Automatic document feed of phase change inks

US6481840B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Xerox Corporation · US

Inventors

• Rolf Mueller · Wiesbaden, DE
• Steven Van Cleve Korol · Newberg, US
• Wolfgang G. Wedler · Tualatin, US
• Jeffrey R. Kohne · Tualatin, US
• Augustus J. Rogers, IV · West Linn, US
• Mary Ryan-Hotchkiss · Portland, US
• Donald R. Titterington · Tualatin, US
• Gerard Rousseau · Saint-Médard-en-Jalles, FR

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 25, 1999
• Grant date: Nov 19, 2002
• Expiry date: Aug 25, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B41J2/17593
• WIPO field: Textile and paper machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A method of improving automatic document feed of media printed with phase change inks coats the surface of the phase change inks on the media with fine particles. The particles may include PMMA, glass bead, silica particles, crushed glass particles, kaolin clay, micronized PE and PTFE, calcium carbonate powder, hard inks or toner powder. The particles may be applied to the surface of a transfix drum by oil transfer or electrostatically prior to jetting the phase change ink, or in the case of hard inks may be jetted onto the surface of the transfix drum (offset) with the phase change ink or onto the print media (direct) after application of the phase change ink in an overprint printing process. Also the particles may be applied by a pair of finishing rollers after the media has been printed with the phase change inks, either in a direct or offset print process, the finishing roller on the print side being coated with the fine particles.