Abstract: A toner fixing system for fixing toner onto a receiver medium includes a liquid-supply system for providing a heating liquid. A liquid-heating system warms the heating liquid to a temperature greater than the toner glass transition temperature. A liquid-delivery system impinges the warmed heating liquid onto a surface of the receiver medium so that heat is transferred from the warmed heating liquid to the toner. This raises the temperature of the toner to a level above the toner glass transition temperature.

Abstract: A method of producing a deinkable print on an image-bearing member includes transferring a toner image onto the image-bearing member to form a continuous or discontinuous toner image layer, wherein toner in the toner image is soluble in a hydrophobic or oliophilic organic solvent. An ink image corresponding to the toner image is printed onto the toner image on the image-bearing member, the ink including colorant in a hydrophilic carrier fluid, so that the colorant is disposed over the toner image layer. The toner image and ink image are fixed to the receiver. The image-bearing member has an unprinted reflection density and has a deinked reflection density at most 0.15 above the unprinted reflection density.

Abstract: A system for fixing toner onto a receiver medium includes a reservoir containing heating liquid. A liquid-heating system warms the heating liquid to a temperature greater than a toner glass transition temperature. A rotatable liquid-blocking barrier has an inner surface and an outer surface. A media-transport system transports the receiver medium along a transport path. The transported receiver medium contacts or is entrained around the liquid-blocking member barrier so that the receiver medium is brought into contact with the outer surface of the liquid-blocking layer. The liquid-blocking barrier member and the reservoir are arranged so that an entrained portion of the receiver medium passes through the reservoir and is submerged in the warmed heating liquid, which contacts the inner surface. Heat is transferred from the warmed heating liquid to the toner, raising a temperature of the toner to a level above the toner glass transition temperature.

Abstract: A method for reducing variations in gloss in a solid ink jet image, is disclosed. The method includes: jetting marking solid ink jet droplets onto a receiver to form an image; heating the receiver to a temperature so that the marking solid ink melts; spreading the marking solid ink on the receiver; and controlling the temperature of the marking solid ink on the receiver to provide a desired specularly reflective surface of the solid ink so that variations in gloss are reduced.

Abstract: A method of producing a print on paper includes drying a selected region of the paper to a moisture content not to exceed that of the paper equilibrated to 20% RH. Hydrophilic liquid is deposited in a selected fluid pattern on the selected region of the paper within 15 seconds after the completion of drying. The paper is charged so that a charge pattern of charged and discharged areas is formed on the paper, and the discharged areas correspond to the selected fluid pattern. Charged dry ink having charge of the same sign as the charge in the charged areas is on the paper is deposited onto the paper in a dry ink pattern corresponding to the selected fluid pattern in the selected region. The dry ink is fixed to the paper.

Abstract: A printer for printing on a semiporous recording medium includes a dryer adapted to dry the semiporous recording medium to a moisture content not to exceed that of the recording medium equilibrated to 20% RH. A liquid-deposition unit deposits hydrophilic liquid in a selected fluid pattern on the recording medium within 15 seconds after the completion of drying. A charging member charges the recording medium so that a charge pattern of charged and discharged areas is formed on the recording medium and the charged areas have a potential of at least 100 V. A development station deposits charged dry ink on the medium, the dry ink having charge of the same sign as the charged areas, so that the charged dry ink is deposited on the paper in a dry ink pattern corresponding to the selected fluid pattern.

Abstract: An electrographic printing system for forming a tactile printed image on a receiver medium, comprising an image processing path, one or more printing modules and a fixing subsystem. The image processing path provides a sequence of image patterns including a plurality of annular shapes having associated inner and outer sizes, the inner and outer sizes of the annular shapes varying in a monotonic sequence. The printing modules are controlled to form a sequence of toner particle images corresponding to the sequence of image patterns, and to sequentially transfer the sequence of toner particle images in register onto the receiver medium such that the annular shapes in the toner particle images overlap to form a tactile image feature having a hollow core. The fixing subsystem is used to permanently attach the transferred toner particle images to the receiver medium.

Abstract: In a system having an inkjet printer and a toner printer, the ink jet printer forms an ink jet image and the toner printer forms a toner image conforming to the inkjet image and transfers the toner image onto the inkjet image. Colorant in the ink is electrostatically attracted to the toner. The toner is fixed. After fixing the colorant attracted to the toner is bound to the toner so that removal of the toner from the receiver also removes any colorant attached to the toner from the receiver.

Abstract: Non-RFID-active units in a space are marked by affixing RFID tags. Two tags are affixed to each unit, each tag having a directional antenna. The antennas are oriented to define a per-unit reader location. Units are arranged in the space so the per-unit reader locations at least partially overlap to define a reader location. The units in the space can also be detected by an RFID reader located in the overlapping per-unit reader locations. A controller can compare a received list of tag identities corresponding to units expected to be in the container to the identities of the tags read to determine whether the expected units are in the container and disposed at positions and with orientations that cause the respective per-unit reader locations to at least partially overlap with the reader location.

Abstract: Printing methods are provided. In one method an inkjet image is printed using an ink having a colorant with an electrical charge of a first polarity dispersed in a hydrophilic liquid carrier fluid with an electrical charge of a second polarity that is the opposite polarity of the first polarity. A colorant attracting toner image conforming to the inkjet image is generated using toner particles of the second polarity. The colorant attracting toner image is transferred in registration with an unabsorbed volume of the ink jet image on the receiver. The difference in polarity between the toner particles and the colorant attracts the colorant and the toner particles. The toner particles are fixed to the receiver. After fixing colorant attracted to the toner particles is bound to the toner particles so that removal of the toner from the receiver also removes any colorant attached to the toner from the receiver.

Abstract: Condensation control systems are provided for use with inkjet printing systems that use a combination of higher resistance flow areas and lower resistance flow areas to allow a vaporized carrier fluid reducing airflow to flow between a printing module and a receiver during printing without creating observable artifacts in a print. Removal of the vaporized carrier fluid reduces condensation.

Abstract: Printers are provided. One printer has an ink jet printer with an inkjet printhead to print an inkjet image on a receiver using an inkjet ink having a liquid with a boiling point a toner print engine to generate a toner image conforming to the ink jet image using toner particles with a glass transition temperature that is below the boiling point and to transfer the toner image into an unabsorbed volume of liquid ink of the inkjet image on the receiver and a fixing system having a first energy source to apply a first energy to the toner and the liquid sufficient to bring the liquid to the boiling point without bringing a heated surface into contact therewith. The toner particles are heated above the glass transition temperature by the combination of heat from the liquid and heating of the toner particles by the first energy.

Abstract: A method of deinking an image-bearing member using an organic solvent includes receiving the image-bearing member. The member has thereon a continuous or discontinuous image layer formed of toner particles that do not include colorant, and colorant particles or molecules. The colorant particles or molecules are arranged in a pattern corresponding to the arrangement of the toner particles. The organic solvent is hydrophobic or oliophilic and the colorant is insoluble in the organic solvent. The hydrophobic or oliophilic organic solvent is applied to the image-bearing member, so that a majority of the toner image layer is dissolved off the image-bearing member and the colorant is removed from the image-bearing member. A deinked reflection density of the image-bearing member in a selected test area from which the toner image layer was dissolved is within 0.15 of an unprinted reflection density of the image-bearing member before deinking.

Abstract: A method for removing a moistening liquid from a moistened medium includes providing a liquid-blocking barrier having a first surface and a second surface that is impermeable to a heating liquid. A surface of the moistened medium is brought into contact with the first surface of the liquid-blocking barrier. The heating liquid is brought into contact with the second surface of the liquid-blocking barrier, the heating liquid being at a temperature greater than a moistening-liquid boiling point. Heat is thus transferred through the liquid-blocking barrier from the heating liquid to the moistening liquid, vaporizing the moistening liquid and removing it from the moistened medium.

Abstract: A media drying system removes a moistening liquid from a moistened medium, the moistening liquid having a moistening-liquid boiling point. A liquid reservoir contains a heating liquid. A liquid-heating system warms the heating liquid in the liquid reservoir to a temperature greater than the moistening-liquid boiling point. A media-transport system transports the moistened medium along a transport path which passes through the liquid reservoir. The moistened medium is submerged in the warmed heating liquid and heat is transferred from the warmed heating liquid to the moistening liquid. This vaporizes the moistening liquid and removing it from the moistened medium.

Abstract: A gloss-watermark pattern is produced on a rotatable fixing member including a thermoplastic layer having a surface and a selected thickness. Particles having a Young's modulus of at least 1 GPa are applied in a selected deposition pattern to a selected area of the surface. The applied particles are pressed against a pressure member so that the applied particles indent the surface to form the gloss-watermark pattern. At least some of the pressed particles are removed from the surface. After the removing step, a printed image on a receiver can be fixed using the fixing member having the gloss-watermark pattern. The printed image can include toner, phase-change ink, or hot-melt ink, so that a gloss watermark corresponding to the gloss-watermark pattern is formed on the printed image by the fixing process.

Abstract: A toner fixing system for fixing toner onto a receiver medium includes rotatable fixing drum partially filled by a heating liquid, so that a stationary-drum liquid level is defined. The heating liquid is warmed above a toner glass transition temperature. The fixing drum rotates fast enough to draw the heating liquid to substantially cover an inner surface thereof. The moving receiver medium contacts an outer surface of the fixing drum in a contact region above the stationary-drum liquid level. Heat is transferred through the rotating fixing drum from the drawn warmed heating liquid to heat the toner above its glass transition temperature. A sensor detects stoppage of the receiver medium in contact with the fixing drum. A controller automatically stops the rotation of the fixing drum when a stoppage is detected, so that the heating liquid is pulled by gravity away from the stopped receiver medium.

Abstract: A method for fixing toner onto a receiver medium includes depositing a pattern of toner onto a surface of the receiver medium. The toner has a toner glass transition temperature. At least one surface of the receiver medium is brought into contact with a heating liquid, the heating liquid being at a temperature greater than the toner glass transition temperature. Heat is transferred from the heating liquid to the toner, thereby raising a temperature of the toner to a level above the toner glass transition temperature.

Abstract: A toner fixing system fixes toner onto a receiver medium. A reservoir contains a heating liquid. A liquid-heating system warms the heating liquid in the reservoir to a temperature greater than a toner glass transition temperature. A media-transport system transports the receiver medium along a transport path which passes through the reservoir. The receiver medium is submerged in the warmed heating liquid, so heat is transferred from the warmed heating liquid to the toner. The temperature of the toner is raised to a level above the toner glass transition temperature.

Abstract: A toner fixing system for fixing toner onto a receiver medium includes a liquid-supply system for providing a heating liquid. A liquid-heating system warms the heating liquid to a temperature greater than the toner glass transition temperature. A liquid-delivery system impinges the warmed heating liquid onto a surface of the receiver medium so that heat is transferred from the warmed heating liquid to the toner. This raises the temperature of the toner to a level above the toner glass transition temperature.