Servicing print blankets
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsAmir Kedem, Eyal Rosenwein, Rea Yakar, Shimi Nakash
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an example of the disclosure, a system to service a print blanket includes a rotatably mounted endless cleaning surface (“ECS”), a doctor blade, a heating element, and a container. The ECS is to carry a polymeric material and positioned to engage the print blanket. The doctor blade is disposed in relationship to the ECS and to a container to scrape a portion of the polymeric material from the ECS into the container. The heating element is to heat the container. The container is positioned to collect the scraped portion of polymeric material, and make heated polymeric material available to be picked up by the ECS as the ECS is rotated adjacent to the container.
Claims15
A system to service a print blanket, comprising:
- a rotatably mounted endless cleaning surface (ECS) to carry a polymeric material, wherein the ECS is positioned to engage the print blanket;
- a doctor blade contacting the ECS and connected to a container to scrape polymeric material from the ECS into the container;
- a heating element positioned to heat the container and polymeric material scraped from the ECS;
- the container, positioned to collect polymeric material and make the polymeric material that is heated available to be picked up by the ECS.
A print apparatus comprising:
- a rotatable print blanket to receive thermoplastic print agent from a photoconductive surface;
- an endless cleaning surface (ECS), disposed to rotate and to engage the print blanket, and to receive a layer of residue thermoplastic print agent from the print blanket;
- a doctor blade connected to the ECS and to a container to scrape a portion of the thermoplastic print agent from the ECS into the container;
- and
- a heating element situated to heat the container and the portion of the thermoplastic print agent scraped into the container;
- and
- the container positioned to collect the portion of thermoplastic print agent scraped by the doctor blade, and positioned to make the portion of the thermoplastic print agent heated in the container accessible to be picked up by the ECS.
A method for servicing a print blanket utilizing a thermoplastic print agent, comprising:
- causing transfer of a portion of the thermoplastic print agent from the print blanket to an endless cleaning surface (ESC) that is rotatable;
- scraping a portion of the thermoplastic print agent from the ECS with a doctor blade connected to the ECS to cause the portion of the thermoplastic print agent to move into a container;
- heating the container such that the portion of the thermoplastic print agent scraped into the container does not solidify;
- causing thermoplastic print agent heated in the container to be picked up by the ECS.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.