Patent ID: 9586414
Date: 2017-03-07
CPC Classifications: B41J,B41M

Claim:
1. A method for applying an image onto a receiving medium, the method comprising the steps of: a) jetting droplets of an ultraviolet curable phase change ink from an ink jet print head at elevated temperature onto the receiving medium, wherein the elevated temperature is a temperature above a phase transition temperature, the phase transition temperature being the temperature below which the ink is in an immobilized state; b) allowing the deposited droplets of ink to cool to a temperature below the phase transition temperature, the droplets of ink thereby changing from the liquid state into the immobilized state; c) pre-curing the deposited droplets of ink by irradiating the droplets of ink with a first beam of UV radiation, the first beam having a first intensity; and d) post-curing the deposited ink by irradiating the droplets of ink with a second beam of UV radiation, the second beam having a second intensity, wherein pre-curing is done before post-curing, wherein the intensity of the first beam is controlled such that at least in the pre-curing step, the temperature of the ink does not exceed the phase transition temperature, wherein the second intensity is higher than the first intensity, and wherein the first beam and the second beam overlap.