Xerox Corporation

Xeroc Corporation

Daniel James McVeigh

Anthony Salvatore Condello

Michael F Leo

Wayne A Buchar

Brendan C Casey

Santokh Singh Badesha

Paul J McConville

Augusto E Barton

Faming Li

Chu-Heng Liu

Jeffrey J Folkins

Jason Mathew LeFevre

David A VanKouwenberg

Donald M Bott

Christopher G Lynn

James Michael Chappell

Barry Paul Mandel

Linn C Hoover

Paul Michael Fromm

Peter M Gulvin

Varun Sambhy

Steven Matthew Russel

Joseph M Ferrara, Jr

Nicholas P Kladias

Jeffrey Nyyssonen Swing

Ruddy Castillo

James Padula

Bryan C Winkelman

Jeremy Christopher deJong

Mansour Messalti

Jason Hang

A printer includes a spindle that rotates a fibrous object opposite a plurality of printheads while a forced air heater directs heated air toward the surface of the fibrous object. The plurality of printheads eject drops of solid ink onto the surface of the fibrous object to form a solid ink image on the fibrous object and the heated air affixes the solid ink image to the surface of the fibrous object without requiring pressure to affix the solid ink image to the fibrous object.

System for directly printing fibrous objects with solid ink images

A system prints solid ink images on fibrous objects. The controller of the system is configured to operate a first motor to move an object rotating subsystem to and from a position opposite a plurality of printheads, to operate a second motor to rotate an object on a spindle of the object rotating subsystem at the position opposite the plurality of printheads, to operate a forced air heater to direct heated air onto a surface of the object as the object rotates at the position opposite the plurality of printheads, and to operate the plurality of printheads to eject a solid ink marking material onto the heated surface of the object as the object rotates in the first and/or second rotational direction. The solid ink image is affixed to the object by the heating of the object surface alone.

System and method for producing an image on an article

A system for printing images on an object, the system including, a housing, a rod driven by a first motor, an object rotating subsystem positioned about the rod and arranged for reciprocal movement, an object rotating subsystem that includes a spindle and a second motor connected to the spindle and configured to rotate the object in a first rotational direction or a second rotational direction. The system further including a vacuum source connected to the spindle, a plurality of printheads, a curing lamp, and a controller connected to the plurality of printheads, the first motor, the second motor, the curing lamp, the controller configured to operate the first motor, the second motor, the plurality of printheads, and the curing lamp, wherein the plurality of printheads are configured to eject a first marking material onto the object and the second motor rotates the object in the first or second rotational direction.

A printer includes a conveyor that feeds objects from a stack of nested objects to the printer. The conveyor includes a member having protuberances that extend from the member to hold the lips of objects in the stack except for the object closest to the printheads in the printer. A spindle mounted to a member is moved to be within an orifice of the object closest to the printheads to engage that object and pull it from the stack. The spindle rotates to facilitate the printing of the object. After the object is printed, it is released from the spindle and gravity directs the printed object along a ramp to an opening in the printer for collection.

System for conveying objects from a nested stack of objects to a printer for printing

An aqueous inkjet printer is configured to reduce condensation of vapor on printhead faces. The printer includes air directing members between adjacent printheads in a process direction and an air mover pneumatically connected to the air directing members. The air mover is operated selectively to remove vapor in the air between adjacent printheads as an ink image is formed on an image receiving surface moves past the adjacent printheads.

System and method for reducing condensation on printheads in a print zone within an aqueous inkjet printer

A printer comprises an applicator, a primer dryer, a plurality of printheads, an auxiliary dryer configured to at least partially dry ink ejected by the plurality of printheads, a main dryer configured to dry ink ejected by the plurality of printheads, a media transport configured to move media past each of these components, and a controller. The controller operates the applicator to apply a predetermined amount of primer to a surface of media, the primer dryer at a predetermined temperature to dry the primer, the plurality of printheads to eject ink to the surface of media, the auxiliary dryer at a predetermined temperature to at least partially dry the ink ejected by the printheads to control the spread of ink, and the main dryer to dry the ink image. The controller uses a plurality of set points corresponding to printing process parameters identified for each print job.

Ink and media treatment to affect ink spread on media treated with primer in an inkjet printer

A functional amine release agent displaying reduced coefficient of friction as compared to standard silicone oils, the release agent comprising a polydimethylsiloxane oil and a functional amine selected from the group consisting of pendant propylamines and pendant N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl; wherein the concentration of functional amine to polydimethylsiloxane oil is approximately less than 0.0006 meq/g. According to certain embodiments, the functional amine release agent is operable to impart a coefficient of friction of about 0.3 or more to the print media, resulting in improved finishing and converting equipment interaction.

Release agent composition for solid inkjet imaging systems for improved coefficient of friction

An inkjet printer includes a blower that directs heated air flow towards a layer of a hydrophilic composition on an image receiving surface. A controller regulates the operation of the blower with reference to image data of ink drops on an image receiving member to control a dryness level of the hydrophilic composition layer.

Indirect inkjet printer and blower for treatment of a hydrophilic layer on an image receiving surface in the indirect inkjet printer

In an inkjet printer, a low surface energy material is applied to a printhead face and a drip bib during a printhead maintenance operation. The low surface energy material forms a thin layer on the printhead face and drip bib to resist adhesion of ink to the printhead. The low surface energy material can be a layer of silicone oil.

Methods for in situ applications of low surface energy materials to printer components

A fuser assembly stepped power control system includes a controller that outputs control signals to independently control individual lamps in the fuser assembly. Multiple lamps are turned on with a delay between actuation of each lamp to reduce in-rush current. Control signals are output by the controller as a function of temperature error.

Methods, apparatus, and systems for fuser assembly power control

A stripper blade system has been developed for high throughput inkjet printers. The stripper blade system includes a metallic blade having a leading edge that is less than 0.06 mm in thickness, a blade holder to which the metallic blade is mounted, and an actuator that is associated with the blade holder to move the metallic blade into and out of contact with an intermediate imaging member.

System and method for stripping media from an offset imaging member in an inkjet printer

An apparatus () and method () that controls the rate of movement of a fusing belt in a printing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus can include a fusing belt () and at least one fusing belt support roller (), where the fusing belt can be entrained on the fusing belt support roller. The fusing belt support roller can have an axis of rotation (). The apparatus can include a pressure roller () that contacts the fusing belt to form a fusing nip (). The pressure roller and the fusing belt can be configured to fuse an image on a media sheet () in the fusing nip. The apparatus can include a belt position changing mechanism () coupled to the fusing belt. The belt position changing mechanism can be configured to move the fusing belt axially relative to the fusing belt support roller axis of rotation. The apparatus can include a belt position changing control module () coupled to the belt position changing mechanism. The belt position changing control module can be configured to adaptively control a rate of the axial movement of the fusing belt.

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Webster, NY, United States of America

Daniel James McVeigh