Abstract: An inkjet printing system controls an ink droplet mass by regulating a pressure in an ink reservoir. The printing system includes an ink reservoir, an air pressure device, an ink ejection device, and a controller. The ink reservoir is configured to contain a supply of ink and an air space above the supply of ink. The air pressure device is fluidly coupled to the air space above the supply of ink. The ink ejection device is fluidly coupled to the ink reservoir to receive ink from the supply of ink and to eject ink droplets onto an image receiving surface. The controller is coupled to the air pressure device and is configured to activate the air pressure device selectively to change a mass of the ink droplets ejected by the ink ejection device.

Abstract: A printhead cleaning device includes a housing having an opening and an ink receptacle positioned within the opening. A member has a first end positioned in the ink receptacle and a second end that extends out of the opening in the housing. The member is configured to contact a drip bib and provide a path for liquid ink to move from the drip bib to the ink receptacle.

Abstract: A pressurized ink delivery system having two delivery reservoirs in an inkjet printer enables a control system to alternate between the two reservoirs for printhead supply without coupling pressurized air from a delivery reservoir to a low pressure source of ink. Each delivery reservoir includes a conduit having an orifice that enables the pressure within a delivery reservoir to exit the reservoir before the ink delivery reservoir is fluidly connected to the low pressure source of ink for refilling of the delivery reservoir. By dropping the high pressure reservoir to atmosphere and then switching the seal actuators for the two reservoirs, the spray of ink is avoided.

Abstract: An electrostatographic printing apparatus that includes a charge receptor endless belt; a transfer nip including a BTR roll in contact with the charge receptor at a transfer zone, a continuous media supplied to the transfer zone, and the transfer nip adapted for systematic engagement and disengagement with the continuous media for synchronization of image transfer from the charge receptor to the media. More specifically, in response to recognition of imaging inconsistencies such as belt seams, test patches, or label format pitches, the endless belt disengages from the continuous media at the BTR roll. The BTR roll is appropriately turned on and off and the continuous media reversed in direction commonly known as a ‘Pilgrim step’, then returned to normal direction to synchronize the transfer of images to the continuous media.

Abstract: A system that avoids any stopping or reversing of the web direction in a continuous feed printer, instead maintaining consistent process speed, only requiring a slowing and speeding up of the web to cycle through the PR belt seam. This is done by forming a web loop and then immediately flattening the loop after passage of the seam through the transfer zone that includes two transfer BTR rolls with alternating transfer operations, but simultaneous transfer for short periods. Two vacuum assist rolls, one located between the two bias transfer rolls controls the formation of the web loop. A pair of nip forming rolls upstream of the first transfer station and a second vacuum assist roll downstream of the second transfer station control the size of the loop.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a photoreceptor belt, a fixed transfer roller positioned on the inside of the photoreceptor belt, and a movable transfer roller positioned on the outside of the photoreceptor belt. The fixed transfer roller and the movable transfer roller are positioned to form a nip, and the photoreceptor belt and a web of print media are positioned in the nip. Also, a support roller and a compensation roller contact the web of print media. The support roller is positioned between the compensation roller and the nip. A physical link is connected to the support roller and the compensation roller. The physical link moves the support roller and the compensation roller so as to keep a constant tension on the web of print media.

Abstract: An ink umbilical provides different colors of heated ink to multiple print heads in an integrated structure. The ink umbilical includes a first plurality of ink carrying conduits mounted on one side of a heater and a second plurality of conduits mounted on a second side of the heater opposite the first side of the heater. The heater is operated to keep the ink in the conduits on each of the heater in a predetermined temperature range.

Abstract: A printer includes a plurality of a plurality of printheads and a plurality of rolls positioned opposite the printheads along a media path in the printer. Print media contact and move over the rolls as the printheads eject ink onto the print media moving along the media path. A controller is configured to generate a signal to operate a printhead with reference to an angular position of a roll positioned opposite to the printhead that receives the signal to compensate for flight time errors due to backer roll eccentricity.

Abstract: A heater panel is configured to heat a print medium in a printer. The heater panel includes electrical conductors that form a plurality of heating zones to emit radiant energy toward the print medium. Heating zones that correspond to edges of the print medium emit radiant energy with a greater power density than heating zones that correspond to central portions of the print medium. The heater panel has a plurality of angled positions to vary the view factor for high gain control.

Abstract: A method for adjusting tension to a media web in a printing system includes identifying a tension level between the media web and at least one roll that is in contact with the media web. The tension level is identified with reference to a slip condition between the media web and the at least one roll. The identified tension is stored in a memory in the printing system.

Abstract: A printhead cleaning device includes a housing having an opening and an ink receptacle positioned within the opening. A member has a first end positioned in the ink receptacle and a second end that extends out of the opening in the housing. The member is configured to contact a drip bib and provide a path for liquid ink to move from the drip bib to the ink receptacle.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a source of a substantially continuous web of media, and a web transport system configured to transport the continuous web from the source along a web path having a print zone. At least one printhead arranged along the web path in the print zone and configured to deposit ink onto the web to form images. A preheating system is positioned along the web path between the source and the print zone. The preheating system includes a first heating stage and a second heating stage. The first heating stage has at least one heater configured to heat the web to an initial preheat temperature prior to reaching the second stage. The second stage includes at least one heater configured to reduce a temperature of the web from the initial preheat temperature to a target temperature for the preheating system.

Abstract: A print head pump assembly has a piezo element plate having an array of piezoelectric elements, a channel plate having an array of channel regions corresponding to the array of piezoelectric elements, and a valve plate having an array of reed valve pairs corresponding to the array of channel regions. A print head assembly has at least one ink reservoir, an upper routing plate to receive ink from the ink reservoir, a lower routing plate to direct ink out of the print head, and a pump assembly to draw ink from the upper routing plate and deliver ink to the lower routing plate using piezoelectric diaphragms. A method of delivering ink to a print substrate includes providing ink to a low-pressure reservoir of a print head, drawing ink out of the low-pressure reservoir through an upper routing plate using a pump assembly internal to the print head, and pumping ink out of the print head through a lower routing plate using the pump assembly, such that the drawing and pumping processes continuously alternate.

Abstract: A solid ink printer is enabled to eject ink onto image substrates at rates that are greater than previously known solid ink printers. The solid ink printer includes a print head that ejects melted ink, a web of image substrate that moves past the print head to receive melted ink ejected from the print head, a pair of fixing rollers positioned downstream of the print head, the fixing rollers forming a nip through which the web of image substrate passes to fix the ink onto the web of image substrate, and a melting device coupled to the print head to provide melted ink to the print head.

Abstract: An escort belt facilitates removal of particulate from a print zone in an ink printing machine while maintaining proper registration of printing media in the print zone. The escort belt includes an endless belt having a width between a first and a second edge of the escort belt that is greater than a media sheet carried by the escort belt, a first plurality of apertures arranged in a longitudinal line proximate one of the belt edges of the escort belt, and a second plurality of apertures distributed between the first plurality of apertures and the other edge of the escort belt, the apertures of the first plurality having a shape different from that of the second plurality of apertures and the apertures of the first aperture plurality being positioned so the apertures are only partially covered by edges of the media being held to the escort belt by a vacuum source applied to the first and the second pluralities.

Abstract: An ink umbilical provides different colors of heated ink to multiple print heads in an integrated structure. The ink umbilical includes a first plurality of ink carrying conduits mounted on one side of a heater and a second plurality of conduits mounted on a second side of the heater opposite the first side of the heater. The heater is operated to keep the ink in the conduits on each of the heater in a predetermined temperature range.

Abstract: An ink umbilical provides different colors of heated ink to multiple print heads in an integrated structure. The ink umbilical includes a first and a second plurality of conduits, each conduit in the first and the second plurality of conduits having a flat surface between a first end and a second end of the conduit, and a heater having a first side and a second side, the flat surfaces of the conduits in the first plurality of conduits being coupled to the first side of the heater and the flat surfaces of the conduits in the second plurality of conduits being coupled to the second side of the heater to enable the heater to heat ink being carried between the first and the second ends of the conduits in the first and in the second plurality of conduits.

Abstract: A print head has an array of jets to transfer ink from the print head to a printing substrate, at least one ink supply rail to provide ink, and at least one injector to deliver ink from the ink supply rail to the print head. A printer has at least one supply to provide ink, at least one print head to transfer ink onto a printing substrate, an ink supply rail to provide ink to the print head, and an injector to deliver ink from the ink supply rail to the print head. A printing system has an array of print heads, each having at least one injector, at least one ink supply rail to deliver ink to the print heads, at least one supply to supply ink to the ink supply rail, and a transport system to transport a web substrate past the array of print heads.

Abstract: An inkjet printing system controls an ink droplet mass by regulating a pressure in an ink reservoir. The printing system includes an ink reservoir, an air pressure device, an ink ejection device, and a controller. The ink reservoir is configured to contain a supply of ink and an air space above the supply of ink. The air pressure device is fluidly coupled to the air space above the supply of ink. The ink ejection device is fluidly coupled to the ink reservoir to receive ink from the supply of ink and to eject ink droplets onto an image receiving surface. The controller is coupled to the air pressure device and is configured to activate the air pressure device selectively to change a mass of the ink droplets ejected by the ink ejection device.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a source of a substantially continuous web of media, and a web transport system configured to transport the continuous web from the source along a web path having a print zone. At least one printhead arranged along the web path in the print zone and configured to deposit ink onto the web to form images. A preheating system is positioned along the web path between the source and the print zone. The preheating system includes a first heating stage and a second heating stage. The first heating stage has at least one heater configured to heat the web to an initial preheat temperature prior to reaching the second stage. The second stage includes at least one heater configured to reduce a temperature of the web from the initial preheat temperature to a target temperature for the preheating system.