Device and method for cleaning and for regenerating an image carrier during electrographic printing or copying by using liquid ink
AssigneeOce Printing Systems GmbH
InventorsMartin Berg, Martin Schleusener, Volkhard Maess
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for cleaning an image carrier of residuals of an ink image, in which for inking the latent image on a latent image carrier, droplets are transferred from a liquid layer onto the surface of the latent image carrier by overcoming an air gap. The cleaning device is arranged at the circumference of the image carrier and removing the residual ink remaining after transfer of the image inked with a liquid ink is removed from the surface of the image carrier.
Claims60
Device for cleaning an image carrier of ink image remainders, in particular for cleaning a latent image carrier or an intermediate carrier of an electrographic printer or copier,
- in which a latent image carrier (12) is provided with a potential pattern (UP) corresponding to an image pattern to be printed,
- an applicator element (26, 26a) is provided with a layer (48, 72) of ink,
- an air gap (L) is provided between the liquid layer (48, 72) and the surface of the latent image carrier (12) that is opposed thereto,
- and in which, for inking the latent image on the latent image carrier (12), droplets (50) are transferred from the liquid layer (48, 72) onto the surface of the latent image carrier (12) by overcoming the air gap (L),
- the cleaning device being arranged at the circumference of the image carrier and removing the residual ink remaining after transfer of the image inked with a liquid ink from the surface of the image carrier (12, 14).
Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the liquid remainders still adhering to the brush (103) after it has left the bath (106) with carrier liquid, are sucked off by means of a suction device (104).
Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the remainders of the ink dissolved in the carrier liquid are reused for the printing process.
Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein it comprises a removal roller which is pressed against the surface of the image carrier and in that, following the point of contact, as viewed in the direction of rotation of the removal roller, a doctor blade for stripping off the ink accepted by the removal roller is arranged.
Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface energy of the surface of the removal roller is chosen such that between the residual ink and the surface of the removal roller an adhesion is present that is higher than the cohesion within the residual ink, and in that the cohesion within the residual ink is greater than the adhesion between the residual ink and the surface of the image carrier.
Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning station includes a cleaning fleece that is pressed against the image carrier.
Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning station includes a doctor blade that is pressed against the image carrier.
Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, for an image carrier in the form of a band, a roller or a rod is provided as a counter-bearing for the doctor blade.
Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning station includes a splash bath device that directs a jet of cleaning liquid onto the surface of the image carrier.
Device according to one the preceding claims, wherein the carrier liquid of the ink is used as a cleaning liquid.
Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning station includes a roller bath device that supplies cleaning liquid to the surface of the image carrier with the aid of a roller, which cleaning liquid dissolves the residual ink and transports it away upon rotation of the roller.
Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning station includes an air knife that strips off the residual ink.
Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning station includes a suction device that sucks off the liquid residual ink from the surface of the image carrier.
Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, as viewed in the direction of motion of the image carrier, a dissolving station is arranged before the cleaning station, said dissolving station applying a cleaning liquid to the surface of the image carrier.
Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier liquid of the ink is used as a cleaning liquid.
Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein ultrasonic energy is applied to the point of contact between the cleaning liquid and the image carrier.
Device for regenerating the surface of an image carrier, in particular for regenerating a latent image carrier or an intermediate carrier of an electrographic printer or copier,
- the device being arranged at the circumference of the image carrier (12, 14) and generating defined surface properties on the surface of the image carrier (12, 14) such that the surface accepts and again gives off a liquid ink.
Method for cleaning an image carrier of ink image remainders, in particular for cleaning a latent image carrier or an intermediate carrier of an electrographic printer or copier,
- in which a latent image carrier (12) is provided with a potential pattern (UP) corresponding to an image pattern to be printed,
- an applicator element (26, 26a) is provided with a layer (48, 72) of ink, an air gap (L) is provided between the liquid layer (48, 72) and the surface of the latent image carrier (12) that is opposed thereto,
- for inking the latent image on the latent image carrier (12), droplets (50) are transferred from the liquid layer (48, 72) onto the surface of the latent image carrier (12) by overcoming the air gap (L),
- and in which a cleaning device is arranged at the circumference of the image carrier, said cleaning device removing the residual ink remaining after transfer of the image inked with a liquid ink from the surface of the image carrier (12,14).
Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the remainders of the ink dissolved in the carrier liquid are reused for the printing process.
Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning station includes a cleaning fleece that is pressed against the image carrier.
Method for regenerating the surface of an image carrier, in particular for regenerating a latent image carrier or an intermediate carrier of an electrographic printer or copier,
- defined surface properties being generated on the surface of the image carrier such that the surface accepts and again gives off a liquid ink, by means of a regeneration device arranged at the circumference (12, 14) of the image carrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.