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Printing on edible substratesRelated Patent Categories: Food Or Edible Material: Processes, Compositions, And Products, Product With Defined Indicating Means, E.g., Indicia, Etc.Printing on edible substrates description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070071851, Printing on edible substrates. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation (and claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC 120) of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/761,008, filed Jan. 20, 2004. The disclosure of the prior application is considered part of (and is incorporated by reference in) the disclosure of this application. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] This invention relates to printing, particularly on edible substrates. BACKGROUND [0003] Ink jet printers are one type of apparatus for depositing drops on a substrate. Ink jet printers typically include an ink path from an ink supply to a nozzle path. The nozzle path terminates in a nozzle opening from which ink drops are ejected. Ink drop ejection is typically controlled by pressurizing ink in the ink path with an actuator, which may be, for example, a piezoelectric deflector, a thermal bubble jet generator, or an electrostatically deflected element. A typical print assembly has an array of ink paths with corresponding nozzle openings and associated actuators. Drop ejection from each nozzle opening can be independently controlled. In a drop-on-demand print assembly, each actuator is fired to selectively eject a drop at a specific pixel location of an image as the print assembly and a printing substrate are moved relative to one another. In high performance print assemblies, the nozzle openings typically have a diameter of 50 microns or less, e.g. around 25 microns, are separated at a pitch of 100-300 nozzles/inch, have a resolution of 100 to 3000 dpi or more, and provide drops with a volume of about 1 to 120 picoliters (pl) or less. Drop ejection frequency is typically 10 kHz or more. [0004] A piezoelectric actuator has a layer of piezoelectric material, which changes geometry, or bends, in response to an applied voltage. The bending of the piezoelectric layer pressurizes ink in a pumping chamber located along the ink path. Piezoelectric ink-jet print assemblies are also described in Fishbeck et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,227, Hine U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,598, Moynihan et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,346 and Hoisington U.S. Pat. No. 5,757,391, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. It is sometimes desirable to print on food products. An edible ink for a piezoelectric ink jet printer is described in WO 03/048260, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference. It is sometimes desirable to print on ice cream. SUMMARY [0005] In an aspect, the invention features providing an ink jet printer capable of ejecting a series of drops for deposition on a substrate in a predetermined pattern, providing a consistency-maintaining a product, e.g. a food product, having gravity flowability of about 50% or more in 24 hours, and applying to the food product from the ink jet printer a series of media drops in a predetermined pattern, the drops having a drop volume of about 200 pL or less [0006] In another aspect, the invention features providing an ink jet printer capable of ejecting a series of drops for deposition on a substrate in a predetermined pattern, providing a product such as a food product having a gravity-flowability of about 50% or more in 24 hours, applying to the food product a series of media drops in a predetermined pattern, the drops having a volume of about 200 pL or less, the media on the food product having an image bleed of about 10% or less in 30 minutes, and after applying the media, processing the food product to increase or decrease gravity flowability. [0007] In another aspect, the invention features a consistency-maintaining, e.g. edible, substance having a gravity-flowability of about 50% or more in 24 hours. The substance includes an image visible from its surface. The image is defined by a predetermined series of drops having a resolution of about 50 dpi or greater and an image bleed of about 10% or less in about 10 minutes. [0008] Embodiments may include one or more of the following. After applying the media, the food product is processed to decrease gravity flowability or increase the viscosity. The food product is cooled, e.g., to about 32.degree. F. or less. After applying the media, the food product is enclosed in a container. The food product is enclosed in a container prior to increasing the viscosity. The food product has a viscosity of about 50,000 cps or less. The food product has a viscosity of about 50 to 110 cps and the drop volume is about 120 pL or less. The ink jet printer is a drop on demand ink jet printer. The ink jet printer is a piezoelectric ink jet printer. The ejection media is heated to a temperature of about 40 to 140.degree. C. The printing is at a resolution of 50 dpi or more, e.g. 100 or 200 dpi or more. The ejection media has a viscosity greater than the viscosity of the food product at the temperature of the food product during application of the media. The ejection media has a viscosity less than the viscosity of the food product at the temperature of the food product during application of the media. The ejection media has a viscosity of about 8-20 cps under ejection conditions. The ejection media has a viscosity of about 70-100 cps at room temperature. The ejection media has a water soluble carrier. The ejection media is predominantly an alcohol or acid, or water or combination thereof. [0009] Embodiments may also include one or more of the following. The ejection media is substantially insoluble in the food product. The ejection media includes a visible dye. The ejection media includes a flavor additive. The food product is a dairy product. The food product is ice cream or yogurt. The food product is a coffee drink, e.g., including a dairy product. The food product is at a temperature of about room temperature or greater while applying the media. The food product is served to a consumer within about 45 minutes of applying said media. The media on the food product has an image bleed of about 10% or less in 10 minutes or 30 minutes or more after applying the media. The gravity flowability of the food product is free-flowing. The image bleed is about 2% or less. The image bleed is about 2% or less in about 30 minutes. [0010] Embodiments may include one or more of the following advantages. A high resolution, multicolor image can be formed on a delicate surface such as a food product in a low viscosity, easily flowable state. The image can be sufficiently robust to be discerned for a period of time in which the product is further processed, served and/or consumed. For example, substantial image quality can be maintained for a period of 15, 30 or 45 or more minutes with the food product in a low viscosity state. The image does not substantially modify the viscosity of the food product and thus does not substantially alter the foods textural characteristics. The image can be quickly and inexpensively rendered using a drop-on-demand printing apparatus. The content of the image can be selected immediately prior to printing. The image can be customized to identify the food product, the producer, or the consumer. [0011] Still further aspects, features, and advantages follow. For example, combinations and ranges of, e.g. gravity flowability, viscosity, bleed, resolution, food product types and other parameters are described below. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [0012] This patent application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee. [0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustrating food product processing, while FIG. 1A is a food product including a printed image. [0014] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustrating food product processing. [0015] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a printhead module. [0016] FIG. 4 is a photograph of a food product including a printed image. [0017] Referring to FIG. 1, a food product is processed using a dispensing station 2 and a printing station 4. At the dispensing station 2, the food product 5 is dispensed from a dispenser 4 into a container(s) 6. The food product 5 is dispensed in a flowable state, e.g. a liquid or slurry, or is converted to a flowable state after dispensing. The printer station 8 includes a transport mechanism 10 and a printhead 12. The transport mechanism 10, e.g. a conveyor, supports and transports containers 6, including the food product, relative to the printhead 12. At the printhead 12, an ejection media is directed in the form of a series of drops 14 toward the surface of the food product in a predetermined pattern. Referring as well to FIG. 1A, the ejection media can be a pigmented material that is provided in a pattern forming a desired image 18 visible from the surface of the product. The food product can be served to a consumer shortly after the image is printed. For example, the food product can be a coffee drink. The image can, e.g., identify the food product, its producer, or the consumer or can be decorative. [0018] Referring to FIG. 2, a food product is processed using a dispensing station 30, a printing station 32, a packaging station 34 and a post-printing processing station 36. At the dispensing station 30, the product is dispensed into a container 38. At the printing station 32, an ejection media is directed in the form of drops 40 to the surface of the food product in a predetermined pattern, e.g. to form an image while the food product is in a flowable state. At the processing 34 station, the package is sealed for distribution. In the embodiment illustrated, the packaging station includes a capper that assembles a cap 42 on the container 38. At the post-printing processing station, the food product is further processed. In the embodiment illustrated, the post-processing station 36 is a flash freezer to freeze the product. Flash freezing is a process step particularly suitable for ice cream products, which are typically sealed in containers before freezing. By printing an image on the product in a flowable state, the image can be rendered and maintained on the product without first freezing the product to a solid state. In addition, freezing a product after printing reduces diffusion of the media in the food product. In other embodiments, the post-processing station can include other processes that effect the viscosity or flowability of the food product. For sugar icing, used e.g. on cakes and pastries, the ejection media is applied while the icing is in a liquid state (typically melted) and the icing subsequently cooled to its solidification temperature, e.g. around room temperature. For yogurt, for example, post-processing may include culturing, which increases viscosity. For translucent products, such as Jello, post-processing can include solidifying followed by pouring another layer of food product over the imaged surface so that the image is within the bulk of the food product. The subsequent layer can also be imaged to create multiple images at various depths within the food product. Other post-printing processing steps include sterilization by heating or exposure to radiation. In embodiments, post-printing processes can be carried out before and/or after capping or otherwise enclosing the food product in a container. [0019] Referring to FIG. 3, the printhead is an ink-jet printhead including a series of modules 52 from which media is ejected from an array of nozzles. For example, the printhead can include four modules, with each module printing a different color media to provide four color printing. The module 52 is preferably a drop-on-demand module including a piezoelectric element 56 which pressurizes ink in a pumping chamber 58 for ejection through a nozzle opening 60. In embodiments, the printhead includes a heater to heat the media to a desired viscosity to facilitate jetting. A suitable printhead is the NOVA printhead, available from Specta, Inc., Hanover, N.H. Suitable piezoelectric inkjet printers are also discussed in Fishbeck '227, Hine '598, Moynihan '346 and Hoisington '391, incorporated, supra and WO 01/25018, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference. In embodiments, the printhead is moved relative to a food product during printing. Continue reading about Printing on edible substrates... Full patent description for Printing on edible substrates Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Printing on edible substrates patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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