Importance

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Abstract

A method and device for raised letter or graphics printing, by means of a sprayed wet ink deposition on a print substrate. Subsequent dispensed thermographic powder thereon, with adherence of the powder only to the wet ink and heating thereafter, to a fixing temperature of the powder, results in the raised lettering or graphics. A standard portable ink jet printer of the bubble jet type, controlled, with graphics software control, by a personal computer, provides the requisite non-contacting ink deposition. The dispensing cartridge(s) of the ink jet printer is (are) provided with non-contact-drying ink formulations (with two or more separate colors, if desired) for the portion of graphics or printing which is to be in raised form. A thermographic powder dispenser and heating member is connected to the output of the ink jet printer, or integrated therewith for completion of the raised printing process. In operation, the non-contact drying ink is dispensed from the ink jet printer onto a print substrate, with program controlled bit-mapped instructions of graphics and text, via the personal computer. Simultaneous inking of the substrate with separate colored non-drying inks permits single pass multi-colored raised printing. Raised and non-raised printing is also possible by use of separately dispensed drying and non-drying inks. The device is particularly useful in providing non-impact formed braille lettering; and graphics, with full or partial raised portions and separated color segments.

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First Claim