Abstract:
A maintenance system for maintaining a scalable printhead array comprises: a pair of tracks disposed in parallel and on opposite sides of a printhead array; a shaft extending between the tracks and configured to engage with each track to move along the tracks; a plurality of maintenance modules mounted in series along the shaft between the tracks and configured to move along the tracks with the shaft to perform maintenance operations on a plurality of printheads of the printhead array, the tracks being configured to guide the shaft and the plurality of maintenance modules along a path from a resting position to an operating position the printhead array and from which at least one of the plurality of maintenance modules performs a maintenance operation on at least one printhead of the printhead array; and an actuator configured to move the shaft along the tracks.
Abstract:
An aqueous ink printer is operated to insert media sheets from a first supply tray into a plurality of media sheets from a second tray on which ink images are being formed by the printer to absorb condensed vapors on media guides. The media sheets from the first tray are uncoated media and the media sheets from the second tray are coated media. In some embodiments, the inserted media sheets are printed with an ink image that has areas that contact the media guides with a greater ink density than other areas of the ink image that do not contact the media guides. Additionally or alternatively, the inserted media sheets are printed with an ink image that has areas that contact the media guides with an ink color that is different than an ink color used in other areas of the ink image that do not contact the media guides.
Abstract:
An inkjet printer includes a dryer configured to attenuate cockle in the substrates under the heater of the dryer and reduce ink transfer from ink images during duplex printing without adversely affecting the cooling of the substrates exiting the dryer. The dryer has at least two plenums with at least one plenum opposite a heater and at least one plenum opposite an air vent. A platen covers the plenum opposite the air vent and the platen has a plurality of protuberances arranged in a non-linear arrangement so the protuberances contact substrates being carried by a plurality of endless belts over the plenum to prevent the substrates from contacting a surface of the platen. Another platen covers the plenum opposite the heater and this platen has non-linear members on its surface to support the substrates and reduce cockle while the ink is dried by the heater.
Abstract:
A support material toner particle for use in xerographic additive manufacturing includes a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer and blend-additives including a chitosan and a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), the amount of blend-additives is selected to adjust the Tg of the PVA polymer to be within about 1° C. to about 20° C. of a desired build material toner Tg. A xerographic toner system includes a build toner material and a support toner material, the support toner material includes a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer and blend-additives including a chitosan and a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), the amount of blend-additives is selected to adjust the Tg of the PVA polymer to be within about 1° C. to about 20° C. of the build material toner Tg. A method of making a support toner material includes blending polyvinyl alcohol with blend additives including a chitosan and polyvinylpyrrolidone and forming support toner particles after the blending step.
Abstract:
3-D printers include a transfuse station having at least one roller on one side of an ITB supporting the ITB, and a transmission device on the same side of the ITB. A charge neutralizer is included on a second side of the intermediate transfer surface. The charge neutralizer outputs an opposite charge to neutralize existing static charge on a layer of the build material and the support material on the ITB, before the layer reaches the transfer station. Additionally, the intermediate transfer surface transfers the layer to a platen each time the platen contacts the second side of the intermediate transfer surface, at the transfer station, to successively form layers of the build material and the support material on the platen. Also, the transmission device outputs acoustic waves to cause the layer to move from the intermediate transfer surface to the platen, or to the layers on the platen.
Abstract:
An apparatus detects inoperative inkjets during printing of three-dimensional objects. The apparatus includes a roll of substrate that extends to a take up roller. A printhead prints a test pattern on a portion of the substrate pulled from the roll and the portion with the test pattern is moved opposite a digital camera. The digital camera generates data of the test pattern on the substrate and these data are analyzed to identify inoperative inkjets in the printhead.
Abstract:
An apparatus detects inoperative inkjets during printing of three-dimensional objects. The apparatus includes a roll of substrate that extends to a take up roller. A printhead prints a test pattern on a portion of the substrate pulled from the roll and the portion with the test pattern is moved opposite a digital camera. The digital camera generates data of the test pattern on the substrate and these data are analyzed to identify inoperative inkjets in the printhead.
Abstract:
An appartus detects inoperative inkjets during printing of three-dimensional objects. The apparatus includes an optical sensor that generates measurements of a height, a diameter, and a position for test dots formed on a substrate with material ejected from a printhead. These measurements are analyzed to detect inoperative inkjets to enable printhead maintenance at appropriate times to maintain the operational status of the inkjets in the printhead.
Abstract:
A fuser fluid composition is disclosed, including a non-fluorinated functional silicone fluid, and a non-fluorinated non-functional silicone fluid, where the non-fluorinated functional silicone fluid is present in the fuser fluid composition in an amount of from about 1 wt % to about 30 wt % based on a total weight of the fuser fluid composition, and the non-fluorinated non-functional silicone fluid is present in the fuser fluid composition in an amount of from about 50 wt % to about 99 wt % based on a total weight of the fuser fluid composition. The non-fluorinated functional silicone fluid may include an amine-functional group. A cleaning web and a fusing subsystem for a printing system may include a material impregnated with the fuser fluid composition.
Abstract:
An inkjet printer includes a dryer configured to attenuate the effects of temperature differentials arising in substrates that are caused by holes in a media transport belt and a platen covering a vacuum plenum. The dryer includes a heater, a media transport belt cooler, and a media transport belt. The media transport belt is configured to move substrates past the heater after ink images have been formed on the substrates and the media transport belt cooler is positioned to remove heat energy from the media transport belt after the media transport belt has passed the heater and the substrates have separated from the media transport belt. The substrate cooler is configured to reduce a temperature of the media transport belt to a temperature that attenuates image defects arising from temperature differentials in the media transport belt when the media transport belt is opposite the heater.