Liquid ink printer having multiple pass drying
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorIvan Rezanka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for drying liquid ink deposited, in response to image data, on a recording medium moving along a path at a predetermined rate. A recording medium having liquid ink deposited thereon is moved past a dryer in multiple passes to dry areas of high ink coverage. Ink characteristics are optimized for minimum print defects by determining the time between printing and drying. In the case of text only images only one pass through the dryer is required. For areas of high ink coverage, however, multiple passes through the dryer are required and completed either by reciprocation or recirculation at the same predetermined rate.
Claims15
A liquid ink printer in which liquid ink is deposited, in response to image data, on a recording medium moving along a path and through a print zone, comprising:
- a liquid ink printhead, disposed adjacent to the path, to deposit liquid ink on the recording medium in response to the image data;
- a dryer, disposed adjacent to the path, defining a drying zone to dry the liquid ink deposited on the recording medium;
- a recording medium transport, disposed adjacent to said dryer, including a bidirectional electromover, to transport a portion of the recording medium along the path through the drying zone bi-directionally in multiple passes and through the printzone and the drying zone at a predetermined rate, said portion of the recording medium including areas of high ink coverage requiring additional drying;
- a controller, coupled to said recording medium transport, to move said portion of the recording medium through the drying zone in multiple passes;
- and
- an ink coverage device, coupled to said controller, to generate an output signal to said controller indicating a location of said portion of the recording medium including areas of high ink coverage, causing said controller to move said portion of the recording medium through the drying zone in multiple passes.
A liquid ink printer in which liquid ink is deposited, in response to image data, on a recording medium moving along a path and through a print zone, comprising:
- a liquid ink printhead, disposed adjacent to the path, to deposit liquid ink on the recording medium in response to the image data;
- a dryer, disposed adjacent to the path, defining a drying zone, to dry the liquid ink deposited on the recording medium;
- a recording medium transport, disposed adjacent to said dryer, to transport a portion of the recording medium along the path through the drying zone in multiple passes and through the printzone and the drying zone at a predetermined rate, including a belt transport, said belt transport including a bidirectional electromover, to move said portion of the recording medium bi-directionally through the drying zone, said portion of the recording medium including areas of high ink coverage requiring additional drying;
- a controller, coupled to said recording medium transport, to move said portion of the recording medium through the drying zone in multiple passes;
- and
- an ink coverage device, coupled to said controller, to generate an output signal to said controller indicating a location of said portion of the recording medium including said areas of high ink coverage, causing said controller to move said portion of the recording medium through the drying zone in multiple passes.
A method of drying liquid ink deposited on a recording medium moving along a path through a printzone at a predetermined rate of a liquid ink printer including a dryer defining a drying zone, comprising the steps of:
- providing a portion of the recording medium with areas of high ink coverage;
- providing a bi-directional electromover for transporting the recording medium;
- determining an amount of liquid ink deposited on the recording medium;
- and
- moving the portion of the recording medium by the bi-directional electromover through the drying zone in multiple passes as a function of the determined amount of liquid ink.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.