Heating element incorporating an array of transistor micro-heaters for digital image marking

A method of forming an image comprising:

• forming a toner or ink image on an imaging member;
• and providing a fixing subsystem comprising one or more digital heating elements, wherein the digital heating element comprises a micro-heater array having thermally isolated and individually addressable transistor micro-heaters;
• selectively heating one or more transistor micro-heaters that correspond to the toner or ink image to a temperature in the range of approximately 20° C. to approximately 200° C. in a few milliseconds;
• and feeding the media through the fuser subsystem to fix the toner or ink image on the media.

A method of forming an ink image comprising:

• feeding a media in a digital lithographic development subsystem comprising an imaging member, wherein the imaging member comprises a wettability switchable surface and one or more digital heating elements that comprise an array of transistor micro-heaters, wherein each micro-heater is thermally isolated and individually addressable;
• changing the surface of the imaging member on the image areas from ink-repelling state to ink-attracting state by heating one or more micro-heaters that correspond to the image areas to a temperature in the range of approximately 20° C. to approximately 200° C. in a few milliseconds;
• forming an ink image by applying ink to the image areas that are ink-attracting;
• transferring the ink image from the imaging member onto the media;
• and transporting the media to a fixing station.

A method of forming an ink image comprising:

• feeding a media in a digital lithographic development subsystem comprising an imaging member, wherein the imaging member comprises a wettability switchable surface and one or more digital heating elements that comprise an array of transistor micro-heaters, wherein each micro-heater is thermally isolated and individually addressable;
• applying a thin fountain solution film on the imaging member;
• removing fountain solution from the image areas by heating one or more micro-heaters that correspond to the image areas to a temperature in the range of approximately 20° C. to approximately 200° C. in a few milliseconds;
• forming a ink image by applying ink to the image areas where fountain solution is removed;
• transferring ink image onto the media;
• and transporting the media to a fixing station.

A method of forming an ink image comprising:

• feeding a media in a digital lithographic development subsystem comprising an imaging member, wherein the imaging member comprises a wettability switchable surface and one or more digital heating elements that comprise an array of transistor micro-heaters, wherein each micro-heater is thermally isolated and individually addressable;
• applying a waterless lithographic ink film on the imaging member;
• changing the rheological properties of the waterless lithographic ink on the image areas by heating one or more micro-heaters that correspond to the image areas to a temperature in the range of approximately 20° C. to approximately 200° C. in a few milliseconds;
• transferring the rheology-modified ink image from imaging member onto the media;
• and transporting the media to a fixing station.