Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for printing images on generally cylindrical objects. The apparatus comprises an impression station that includes a movable imaging surface for bearing an ink image; and a transport mechanism for advancing the objects through the impression station, comprising a drive member rotatably connected to a plurality of rotatable mandrels, each for mounting a respective one of the objects, the transport mechanism being configured to cause each object to rotate during passage through the impression station such that, within a nip region of the impression station, the surface of the object makes rolling contact with the imaging surface, thereby causing the ink image to be impressed on the object. An impression platen is provided opposite the imaging surface within the nip region, the impression platen being configured to apply a force, directly or indirectly, to the objects to ensure rolling contact between the objects and the imaging surface.

Abstract: There is disclosed a condensation curable coating composition in the form of an oil-in-oil emulsion, the coating composition being able to protect surfaces coated therewith from undesired contamination by materials coming in contact therewith. The surfaces to be so protected by the coating composition, once cured, can, by way of illustration, be of parts of printing systems and the materials coming in contact with such surfaces can be ink images or residues thereof.

Abstract: A printing system is disclosed for thermal transfer printing onto a surface of a substrate. The system comprises a transfer member having opposite front and rear sides with an imaging surface on the front side, a coating station at which a monolayer of particles made of, or coated with, a thermoplastic polymer is applied to the imaging surface, an imaging station at which energy is applied by a thermal print head via the rear side of the transfer member to selected regions of the imaging surface to render particles coating the selected regions tacky, and a transfer station at which the imaging surface of the transfer member and the substrate surface are pressed against each other to cause transfer to the surface of the substrate of the particles that have been rendered tacky.

Abstract: A metering device is disclosed for regulating the depth of a flowable product coating a surface movable relative to the metering device by directing an air curtain towards the surface. The metering device comprises a body having an interior chamber, an inlet for connecting the chamber to a source of gas under super-ambient pressure; and an opening communicating with the chamber and having a mouth through which gas is discharged from the chamber towards the surface to form the air curtain. A porous or reticulated membrane is secured to, or formed integrally with, the body of the device to lie in the path of the gas discharged through the mouth of the opening.

Abstract: There is disclosed a layered article that can be used in indirect printing, in analog or digital processes. The layered article, when configured as a transfer member, may serve to receive an ink in any form, allow the ink to be treated so as to form an ink image, and permit the application of the ink image on a substrate. The transfer member comprises a support layer and an imaging layer, which may be formed of a silicon matrix including dispersed carbon black particles. Methods for preparing the same are also disclosed.

Abstract: Method and system for thermal transfer printing are disclosed. The system includes a transfer member having an imaging surface on the front side, a coating station at which a monolayer of particles made of, or coated with, a thermoplastic polymer is applied to the imaging surface, an imaging station at which electromagnetic radiation (EM) is applied via the rear side of the transfer member to selected regions of the particles-coated imaging surface to render the particles thereon tacky within the selected regions, and a transfer station at which only the regions of the particles coating that have been rendered tacky are transferred to a substrate. The transfer member includes on its rear side a body transparent to EM radiation and on its front side an EM radiation absorbing layer, the imaging surface being formed on, or as part of, the absorbing layer.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for printing images on generally cylindrical objects. The apparatus comprises an impression station that includes a movable imaging surface for bearing an ink image; and a transport mechanism for advancing the objects through the impression station, comprising a drive member rotatably connected to a plurality of rotatable mandrels, each for mounting a respective one of the objects, the transport mechanism being configured to cause each object to rotate during passage through the impression station such that, within a nip region of the impression station, the surface of the object makes rolling contact with the imaging surface, thereby causing the ink image to be impressed on the object. An impression platen is provided opposite the imaging surface within the nip region, the impression platen being configured to apply a force, directly or indirectly, to the objects to ensure rolling contact between the objects and the imaging surface.

Abstract: A printing apparatus and method are disclosed for printing on three-dimensional objects. The apparatus employs an offset printing process in which an ink image is deposited onto an intermediate transfer member (ITM) having the form of a flexible endless belt. After drying of the ink image on the ITM, the ITM transports the dried ink image to an impression station having a nip at which the ITM is compressed between an object and an impression surface, so that the dried ink image is transferred from the ITM to the object. The impression surface may form part of a stationary anvil, the ITM sliding relative to the impression surface during passage through the impression station. To optimize throughput, the velocity of the ITM relative to the surface of the object at the impression station may be greater than the velocity of the ITM relative to the imaging station.

Abstract: A printing apparatus and method are disclosed for printing on conical objects. An ink image is deposited onto the outer release surface of an intermediate transfer member (ITM) having the form of a flexible endless belt. After drying of the ink image on the ITM, the ITM transports the dried ink image to an impression station having a nip at which the ink image is transferred onto the objects. In order to permit printing on conical objects, the ITM is elastically deformable at least in the direction of movement of the ITM, and is guided in such a manner as to be elongated during passage through the impression station, the extent of elongation varying across the width of the ITM so as to match the surface velocity of the ITM to that of the object over the entire line of contact between the ITM and the object at the nip.

Abstract: An apparatus for coating a donor surface that is movable relative to the apparatus with a layer of thermoplastic particles, the particles adhering more strongly to the surface than to one another. The apparatus comprises an application device to apply to the donor surface a fluid stream within which the particles are suspended, a housing surrounds the application device forming an interior plenum for confining the fluid stream, the housing prevents egress of particles from a sealing gap defined between the rim of the housing and the surface to be coated, and a suction source connected to the housing to extract from the plenum excess fluid and particles. In operation, the suction source extracts substantially all particles that are not in direct contact with the donor surface, leaving substantially a single particle layer adhering to the donor surface upon exiting the apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for thermal transfer printing onto selected regions of a substrate are disclosed. The method comprises: a) providing a transfer member having an imaging surface; b) coating the imaging surface with particles formed of, or coated with, a thermoplastic polymer; c) removing substantially all particles that are not in direct contact with the imaging surface to leave a uniform monolayer particle coating on the imaging surface; d) applying energy to selected regions of the imaging surface to heat and render tacky particles of corresponding regions of the monolayer coating; and e) pressing at least portions of the imaging surface and the substrate surface against one another, either during and/or after application of energy, to cause transfer to the surface of the substrate of the particles of the corresponding regions that have been rendered tacky. The monolayer coating can be replenished with new particles and the cycle repeated.

Abstract: There is disclosed a layered article that can be used in indirect printing, in analog or digital processes. The layered article, when configured as a transfer member, may serve to receive an ink in any form, allow the ink to be treated so as to form an ink image, and permit the application of the ink image on a substrate. The transfer member comprises a support layer and an imaging layer, which may be formed of a silicon matrix including dispersed carbon black particles. Methods for preparing the same are also disclosed.

Abstract: A printing apparatus and method are disclosed for printing on three-dimensional objects. The apparatus employs an offset printing process in which an ink image is deposited onto an intermediate transfer member (ITM) having the form of a flexible endless belt. After drying of the ink image on the ITM, the ITM transports the dried ink image to an impression station having a nip at which the ITM is compressed between an object and an impression surface, so that the dried ink image is transferred from the ITM to the object. The impression surface may form part of a stationary anvil, the ITM sliding relative to the impression surface during passage through the impression station. To optimize throughput, the velocity of the ITM relative to the surface of the object at the impression station may be greater than the velocity of the ITM relative to the imaging station.

Abstract: A printing apparatus and method are disclosed for printing on conical objects. An ink image is deposited onto the outer release surface of an intermediate transfer member (ITM) having the form of a flexible endless belt. After drying of the ink image on the ITM, the ITM transports the dried ink image to an impression station having a nip at which the ink image is transferred onto the objects. In order to permit printing on conical objects, the ITM is elastically deformable at least in the direction of movement of the ITM, and is guided in such a manner as to be elongated during passage through the impression station, the extent of elongation varying across the width of the ITM so as to match the surface velocity of the ITM to that of the object over the entire line of contact between the ITM and the object at the nip.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for transferring a pattern of a composition containing particles of an electrically conductive material and a thermally activated adhesive from a surface of a flexible web to a surface of a substrate. The apparatus comprises: respective drive mechanisms for advancing the web and the substrate to a nip through which the web and the substrate pass at the same time and where a pressure roller acts to press the surfaces of the web and the substrate against one another, a heating station for heating at least one of the web and the substrate prior to, or during, passage through the nip, to a temperature at which the adhesive in the composition is activated, a cooling station for cooling the web after passage through the nip, and a separating device for peeling the web away from the substrate after passage through the cooling station, to leave the pattern of composition adhered to the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of coating textile fibers, the method comprising applying, on the external surface of textile fibers, a pre-treated oil-in-water emulsion comprising: (i) an aqueous phase containing water; and (ii) a pre-treated oil phase containing at least one reactive condensation-curable film-forming amino-silicone pre-polymer that, subsequent to condensation curing optionally in presence of additional reactants, forms an amino-silicone coat. The pre-treated reactive oil phase includes at least one pre-treated reactant or pre-treated pre-polymer. An aqueous dispersion containing particles of a hydrophilic polymeric material is then applied to the amino-silicone coat, so as to form a polymeric layer thereon. At least one of the oil-in-water emulsion forming a first coat and of the aqueous dispersion forming a second coat may further contain a plurality of sub-micronic pigment particles dispersed therein.

Abstract: A printing system is disclosed for thermal transfer printing onto a surface of a substrate. The system comprises a transfer member having opposite front and rear sides with an imaging surface on the front side, a coating station at which a monolayer of particles made of, or coated with, a thermoplastic polymer is applied to the imaging surface, an imaging station at which energy is applied by a thermal print head via the rear side of the transfer member to selected regions of the particles coated imaging surface to render particles coating the selected regions tacky, and a transfer station at which the imaging surface of the transfer member and the substrate surface are pressed against each other to cause transfer to the surface of the substrate of the particles that have been rendered tacky.

Abstract: A printing apparatus and method are disclosed for printing on conical objects. An ink image is deposited onto the outer release surface of an intermediate transfer member (ITM) having the form of a flexible endless belt. After drying of the ink image on the ITM, the ITM transports the dried ink image to an impression station having a nip at which the ink image is transferred onto the objects. In order to permit printing on conical objects, the ITM is elastically deformable at least in the direction of movement of the ITM, and is guided in such a manner as to be elongated during passage through the impression station, the extent of elongation varying across the width of the ITM so as to match the surface velocity of the ITM to that of the object over the entire line of contact between the ITM and the object at the nip.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for coating selected regions of a surface of a substrate with a film are disclosed. A cyclically moveable transfer member has an imaging surface which is coated with individual particles formed of, or coated with a thermoplastic polymer, and substantially all particles that are not in direct contact with the imaging surface are removed so as to leave a uniform monolayer particle coating on the imaging surface. Selected regions of the imaging surface are exposed to radiation to render the particles tacky within the regions, and the coated imaging surface and the substrate are pressed against one another to cause transfer of only the particles rendered tacky in the coating, such that the transferred particles form a film on the substrate. The monolayer on the imaging surface of the transfer member is replenished with fresh thermoplastic particles and the cycle repeats.

Abstract: A printing apparatus and method are disclosed for printing on three-dimensional objects. The apparatus employs an offset printing process in which an ink image is deposited onto an intermediate transfer member (ITM) having the form of a flexible endless belt. After drying of the ink image on the ITM, the ITM transports the dried ink image to an impression station having a nip at which the ITM is compressed between an object and an impression surface, so that the dried ink image is transferred from the ITM to the object. The impression surface may form part of a stationary anvil, the ITM sliding relative to the impression surface during passage through the impression station. To optimize throughput, the velocity of the ITM relative to the surface of the object at the impression station may be greater than the velocity of the ITM relative to the imaging station.