Abstract: Systems and methods for high-speed variable printing are provided. Ink jet technology and lithographic systems may be combined in such a way to create a fully variable and high-quality print system. Ink is applied to a first cylinder. Aqueous solution is applied to a second cylinder to produce a negative image. At least a portion of the ink from the first cylinder is transferred to the second cylinder. A positive image in ink is then transferred from the second cylinder to a print medium, and residue ink and aqueous solution is cleaned from the second cylinder. The systems and methods described herein may be used to create high-quality one-to-one marketing applications.

Abstract: A method of producing a printed sheet output of a printing press uses an aqueous solution, an ink, and an input sheet. The method applies aqueous solution to the input sheet to form a non-image area and an image area thereon, and contacts the non-image and image areas of the input sheet with ink. Ink is transferred substantially only to the image area to produce the printed sheet output of the printing press. A method of producing a printed web of a printing press is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of printing a printed output of a press comprising ink on a print medium applies ink to a surface, places individually controlled drops of aqueous solution onto the print medium in a drop pattern, and transfers ink from the surface to areas of the print medium that are free of aqueous solution to produce the printed output of the press. A method of variable printing is also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for high-speed variable printing are provided. Ink jet technology and lithographic systems may be combined in such a way to create a fully variable and high-quality print system. At least one area of a plate is reserved for variable information to be printed. The plate may already comprises static information to be printed. Ink is then applied to the at least one area of the plate reserved for the variable information. An aqueous solution is applied to a web to produce a negative image of the variable information, and a positive image of the variable information is transferred in ink to the web. The systems and methods described herein may be used to create high-quality one-to-one marketing applications.

Abstract: A method of printing a printed output of a press comprising ink on a print medium applies ink to a surface, places individually controlled drops of aqueous solution onto the print medium in a drop pattern, and transfers ink from the surface to areas of the print medium that are free of aqueous solution to produce the printed output of the press. A method of variable printing is also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods for high-speed printing include deposition of individual drops of an aqueous solution on top of a hydrophobic ink applied to a print cylinder. The methods further include stripping away the ink from the area of the cylinder not covered by the aqueous solution and transferring the ink covered by the aqueous solution to a print medium.

Abstract: A method of producing a printed sheet output of a printing press uses an aqueous solution, an ink, and an input sheet. The method applies aqueous solution to the input sheet to form a non-image area and an image area thereon, and contacts the non-image and image areas of the input sheet with ink. Ink is transferred substantially only to the image area to produce the printed sheet output of the printing press. A method of producing a printed web of a printing press is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of producing and distributing printed product applies aqueous solution to a print medium to define non-image and image areas of the print medium, and contacts the non-image area and the image area with ink. Ink is transferred substantially only to the image area of the print medium to produce the printed product. The printed product is distributed to an end user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for high-speed variable printing are provided. Ink jet technology and lithographic systems may be combined in such a way to create a fully variable and high-quality print system. Ink is applied to a printing cylinder. An aqueous solution is then applied on top of the ink to produce a negative image. A positive image is then transferred in ink to a print medium. The systems and methods described herein may be used to create high-quality one-to-one marketing applications.

Abstract: Systems and methods for high-speed variable printing are provided. Ink jet technology and lithographic systems may be combined in such a way to create a fully variable and high-quality print system. At least one area of a plate is reserved for variable information to be printed. The plate may already comprises static information to be printed. Ink is then applied to the at least one area of the plate reserved for the variable information. An aqueous solution is applied to a web to produce a negative image of the variable information, and a positive image of the variable information is transferred in ink to the web. The systems and methods described herein may be used to create high-quality one-to-one marketing applications.

Abstract: Systems and methods for high-speed variable printing are provided. Ink jet technology and lithographic systems may be combined in such a way to create a fully variable and high-quality print system. A protective positive image in an aqueous solution is applied on top of ink applied to a print cylinder. The ink is then stripped away from the area of the cylinder not covered by the protective positive image, and the positive image is transferred in ink to a print medium. The systems and methods described herein may be used to create high-quality one-to-one marketing applications.

Abstract: Systems and methods for high-speed variable printing are provided. Ink jet technology and lithographic systems may be combined in such a way to create a fully variable and high-quality print system. Ink is applied to a first cylinder. Aqueous solution is applied to a second cylinder to produce a negative image. At least a portion of the ink from the first cylinder is transferred to the second cylinder. A positive image in ink is then transferred from the second cylinder to a print medium, and residue ink and aqueous solution is cleaned from the second cylinder. The systems and methods described herein may be used to create high-quality one-to-one marketing applications.

Abstract: Systems and methods for high-speed variable printing are provided. Ink jet technology and lithographic systems may be combined in such a way to create a fully variable and high-quality print system. Ink is applied to a printing cylinder. An aqueous solution is then applied on top of the ink to produce a negative image. A positive image is then transferred in ink to a print medium. The systems and methods described herein may be used to create high-quality one-to-one marketing applications.

Abstract: Systems and methods for high-speed variable printing are provided. Ink jet technology and lithographic systems may be combined in such a way to create a fully variable and high-quality print system. An aqueous solution is applied to a cylinder to produce a negative image. The aqueous solution may comprise a block copolymer capable of physical bonding with the cylinder. Ink is then applied to the cylinder, and a positive image is transferred in ink to a print medium. The systems and methods described herein may be used to create high-quality one-to-one marketing applications.

Abstract: A web of paper is printed with selective non-variable information and vastly different variable information on portions of the paper web which are ultimately separated into discrete documents. At least one ion deposition print unit and a number of flexographic print units are utilized, as well as a data source containing at least the variable information, and first and second computers. Data is read from the data source with the first computer and in response to the read data the ion deposition print unit is controlled with the first computer to print variable information on the paper web. Form lag commands are provided from the first computer to the second computer. In response to the lag commands the flexographic print units are independently controlled by the second computer to operatively engage and disengage the paper web and thereby print non-variable information from at least one of the flexographic units on each discrete document portion of the paper web.

Abstract: The folding, and accumulation in configurations simulating a booklet, of flexible sheets (such as paper sheets) is accomplished in a simple, straight-forward, yet effective manner. A movable bar is pivotally mounted at a first end adjacent a cutter from which it receives paper sheets. A plurality of first pulleys having a circumferential periphery with a concave substantially V-shape are mounted by the movable bar and cooperate with a second plurality of pulleys on a stationary V-shaped bar. The second pulleys have convex substantially V-shaped circumferential peripheries with a groove for receipt of a circular cross-section conveyor belt which extends between the sets of pulleys and drives sheets for folding between them. At the discharge end of the folder is a downwardly sloping convex substantially V-shaped accumulator bar which cooperates with a guide (having a concave V-shape) and an automatically movable stop.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes an inker roll, a plate cylinder and an impression cylinder mounted for rotation about parallel axes. The inker roll is selectively displaced into engagement and disengagement with the plate cylinder to transfer ink to the plate cylinder and to a substrate about the impression cylinder. The inker roll is moved to transfer ink only during printing cycles and is out of engagement with the plate cylinder during non-printing cycles. A doctor blade engages the inker roll along a diameter thereof passing through the pivotal axis of the inker roll and its axis of rotation and on the side of the axis of rotation remote from its pivotal axis.

Abstract: A flexographic unit printing assembly and method of printing a web of paper using the assembly eliminates the need for one or more flexographic units without eliminating the capability to effectively print certain jobs. At least one of the flexographic print units is provided with a print plate having distinctly different first and second portions, and a computer control has two nodes connected to the first flexographic print unit, one for sending a command telling the unit to print substantially the entire length of the print plate, and the other sending a command to the first flexographic print unit telling it to print the web only with the first print portion, and then to operatively (e.g. mechanically) disengage the print plate from the web.

Abstract: A fluid (liquid or water) wash is used to clean the front surface of an ink jet printer cartridge. In addition, a nozzle plate that overlies the nozzle shields the nozzle array from the splatter of ink. In ink jet printers, ink droplets are propelled from an array of orifices in a nozzle plate in the printer head. During the ink droplet ejection, ink is sprayed or deposited around the orifices. The ink droplets are deposited on a paper web adjacent the nozzle and mist from the droplets drifts back to coat the face of the nozzle plate. Some ink seeps behind the nozzle plate onto the array of nozzle orifices. The ink coating attracts particles that tend to clog the nozzle orifices. The ink coating is washed away by fluid streams that flow over the nozzle surface and in some embodiments flow over the nozzle orifices themselves. The fluid may be water, ink or other liquid that is channelled across the nozzle surface, or the fluid may be an air stream that blows across the nozzle surface.

Abstract: A sheet inverter is used in a method of handling documents, preferably to invert the documents, change them from an in-line configuration to a shingled configuration, and then move them in a direction substantially transverse to the original direction of conveyance of the documents. An inverter shaft is rotatable about a generally horizontal axis and has a plurality of sheet supporting elements, such as rods or bars (such as in an exaggerated generally S-shaped configuration) axially spaced from each other along the shaft, with each sheet supporting element comprising first, second and third portions defining first, second and third closed sides for receipt of a document, and an open fourth side by which the document may enter the elements. A support structure connects each of the sheet supporting elements (either together or individually) to the shaft for rotation with the shaft about its axis.