STATE OF THE ART It is known that the plants for the ink-jet print on natural or synthetic leathers entail the problem of the leather preparation, that must be printed through the ink-jet technology.

The present invention suggests a method to optimize the existing industrial processes by inserting stations for the treatment and the computerized mapping in order to manage an ink-jet printer with special selectable programs managed by a computer.

DESCRIPTION The invention is now disclosed with reference to the attached drawings, which are meant to be not restrictive examples.

Figure 1 is a general scheme of a plant for the optimizing of an industrial process of currying and print of the leather. It can be noticed the presence of a mapping station (5) interconnected to the station (6) for the computerized print with an ink-jet printer.

It should be also pointed out that the unrefined leather (1), after having being prepared with special treatments (2 and 3) is spread with a layer (4) that constitutes a specific film that if fit to be printed. In the mapping station (5) are detected the structural and morphologic characteristics of the surface (4) of the leather. Finally, it can also be noticed the presence of a following station for the spreading of a layer (7) to protect the decorated leather.

Figure 2 represents schematically, in partially enlarged section, a polymeric film (4) extruded on the leather prepared with special treatments (2 and 3). It should be pointed out that film (4) has the feature of absorbing water to allow the employment of water based inks for the ink-jet printing.

Figure 3 indicates schematically the intervention of a ink-jet head equipped with a cartridge fitted with ink based on water or organic solvent. It should be noticed that the decorative element (6) is printed upon the polymeric film (4) specifically placed upon the leather's surface.

Figure (4) shows a protective polymeric film (7) extruded upon the polymeric film previous) y decorated (6).

In the figures each single detail is marked as follows: I indicates an unrefined natural or synthetic picce of leathcr ; 2 indicates generic treatments for the preparation of the leather ; 3 indicates following currying treatments ; 4 indicates a film that if able to absorb water ; 5 is computer station for the mapping to detect the morphologic and structural characteristics of the treated leather; 6 indicates the computerized ink-jet decoration controlled by the mapping station 5; 7 indicates a protective film; The clearness of the figures highlights the versatility of the method object of the present invention, which will have practical application of great benefit in the industrial and craft fields in order to obtain affordably and quickly the customized decorations.

The method object of the present invention can be realized with generic ink-jet printers managed by standard computers. All the methods that will be employed to realize decorations of natural or synthetic leathers and that will feature operational sequences similar to deducible from the ones as basically desclil) cd, illustrated and hereinafter claimed, will be held as being part of the protection sphere of the present invention.