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.
Claims15
A cleaning system for use with a printing system, said printing system comprising an intermediate transfer member (ITM) and a guiding arrangement of the printing system configured to guide the ITM, said printing system configured to (i) print images onto a surface of said ITM, (ii) rotate said ITM so as to move said printed images, and (iii) transfer said printed images from said ITM surface to substrate, the cleaning system comprising:
- a fluid reservoir mounted within said printing system, said fluid reservoir configured to store a quantity of cleaning fluid;
- a fluid depositing arrangement disposed at at least one position along the ITM;
- and
- a control mechanism, adapted to control depositing of cleaning fluid, from said fluid depositing arrangement onto said guiding arrangement or onto at least a portion of said ITM, such that said depositing of said cleaning fluid occurs during at least one of said printing, said rotation and said transferring.
In a printing system comprising a printing station, an impression station, and an intermediate transfer member (ITM) guided by a guiding arrangement between the printing station and the impression station, a cleaning method comprising:
- providing a fluid reservoir loaded with a quantity of cleaning fluid, said fluid reservoir being mounted within said printing system,
- concurrent with at least one activity of said printing system selected from the group consisting of (i) printing ink images onto a surface of said ITM, (ii) a rotating of said ITM so as to move said printed ink images, and (iii) transferring of said printed image from said ITM surface to substrate, cleaning said guiding arrangement by deposition of said cleaning fluid onto said guiding arrangement or onto an ITM-contacting surface that is in contact with said ITM.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.