Fountain solution imaging and transfer using electrophoresis

A method for delivering fountain solution onto a target having a charge-retentive surface bearing an electrostatic charged pattern of charged regions thereon, comprising:

• a) supplying fountain solution to a textured compliant surface layer of a fountain solution transfer member, the textured compliant surface layer having lands at a top surface thereof and dimples therein having a volume configured to receive and carry the fountain solution, the fountain solution transfer member including the textured compliant surface layer wrapped around a conductive layer with the textured compliant surface layer having a first depth from the lands to the conductive layer, the conductive layer have an electric potential between electric potentials of the charged regions of the electrostatic charged pattern and undercharged regions of the charge-retentive surface other than the charged regions, the undercharge regions including discharged and uncharged regions of the charge-retentive surface;
• b) metering fountain solution quantity into the dimples to less than the volume of the dimples leaving gaps in the dimples between the fountain solution and the top surface;
• c) charging the textured compliant surface layer and the fountain solution in the dimples;
• d) rotating the lands of the textured compliant surface adjacent the charge retentive surface bearing the electrostatic charged pattern of charged regions thereon;
• and
• e) electrophoretically pulling the charged fountain solution in the dimples across the gaps to wet the charge retentive surface via electrostatic forces and forming a patterned fountain solution latent image on the charge-retentive surface based on the electrostatic charged pattern.

A fountain solution delivery device for delivering fountain solution onto a target having a charge-retentive surface bearing an electrostatic charged pattern of charged regions thereon, the delivery device comprising:

• a fountain solution transfer member including a textured compliant surface layer of a first depth wrapped around a conductive layer, the textured compliant surface layer having lands at a top surface thereof and dimples therein configured to receive and carry the fountain solution, the conductive layer having an electric potential between electric potentials of the charged regions of the electrostatic charged pattern and undercharged regions of the charge-retentive surface other than the charged regions, the undercharge regions including discharged and uncharged regions of the charge-retentive surface, each dimple having a volume;
• and
• a metering member in contact with the fountain solution transfer member, the metering member configured to meter fountain solution quantity in the dimples to less than the volume of the dimples leaving gaps in the dimples between the fountain solution and the top surface;
• a charging device configured to charge the textured compliant surface layer of the fountain solution transfer member;
• wherein the lands of the textured compliant surface are rotated adjacent the charge retentive surface bearing the electrostatic charged pattern of charged regions thereon, and one of the charged regions and the undercharge regions of the charge retentive surface electrophoretically pulls the fountain solution in the dimples across the gaps to wet the charge retentive surface and form a patterned fountain solution latent image on the charge-retentive surface based on the electrostatic charged pattern.