Friction reduction system and method
AssigneeLanda Corporation Ltd.
InventorsHelena Chechik, Shoham Livaderu, Matan Bar-On, Zohar Goldenstein
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Abstract
A friction reduction system for reducing friction of an intermediate transfer member (ITM) of a printing system, while the ITM is guided along the printing system by a guiding arrangement. The friction reduction system includes a fluid reservoir mounted within the printing system, a fluid depositing arrangement disposed along the ITM, and a control mechanism, adapted to control depositing of fluid, from the fluid depositing arrangement onto the guiding arrangement or onto at least a portion of the ITM. Depositing of the fluid reduces friction between the ITM and the guiding arrangement.
Claims20
A printing system comprising:
- an intermediate transfer member (ITM) formed as an endless belt;
- an image forming station for printing an ink-image on an outer surface of said ITM;
- an impression station at which an ink residue film, which is produced by drying of said ink image, is transferred to a substrate;
- and
- a friction reduction system for depositing a fluid onto at least a portion of said ITM or onto of an ITM-contracting surface that is in contact with said ITM, wherein said printing system is configured such that;
- (i) rotation of said ITM moves said ink image away from said image forming station;
- (ii) said ITM-contacting surface guides said ITM during said rotation;
- (iii) said depositing of said fluid reduces friction between said ITM and said ITM-contracting surface;
- and
- (iv) said depositing of said fluid is performed by friction reduction system during at least one of said printing, said rotation, and said transferring.
A method of printing an image onto a substrate in a printing system including an intermediate transfer member (ITM), an ITM-contacting surface that is in contact with said ITM, a printing station and an impression station, the method comprising:
- ink-jet printing an image onto a surface of said ITM;
- rotating said ITM to move said image from the printing station to the impression station;
- transferring said image from said surface of said ITM onto the substrate;
- and
- during at least one of said printing, said rotating, and said transferring, depositing a fluid onto at least a portion of said ITM or onto said ITM-contacting surface that is in contact with said ITM, wherein said depositing of said fluid reduces friction between said ITM and said ITM-contacting surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.