Ink splitting multi-roll cleaner for a variable data lithography system
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorChu-Heng LIU
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cleaning subsystem for a variable data lithography system includes a cleaning roller train having a cleaning member in physical contact with an imaging member such that residual ink remaining on the imaging member, such as following transfer of an inked latent image from the imaging member to a substrate, adheres to the cleaning member through cohesion and is thereby removed from the imaging member. The cleaning roller train uses the ink-splitting mechanics to remove, transport and collect the ink waste. The key cleaning roller train is a thin but uniform layer of ink on the cleaning member that contacts the imaging member causing removal on the residual ink through cohesion.
Claims20
A variable data lithography system, comprising:
- an imaging member having an arbitrarily reimageable imaging surface;
- a dampening solution subsystem for applying a layer of dampening solution to the imaging surface;
- a patterning subsystem for selectively removing portions of the dampening solution layer so as to produce a latent image in the dampening solution;
- an inking subsystem for applying ink over the imaging surface such that the ink selectively occupies regions where dampening solution was removed by the patterning subsystem to thereby form an inked latent image;
- an image transfer subsystem for transferring the inked latent image to a substrate;
- and,
- a cleaning subsystem for removing residual ink from the surface of the imaging member, the cleaning subsystem comprising:
- a cleaning roller train having a cleaning member with a smooth and thin layer of ink on its surface in physical contact with the imaging member such that residual ink remaining on the imaging member following transferring the inked latent image to the substrate at the image transfer subsystem adheres to the cleaning member.
A cleaning subsystem for removing residual ink from a surface of an imaging member in a variable data lithography system, comprising:
- a cleaning roller train having a cleaning member with a smooth and thin layer of ink on its surface in physical contact with the imaging member such that the residual ink remaining on the imaging member following transferring of an inked latent image to a substrate adheres to the cleaning member;
- wherein an adhesion of the residual ink to the imaging member is less than cohesion of the residual ink to the thin and smooth layer of ink at the cleaning member.
The cleaning subsystem of claim 16, wherein the cleaning member and transport member comprise two or more rolls.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.