Abstract: A system for applying a liquid to a support surface in an imaging apparatus comprises an application surface that applies liquid to the support surface; and a filter positioned in relation t the application surface such that liquid removed from the support surface passes through the filter to the application surface.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for compensating for failed ink jets in an ink jet apparatus. The method in embodiments determines if one or more ink jets are nonfunctioning or have failed and substitutes for the one or more nonfunctioning ink jets by using one or more operational ink jets. The operational ink jets used are neighboring operational ink jets that fill in for the one or more failed ink jets. The one or more failed ink jets are disabled wherein a primary image pass is performed followed by one or more additional imaging passes to fill in for the one or more disabled ink jets by enabling the one or more neighboring operational ink jets. The additional imaging passes may be a right fill imaging pass, a left fill imaging pass or a combination of both.

Abstract: An ink stick for a solid ink feed system of a phase change ink printer includes an ink stick body having an insertion perimeter, and a guide surface with a shaped guide element shaped to interact with an elongate shaped guide rail of the solid ink feed system. The ink stick insertion perimeter is in a plane substantially perpendicular to the insertion direction, and the insertion direction and the feed direction are different. The insertion perimeter has at least one perimeter section forming a nonlinear key element that matches in size and shape a nonlinear key element in the perimeter of the key plate insertion opening. In particular implementations, the insertion perimeter forms a visually recognizable symbol, such as an alphanumeric character. In particular implementations, a plurality of ink sticks form a set in which the visually recognizable symbols differ from one another, and may form a pattern of symbols, such as a sequence of alphanumeric characters.

Abstract: A heater including a plurality of first dielectric vanes and a plurality of second dielectric vanes arranged about a longitudinal axis, each first dielectric vane and second dielectric vane having a plurality of wire guiding grooves, a heater wire structure wound around the first and second dielectric vanes in wire guiding grooves, and wherein the heater wire structure substantially avoids contact with bottoms of the wire guiding grooves of the second dielectric vanes.

Abstract: An offset printing apparatus having a coated imaging member for use with phase-change inks, has a substrate, an optional intermediate layer, and thereover an outer coating with a latex fluoroelastomer, and an optional heating member associated with the offset printing apparatus.

Abstract: An ink stick for a solid ink feed system of a phase change ink printer includes an ink stick body having an insertion perimeter, and a guide surface with a shaped guide element shaped to interact with an elongate shaped guide rail of the solid ink feed system. The ink stick insertion perimeter is in a plane substantially perpendicular to the insertion direction, and the insertion direction and the feed direction are different. The insertion perimeter has at least one perimeter section forming a nonlinear key element that matches in size and shape a nonlinear key element in the perimeter of the key plate insertion opening. In particular implementations, the insertion perimeter forms a visually recognizable symbol, such as an alphanumeric character. In particular implementations, a plurality of ink sticks form a set in which the visually recognizable symbols differ from one another, and may form a pattern of symbols, such as a sequence of alphanumeric characters.

Abstract: An ink stick for use in a solid ink feed system of a phase change ink jet printer includes an ink stick body. Nesting elements are formed in the ink stick body for nesting the ink stick body with an adjacent ink stick body. One end surface of the ink stick body has a projecting nesting element, and the opposite end surface has a recessed nesting element having a complementary shape and position. When two ink sticks with such nesting elements abut one another in a feed channel of a solid ink feed system, the projecting nesting element of one ink stick fits into the recessed nesting element of the adjacent ink stick to reduce movement of the ink sticks relative to each other, and to reduce skewing of the ink sticks in the feed channel.

Abstract: An ink stick for use in a solid ink feed system of a phase change ink jet printer includes a three dimensional ink stick body that has a lateral center of gravity, a substantially horizontal perimeter, and opposed end surfaces. An ink stick guide element is formed in the bottom of the ink stick body, and the ink stick is adapted to travel through the feed channel along a feed channel guide rail. A portion of the ink stick perimeter forms a visually recognizable symbol, and a portion of the ink stick perimeter that is transverse to the feed direction of the channel has an insertion key element. Nesting elements are formed in the leading and trailing end surfaces of the ink stick body to nest with one another when ink sticks abut in the feed channel.

Abstract: An ink stick push block for use in a system for feeding solid ink sticks in a phase change printer, wherein each solid ink stick has an ink stick face surface having an ink stick face surface contour and an ink stick rear surface having a nonplanar ink stick rear surface contour, the ink stick push block. The push block includes an ink stick push block face having a nonplanar ink stick push block face contour, wherein at least a portion of the nonplanar ink stick push block face contour is the complement of at least a portion of the nonplanar ink stick rear surface contour.

Abstract: An offset printing apparatus having a coated imaging member for use with phase-change inks, has a substrate, an optional intermediate layer, and thereover an outer coating with a fluorosilicone material, and an optional heating member associated with the offset printing apparatus.

Abstract: An offset printing apparatus having a coated imaging member for use with phase-change inks, has a substrate, an optional intermediate layer, and thereover an outer coating with a thermoset, and an optional heating member associated with the offset printing apparatus.

Abstract: An offset printing apparatus having a coated imaging member for use with phase-change inks, has a substrate, an optional intermediate layer, and thereover an outer coating with a latex fluoroelastomer, and an optional heating member associated with the offset printing apparatus.

Abstract: An offset printing apparatus having a coated imaging member for use with phase-change inks, has a substrate, an optional intermediate layer, and thereover an outer coating with a thermoplastic, and an optional heating member associated with the offset printing apparatus.

Abstract: An ink stick push block for use in a system for feeding solid ink sticks in a phase change printer, wherein each solid ink stick has an ink stick face surface having an ink stick face surface contour and an ink stick rear surface having a nonplanar ink stick rear surface contour, the ink stick push block. The push block includes an ink stick push block face having a nonplanar ink stick push block face contour, wherein at least a portion of the nonplanar ink stick push block face contour is the complement of at least a portion of the nonplanar ink stick rear surface contour.

Abstract: An ink stick for use in a solid ink feed system of a phase change ink jet printer includes a three dimensional ink stick body that has a lateral center of gravity, a substantially horizontal perimeter, and opposed end surfaces. An ink stick guide element is formed in the bottom of the ink stick body, and the ink stick is adapted to travel through the feed channel along a feed channel guide rail. A portion of the ink stick perimeter forms a visually recognizable symbol, and a portion of the ink stick perimeter that is transverse to the feed direction of the channel has an insertion key element. Nesting elements are formed in the leading and trailing end surfaces of the ink stick body to nest with one another when ink sticks abut in the feed channel.

Abstract: An ink stick for use in a solid ink feed system of a phase change ink jet printer includes an ink stick body. Nesting elements are formed in the ink stick body for nesting the ink stick body with an adjacent ink stick body. One end surface of the ink stick body has a projecting nesting element, and the opposite end surface has a recessed nesting element having a complementary shape and position. When two ink sticks with such nesting elements abut one another in a feed channel of a solid ink feed system, the projecting nesting element of one ink stick fits into the recessed nesting element of the adjacent ink stick to reduce movement of the ink sticks relative to each other, and to reduce skewing of the ink sticks in the feed channel.

Abstract: A process motor (82) provides bidirectional motive force to a printer (50) drive train (80) that selectively engages with multiple self-homing printing functions. A print head (52) is tiltable to a maintenance position and a transfer roller (64) is loadable against a transfer drum (54) by respective missing tooth gear (96, 160) latching mechanisms. A print media pick roller (122) and transfer drum maintaining devices (70, 72) are actuated by spring-wrap clutches (114, 236) that are protected from reverse rotation by a one-way clutch (106). Print media transport rollers (140, 142) are selectively engaged with the one-way clutch by an electro-mechanical clutch (128). A picked and transported print medium (56) receives an ink image from the transfer drum and is stripped therefrom by stripper fingers (66) and directed into media exit rollers (212, 220) for delivery to a media output tray (68).

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for applying an intermediate transfer surface, in the form of a liquid layer, on a support surface that may be used in a phase change ink printing system. The apparatus includes an applicator assembly with a leak-free valving system for distributing the liquid layer onto the support surface to produce the intermediate transfer surface and a means for metering the liquid layer uniformly on the support surface. The applicator assembly has a wick contact surface for removing foreign matter from and delivering the liquid onto the support surface. An improved liquid dispensing system is provided to provide the liquid to the wick which becomes saturated and, when brought into contact with the rotatable support surface of a transfer drum, applies the liquid in a layer to the support surface to form a liquid intermediate transfer surface.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for processing an image transparency entails the application of an intermediate transfer surface of a layer of sacrificial liquid to a supporting surface and the deposition of a phase change ink onto the liquid layer. The inked image is then contact transferred to an optically transmissive final receiving substrate, such as a plastic transparency.

Abstract: A phase change ink transfer printing apparatus (10) applies a liquid intermediate transfer surface (12) to a heated drum (14, 28). Because the intermediate transfer surface is a thin liquid layer, molten ink drops (122) striking it flatten and spread out (110, 112, 114, 130) prior to cooling and solidifying as an ink image (26, 130) at the drum temperature. After the ink image is deposited, a print medium (21, 132), such as a transparency film, is fed into a nip (22) formed between the heated drum and an elastomeric transfer roller (23). As the drum turns, the print medium is pulled through the nip to transfer the ink image to the print medium. When in the nip, heat from the drum and print medium combine to heat the ink in accordance with a process window (90), making the ink sufficiently soft and tacky to adhere to the print medium but not to the drum. The ink drops comprising the ink image have a desired diameter to height ratio of from about 1.