Loading patent…
AssigneeOce Printing Systems GmbH
InventorsJoachim Heinzl, Robert Link
Estimating the term…
A printer includes a printer carrier having a surface for receiving ink for transfer printing onto a carrier material, such as paper. Areas of the surface print carrier are ink attracting and other are made ink repelling. The ink repelling areas are formed by providing the surface with a layer of a substance in a solid phase, such as water in the form of ice. The ice layer repels the ink as it is applied so that the ink is only held on the surface of the print carrier at the areas that are ice free. The ice layer is formed by cooling the surface using a cooling mechanism to form a coating of frost due to condensation. A surface tension reducer for water is coated on the surface prior to cooling the surface. A laser or other radiation emitter structures to ice layer to form the print image.
Method for producing a print image on a carrier material, whereby ink-attracting and ink-repellant areas are produced on a surface of a print carrier (20, 40) in conformity with the structure of the print image to be printed,
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the print-active surface of the print carrier (40) is initially completely provided with a solid state layer, preferably an isolator;
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ice layer is charged with radiation (48) for forming the ice-free areas.
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ice-free areas are produced upon employment of heating elements.
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface of the print carrier (20, 40) is inked with ink using a roller system (12, 14, 16), whereby the ink agglomerates to the ice-free areas.
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ink print carrier (20, 40) is directly transfer-printed on the carrier material (24).
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ink, after being applied onto the surface of the print carrier (20), is initially transferred onto an intermediate carrier (22) and is transfer-printed from the latter onto the carrier material (24).
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the print carrier (20, 40) is multiply inked.
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface of the print carrier is composed of metal.
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the print carrier is composed of metallized plastic.
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a thin liquid film, preferably a water film, is produced on the surface, whereby liquid is sprayed on or is applied by rollers for producing the liquid film.
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an additive is provided for achieving a uniformly thin ice layer;
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the substance in the solid phase is ice.
Method according to one of preceding claims, characterized in that the substance in the solid phase is a parting agent.
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the substance in solid phase, preferably ice, is deposited by condensation.
Apparatus for producing a print image on a carrier material, whereby ink-attracting and ink-repellant areas are provided on a surface of a print carrier (20, 40) in conformity with the structure of the print image to be printed,
Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the print-active surface of the print carrier (40) is initially completely provided with a solid-state layer, preferably an ice layer, by employment of the cooling device (46);
Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling of the print carrier (20, 40) ensues electro-thermically, preferably upon employment of Peltier elements.
Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, for forming the ice-free areas, the ice layer is charged with radiation (48), whereby the radiation of a laser, of a laser diode, of an LED or of an LED array is employed as radiation.
Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ice-free areas are produced upon employment of heating elements.
Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface of the print carrier (20, 40) is inked with ink using a roller system (12, 14, 16).
Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ink print carrier (20, 40) can be directly transfer-printed on the carrier material (24).
Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ink, after being applied onto the surface of the print carrier (20), is first transferred onto an intermediate carrier (22) and is transfer-printed from the latter onto the carrier material (24).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.