Abstract: Wipers of a wiper assembly in an inkjet printer are coated with an anti-wetting coating on at least one side so that, due to the anti-wetting properties, less ink adheres to the side of the wiper, the wiper needs less cleaning, and the wiper is less worn by scraping. Preferably the anti-wetting coating contains a fluoropolymer or the coating is silicone based. In order to provide wiping efficiency, the tip of the wiper can be left uncoated.

Abstract: In a method for radiographic scoring of a radiographic image at least one region of interest is determined. Each of the determined regions of interest is displayed in close proximity to a number of reference stages each having an associated score. For each region of interest a reference stage image best matching the displayed region of interest is selected and the score number associated with the selected reference stage image is associated with the region of interest. Score numbers retained for each of the regions of interest are combined to form the score number of the radiographic image.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A printing apparatus (10) for printing an image on a receiving substrate (20) including ink application means (11) for imagewise applying liquid side of the receiving substrate; a drying section (12) for drying the receiving substrate after the ink application; transportation means (13,14,15) for transporting the receiving substrate along a path (30–36) past the ink application mean (11) and through the drying section (12); wherein the path (30–36) has a path section (30–36) between a first position (P1,P2) at the ink application means (11) and a second position (P3–P7) downstream the first position (P1,P2), the path section (30–36) having first (30) and second (32) substantially straight portions and a convex curve (31) between the first (30) and second (32) substantially straight portions.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for reducing or eliminating cross-talk when operating a thermal print head for printing one line on a recording medium. Energizable heater elements of a thermal print head are drivable with at least one activation pulse for supplying a controllable amount of heat to the heater elements to generate a graphical output level of pixel areas on thermographic material. According to the method a plurality of subsets of the heater elements are sequentially driven to print pixel areas in each line. The cross-talk between pixel areas printed by heater elements in the same and/or different subsets is reduced by calculating a value relating to heat supplied to an nth heater element in accordance with a predetermined relationship relating the effect of heat from any one heater element after activation thereof on the graphical output of neighboring heater elements in the same and/or a different subset, and by driving the nth heater element in accordance with the calculated value.

Abstract: A storage phosphor panel for storing image information and an X-ray cassette with such a storage phosphor panel are proposed. The storage phosphor panel contains a carrier layer and a storage phosphor layer, which is applied on the carrier layer. The storage phosphor panel furthermore has a contour which is configured as an autonomous part relative to the carrier layer and is connected to the carrier layer.

Abstract: A device and method for reading out information stored in a storage layer using a receiving device. The storage layer is supported on a support surface that is defined by an x-y plane and a relative movement is generated between the receiving device and the storage layer in the x direction. The receiving device or the storage layer is guided during the generation of the relative movement by a guide system on a guide surface. Using first and second partial guides, an interspacing is adjusted in a z direction that lies perpendicular to the x-y plane, on either side—viewed in the z direction—of the support surface. The guide surface is independent of the storage layer and the first and second partial guides are connected to one another and are pretensioned against one another, and act in a pincer-like manner on the support surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for correcting a signal representation of a radiation image of an object wherein correction by means of correction values is performed simultaneously with image read out.

Abstract: A method of generating a hard copy of an image, i.e. a medical image on a substantially rectangular heat sensitive recording material having rounded corners wherein image pixels of the image are printed in a printable area within the area of said recording material, the printable area being defined by a polygon with a degree higher than 4 which approximates the area of the recording material.

Abstract: A device and a method for reading out information stored in a storage layer. In this connection it is possible to support the storage layer on a support surface. An emission radiation transmitted from the storage layer is received by means of a receiving device. A distance between the receiving device and the support surface can be variably adjusted.

Abstract: Printing masters are produced by use of an inkjet printing system. The smallest halftone dot size which can be printed by the inkjet printing system is larger than the size of a pixel of the recording grid defined by the addressability of the printing device. The error diffusion algorithm is especially adapted to make use of the high addressability of the recording system. Using a sub-dot phase modulated error diffusion halftoning algorithm allows for the distance between the halftone dots to be modulated in much smaller increments than the size of the halftone dots themselves. Results can be further improved by dynamically influencing the threshold value in the error diffusion algorithm in accordance with previous output quantisation determinations. Variable coverage percentage of the pixels can be taken into account. The method can be extended to multilevel systems.

Abstract: An ink tank and a print head are mounted on a carriage for supplying ink to an inkjet print. The ink tank includes: one or more ink chambers, where each of the ink chambers includes one or more functional elements (1) symmetrically arranged, mounted and centered about a center plane of the respective ink chamber, and (2) positioned perpendicular to a direction of movement of the carriage. The functional elements include, for example, a feed outlet for feeding ink to the print head, a supply inlet for supplying ink to the ink chamber, an ink movement damper, an ink level sensor, a vacuum inlet to extract air from the ink chamber, and a re-flow inlet to allow re-flow of air bubbles from the print head to the ink chamber.

Abstract: A multipass printer and printing method is described for printing an image on a sheet printing medium using a page wide printing head. A transporting device provides relative movement between the sheet printing media and a first print head. A series of sheet printing media are presented to the first print head for printing in sequence. The first print head prints a first sub-image of at least one set of monochromatic mutually interstitially printed sub-images of a first image onto a first sheet of printing medium of the series in one pass. A sub-image of an image is printed in succession on each remaining one of the series of sheet printing media followed by printing a further sub-image of the at least one set of monochromatic mutually interstitially printed sub-images of the first image onto the first sheet printing medium.

Abstract: After purging an inkjet print head, large drops are formed on the nozzle plate of the inkjet printer. In order to provide sufficient wiping before printing, drops are first removed by skimming the print head. A skimmer, such as a wiper of A wiping system, just touches the drops that are drained from the print head.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A storage phosphor panel for storing image information and an X-ray cassette with such a storage phosphor panel are proposed. The storage phosphor panel contains a carrier layer and a storage phosphor layer, which is applied on the carrier layer. The storage phosphor panel furthermore has a contour for fixing the storage phosphor panel in a cassette.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for supporting and feeding printing plates in an imaging system. The apparatus includes a vacuum system for picking up an edge of a top printing plate from a stack of printing plates, and a peeling system including a pair of rotatable belts, a plurality of plate feed beams attached to, and extending between, the pair of rotatable belts, and a drive system for rotating the pair of rotatable belts to displace the plurality of plate feed beams between the top printing plate and an underlying printing plate in the stack of printing plates, thereby peeling the top printing plate from the stack of printing plates.

Abstract: A method for cleaning the nozzle plate of an inkjet printhead includes the steps of: providing a solvent on the nozzle plate; loosening debris collected on the nozzle plate by brushing the nozzle plate in the presence of the solvent with a brush; applying a cleaning solvent to the nozzle plate, and subsequently removing the cleaning solvent and debris from the nozzle plate by vacuum cleaning. Application of the cleaning solvent and the subsequent removal of the cleaning solvent provides a movement of solvent over the nozzle plate.