Printer having a print wire with alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas to form droplets for printing inks

A method of digital printing to form a pattern on a substrate, comprising:

• providing at least one paint injector, the at least one paint injector having a wheel rotatable by a shaft of a motor, an idler at least partially disposed in ink contained in a reservoir, and a wire-like member disposed at least partially around the wheel and the idler, wherein the wire-like member has alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas on a least a portion of an exterior surface of the wire-like member;
• advancing the wire-like member with the motor to apply a coating of the ink to the wire-like member;
• electronically controlling the position of the at least one paint injector relative to the surface and electronically controlling advancement of the wire-like member through the fluid stream;
• and
• directing the fluid stream at the coated portion of the wire-like member, while controlling the position of the paint injector and the advancement of the wire-like member, thereby removing at least a portion of the ink from an exterior of the wire-like member and depositing it onto a substrate to form a pattern on the substrate.

An apparatus for digitally printing a pattern on a substrate, comprising:

• a support structure;
• a carriage associated with and movable in at least one direction relative to the support structure;
• an ink injector secured to the carriage, the ink injector comprising:
• a motor having a rotatable shaft;
• a wheel rotatable by the shaft of the motor;
• an idler;
• and
• an elongate segment disposed around at least a portion of the wheel and a portion of the idler and advanceable by the wheel, the elongate segment having alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas on a least a portion of an exterior surface of the elongate segment and has a quantity of ink coated onto at least a portion of the elongate segment;
• at least one fluid nozzle positioned and oriented for directing a jet of fluid toward the at least a portion of the elongate segment to remove an amount of the ink from the elongate segment and direct the amount toward a surface of a substrate to form a pattern on the substrate;
• and
• a controller electronically connected to the motor for controlling rotation of the wheel and for controlling the position of the carriage relative to the support structure.

An apparatus for forming a pattern on a substrate, comprising:

• an electronically controllable drive mechanism;
• a structure associated with the drive mechanism and movable thereby, wherein at least a portion of an exterior surface of the structure has alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas;
• an ink supply in communication with the structure for depositing ink on at least a portion of the structure;
• and
• at least one fluid nozzle having at least one nozzle orifice positioned and oriented for directing at least one jet of fluid toward at least a portion of the structure to remove an amount of the ink from the structure and direct the amount toward a substrate,
• wherein movement of the structure relative to the at least one fluid nozzle substantially controls the amount of the ink removed from the structure, and wherein the amount of the ink directed to the substrate forms a pattern on the substrate.