the yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the yellow toner cartridge slot
  • the black sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the black toner cartridge slot 120 .
  • the method 100 may further comprise printing a print job onto a transfer material 125 .
  • the transfer material may comprise a polyurethane media that accepts the toner print job and then allows the print job to be transferred to a final print surface via heat transfer 130 .
  • the final print surface is preferably plastic or polymer, such as, for example, a polyester shirt or product.
  • the print job may be directly printed onto the final print surface without the need for an intermediate transfer material.
  • the steps of providing the four sublimation toner printing cartridges may further comprise: disassembling the four removed toner printing cartridges; emptying and cleaning the four removed toner printing cartridges, such that four empty printing cartridges may be created.
  • the four empty printing cartridges may be filled with four sublimation color toners.
  • the four sublimation toners may comprise: a cyan sublimation toner, a magenta sublimation toner, a yellow sublimation toner, and a black sublimation toner 135 .
  • the modified printer may be converted back to a traditional CMYK printer by removing the sublimation toner printing cartridges and/or drum cartridges from the four slots in the CMYK printer and re-installing the regular cyan, yellow, magenta, and black toner printing cartridges and/or drum cartridge into their original positions.
  • FIG. 2 is a flow block diagram of one embodiment of a method of converting a standard CMYK color toner printer to a CMYW sublimation color toner printer.
  • the method 200 of converting a standard CMYK color toner printer to a CMYW sublimation color toner printer may comprise providing a standard CMYK color toner printer with four toner printing cartridges: a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, a yellow toner printing cartridge, and a black toner printing cartridge 205.
  • the CMYK printer may be a LED printer.
  • the CMYK printer may have the following configurations:
  • the black toner printing cartridge may be in the fourth toner cartridge slot or the first toner cartridge slot.
  • the cartridges and slots may also be referred to by their position: a first toner cartridge, a second toner cartridge, a third toner cartridge, and a fourth toner cartridge; and a first toner cartridge slot, a second toner cartridge slot, a third toner cartridge slot, and a fourth toner cartridge slot.
  • the method 200 may further comprise removing the four toner printing cartridges, such that four empty toner cartridge slots are created: a cyan toner cartridge slot, a magenta toner cartridge slot, a yellow toner cartridge slot, and a black toner cartridge slot 210 .
  • the black toner printing cartridge may be in the fourth toner cartridge slot or the first toner cartridge slot.
  • Three or four sublimation toner printing cartridges may be provided.
  • three of the sublimation toner printing cartridges comprise: a cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge, a magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge, and a yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge; the fourth toner printing cartridge may be a white replacement toner printing cartridge 215 .
  • the white replacement toner printing cartridge is regular, non-sublimation specific toner. In other embodiments, the white replacement toner printing cartridge is white sublimation toner.
  • the cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the cyan toner cartridge slot, the magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the magenta toner cartridge slot, the yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the yellow toner cartridge slot, and the white replacement toner printing cartridge may be installed into the first or fourth toner cartridge slot 220 (depending on the configuration of the printer being converted).
  • the method 200 may further comprise providing raster image processor (RIP) software for printing cartridge remapping 222 and printing a print job onto a transfer material 225.
  • the transfer material may comprise a polyurethane media that accepts the toner print job and then allows the print job to be transferred to a final print surface via heat transfer 230.
  • the print job may be directly printed/sublimated onto the final print surface without the need for an intermediate transfer material.
  • the steps of providing the four sublimation toner printing cartridges may comprise: disassembling the four removed toner printing cartridges; emptying and cleaning the four removed toner printing cartridges, such that four empty printing cartridges may be created.
  • the four empty printing cartridges may be filled with four sublimation toners.
  • the four sublimation toners may comprise: a cyan sublimation toner, a magenta sublimation toner, a yellow sublimation toner, and a white sublimation toner 235 .
  • three sublimation toners and one regular toner may be put into the four empty cartridge slots: a cyan sublimation toner, a magenta sublimation toner, a yellow sublimation toner, and a white non-sublimation toner
  • the RIP software utilizes printing cartridge mapping to enable the ability to move, change or swap printing cartridge locations in the printer. This allows white under printing or over printing in a single pass.
  • the RIP software may also add a customizable separate layer of white either on top or underneath the image depending on the cartridge configuration and printing needs. This fully customizable feature in the software (RIP) allows you to completely reconfigure the printer to get almost any desired effect.
  • a white toner foreground layer may be printed when the white toner is place in the last printing cartridge position.
  • the RIP software may also be configured to allow the user to print in full color, CMY black, and white, such that the white prints with the other colors at the same time in a single layer.
  • the single layer is put down in a single pass.
  • Black may be printed by combining all three of the color print colors.
  • FIG. 3 is a flow block diagram of one embodiment of a method of converting a standard CMYK color toner printer to a CMYX sublimation color toner printer.
  • the method 300 of converting a standard CMYK color toner printer to a CMYX sublimation color toner printer may comprise providing a standard CMYK color toner printer with four toner printing cartridges: a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, a yellow toner printing cartridge, and a black toner printing cartridge 305.
  • the CMYK printer may be a LED printer.
  • the method 300 may further comprise removing the four toner printing cartridges, such that four empty toner cartridge slots are created: a cyan toner cartridge slot, a magenta toner cartridge slot, a yellow toner cartridge slot, and a black toner cartridge slot 310.
  • the black toner printing cartridge may be in the fourth toner cartridge slot.
  • At least three sublimation toner printing cartridges may be provided.
  • the three sublimation toner printing cartridges comprise: a cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge, a magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge, and a yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge 315.
  • a non-standard toner printing cartridge may also be provided.
  • the cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the cyan toner cartridge slot, the magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the magenta toner cartridge slot, the yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the yellow toner cartridge slot, and the non-standard toner printing cartridge may be installed into the fourth toner cartridge slot 320.
  • the method 300 may further comprise providing raster image processor (RIP) software for printing cartridge remapping 322 and printing a print job onto a transfer material 325.
  • the transfer material may comprise a polyurethane media that accepts the toner print job and then allows the print job to be transferred to a final print surface via heat transfer 330.
  • the print job may be directly printed/sublimated onto the final print surface without the need for an intermediate transfer material.
  • the steps of providing the three sublimation toner printing cartridges 335 may comprise: disassembling the three removed toner printing cartridges; emptying and cleaning the three removed toner printing cartridges, such that three empty printing cartridges may be created.
  • the three empty printing cartridges may be filled with three sublimation toners.
  • the three sublimation toners may comprise: a cyan sublimation toner, a magenta sublimation toner, and a yellow sublimation toner.
  • the steps of providing the non-standard toner printing cartridge 335 may comprise: disassembling the removed black toner printing cartridges; emptying and cleaning the removed black toner printing cartridges, such that an empty printing cartridge may be created.
  • the empty printing cartridge may be filled with a non-standard toner.
  • the non-standard toner may comprise a non-sublimation toner, such as a white toner, a metallic toner, a fluorescent toner, a light toner, a clear toner, a clear fluorescent toner, or a ceramic toner.
  • a non-sublimation toner such as a white toner, a metallic toner, a fluorescent toner, a light toner, a clear toner, a clear fluorescent toner, or a ceramic toner.
  • the original black toner cartridge that was removed may be put back in along with the three new sublimation toner cartridges.
  • the CMYK toner printer provided may be a CMYX toner printer, wherein the X is a non-standard cartridge (as original manufactured, or as previously modified), and X can be white, fluorescent, clear, metallic, ceramic, or a different sublimation.
  • X is a non-standard cartridge (as original manufactured, or as previously modified)
  • X can be white, fluorescent, clear, metallic, ceramic, or a different sublimation.
  • the present disclosure covers taking any existing four or five printer toner cartridges (standard and/or non-standard) and converting it to use other types of printing cartridges (standard and/or non-standard).
  • FIG. 4 is a flow block diagram of one embodiment of a method of converting a standard CMYKW color toner printer to a CMYKW sublimation color toner printer.
  • the method 400 of converting a standard CMYKW color toner printer to a CMYKW sublimation color toner printer may comprise providing a standard CMYKW color toner printer with five toner printing cartridges: a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, a yellow toner printing cartridge, a black toner printing cartridge, and a white toner printing cartridge 405.
  • the CMYKW printer may be a LED printer.
  • the method 400 may further comprise removing five toner printing cartridges, such that five empty toner cartridge slots are created: a cyan toner cartridge slot, a magenta toner cartridge slot, a yellow toner cartridge slot, a black toner cartridge slot, and a white toner cartridge slot 410 .
  • the black toner printing cartridge may be in the fourth toner cartridge slot.
  • Five sublimation toner printing cartridges may be provided.
  • the five sublimation toner printing cartridges comprise: a cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge, a magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge, a yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge, a black sublimation toner printing cartridge, and a white sublimation toner printer cartridge 415 .
  • the cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the cyan toner cartridge slot
  • the magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the magenta toner cartridge slot
  • the yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the yellow toner cartridge slot
  • the black sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the black toner cartridge slot
  • the white sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the white toner cartridge slot 420 .
  • the method 400 may further comprise providing raster image processor (RIP) software for printing cartridge remapping 422 (which may be used for over (or even under) printing with white in a single pass).
  • the method 400 may further comprise printing a print job onto a transfer material 425.
  • RIP raster image processor
  • the transfer material may comprise a polyurethane media that accepts the toner print job and then allows the print job to be transferred to a final print surface via heat transfer 430.
  • the print job may be directly printed/sublimated onto the final print surface without the need for an intermediate transfer material.
  • the steps of providing the five sublimation toner printing cartridges may comprise: disassembling the five removed toner printing cartridges; emptying and cleaning the five removed toner printing cartridges, such that five empty printing cartridges may be created.
  • the five empty printing cartridges may be filled with five sublimation toners.
  • the five sublimation toners may comprise: a cyan sublimation toner, a magenta sublimation toner, a yellow sublimation toner, a black sublimation toner, and a white sublimation toner 435.
  • Another embodiment may be a CMYKW printer that underprints in a single pass, or overprints in a single pass, and/or does both and can be switched back and forth.
  • Overprint printers are useful in providing a clear or white background to an image that is heat transferred to a final surface from a transfer material.
  • Underprint printers are useful in providing a clear or white background to an image that is printed on a non-standard or dark material/surface. The overprint of clear or white may then be the background layer after the image is transferred/sublimated to the final media.
  • FIG. 5 is a flow block diagram of one embodiment of a method of converting a standard CMYKX color toner printer to a CMYKX sublimation color toner printer.
  • the method 500 of converting a standard CMYKX color toner printer to a CMYKX sublimation color toner printer may comprise providing a standard CMYKX color toner printer with five toner printing cartridges: a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, a yellow toner printing cartridge, a black toner printing cartridge, and a non-standard toner printing cartridge 505.
  • the CMYKX printer may be a LED printer.
  • the method 500 may further comprise removing five toner printing cartridges, such that five empty toner cartridge slots are created: a cyan toner cartridge slot, a magenta toner cartridge slot, a yellow toner cartridge slot, a black toner cartridge slot, and a non-standard toner cartridge slot 510.
  • the black toner printing cartridge may be in the fourth toner cartridge slot.
  • At least four sublimation toner printing cartridges may be provided.
  • the four sublimation toner printing cartridges comprise: a cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge, a magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge, a yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge, and a black sublimation toner printing cartridge 515.
  • a non-standard toner printing cartridge may also be provided to go in the fifth toner cartridge slot.
  • the cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the cyan toner cartridge slot
  • the magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the magenta toner cartridge slot
  • the yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the yellow toner cartridge slot
  • the black sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the black toner cartridge slot
  • the non-standard, but non-sublimation, toner printing cartridge may be installed into the non-standard toner cartridge slot 520 .
  • the method 500 may further comprise providing raster image processor (RIP) software for printing cartridge remapping 522 (which may be used for over (or even under) printing with white in a single pass).
  • RIP raster image processor
  • the method 500 may also comprise printing a print job onto a transfer material 525 .
  • the transfer material may comprise a polyurethane media that accepts the toner print job and then allows the print job to be transferred to a final print surface via heat transfer 530 .
  • the print job may be directly printed/sublimated onto the final print surface without the need for an intermediate transfer material.
  • the steps of providing the four sublimation toner printing cartridges 535 may comprise: disassembling the four removed toner printing cartridges; emptying and cleaning the four removed toner printing cartridges, such that four empty printing cartridges may be created.
  • the four empty printing cartridges may be filled with four sublimation color toners.
  • the four sublimation toners may comprise: a cyan sublimation toner, a magenta sublimation toner, a yellow sublimation toner, and a black sublimation toner.
  • the steps of providing a non-standard toner printing cartridge 535 may comprise: disassembling the removed non-standard toner printing cartridge; emptying and cleaning the removed non-standard toner printing cartridge, such that an empty non-standard printing cartridge may be created.
  • the empty non-standard printing cartridge may be filled with a non-standard toner color.
  • the non-standard toner color may comprise: a white toner, a metallic toner, a fluorescent toner, a light toner, a clear toner, a clear fluorescent toner, a sublimation non-standard toner, and/or a ceramic toner.
  • the original white toner printing cartridge may be put back into place in the fifth toner cartridge slot.
  • the X non-standard toner may be in the first, fourth, or fifth toner printing cartridge slot and the black sublimation toner printing cartridge may be in the first, fourth, or fifth toner printing cartridge slot and whichever is not being used by the non-standard toner cartridge.
  • the X non-standard toner may be in the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth toner printing cartridge slot and the black sublimation toner printing cartridge may be in the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth toner printing cartridge slot.
  • Another embodiment may be a CMYKX printer that underprints in a single pass, or overprints in a single pass, and/or does both and can be switched back and forth.
  • Overprint printers are useful in providing a clear or white background to an image that is heat transferred to a final surface from a transfer material.
  • Underprint printers are useful in providing a clear or white background to an image that is printed on a non-standard or dark material/surface. The overprint of clear or white may then be the background layer after the image is transferred/sublimated to the final media.
  • FIG. 6 is a flow block diagram of one embodiment of a method of converting a standard CMYKW color toner printer to a CMYKW sublimation color toner printer.
  • the method 600 of converting a standard CMYKW color toner printer to a CMYKW sublimation color toner printer may comprise providing a standard CMYKW color toner printer with five toner printing cartridges: a cyan toner printing cartridge, a magenta toner printing cartridge, a yellow toner printing cartridge, a black toner printing cartridge, and a white toner printing cartridge 605.
  • the CMYKW printer may be a LED printer.
  • the method 600 may further comprise removing four toner printing cartridges, such that four empty toner cartridge slots are created: a cyan toner cartridge slot, a magenta toner cartridge slot, a yellow toner cartridge slot, and a black toner cartridge slot 610.
  • the white toner cartridge is not removed, unless it is remapped into another slot.
  • the black toner printing cartridge may be in the fourth toner cartridge slot.
  • Four sublimation toner printing cartridges may be provided.
  • the four sublimation toner printing cartridges comprise: a cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge, a magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge, a yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge, and a black sublimation toner printing cartridge 615.
  • the cyan sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the cyan toner cartridge slot
  • the magenta sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the magenta toner cartridge slot
  • the yellow sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the yellow toner cartridge slot
  • the black sublimation toner printing cartridge may be installed into the black toner cartridge slot 620 .
  • the method 600 may further comprise providing raster image processor (RIP) software for printing cartridge remapping 622 and printing a print job onto a transfer material 625 .
  • the transfer material may comprise a polyurethane media that accepts the toner print job and then allows the print job to be transferred to a final print surface via heat transfer 630 .
  • the print job may be directly printed onto the final print surface without the need for an intermediate transfer material.
  • the steps of providing the four sublimation toner printing cartridges 635 may comprise: disassembling the four removed toner printing cartridges; emptying and cleaning the four removed toner printing cartridges, such that four empty printing cartridges may be created.
  • the four empty printing cartridges may be filled with four sublimation toners.
  • the four sublimation toners may comprise: a cyan sublimation toner, a magenta sublimation toner, a yellow sublimation toner, and a black sublimation toner.
  • the X non-standard toner may be in the first, fourth, or fifth toner printing cartridge slot and the black toner printing cartridge may be in the first, fourth, or fifth toner printing cartridge slot and whichever is not being used by the non-standard toner cartridge.
  • Another embodiment may be a CMYKX printer that underprints in a single pass, or overprints in a single pass, and/or does both and can be switched back and forth.
  • Overprint printers are useful in providing a clear or white background to an image that is heat transferred to a final surface from a transfer material.
  • Underprint printers are useful in providing a clear or white background to an image that is printed on a non-standard or dark material/surface. The overprint of white may then be the background layer after the image is transferred/sublimated to the final media.

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EP18203352.2A 2017-11-01 2018-10-30 Procédé de conversion d'une imprimante à cartouches de toner en imprimante à toner par sublimation Active EP3480663B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

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US15/800,482 US10310446B2 (en) 2015-06-05 2017-11-01 Method for converting a toner cartridge printer to a sublimation toner printer

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Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20130004742A1 (en) * 2011-07-01 2013-01-03 La Costa Alfred W Method of Transfer Printing Using White Toner
US9383684B1 (en) * 2015-06-05 2016-07-05 Ui Technologies, Inc. Method and system for converting a toner cartridge printer to a white toner printer
US9488932B1 (en) * 2015-06-05 2016-11-08 Ui Technologies, Inc. Method and system for converting a toner cartridge printer to a white, clear, or fluorescent toner printer
US20170023885A1 (en) * 2015-06-05 2017-01-26 Ui Technologies, Inc. Method and system for converting a toner cartridge printer to a white, clear, metallic, fluorescent, or light toner printer

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20130004742A1 (en) * 2011-07-01 2013-01-03 La Costa Alfred W Method of Transfer Printing Using White Toner
US9383684B1 (en) * 2015-06-05 2016-07-05 Ui Technologies, Inc. Method and system for converting a toner cartridge printer to a white toner printer
US9488932B1 (en) * 2015-06-05 2016-11-08 Ui Technologies, Inc. Method and system for converting a toner cartridge printer to a white, clear, or fluorescent toner printer
US20170023885A1 (en) * 2015-06-05 2017-01-26 Ui Technologies, Inc. Method and system for converting a toner cartridge printer to a white, clear, metallic, fluorescent, or light toner printer

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