Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to an indirect printing apparatus. The indirect printing apparatus comprises an intermediate transfer member comprising a substrate and a surface layer disposed over the substrate. The surface layer comprises a fluoroelastomer-aminosilane grafted polymer and infrared absorptive filler materials. The indirect printing apparatus also comprises a coating mechanism for forming a sacrificial coating onto the intermediate transfer member and a drying station for drying the sacrificial coating. At least one ink jet nozzle is positioned proximate the intermediate transfer member and configured for jetting ink droplets onto the sacrificial coating formed on the intermediate transfer member. An ink processing station comprises a radiation source for at least partially drying the ink on the sacrificial coating formed on the intermediate transfer member.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to an indirect printing apparatus. The indirect printing apparatus comprises an intermediate transfer member comprising a substrate and a surface layer disposed over the substrate. The surface layer comprises a fluoroelastomer-aminosilane grafted polymer and infrared absorptive filler materials. The indirect printing apparatus also comprises a coating mechanism for forming a sacrificial coating onto the intermediate transfer member and a drying station for drying the sacrificial coating. At least one ink jet nozzle is positioned proximate the intermediate transfer member and configured for jetting ink droplets onto the sacrificial coating formed on the intermediate transfer member. An ink processing station comprises a radiation source for at least partially drying the ink on the sacrificial coating formed on the intermediate transfer member.

Abstract: An apparatus for printing a latent image includes a light source, a photodetector, a rotary contact, a power supply, driving electronics and a plurality of thin-film transistors. The light sources receives the digital data signals and transmits encoded optical data signals. The photodetector receives the encoded optical data signals and transmits signals including selection signals and digital pixel voltages. A rotary contact receives operating voltage potentials from a controller and the power supply receives the operating voltage potentials from the rotary contact. The power supply generates a low voltage potential, a ground potential and a high voltage potential. Driving electronics receive a low voltage potential, a ground potential, selection signals and digital pixel voltages and generate bias signals and pixel voltages. The plurality of TFTs receive the high voltage potential, the bias signals and the pixel voltages and drive the hole injection pixels to generate an electrostatic latent image.

Abstract: An apparatus for printing a latent image includes a light source, a photodetector, a rotary contact, a power supply, driving electronics and a plurality of thin-film transistors. The light sources receives the digital data signals and transmits encoded optical data signals. The photodetector receives the encoded optical data signals and transmits signals including selection signals and digital pixel voltages. A rotary contact receives operating voltage potentials from a controller and the power supply receives the operating voltage potentials from the rotary contact. The power supply generates a low voltage potential, a groun potential and a high voltage potential. Driving electronics receive a low voltage potential, a ground potential, selection signals and digital pixel voltages and generate bias signals and pixel voltages. The plurality of TFTs receive the high voltage potential, the bias signals and the pixel voltages and drive the hole injection pixels to generate an electrostatic latent image.

Abstract: A method for detecting a defect in an inkjet print head within an inkjet marking device includes marking images on a rotating intermediate substrate according to an image sequence, marking a test image on at least one blank portion of the intermediate substrate, the blank portion resulting from the image sequence, evaluating the test image with a sensor, and determining whether the inkjet print head is defective based on the evaluation.

Abstract: An ink jet imaging system comprises a heated imaging drum that rotates in at least one direction, a print head for ejecting ink onto the heated imaging drum as it rotates past the print head to form an image, a media sheet transport for synchronizing movement of a media sheet with rotation of the heated imaging drum, a transfixing roller that forms a transfixing nip with the heated imaging drum to transfix the image on the rotating heated image drum onto the media sheet synchronized by the media sheet transport, and a media director located between the media sheet transport and the heated imaging drum to direct the media sheet into close proximity with the heated imaging drum at a position sufficiently prior to the transfixing nip that the heated imaging drum heats the media sheet before the media sheet enters the transfixing nip.

Abstract: A process transfers an image from an intermediate imaging member onto a sheet of recording media while preserving the ability to duplex print on the sheet. The process includes generating an image on an intermediate imaging member as the intermediate imaging member rotates in a first direction, synchronizing a sheet of recording media with the image on the intermediate member as the intermediate imaging member continues to rotate in the first direction, transferring the image from the intermediate imaging member onto the sheet of recording media as the intermediate imaging member continues to rotate in the first direction, and limiting release agent on the intermediate imaging member to a level that preserves duplex printing capability on the sheet of recording media.

Abstract: An ink jet printer has a print head with partial nozzle redundancy. All of the nozzles are used for printing, but at a less than maximum available ejection output. When a failed or impaired nozzle is identified, the normal ejection output is increased for neighboring nozzles, so that pixels to be printed by the impaired nozzle are printed by neighboring nozzles at previously blank pixels. Printing pixels by neighboring non-failed nozzles mitigates the visible effect of the nozzle failure and prevents loss of productivity.

Abstract: An ink jet printer has a drum rotated about its axis and past a translatable print bar located adjacent and parallel thereto. The print bar has equally spaced, identical print heads mounted along the length thereof to print images on the drum or directly on a recording medium mounted on the drum. Each print head has an array of high density nozzles that extend for a predetermined length. The spacing between print heads is equal to the integer multiples of the nozzle array length. The print bar may be translated a distance equal to a integer divisor of the nozzle array length up to one full nozzle array length during each drum revolution. The drum rotation and concurrent print bar translation produce barber pole shaped swaths of image on the drum by each print head. Multiple passes of the drum are required to print a complete image.

Abstract: An ink jet printer has an intermediate transfer drum that rotates past a print head and a downstream transfixing station. The surface of the drum is coated with a release agent. The print head ejects ink droplets onto the coated drum surface to form images thereon. The images are identified for either simplex prints or duplex prints. The transfixing station has separate simplex and duplex operating modes. A movable transfixing roll at the transfixing station is moved into and out of contact with the drum to form a periodic transfixing nip. The nip is formed with separate timing relationships with the approach of the leading and trailing edge of a transported recording medium and the approach of the image on the drum surface, depending upon whether a simplex or duplex print is to be transfixed by the nip.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for extending the reliability and usefulness of a fullwidth printhead by providing a redundant temporary replacement printhead module that can be positioned to compensate for missing or faulty jet nozzles. In order to take advantage of a single extra printhead module and to be able to compensate for more than a single failed nozzle, the replacement module is mounted on a separate translating x-axis and preferably provided with roll adjustment along another axis so that an effective spacing of nozzles in the replacement module can be adjusted to align with detected defective nozzles. The fullwidth printhead is formed from at least one array of smaller printhead modules. The arrays may be offset by a non-integer spacing interval of the individual nozzles. For example, if the nozzle spacing is S, the offset may be S/2.

Abstract: A method for testing inkjets for defects in an inkjet device includes determining, based on the likelihood that one or more inkjets are defective, whether to perform an inkjet defect test, The method may also include, identifying, if it is determined to perform an inkjet defect test, which inkjets to test based on properties of the inkjets, the number of identified inkjets being less than a total number of inkjets in the inkjet device; and testing the identified inkjets for defects using an image sensor.

Abstract: A method for detecting a defect in an inkjet print head within an inkjet marking device includes marking images on a rotating intermediate substrate according to an image sequence, marking a test image on at least one blank portion of the intermediate substrate, the blank portion resulting from the image sequence, evaluating the test image with a sensor, and determining whether the inkjet print head is defective based on the evaluation.

Abstract: An ink image producing machine has (a) imaging devices, including at least one ink jet print head and an image receiving station for producing an ink image on a heated substrate; (b) a substrate handling assembly including holding devices for holding supplies of substrates, and transport feeding devices for transporting and feeding substrates in a substrate direction towards the image receiving station; (c) a first substrate heating assembly located upstream of the image receiving station for initially heating each substrate being fed and transported from the holding devices; and (d) a second substrate heating assembly located downstream of the first substrate heating assembly and upstream of said image receiving station, relative to the substrate feeding direction, for controllably re-heating each substrate, initially heated by the first substrate heating assembly, to a desired ink image receiving temperature.

Abstract: A method includes ejecting ink from a first set of one or more nozzles to form a first image pattern at least partially within an image field. The method likewise includes ejecting ink from a second set of one or more nozzles to form a second image pattern at least partially within the image field. The first image pattern and second image pattern form a composite pattern within the image field. Then, an optical detector obtains a measurement of an optical characteristic of the image field. The measurement may be compared with a reference optical characteristic for the composite pattern within the image field.

Abstract: A method for minimizing the Inter-Document Zone (IDZ) in printing system architectures with print engines running at constant speed, employing asynchronous paper delivery; and providing control over paper feed times. The method of the present invention comprising first receiving input electronic data of an image intended to be printed. Then, inspecting said data to determine both the lead edge (L.E.) and the trail edge (T.E.) blank borders of said image. A determination is then made as to whether the blank borders exceed a minimum design distance. If the blank border of the L.E. exceeds the minimum then the process causes the printing of that image to occur sooner. If the blank border of the T.E. exceeds the minimum then the process causes the finishing of printing that image, and the starting of any subsequent images, to occur sooner.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a system and method for minimizing the Inter-Document Zone (IDZ) in printing system architectures with print engines running at constant speed. The asymmetric IDZ precession disclosed herein is intended for those multi-pass systems where there is a difference in required start and stop durations of various transition subsystems such as transfer engagement and disengagement processes. This mode reduces the required inter-document zone region by shifting the zone in accordance with asymmetric timing of start and stop times of processes that must occur during this time. Advantageously, productivity gains are effectuated without altering process speeds.