Printing Images And Flavors On Substrates

Abstract

In general, a fluid delivery system includes a plurality of fluid delivery printheads, a first reservoir for holding an ink, the first reservoir coupled to a first one of the plurality of fluid delivery printheads, and a second reservoir for holding a flavored liquid, the second reservoir coupled to a second one of the plurality of fluid delivery printheads.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a schematic of a printing system with an ink reservoir and a flavored liquid reservoir connected to a printhead.

FIG. 2 depicts a food product with orange, barbeque-flavored sections and gray, smoke-flavored grill marks.

FIG. 3 depicts a pastry jetted with a picture of a strawberry, strawberry flavored liquid, and strawberry aroma.

FIG. 4 depicts a schematic of a printing system with an ink reservoir connected to a first printhead and a flavored liquid reservoir connected to a second printhead.

Claims

1. A fluid delivery system, comprising: a plurality of fluid delivery printing elements;a first reservoir holding an ink, the first reservoir coupled to a first one of the plurality of fluid delivery printing elements; anda second reservoir holding a flavored liquid, the second reservoir coupled to a second one of the plurality of fluid delivery printing elements.

2. The fluid delivery system of claim 1, in which the first and second printing elements comprise ink nozzles of a printhead.

3. The fluid delivery system of claim 1, in which the first and second printing elements comprise first and second printheads.

4. The fluid delivery system of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to control the first one of the plurality of fluid delivery printing elements to deposit the ink onto a substrate and to control the second one of the plurality of fluid delivery printing elements to deposit the flavored liquid onto the substrate.

5. The fluid delivery system of claim 4, wherein the first one of the plurality of fluid delivery printing elements is configured to deposit the ink onto an area of the substrate and the second one of the plurality of fluid delivery printing elements is configured to deposit the flavored liquid onto the same area of the substrate.

6. The fluid delivery system of claim 1, wherein the ink comprises a FDA certified substance.

7. The fluid delivery system of claim 1, wherein the ink has a color that correlates with a flavor of the flavored liquid.

8. The fluid delivery system of claim 1, further comprising a conveyor for moving a substrate relative to the printing elements.

9. The fluid delivery system of claim 1, wherein the flavored liquid comprises a flavoring and a glycol solution.

10. The fluid delivery system of claim 1, wherein the flavored liquid comprises an emulsion comprising an encapsulated flavoring suspended in a carrier fluid.

11. The fluid delivery system of claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery printing elements comprise piezoelectric ink jet printheads.

12. A fluid delivery system, comprising: a printing element;a fluid reservoir coupled to the printing element; anda flavored ink contained in the fluid reservoir for printing by the printing element onto a substrate.

13. The fluid delivery system of claim 12, further comprising a controller configured to control the printing element to eject the flavored ink onto the substrate.

14. The fluid delivery system of claim 12, wherein the flavored ink has a color that correlates with a flavor of the flavored ink.

15. A method of printing, comprising: selecting an image to be printed;selecting a flavor to be printed;using a first ink jet printing element to jet the image onto a first area of a substrate; andusing a second ink jet printing element to jet the flavored liquid onto a second area of the substrate.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising moving the substrate along a conveyor.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the substrate comprises an edible food product.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the substrate comprises a web.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the ink has a color that correlates with the image printed on the substrate.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the flavored liquid has a flavor that correlates with the color of the ink.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the flavored liquid has a flavor that correlates with the image printed.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the first area is the same as the second area.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising depositing an aroma on the substrate.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the first and second ink jet printing elements comprise piezoelectric ink jet printheads.

25. A method of printing, comprising: providing a substrate; andjetting a flavored ink using an ink jet printing element onto the substrate.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the flavored ink has a color that correlates with a flavor of the flavored ink.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising jetting the flavored ink onto the substrate to form an image.