Method and apparatus for printing using a tandem electrostatographic printer
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsYee S. NG, Robert C. LOGEL
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tandem color electrostatographic printer apparatus has five or more color printing stations or modules for applying respective color separation toner images to a receiver member to form a pentachrome color image in a single pass. A fuser station fuses the pentachrome color image. A clear toner overcoat is then applied to the fused pentachrome toner image and enhanced glossing of the image is provided by a belt glosser to improve color gamut.
Claims25
In a tandem color electrostatographic printer apparatus having five or more color printing stations for applying respective color separation toner images to a receiver member, a method of forming a pentachrome color image comprising:
- passing a receiver member through the printer apparatus to serially deposit thereon in a single pass at least five different colors which form various combinations of color at different pixel locations to form a pentachrome image thereon;
- a first fusing step of fusing the pentachrome image by passing the receiver member through a fuser station;
- passing the receiver member again through the printer apparatus and depositing a clear toner overcoat to the fused pentachrome toner image;
- and
- a second fusing step of passing the receiver member with the clear toner overcoat and fused pentachrome toner image again through the fuser station to fix the clear toner overcoat to the receiver member.
A system for printing color images comprising:
- a tandem color electrostatographic printer apparatus having five or more color printing stations for applying respective color separation toner images to a receiver member passing therethrough in a single pass to form a pentachrome color image;
- a fusing station for fusing the pentachrome image;
- a clear toner overcoat printing station for applying a clear toner overcoat to the fused pentachrome toner image;
- and
- a belt glosser for providing enhanced gloss to the pentachrome color image having the clear toner overcoat.
A gloss enhancement apparatus comprising:
- a clear toner depositing module for forming a clear toner overcoat upon a color image that is supported on a receiver sheet;
- and
- a belt glosser operatively associated with the clear toner depositing module for receiving the receiver sheet and treating the receiver sheet to pressure and heat imposed by the belt upon the clear toner overcoat to enhance the resulting gloss of the print.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.