Prewetting Image Carrier Immediately Prior To Development Patents (Class 430/118.2)
  • Patent number: 8586277
    Abstract: A system comprises an electro-wetting subsystem, a transfer subsystem, an imaging member, and an inking subsystem. The electro-wetting subsystem comprises a photo-responsive photoreceptor, a charging mechanism, an image definition material reservoir, a charge erase mechanism, and an exposure subsystem, such as a light source and rotating polygon forming a raster output scanner (ROS) disposed for exposure of the photoreceptor through the image definition material reservoir. The imaging member comprises a reimageable surface having certain properties, such as having a low surface energy to promote ink release onto a substrate. In operation, the photoreceptor is charged areawise. An exposure pattern is formed by the exposure subsystem on the surface of the charged photoreceptor, which is developed with image definition material. The image definition material pattern is transferred to the reimageable surface. The pattern is developed with ink. The inked image may be transferred to a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Janos Veres, David K. Biegelsen