DIGITAL CUSTOMIZER SYSTEM AND METHOD

摘要

The present invention is a system and method for digitally customizing or decorating objects typically formed of substrates other than paper. The system includes a computer, color management software, and a full color inkjet printer designed for printing heat activatable ink. The ink comprises heat activatable colorant solids that are printed onto media in the form of an image that may be activated and/or transferred to a subsequent or final substrate by applying heat and intimate contact between the medium and the subsequent or final substrate. Control of color cell formation according to the invention improves first level dot gain upon printing and second level dot gain upon heat activation of the colorant to provide an image of high quality for most substrates that are usable with the system and method of the invention.

主权项

1. A method of digitally customizing objects, comprising the steps of:
providing a digital image file to a computer; selecting a substrate upon which an image from the digital image file is to be printed; transmitting the digital image file to an inkjet printer; converting RGB values of pixels of the digital image into CMYK values for color cells; choosing a volume of ink emitted per color cell by the inkjet printer, wherein the ink comprises heat activated dye solids, and choosing a distribution of ink droplets within the color cell, wherein the volume of ink droplets and distribution of ink droplets are chosen as a function of an acceptable primary dot gain on a medium upon printing of the image on the medium and an acceptable secondary dot gain on the selected substrate; forming the image on the media by the inkjet printer by emitting a plurality of color cells, wherein each color cell is of the volume and ink droplet distribution chosen, and wherein the plurality of color cells form the image on the media and the primary dot gain is within the acceptable primary dot gain; and heat activating the heat activated dye solids to permanently fix the image to the selected substrate, wherein the secondary dot gain is within the acceptable secondary dot gain.