Ink splitting multi-roll cleaner for a variable data lithography system
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorChu-Heng Liu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cleaning subsystem for a variable data lithography system includes a cleaning roller train having a cleaning member in physical contact with an imaging member such that residual ink remaining on the imaging member, such as following transfer of an inked latent image from the imaging member to a substrate, adheres to the cleaning member through cohesion and is thereby removed from the imaging member. The cleaning roller train uses the ink-splitting mechanics to remove, transport and collect the ink waste. The key cleaning roller train is a thin but uniform layer of ink on the cleaning member that contacts the imaging member causing removal on the residual ink through cohesion.
Claims18
A variable data lithography system, comprising:
- an imaging member having an arbitrarily reimageable imaging surface;
- a dampening solution subsystem for applying a layer of dampening solution to the imaging surface;
- a patterning subsystem for selectively removing portions of the dampening solution layer so as to produce a latent image in the dampening solution;
- an inking subsystem for applying ink over the imaging surface such that the ink selectively occupies regions where dampening solution was removed by the patterning subsystem to thereby form an inked latent image;
- an image transfer subsystem for transferring the inked latent image to a substrate;
- and,
- a cleaning subsystem for removing residual ink from the surface of the imaging member, the cleaning subsystem comprising:
- a cleaning roller train;
- a cleaning member having on its surface a smooth and thin layer of ink and wherein the cleaning member is in physical contact with the imaging member to remove the residual ink;
- wherein cohesion between the smooth and thin layer of ink and the residual ink removes the residual ink from the imaging member;
- a transport member in physical contact with the cleaning member so as to maintain the smooth and thin layer of ink on the surface of the cleaning member at a predetermined thickness.
A cleaning subsystem for removing residual ink from a surface of an imaging member in a variable data lithography system, comprising:
- a cleaning roller train having a cleaning member with a smooth and thin layer of ink on its surface in physical contact with the imaging member;
- a transport member in physical contact with the cleaning member so as to maintain the smooth and thin layer of ink on the surface of the cleaning member at a predetermined thickness;
- wherein cohesion between the smooth and thin layer of ink and the residual ink removes the residual ink from the imaging member;
- wherein an adhesion of the residual ink to the imaging member is less than the cohesion of the residual ink to the smooth and thin layer of ink at the cleaning member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.