202) on an output roll (112) or cutted in sheets as shown in FIG. 2 wherein the substrate web (100) is cutted by a cutter (285) and sheets are collected in an output tray (290).

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illustrate each a printer (200) with a vacuum belt (250) which wraps two pulleys (270). The support zone has a vacuum zone which is formed by vacuum power from a vacuum chamber (255) via a vacuum table (253). Said vacuum power brings the substrate web (100) towards the support zone as shown by the vertical black arrow. The arced black arrows show the movement of the different rolls in the printer (200).

FIG. 3 illustrates a conveyor belt printer whereby the bended substrate web (100) is flattened by a flattener (280) after the image (500) is printed.

FIG. 4 illustrates a web printer whereby the substrate web (100) is conveyed over a vacuum table (253) which forms a support zone with vacuum power from a vacuum chamber (255). Said vacuum power brings the bended substrate web (100) towards the vacuum zone before printing.

The image is preferably printed with one or more pigmented inkjet inks which may be selected from aqueous pigmented inkjet inks, solvent based pigmented inkjet inks and radiation curable pigmented inkjet inks.

The one or more pigmented inkjet inks preferably contain organic colour pigments as they allow for obtaining a high colour gamut on the substrate web (100). Carbon black and titanium dioxide are inorganic pigments, which can be advantageously used in the present disclosure for composing black respectively white pigmented inkjet inks.

In a preferred embodiment, the one or more pigmented inkjet inks form a CMYK(W) or CRYK(W) inkjet ink set. The latest inkjet ink set is an advantage for printing wood colors, especially when manufacturing decorative surfaces.

Pigment particles in inkjet inks should be sufficiently small to permit free flow of the ink through the inkjet-printing device, especially at the ejecting nozzles. It is also desirable to use small particles for maximum colour strength and to slow down sedimentation. The numeric average pigment particle size of an organic colour pigment and an inorganic black pigment is preferably between 0.050 and 1 μm, more preferably between 0.070 and 0.300 μm and most preferably between 0.080 and 0.200 μm.

In a preferred embodiment the image is dried after or while printing the image on the continuous substrate web (100), said image is dried by a radiating device. The radiation may be performed by using a UV bulb lamp or a plurality of UV light emitting diodes or any type of IR-driers.

The printer maybe performing the inkjet printing method on more than one continuous substrate web (100). An example of such a printer is disclosed in WO2019/170456 (AGFA NV) which is part of manufacturing line for manufacturing decorative surfaces.

A preferred inkjet-printhead (202) for the printer (200) is a piezoelectric head. Piezoelectric inkjet printing is based on the movement of a piezoelectric ceramic transducer when a voltage is applied thereto. The application of a voltage changes the shape of the piezoelectric ceramic transducer in the printhead creating a void, which is then filled with inkjet ink or liquid. When the voltage is again removed, the ceramic expands to its original shape, ejecting a drop of ink from the inkjet-printhead.

A preferred piezoelectric printhead is a so called push mode type piezoelectric printhead, which has a rather large piezo-element capable of ejecting also high viscous inkjet ink droplets. Such an inkjet-printhead is available from RICOH™ as the GEN5s printhead.

A preferred piezoelectric print head is a so-called through-flow piezoelectric drop-on-demand printhead. Such an inkjet-printhead is available from TOSHIBA TEC™, as the CF1ou printhead, and also from RICOH™ and XAAR™. Through-flow printheads are preferred in the present invention, because they enhance the reliability of inkjet printing.

The support zone (201) is part of a support means of the printer (200) which is preferably a vacuum table (253) and more preferably a vacuum belt (250). On said table or belt a vacuum zone is applied as support zone (201) for holding down ink receiver with vacuum from a vacuum chamber (255) of the printer (200). For example, WO2016/071122 (AGFA GRAPHICS NV) discloses details of a printer with a vacuum belt (250).

The support zone (201) may also be formed by a plurality of rolls where over the substrate web (100) is transported for printing as for example can be found in an Agfa Dotrix Modular by manufacturer AGFA NV and probably other single pass inkjet printers. An embodiment of a preferred printer with said plurality of rolls (256) is shown in FIG. 5.

After printing the image, the pair of elongated strips (101, 102) may be flattened again for further processing of the printed substrate web (100). Thus after the bending of the substrate web, the substrate web is again flattened which may be performed by (heat-)rubbing the elongated strips (101, 102) and/or by (heat-)pressing the elongated strips (101, 102) especially at the pair of lines (1010, 1020). Hereby the pair of elongated strips (101, 102) are spread. Said flattening is performed by a flattener (280) in Figures from 1 to 5. For faster spreading said strips vacuum may optionally be applied.

Spreading of the elongated strips (101, 102) means in the present invention that the bend angle is enlarged back to substantially 180 degrees.

Manufacturing Decorative Surfaces

The inkjet printing method of the present disclosure and all its preferred embodiments are preferably for manufacturing a decorative surface

- wherein the continuous substrate web (100) is a paper substrate which has a weight less than 150 g/m²and the image is printed with one or more aqueous pigmented inkjet inks; or
- wherein the continuous substrate web (100) is a thermoplastic substrate which has a weight less than 150 g/m²and which is based on a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinylchloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene-terephthalate (PET) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and combinations thereof and the image is printed with one or more UV curable inkjet inks.

Said latest type of continuous substrate web is for example ideal for manufacturing luxury vinyl tiles (LVT). WO2018060189 (AGFA NV) discloses said manufacturing method.

Said one or more aqueous pigmented inkjet inks are preferably jetted before or after impregnation of the substrate web (100) with a thermosetting resin.

The printer (200) of the present disclosure is hereby preferably part of a manufacturing line for manufacturing decorative surfaces.