Patents by Inventor Rudi Vanhooydonck
Rudi Vanhooydonck has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20230191800Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a paper layer having a printed pattern for use in panels that at least include a substrate and a top layer. The top layer includes the paper layer. The method may involve providing the paper layer with an inkjet receiver coating by transporting the paper layer relative to a coater in a coating direction. The coated paper layer may be provided with at least a portion of the printed pattern using a digital inkjet printer that includes a housing containing print heads. Providing the printed pattern may involve using water based pigment containing inks. The printed pattern may include a wood motif having wood nerves extending generally in a nerve direction substantially corresponding to the coating direction. Providing the printed pattern may involve a relative motion between the digital inkjet printer and the paper layer during a printing operation in a printing direction substantially corresponding or substantially opposite to the coating direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2023Publication date: June 22, 2023Applicants: UNILIN BV, AGFA, NVInventors: Benjamin CLEMENT, Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Patrick VAN DEN BERGEN, Rudi VANHOOYDONCK
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Patent number: 11613133Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a paper layer having a printed pattern for use in panels that at least include a substrate and a top layer. The top layer includes the paper layer. The method may involve providing the paper layer with an inkjet receiver coating by transporting the paper layer relative to a coater in a coating direction. The coated paper layer may be provided with at least a portion of the printed pattern using a digital inkjet printer that includes a housing containing print heads. Providing the printed pattern may involve using water based pigment containing inks. The printed pattern may include a wood motif having wood nerves extending generally in a nerve direction substantially corresponding to the coating direction. Providing the printed pattern may involve a relative motion between the digital inkjet printer and the paper layer during a printing operation in a printing direction substantially corresponding or substantially opposite to the coating direction.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2021Date of Patent: March 28, 2023Assignees: UNILIN BV, AGFA, NVInventors: Benjamin Clement, Laurent Meersseman, Patrick Van Den Bergen, Rudi Vanhooydonck
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Patent number: 11084306Abstract: A method of manufacturing decorative panels includes selecting a paper with a paper weight between 50 g/m2 and 130 g/m2 and a porosity according to Gurley's method between 8 and 20 seconds; selecting a wood pattern; generating a selection mask representing one or more wood nerves; one or more wood pores, and/or one or more wood imperfections from the wood pattern, by image analyzing the wood pattern; and supplying the wood pattern and the selection mask to an inkjet print head unit for forming a decorative layer. The inkjet print head unit includes a plurality of nozzles and the method further includes determining a set of nozzles from the plurality of nozzles based on an inactivity of a nozzle by calculating an inactivity-duration for the nozzles and by comparing the calculated inactivity-duration to a threshold value; wherein a part of the selection mask is formed with the determined set of nozzles.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2018Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: AGFA NVInventor: Rudi Vanhooydonck
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Publication number: 20210213757Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a paper layer having a printed pattern for use in panels that at least include a substrate and a top layer. The top layer includes the paper layer. The method may involve providing the paper layer with an inkjet receiver coating by transporting the paper layer relative to a coater in a coating direction. The coated paper layer may be provided with at least a portion of the printed pattern using a digital inkjet printer that includes a housing containing print heads. Providing the printed pattern may involve using water based pigment containing inks. The printed pattern may include a wood motif having wood nerves extending generally in a nerve direction substantially corresponding to the coating direction. Providing the printed pattern may involve a relative motion between the digital inkjet printer and the paper layer during a printing operation in a printing direction substantially corresponding or substantially opposite to the coating direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2021Publication date: July 15, 2021Applicants: UNILIN BV, AGFA, NVInventors: Benjamin CLEMENT, Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Patrick VAN DEN BERGEN, Rudi VANHOOYDONCK
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Patent number: 10994555Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing panels having a decorative surface, wherein the panels at least include a substrate and a top layer, and wherein the top layer includes a paper layer having a printed pattern. The method may involve providing the paper layer with an inkjet receiver coating by transporting the paper layer relative to a coater in a coating direction. The coated paper layer may be provided with at least a portion of the printed pattern using a digital inkjet printer that includes a housing containing print heads. The printed pattern may be a wood motif having wood nerves extending generally in a nerve direction that substantially corresponds to the coating direction. Providing the printed pattern may involve a relative motion between the digital inkjet printer and the paper layer during a printing operation in a printing direction.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2018Date of Patent: May 4, 2021Assignees: UNILIN BV, AGFA, NVInventors: Benjamin Clement, Laurent Meersseman, Patrick Van Den Bergen, Rudi Vanhooydonck
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Publication number: 20200230989Abstract: A method of manufacturing decorative panels includes selecting a paper with a paper weight between 50 g/m2 and 130 g/m2 and a porosity according to Gurley's method between 8 and 20 seconds; selecting a wood pattern; generating a selection mask representing one or more wood nerves; one or more wood pores, and/or one or more wood imperfections from the wood pattern, by image analyzing the wood pattern; and supplying the wood pattern and the selection mask to an inkjet print head unit for forming a decorative layer. The inkjet print head unit includes a plurality of nozzles and the method further includes determining a set of nozzles from the plurality of nozzles based on an inactivity of a nozzle by calculating an inactivity-duration for the nozzles and by comparing the calculated inactivity-duration to a threshold value; wherein a part of the selection mask is formed with the determined set of nozzles.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2018Publication date: July 23, 2020Inventor: Rudi VANHOOYDONCK
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Publication number: 20190016153Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing panels having a decorative surface, wherein the panels at least include a substrate and a top layer, and wherein the top layer includes a paper layer having a printed pattern. The method may involve providing the paper layer with an inkjet receiver coating by transporting the paper layer relative to a coater in a coating direction. The coated paper layer may be provided with at least a portion of the printed pattern using a digital inkjet printer that includes a housing containing print heads. The printed pattern may be a wood motif having wood nerves extending generally in a nerve direction that substantially corresponds to the coating direction. Providing the printed pattern may involve a relative motion between the digital inkjet printer and the paper layer during a printing operation in a printing direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2018Publication date: January 17, 2019Applicants: UNILIN, BVBA, AGFA, NVInventors: Benjamin CLEMENT, Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Patrick VAN DEN BERGEN, Rudi VANHOOYDONCK
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Patent number: 10124603Abstract: Method for manufacturing panels having a decorative surface, wherein the panels at least comprise a substrate and a top layer, wherein the top layer comprises a paper layer having a printed pattern, and wherein the method at least comprises the step of providing the paper layer with thermosetting resin by transporting the paper layer through a resin application device in a resin application direction, and the step of providing the paper layer with at least a portion of the printed pattern by means of a digital inkjet printer, wherein the printed pattern comprises a wood motif having wood nerves extending generally in a nerve direction substantially corresponding to the resin application direction.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2015Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignees: UNILIN, BVBA, AGFA, NVInventors: Benjamin Clement, Laurent Meersseman, Patrick Van Den Bergen, Rudi Vanhooydonck
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Publication number: 20160347084Abstract: Method for manufacturing panels having a decorative surface, wherein the panels at least comprise a substrate and a top layer, wherein the top layer comprises a paper layer having a printed pattern, and wherein the method at least comprises the step of providing the paper layer with thermosetting resin by transporting the paper layer through a resin application device in a resin application direction, and the step of providing the paper layer with at least a portion of the printed pattern by means of a digital inkjet printer, wherein the printed pattern comprises a wood motif having wood nerves extending generally in a nerve direction substantially corresponding to the resin application direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2015Publication date: December 1, 2016Applicants: UNILIN, BVBA, AGFA GRAPHICS, NVInventors: Benjamin CLEMENT, Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Patrick VAN DEN BERGEN, Rudi VANHOOYDONCK
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Patent number: 8018634Abstract: Ink coalescence in inkjet printing is reduced by printing mutually interstitial images using an arrangement of multiple curing stations in combination with multiple printing heads.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2006Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: Agfa Graphics NVInventors: Rudi Vanhooydonck, Robert Janssens
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Publication number: 20080225074Abstract: A method and apparatus for printing dots on a printing medium, wherein the method includes the steps of printing a calibration test pattern, scanning the printed calibration test pattern, determining a spatial fire correction value for a number of print positions across the printing medium, based on the scanned calibration test pattern, and adjusting the fire position for each of these print positions. The method and apparatus may be used to preserve the alignment of the printed dots under various operating conditions of the printing process such as bidirectional printing, throw distance variations, multiple print head scan speeds, etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2006Publication date: September 18, 2008Applicant: AGFA GRAPHICS NVInventors: Werner Van de Wynckel, Rudi Vanhooydonck, Luc Verstreken
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Publication number: 20080198189Abstract: Ink coalescence in inkjet printing is reduced by printing mutually interstitial images using an arrangement of multiple curing stations in combination with multiple printing heads.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2006Publication date: August 21, 2008Applicant: AGFA GRAPHICS NVInventors: Rudi Vanhooydonck, Robert Janssens
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Patent number: 7407246Abstract: A method provides an optimized set of waveforms for driving a printhead in greyscale printing wherein the waveforms include a pulse train of N pulses, wherein N is an integer, each pulse having a length LN, a time P(N-1)(N) existing between two adjacent pulses. The method includes: optimising a cost function that compares at least one ink ejection parameter such as drop velocity, difference in drop velocity, driving voltage, split velocity, number of split drops or drop placement error, with a printing speed parameter such as printing speed, the length LN of each pulse or the time P(N-1)(N) between two adjacent pulses.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2005Date of Patent: August 5, 2008Assignee: Agfa Graphics NVInventor: Rudi Vanhooydonck
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Patent number: 7093925Abstract: A printing method and apparatus is disclosed for printing an image on a printing medium by means of a printing head having a first number n of marking elements, the method includes printing the image as a set of N sub-images, N being a number C of colours used for printing multiplied by a number I of interlacing steps and multiplied by a number P of mutually interstitial printing steps (N=C*I*P), where the number I of interlacing steps is greater than 1. Each interlacing step generates an interlaced sub-image, a swath of an interlaced sub-image being printed during a printing pass. There is at least one linear relative movement between the printing medium and the printing head over a uniform transport distance TD in a slow scan direction between the printing of two subsequently printed interlaced sub-images.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2004Date of Patent: August 22, 2006Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert N.V.Inventor: Rudi Vanhooydonck
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Patent number: 7036900Abstract: A dot matrix printer and printing method for being able to print a dot matrix on a printing medium using a plurality of marking elements on a printing head is described. A set of combinations of firing order of the plurality of marking elements is determined as well as a sequence of relative translation movements between the printing medium and the printing head so that all the dots in the dot matrix can be printed by application of each of the set of combinations, and any dot in the dot matrix can be printed by at least a first and a second equivalent marking element from a set of equivalent marking elements. For printing sets of dots in the dot matrix, a first equivalent marking element is selected from the set of equivalent marking elements to print the set of dots as part of a first firing order.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2003Date of Patent: May 2, 2006Assignee: Agfa GevaertInventors: Rudi Vanhooydonck, Patrick Van den Bergen
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Patent number: 7025437Abstract: A dot matrix printing method is provided for printing an image on a printing medium with a printing head and having an array of equally spaced marking elements. The marking elements are spaced apart by a distance “x” in a slow scan direction and there is a first relative linear movement between the printing head and the printing medium in a fast scan direction perpendicular to the slow scan direction. The method includes printing the image as at least one set of monochromatic mutually interstitially printed sub-images wherein at least one of the number of sub-images and a sequence in which the printing of the sub-images is performed is settable by the user. An apparatus for dot matrix printing an image on a printing medium is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2002Date of Patent: April 11, 2006Assignee: Agfa-GevaertInventors: Rudi Vanhooydonck, Patrick Van den Bergen
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Publication number: 20060012624Abstract: A method provides an optimized set of waveforms for driving a printhead in greyscale printing wherein the waveforms include a pulse train of N pulses, wherein N is an integer, each pulse having a length LN, a time P(N-1)(N) existing between two adjacent pulses. The method includes: optimising a cost function that compares at least one ink ejection parameter such as drop velocity, difference in drop velocity, driving voltage, split velocity, number of split drops or drop placement error, with a printing speed parameter such as printing speed, the length LN of each pulse or the time P(N-1)(N) between two adjacent pulses.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2005Publication date: January 19, 2006Inventor: Rudi Vanhooydonck
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Patent number: 6905193Abstract: A method and apparatus for dot matrix printing of an image on a printing medium using radiation curable compositions is described. The image is printed using the radiation curable composition as at least one set of mutually interstitially printed sub-images, each sub-image comprising a set of dots, a dot consisting of a number of droplets applied on top of each other, each droplet being formed from one of a plurality of radiation curable compositions, the droplets mixing on the printing medium thus forming the dot with a specific grey level. Before printing a next sub-image from the set of sub-images, the dots of the previously interstitially printed sub-image are actively rendering non-migratory by exposing them to radiation.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2003Date of Patent: June 14, 2005Assignee: Agfa GevaertInventor: Rudi Vanhooydonck
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Patent number: 6902247Abstract: A method and apparatus of printing an image onto a medium uses a system having an elongate printhead with an array of marking elements including at least one distinctive group. The marking elements form at least one row, the direction of which forms a longitudinal axis of the printhead. The printhead is driven in a fast scan direction to print marks on the medium along a swath, and the medium and the printhead are movable relative to each other in a slow scan direction to print further swaths. The system is such that two adjacent marking elements of a group are operable with a time difference but are not operable simultaneously without causing defects. The printhead operates to print parallel lines at a non-zero angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the printhead. Printing passes are repeated in the fast scan direction to print at intermediate positions between the parallel lines to print the complete image.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2003Date of Patent: June 7, 2005Assignee: Agfa-GevaertInventors: Rudi Vanhooydonck, Patrick Van den Bergen
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Publication number: 20040233249Abstract: A printing method and apparatus is disclosed for printing an image on a printing medium by means of a printing head having a first number n of marking elements, the method includes printing the image as a set of N sub-images, N being a number C of colours used for printing multiplied by a number I of interlacing steps and multiplied by a number P of mutually interstitial printing steps (N=C*I*P), where the number I of interlacing steps is greater than 1. Each interlacing step generates an interlaced sub-image, a swath of an interlaced sub-image being printed during a printing pass. There is at least one linear relative movement between the printing medium and the printing head over a uniform transport distance TD in a slow scan direction between the printing of two subsequently printed interlaced sub-images.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2004Publication date: November 25, 2004Inventor: Rudi Vanhooydonck