Eastman-kodak Company

Timothy John Hawryschuk

Harsha Sanjeewa Bulathsinghalage

Michael Joseph Piatt

David F Tunmore

Randy Dae Vandagriff

Christopher M Muir

Randy Eugene Armbruster

Alan Earl Rapkin

W Charles Kasiske, Jr

Andrew Ciaschi

James Michael Enge

John Leonard Hryhorenko

Brad Smith

Thomas Niertit

Daniel J DeVivo

Donald Saul Rimai

Michael Platt

Inkjet printing methods are provided that deflect and guide a condensation reducing airflow between a printing module and a receiver without disrupting inkjet drop placements.

Inkjet printing with managed airflow for condensation control

Methods for operating a printing system are provided. In one method, an inkjet printhead that is positioned by a support structure is caused to emit droplets of an ink including vaporizable carrier fluid toward a target area to emit droplets according to image data and a shield is used to separate the support structure from the target area to form a first region between the support structure and the shield and a second region between the shield and the target area with the shield providing an opening between the first region and the second region to allow the inkjet printhead to jet droplets to the target area. The shield is heated to a temperature that is at least equal to a condensation temperature of the vaporized carrier fluid in the second region.

Inkjet printing system with condensation control system

Inkjet printing systems are provided. In one aspect an inkjet printing system has a plurality of inkjet printheads, a plurality of caps are provided with each cap has a thermally insulating separator that positions a shield between the face of one of the printheads and the target area for the printhead and creating a printing region between the shield and the target area and a shielded region between the face and the shield. The shield has at least one opening through the shield through which the nozzles of the printhead can jet the ink droplets to the target area. An energy source provides energy that can be applied to cause the shields to be heated.

Multi-zone condensation control system for inkjet printer

Condensation control systems are provided for use with inkjet printing systems that use a combination of higher resistance flow areas and lower resistance flow areas to allow a vaporized carrier fluid reducing airflow to flow between a printing module and a receiver during printing without creating observable artifacts in a print. Removal of the vaporized carrier fluid reduces condensation.

Condensation control system for inkjet printing system

Inkjet printing systems are provided that use a combination of higher resistance flow areas and lower resistance flow areas to allow a vaporized carrier reducing airflow to flow between a printing module and a receiver without disrupting inkjet drop placements. Removal of the vaporized carrier fluid reduces condensation.

Inkjet printing system with condensation control

Inkjet printing methods are described that create a combination of higher resistance flow areas and lower resistance flow areas to allow a vaporized carrier fluid reducing airflow to flow between a printing module and a receiver without disrupting inkjet drop placements. Removal of the vaporized carrier fluid reduces condensation.

Inkjet printing with condensation control

Methods for operating a printing system are provided. In one aspect, the methods can include causing an inkjet printhead that is positioned by a support structure to emit droplets of an ink including vaporizable carrier fluid toward a target area to emit droplets according to image data, using one of a plurality of shields to individually separate each one the plurality of printheads from the target area to form a shielded region between printhead and the shield and a printing region between the shield and the target area with the shield providing an opening between the shielded region and the printing region to allow the inkjet printhead to jet droplets to the target area, and supplying an energy to heat the shields to a temperature that is above a condensation temperature of the vaporized carrier fluid.

Multi-zone condensation control method

Inkjet printing systems are described that have deflection surfaces to guide a condensation reducing airflow between a printing module and a receiver without disrupting inkjet drop placements.

Inkjet printing system with managed condensation control airflow

Methods for operating an inkjet printing system are provided. In one method, a cross-module airflow is used to limit concentrations of an evaporated inkjet carrier fluid between barrier that is between inkjet printheads of a printing module and a receiver. In the method, inkjet droplets are printed along a first print line and a second print line as the receiver is moved past the first print line and as the receiver is moved past the second print line. A co-linear airflow that flows along with ink droplets to the receiver is also supplied. Between the first print line and the second print line the receiver is moved to create an integration area in which the cross-module airflow and co-linear airflow can integrate and flow from between the printing module and the receiver without disrupting the travel of ink droplets.

Managing condensation in an inkjet printing system with co-linear airflow

A printing system includes one or more lineheads that jet ink onto a first side of a print media. At least one roller supports a second side of the print media as the print media is transported through the printing system. A roller deformation adjustment mechanism abuts at least one roller and is configured to apply a force to the roller to deform the roller. The deformation of the roller compensates for web skew by changing the relative timing of ink flight times from the linehead to the first side of the print media. The linehead can be disposed on a movable support. The printing system can also include one or more linehead skew adjustment mechanisms configured to move the movable support to adjust a skew of the linehead.

Web skew compensation in a printing system

Inkjet printing systems are provided that use a cross-module airflow to limit condensation between a printing module and a receiver and that supply a co-linear flow of air that flows along with ink droplets toward a receiver. An integration area is created between the inkjet printhead heads, the receiver and a barrier to allow co-linear flow and cross-module flow to integrate and flow from between the printing module and the receiver without disrupting travel paths of the ink droplets.

Inkjet printing system with co-linear airflow management

Inkjet printing methods are provided that deflect and guide a condensation reducing airflow between a printing module and a receiver without disrupting inkjet drop placements and that use surface energy differences to manage any condensation that arises.

Condensation control method using surface energy management

Inkjet printing systems are provided. One inkjet printing system has a plurality of inkjet printheads, each having nozzles for jetting ink droplets having a vaporizable carrier fluid, a support structure to which the plurality of inkjet printheads are mounted, such that a face of each of the printheads of the plurality of printheads is positioned to jet the ink droplets toward a target area through which a receiver transport system moves a receiver during printing; and a shield between the support structure and the target area creating a first region between the shield and the target area with the shield having at least one opening through the shield through which the nozzles of the printhead can jet the ink droplets to the target area. An energy source supplies energy to cause the temperature of the shield to rise above a condensation temperature of vaporized carrier fluid in the second region.

Growing community of inventors

Miamisburg, OH, United States of America

Timothy John Hawryschuk