Abstract: A droplets drying device includes: a drying mechanism having a plurality of light sources that are arranged in a width direction of a recording medium, and dry droplets ejected onto the recording medium by emitting light toward the droplets; a moving mechanism that moves the drying mechanism in the width direction; a light shield member that is opposed to at least part of the drying mechanism being moved by the moving mechanism, and interrupts light emitted from the light sources disposed in the part, opposed to the light shield member, of the drying mechanism; and a measuring member that is disposed in a light shield region where the light shield member interrupts incoming light, and receives light emitted from each of the light sources and measures a light quantity of the light source as the measuring member is moved relative to the drying mechanism in the width direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a printing assembly which has print heads, each of which specifies application positions for printing fluid. A transport path is provided for the printing substrate through the printing assembly and is defined by at least two guide elements of the printing assembly. A printing section of the transport path begins at a first application position and ends at a last application position. At least one of the guide elements is in contact with a total of at least two lateral support elements and with at least one inner support element at three points that are spaced from one another in a transverse direction, the position of that guide element being thereby defined. The inner support element is arranged such that it is or can be rigidly connected to at least one of the lateral support elements.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided and includes: a head that ejects ink onto a medium; a driver that relatively moves the positions of the head and the medium; a cover member that is positioned on the downstream side from the head in the movement direction of the medium relative to the head, so as to cover at least a portion of the medium; an air blowing fan that sends a drying air flow for drying ink ejected on the medium, into a gap between the medium and the cover member; and a cord type heater that heats at least one of the drying air flow and a preliminary air which is the previous stage of the drying air flow. An air-flow-direction changing wall part is provided so as to change the flow direction of the preliminary air which is the previous stage of the drying air flow, at least once.

Abstract: In a printing apparatus, ink mist resulting from ink discharge is suctioned by a fan and moves along a flow path (recovery path) formed by alternating ribs in a recovery unit, and the ribs have a width becoming increasingly smaller as a downstream side of the flow path (recovery path) is approached.

Abstract: An irradiation device includes: an irradiation unit that irradiates a target with light; at least one component that is arranged in an advancing direction of light reflected by the target; and a light blocking unit that is arranged between the target and the at least one component in the advancing direction and blocks the reflected light.

Abstract: A LED illumination source may include one or a plurality of LED illumination modules, each LED illumination module comprising a plurality of LED clusters, wherein each LED cluster comprises a LED array which is rotated by an angle of rotation with respect to an axis which is parallel to a predefined direction of sweep.

Abstract: An ink jet recording method according to the invention includes attaching a reaction liquid including a reactant for aggregating or thickening a coloring ink component including a coloring material to a recording medium; attaching the coloring ink by an ink jet method to an area where the reaction liquid is attached, in a state where a residual rate of a volatile component of the reaction liquid attached on the recording medium is 25% by mass or more after attaching of the reaction liquid; and attaching a clear ink including a resin to the area where the coloring ink is attached.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing the laminated film that is BSPC (Back Side Printable Clear) and has excellent interlayer adhesion. The method involves a first UV curing step and a second UV curing step and the laminated film includes a transparent film layer, a UV curable ink layer, and an adhesive layer. The first UV curing step includes disposing the UV curable ink layer on the transparent film layer and partially curing the UV curable ink layer by performing a first UV irradiation. The second UV curing step includes disposing the adhesive layer on a surface of the UV curable ink layer opposite the transparent film layer, and further curing the UV curable ink layer by performing a second UV irradiation.

Abstract: A method for setting a voltage applied to a head in an ink jet printer including the head that discharges ink according to an applied voltage includes a step of forming a test pattern on a medium by the ink discharged from the head, a step of measuring a film thickness of the test pattern, and a step of setting a voltage to be applied to the head based on the measured film thickness.

Abstract: Curing apparatus, image forming apparatus and articles of manufacture are disclosed. An example curing apparatus includes a curing unit to heat an area adjacent a substrate travel path, the curing unit having a width less than a width of the substrate travel path, and a controller to reciprocate the curing unit within the substrate width.

Abstract: A composition includes a reversible polymer material, which can reversibly transition between a liquid state and a solid state by reversible cycloaddition reactions, wherein upon cooling, the reversible polymer material transitions from a liquid state to a solid state by reversible cycloaddition reactions, and a radical scavenger.

Abstract: A convection dryer device is disclosed. The convection dryer uses a first fan speed before the leading edge of media reaches a first location in a drying area and a second fan speed, faster than the first fan speed, after the leading edge of media reaches first location.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for forming images comprising Braille, raised print, regular print, or a combination is described. The architecture for the printing of Braille dots using marking material such as UV gel ink. The UV gel ink is deposited on a drum that has an array of closely packed raised features like mesas that are cup-shaped. The mesas on drum are filled with the UV gel ink and transferred to paper or another substrate. Partial curing can occur on the drum and the dots can be fully cured after transfer to the substrate. The mesas are shaped so that the dots take on a final shape consistent with usual Braille features.

Abstract: A belt conveyance apparatus includes a plurality of support rollers, an endless belt, a regulation portion configured to regulate a shift of the endless belt in a width direction, a regulation receiving member configured to contact the regulation portion to receive a regulation force by the regulation portion, and support members disposed on an upstream side, in a conveyance direction of the endless belt, of the support rollers provided with the regulation portion to oppose each other on an inner peripheral surface side and an outer peripheral surface side of the end portion side of the endless belt in the width direction, and configured to regulate a position of the regulation receiving member when the regulation receiving member enters a contact portion with the regulation portion.

Abstract: Provided is an ink jet recording method including: discharging an ultraviolet ray-curable ink, which has a viscosity at 20° C. of 25 mPa·s or less and an average equivalent of polymerizable unsaturated double bond of 100 to 150, from a head onto a recording medium at a discharge temperature of 30° C. to 40° C.; and irradiating the ultraviolet ray-curable ink, attached onto the recording medium, with ultraviolet rays emitted from a light source to cure the ultraviolet ray-curable ink.

Abstract: Provided is an ink jet recording method including: discharging an ultraviolet ray-curable ink, which has a viscosity at 20° C. of 25 mPa·s or less and an average equivalent of polymerizable unsaturated double bond of 100 to 150, from a head onto a recording medium at a discharge temperature of 30° C. to 40° C.; and irradiating the ultraviolet ray-curable ink, attached onto the recording medium, with ultraviolet rays emitted from a light source to cure the ultraviolet ray-curable ink.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a radiation curable ink composition comprising a gellant. The present invention further relates to an ink set comprising such ink composition. The present invention further relates to a method for making such ink composition and a printing method using such ink composition.

Abstract: The object is to suitably satisfy a condition for preventing smearing of a printed object and a condition for endowing glossiness to the printed object. As a solution therefor, a plurality of inkjet heads (12y, 12m, 12c, 12k), a print heater (104) being a medium heating heater, and a sub-scan driving unit (16) being an opposing position changing unit that sequentially causes each of positions in a medium (50) in a moving direction of the medium (50) to oppose the respective inkjet heads (12y, 12m, 12c, 12k) are provided, where ink is ink containing solvent and is fixed onto the medium (50) by the solvent being dried, and the print heater (104) dries the ink that has been discharged from one of the inkjet heads and struck onto the medium before another inkjet head further discharges an ink droplet onto a struck position of the ink.

Abstract: The ink jet recording method according to the present invention includes attaching a resin liquid including a resin to a recording medium; attaching a reaction liquid including a reactant for aggregating or thickening a coloring ink component having a coloring material to an area where the resin liquid is attached; attaching the coloring ink to an area where the reaction liquid is attached by an ink jet method; and attaching a clear ink including a resin.

Abstract: The ink jet recording apparatus includes: transport means that transports paper having a recording surface, on which an image is formed using an aqueous ink, along a transport path; heating means that is provided along the transport path; guide means that is provided along the transport path and supports the paper using a guide surface having suction holes; and suction means that suctions the paper through the suction holes of the guide surface, a suction region and a non-suction region are set when the paper is transported, the suction region in which the paper is suctioned by the suction means is set upstream of a first position of the transport path, the non-suction region is set downstream of the first position, and the first position is set at a position in which a residual water content in the paper is 1.0 g/m2 to 3.0 g/m2.

Abstract: A droplet drying device includes a plurality of light emitting devices arranged in a two-dimensional manner to irradiate droplets with light to dry the droplets, the droplets being ejected on a recording medium by an ejection unit, a regular irradiation capability portion provided in a region corresponding to an image forming region of the recording medium where an image is formed, the regular irradiation capability portion having a predetermined light irradiation capability, and a low irradiation capability portion provided in a region corresponding to a region of the recording medium set to have a lower image-forming density than the image forming region, a light irradiation capability of the low irradiation capability portion being lower than the predetermined light irradiation capability.

Abstract: A decorating machine particularly for the decoration of ceramic products, and a method for realizing a belt for decorating said ceramic products, wherein the machine comprises: a closed loop belt (3) for the transfer of a decoration (9) on a receiving surface (11) of a ceramic product; a plurality of conveyor rollers (2) about which said belt (3) is wound and moved in rotation; at least one of said conveyor rollers (2) comprises a central portion (12) and two end portions (14) opposite one another, at least one of said end portions (14) being free in rotation with respect to the other said portions (12, 14).

Abstract: A ribbon roll held by a ribbon holder comprises a cylindrical member, an ink ribbon wound around the cylindrical member and a data holding section which is arranged on surface of the cylindrical member and has plural areas where identification codes indicating information relating to the ink ribbon are recorded A driver rotates the cylindrical member held by the ribbon holding section. A detector detects components of the identification code and the mark from a position facing the data holding section of the ribbon roll held by the ribbon holder. A rotation controller enables the driver to rotate the cylindrical member to an extent to which the detector can detect the identification code. A reading controller carries out reading of the identification code by taking the mark as a reference from the components detected by the detector in synchronization with the rotation by the rotation controller.

Abstract: An ink jet recording method includes discharging a ultraviolet curable ink of which viscosity is 7 mPa·s or more at 20° C. from a head toward a recording medium, and curing the ultraviolet curable ink adhered to the recording medium, wherein, in the discharging, the temperature of the ultraviolet curable ink discharged is 20 to 30° C., and the viscosity of the ultraviolet curable ink at the temperature is 13 mPa·s or less.

Abstract: In an inkjet recording head comprising a substrate including an energy-generating element that generates energy for ejecting a liquid, an ejection port for ejecting the liquid, and a liquid flow passage communicating with the ejection port, a liquid-repellent layer is formed on a surface of a member for forming the ejection port, and a liquid-repellent region and a liquid-nonrepellent region are formed on the same surface of the liquid-repellent layer by irradiating a part of the liquid-repellent layer with light including a wavelength decomposing the liquid-repellent component in the liquid-repellent layer.

Abstract: An ultraviolet-curable liquid developer contains a cationically polymerizable liquid monomer, a photoinitiator, and a toner particle insoluble in the cationically polymerizable liquid monomer. The cationically polymerizable liquid monomer is a vinyl ether compound, and the photoinitiator is a compound having a particular structure.

Abstract: A printing process for printing an ink pattern on a substrate is provided. The ink pattern to be printed is based on an available pattern layout. The pattern layout defines a desired layout of the ink pattern to be printed. Based on the pattern layout an input image for allocating dot positions of the ink pattern is generated. The printing process includes a step of comparing a scan image with the input image to carry out a quality inspection to detect any print defects in the printed ink pattern. The printing process includes a step of providing a decision on an approval or a rejection of the printed ink pattern. In case of an approval, the substrate can be supplied to a subsequent processing station to finalize the substrate. In case of a rejection, the substrate including print defects can be recycled.

Abstract: A printer that includes a motor assembly for moving a print head relative to a medium, and a processor for receiving a data structure for a pixel to be printed on the medium. The data structure includes perception data and classification data for the pixel. The processor adjusts at least one printing parameter of the printer based upon the classification data.

Abstract: A process for using an inkjet printer to apply translucent inks for producing a pseudo-metallic visual effect on a substrate is disclosed. The process uses a matte printing technique that results in a metallic appearance when applied to various substrates, such as commercial plastic cards. The resulting card product is also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosure appropriately performs high-quality printing in a case of using ultraviolet curing ink in a serial type inkjet printer. As a solution, a printing apparatus for performing printing in an inkjet mode by a multi-pass scheme includes: inkjet heads, a temporarily hardening light source, a fully hardening light source, and a controller configured to serve as a pixel selector, wherein the temporarily hardening light source radiates ultraviolet light whenever a predetermined number of main scan operations are performed, and the fully hardening light source radiates ultraviolet light after main scan operations of all printing passes finish.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drying section, a cooling section, and an exhaust section. The drying section dries a recording medium on which an image is formed. The cooling section cools the recording medium dried by the drying section. The exhaust section exhausts air from the drying section and the cooling section through an exhaust port. The exhaust section includes a plurality of flow path determiners disposed on opposing walls of the exhaust section, to form an air flow path from the drying section to the exhaust port. The plurality of flow path determiners alternately projects from the opposing walls.

Abstract: According to an example, an apparatus may include a controller and a non-transitory computer readable medium on which is stored instructions. The instructions may cause the controller to predict that a user is to instruct a printing device to perform a printing operation, in which the printing device includes a dryer, identify the user in response to the prediction, to access a user profile corresponding to the identified user, in which the accessed profile identifies a type of document that the identified user typically prints, and to adjust a setting of the dryer according to the identified type of document in the accessed profile.

Abstract: An ink jet recording method includes layer forming which includes image recording which records an image by discharging an ink composition which contains water and coloring materials on a recording surface of a recording medium having low absorbency or non-absorbency to ink, and protective layer forming which forms a protective layer on the image by discharging a clear ink composition which contains resin particles and substantially does not contain a coloring material; and heating and drying which includes first heating which heats the recording surface at a glass transition temperature or more of the resin particles after the layer forming, and first drying which performs ventilation while heating the recording surface at a heating temperature or less of the recording surface in the first heating after the first heating, in which the drying time in the first drying is two times or more the heating time in the first heating.

Abstract: There are provided an active energy ray-curable composition containing a polymerizable compound represented by General Formula (1), a polymerizable compound represented by General Formula (2), and a photopolymerization initiator, and an ink composition for inkjet recording use. CH2?CR1—CO—O—R2—O—CH?CH—R3??(1) (In Formula (1), R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R2 represents an organic residue having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, and R3 represents a hydrogen atom or an organic residue having 1 to 11 carbon atoms.) (In Formula (2), each of R4 and R5 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, each of R6a, R6b, and R6c independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or an alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and m+n represents an integer of 0 to 4.).

Abstract: When fixing is not necessary in a printing apparatus including a fixing unit, a sheet to be conveyed is allowed to avoid the fixing unit. Specifically, a fixing unit-bypass path is provided on a conveying path corresponding to the fixing unit. Further, when a surface treatment material is not applied to a sheet from a surface treatment material applying head, that is, when fixing processing is not performed by the fixing unit, a sheet is conveyed along a fixing unit-bypass path. Since a sheet is conveyed along an bypass path when fixing processing is not performed as described above, it is possible to prevent a sheet from being affected by heat or the like while the sheet passes through the fixing unit.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording section which performs recording by discharging ink on paper, a transport belt which is able to transport the paper by rotating, a charging roller which charges the transport belt, a cleaning unit which moves the charging roller between a contact position that is a position at which the charging roller is brought into contact with the transport belt and a separation position which is a position that is separated from the transport belt more than the contact position, and a dirt estimation section which estimates dirt on the transport belt, in which the cleaning unit moves the charging roller from the contact position to the separation position in a case where the dirt estimation section estimates that the transport belt is dirty.

Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus (10, 10?, 10?, 100, 100?) for printing ultraviolet (UV) curable ink (12) includes a printhead assembly (26) for printing the UV curable ink (12) on a substrate (14); a UV radiation source (20) for pinning the UV curable ink (12) printed on the surface of the substrate (14); a liquid coating unit (22) for dispensing a liquid coating (16) on the printed and pinned UV curable ink (12, 12?); and an ink curing unit (28) for fully curing the printed, pinned, and coated UV curable ink (12, 12?). The liquid coating (16) prevents contact between atmospheric oxygen and the printed and pinned UV curable ink (12, 12?).

Abstract: A printing system includes a media transport device to move a medium at a speed ranging from about 15.24 mpm to about 609.6 mpm. The system includes an ink applicator to apply ink on the medium, and a treatment applicator to apply a treatment composition (including liquid vehicle, polyvalent metal salt fixing agent, and latex resin having an acid number less than 20) before or after the ink is applied, to form a printed-on medium. The system further includes a heating system programmed to: i) dry the printed-on medium at a predetermined temperature for a reduced dwell time (from about 1 second to about 40 seconds); and ii) leave residual moisture in the printed-on medium for a predetermined time after the reduced dwell time. The residual moisture is at a level that is higher than an initial moisture content of the medium prior to treatment composition and ink application.

Abstract: A post-processing liquid application device includes an ejecting head that ejects a post-processing liquid in a specific ejection pattern on a recording medium after ink has been attached thereto to form a character and/or an image based on image information, and a control unit that selects the specific ejection pattern based on a coverage rate calculated from the image information. When the coverage rate is low, the control unit selects a first ejection pattern for ejecting the post-processing liquid on a printed portion of a print region of the recording medium or ejecting the post-processing liquid on the printed portion and a surrounding portion thereof. When the coverage rate is high, the control unit selects a second ejection pattern for ejecting the post-processing liquid over the entire surface of the print region of the recording medium.

Abstract: An ink includes pigment particles, polymer particles in such an amount that a total volume thereof is from 0.3 to 1.6 when a total volume of the pigment particles is taken as 1, water, and an aqueous organic solvent.

Abstract: drawing apparatus including a drawing head on which at least one drawing tool is mounted, the drawing tool applying a drawing on a drawing subject; and an illumination device comprising at least one light source configured to radiate light on an area of the drawing subject where the drawing is applied. The drawing tool includes a first drawing tool that applies the drawing by using a first type ink which is colorless ink or a specific color ink which has substantially the same color as the drawing subject, and a second drawing tool that applies the drawing by using a second type ink different from the first type ink. In case where the drawing on a first drawn area of the drawing subject is applied by the first drawing tool, the imaging unit acquired the subject image by imaging the first drawn area where the light radiated from the light source is specularly reflected.

Abstract: An apparatus for the printing and radiation treatment of a curved surface of an object, such as a body part, includes a printing unit, preferably an inkjet print head, a radiation unit, preferably a UV dryer, and a movement unit, preferably a robot, either for moving the printing unit and the radiation unit at a working distance along the surface or for moving the object at a working distance along the printing unit and the radiation unit. A shielding unit can be adjusted and/or deformed relative to the printing unit and/or relative to the radiation unit and during the printing. Scattered radiation is shielded and damage to the printing unit is prevented as a result of the special configuration of the shielding unit.

Abstract: An apparatus including a control cylinder rotatably supported for thermal conduction to a sheet. The sheet conveys ink deposited on a first side. The sheet is held against a peripheral arch of the control cylinder as it rotates with the first side of the sheet directly engaging and wrapping around the control cylinder along the peripheral arch. The apparatus also includes a thermal control element for heating and/or cooling the control cylinder. The apparatus also includes a pressure roll for spreading the ink. The pressure roll with the control cylinder forms a spreader nip, which is selectively changeable between a closed and open position. In the closed position the pressure roll is biased toward the control cylinder for applying pressure to the ink on the sheet. The pressure roll is spaced further away from the control cylinder in the open position relative to the closed position.

Abstract: A medium drying device for drying a medium that is transported, the medium drying device includes a medium drying section that evaporates liquid attached to the medium; a first recovery chamber into which gas containing vapor generated by the evaporation enters; a second recovery chamber into which gas within the first recovery chamber flows; a pressure increasing section that makes the first recovery chamber be in a high pressure state to liquefy vapor by increasing a pressure within the first recovery chamber; a liquid separation section that is provided between the first recovery chamber and the second recovery chamber, and transmits gas to the second recovery chamber after separating liquid generated by the liquefaction; and a blowing section that blows dried gas within the second recovery chamber onto a surface of the medium to which the liquid is attached.

Abstract: A light irradiation device includes: a UV irradiation unit that applies light to UV ink having been applied onto a medium; and a moving unit that moves a relative position of the medium and the UV irradiation unit in the Z-axis direction; wherein the UV irradiation unit includes, a light source row formed by arranging plural light emitting diodes (LED), irradiation intensity of which falls within a first range, in the Y-axis direction orthogonal to the Z-axis direction; and another light source row located next to the light source row and formed by arranging plural LEDs, irradiation intensity of which falls within a second range, in the Y-axis direction.

Abstract: An inkjet ink contains water, a hydrosoluble organic solvent, a pigment, polyvinyl pyrolidone, and a copolymer, wherein the copolymer contains a structure unit represented by Chemical formula 1, where R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R2 is an alkyl group having one to four carbon atoms, M1+, M2+, M3+, and M4+ each, independently represent protons, alkali metal ions, or organic ammonium ions, and a structure unit represented by Chemical formula 2, where R3 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, a structure unit represented by Chemical formula 3, where R4 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, or a structure unit represented by Chemical formula 4, where R5 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group.

Abstract: The ink jet recording method includes discharging liquid droplets of a photocurable ink composition including a solvent, a polymerizable compound, and a photopolymerization initiator from a head to a recording medium to land the liquid droplets, thereby forming an image; evaporating the solvent included in the photocurable ink composition constituting the image; and irradiating the image after the second step with light, wherein when the irradiation is initiated in the third step, the content of the polymerizable compound included in the photocurable ink composition constituting the image after the second step is from 20 to 90% by mass, based on the total mass of the ink composition.

Abstract: Provided is a photocurable ink composition for inkjet printing which is favorably cured with light from a light-emitting diode (LED), favorably adheres to a polyvinyl chloride sheet such as a tarpaulin and a vinyl chloride resin sheet, suppresses the occurrence of cockling, and has both safety and favorable ejection stability at room temperature when ejected from an inkjet head for low-viscosity ink, and a printed material. The present invention is a photocurable ink composition for inkjet printing containing photopolymerizable compounds and a photopolymerization initiator. The photopolymerizable compounds are vinyloxyethoxyethyl acrylate and benzyl acrylate, and contained in specific amounts. The photopolymerization initiator is a compound that expresses an initiator function when irradiated with light having a wavelength within the range of 450 to 300 nm. The photocurable ink composition has a flash point of 70° C. or higher and a viscosity at 25° C.

Abstract: A method for applying an image onto a receiving medium uses an ultraviolet curable phase change ink. The method includes the steps of pre-curing the ultraviolet curable ink and post-curing the ultraviolet curable ink. An ink jet apparatus is configured to perform the above mentioned method.

Abstract: A self-propelled off-road agricultural vehicle such as a product applicator is provided with a system for torque control at shift points. The self-propelled applicator has a drivetrain configured with two power levels of its engine. One power level limits engine power output to a value at or below a shifting-state clutch rating of the transmission to protect the transmission while shifting. The second power level allows engine power to exceed a shifting-state clutch rating of the transmission when the transmission is not shifting.