Back to results
US 5,389,958 AGranted
Imaging process
AssigneeTektronix, Inc.
InventorsLoc V. Bui, Donald R. Titterington, James D. Rise, C. Wayne Jaeger, Jon C. Mutton, Hue P. Le
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and the apparatus for employing the method are disclosed whereby an intermediate transfer surface of a layer of sacrificial liquid is applied to a supporting surface and a phase change ink is deposited on the liquid layer. The inked image is then contact transferred to a final receiving substrate.
Claims31
A method of imaging in printer using phase change ink comprising the steps of
- (a) applying a liquid to a first supporting surface to form a liquid layer, the liquid layer serving as an intermediate transfer surface and having an exposed surface not in contact with the supporting surface and an opposing second surface in contact with the supporting surface,
- (b) imaging the exposed surface of the liquid layer by applying a phase change ink to form an image thereon by changing the ink from a solid state to a molten state and applying it at a temperature or about 85.degree. C. to about 150.degree. C. in the molten state to the liquid layer where the ink solidifies into a malleable state having a temperature of between about 30.degree. C. and about 80.degree. C.;
- and
- (c) transferring the image of malleable ink to a receiving medium where the ink further solidifies to a ductile state so that it will yield without fracturing and is flexible between about -10.degree. C. and about 80.degree. C.
1 more element
Apparatus for use in a system for imaging with a phase change ink comprising in combination:
- a. a first supporting surface;
- b. apparatus for applying a liquid to the first supporting surface to thereby create a liquid layer that is an intermediate transfer surface thereeon, the liquid layer having a first surface in contact with the first supporting surface and an exposed second surface not in contact with the supporting surface;
- c. apparatus for imaging the exposed surface of the liquid layer with a phase change ink to form an image thereon by changing the ink from a solid state to a molten state and applying it at a temperature of about 85.degree. C. to about 150.degree. C. in the molten state to the liquid layer where the ink solidifies into a malleable intermediate state having a temperature of between about 30.degree. C. and about 80.degree. C.;
- d. apparatus for transferring the image of a malleable ink to a final receiving medium where the ink further solidifies to a ductile state so that it will yield without fracturing and is flexible between about -10.degree. C. to about 80.degree. C.
1 more element
A method of imaging comprising the steps of
- (a) imaging a first liquid layer surface with a phase change ink by applying heat to change the phase change ink from a solid state to a liquid state having a temperature of between about 85.degree. C. to about 150.degree. C. and applying the ink in the liquid state to the liquid layer surface;
- (b) cooling the phase change ink while in the liquid state to a malleable condition such that the ink has a temperature of between about 30.degree. C. and about 80.degree. C.;
- (c) transferring the phase change ink in the malleable condition to a final receiving medium;
- and
- (d) cooling the phase change ink on the final receiving medium to a ductile condition in the solid state so that the phase change ink will yield without fracturing and is flexible between about -10.degree. C. and about 80.degree. C.
2 more elements
A method of imaging in a printer using phase change ink comprising the steps of
- (a) applying liquid layer to a first supporting surface, the liquid layer serving as an intermediate transfer surface and having an exposed surface not in contact with the supporting surface and an opposing second surface in contact with the supporting surface,
- (b) imaging the exposed surface of the liquid layer by applying a phase change ink to form an image thereon by changing the ink from a solid state to a molten state and applying it at a temperature of about 85.degree. C. to about 150.degree. C. in the molten state to the liquid layer;
- (c) heating a receiving medium prior to transferring the ink image thereto;
- and
- (d) transferring the ink image to the receiving medium where the ink solidifies to a ductile solid state in which the ink will yield without fracturing and is flexible between about -10.degree. C. and about 80.degree. C.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.