Landa Corporation Ltd.

Eastman-kodak Company

Creo Il. Ltd.

Kodak Il. Ltd.

Vitaly Burkatovsky

Benzion Landa

Uriel Pomerantz

Tomer Goral

Kobi Goldstein

Tamir Olpak

David Aviel

Ophir Eyal

Moshe Liberman

Shay Amsili

Methods for printing using printing systems comprising a flexible intermediate transfer member (ITM) disposed around a plurality of guide rollers at which encoders are installed, and an image-forming station at which ink images are formed by droplet deposition by print bars onto the ITM, can include measuring a local velocity of the ITM under one of the print bars, determining a stretch factor for a portion of the ITM based on a relationship between an estimated stretched length fixed physical distance between print bars, controlling an ink deposition parameter according to the stretch factor so as to compensate for stretching of the reference portion of the ITM.

Digital printing system with flexible intermediate transfer member

A system includes: (a) a flexible intermediate transfer member (ITM) including multiple layers and markers including: (i) a structure engraved, in at least one of the layers, at respective marking locations along the ITM, and (ii) at least part of the structure is filled with a filling material that changes one or both of optical and magnetic properties of the ITM, the ITM includes an outer layer for receiving ink droplets, and transferring the ink image to a target substrate, (b) sensing assemblies disposed at respective predefined locations relative to the ITM, and configured to produce signals indicative of respective positions of the markers, and (c) a processor, which is configured to receive the signals, and based on the signals, to control a deposition of the ink droplets on the ITM, and the processor is configured to detect a deformation of the ITM based on the first and second signals.

Intermediate transfer member for a digital printing system

A printing system comprises an intermediate transfer member (ITM), an image forming station, a conveyer for driving rotation of the ITM, and a treatment station disposed downstream of the impression station and upstream of the image forming station configured for coating the ITM surface with a layer of a liquid treatment formulation, the treatment station comprising an applicator for applying the liquid treatment formulation to the ITM, a coating thickness-regulation assembly comprising a plurality of blades, a blade-replacement mechanism, and a blade-replacement controller for controlling the blade-replacement mechanism.

Digital printing system

A digital printing system () includes a flexible substrate (), an optical assembly () and a processor (). The flexible substrate () has a periodic pattern, and is configured to be moved and to receive ink droplets in a printing process that forms an image thereon. The optical assembly () is configured to illuminate the flexible substrate () with light (), to detect the light () from the flexible substrate (), and to derive from the detected light () a signal indicative of the periodic pattern. The processor () is configured to receive the signal and to monitor or control the digital printing system () based on the periodic pattern as indicated by the signal.

Controlling and monitoring a digital printing system by inspecting a periodic pattern of a flexible substrate

Printing apparatus () includes a continuous blanket () and a set of motorized rollers (), which advance the blanket at constant speed through an image area. Print bars () eject droplets of ink at respective locations onto the blanket in the image area. Monitoring rollers (), in proximity to the locations of the print bars, contact the blanket to be rotated by blanket advancement. Each monitoring roller includes an encoder (), which outputs a signal indicative of a rotation angle of the monitoring roller. A control unit () collects, during a calibration phase, the signal from the encoders over multiple rotations of the monitoring rollers, detects a deviation of the signal from the encoder relative to a clock signal having a predefined frequency, and computes runout correction factors. During an operational phase, the control unit applies the runout correction factors to synchronize the droplets ejection from the print bars.

Calibration of runout error in a digital printing system

Printing apparatus () includes a continuous blanket () and a set of motorized rollers (), which advance the blanket at a constant speed through an image area. One or more print bars () eject droplets of ink at respective locations onto the blanket in the image area. One or more monitoring rollers (), in proximity to the locations of the print bars, contact the blanket so as to be rotated by advancement of the blanket. Each monitoring roller includes an encoder (), which outputs a signal indicative of a rotation angle of the monitoring roller. A control unit () collects, during a calibration phase, the signal from the encoders over multiple rotations of the monitoring rollers and computes runout correction factors. During an operational phase, the control unit synchronizes ejection of the droplets from the print bars using the computed runout correction factors.

An intermediate transfer member (ITM) () configured for receiving ink droplets to form an ink image thereon and for transferring the ink image to a target substrate (), the TTM () includes one or more layers () and one or more markers () integrated with at least one of the one or more layers () at one or more respective marking locations along the ITM ().

A method for discrimination between a first () and a second surface () type based on reflectivity has a light source () that illuminates on a media surface. A photosensor () receives and measures the reflection value from the surface. A first gain element adjusts a voltage from the photosensor and a second gain element adjusts a current measurement supplied to the light source. A subtractor () for subtracting the first adjusted voltage () and the adjusted measurement () are subtracted to provide an output value close to zero with respect to the second surface and near a maximum with respect to the first surface. The adjusted reflection value and a threshold reference value () are compared () and indicates whether the first surface or the second surface is present.

Method for discriminating between objects

An apparatus for discrimination between a first () and a second surface () type based on reflectivity has a light source () that illuminates on a media surface. A photosensor () receives and measures the reflection value from the surface. A first gain element adjusts a voltage from the photosensor and a second gain element adjusts a current measurement supplied to the light source. A subtractor () for subtracting the first adjusted voltage () and the adjusted measurement () are subtracted to provide an output value close to zero with respect to the second surface and near a maximum with respect to the first surface. The adjusted reflection value and a threshold reference value () are compared () and indicates whether the first surface or the second surface is present.

Apparatus for discriminating between objects

An autofocus imaging apparatus () for three-dimensional imaging on a surface of a flexible media mounted on a cylindrical drum () includes a carriage () which moves parallel to a surface of the drum and an imaging stage () mounted on the carriage. The imaging stage includes a displacement sensor () for measuring a distance to the surface of the flexible media; imaging optics () for producing a three-dimensional image on the flexible media; and an autofocus drive () for changing a focus of the imaging optics. Encoders () provide data on the drum and carriage position. A controller () receives and processes data from the displacement sensor and the encoders. A computer () receives data from the controller, processes controller data, and transmits instructions to the controller. The controller receives computer instructions and transmits focus commands to the autofocus drive or the imaging stage.

Growing community of inventors

Rishon Lezion, Israel

Vitaly Burkatovsky