Coated Fluid Remover for Printer Back-Transfer Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Squeegee rollers in printers can cause damage to images by transferring marking agents from a higher-surface-energy blanket to a lower-surface-energy roller due to adhesive properties, disrupting the pattern and leading to back-transfer issues during the fixation and creation of hard images.
Innovation Solution
A fluid remover with a coated remover surface, using a coating material that acts as a lubricant to prevent back-transfer, is employed to remove excess carrier fluid from the printer surface without disrupting the latent image, where the coating material is applied in a thin layer to optimize fluid removal and prevent adhesion to the remover surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a squeegee roller applies pressure to remove excess carrier fluid from the printer surface, then fluid removal efficiency is improved, but marking agents are transferred from the blanket to the roller causing back-transfer issues
Solution Approach 1:
A coating material is applied to the squeegee roller surface to act as an intermediary layer between the roller and the printer surface. This coating material has lower surface energy than the marking agents, preventing adhesion and transfer of marking agents to the roller while still allowing effective removal of carrier fluid through the nip pressure.
2Productivity
If the squeegee roller surface energy is increased to improve fluid removal, then carrier fluid removal is enhanced, but adhesion to marking agents increases causing more back-transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The surface energy parameter of the squeegee roller is modified by applying a coating material with specifically controlled surface energy properties. The coating material is selected to have lower surface energy than the marking agents but appropriate properties for fluid removal, optimizing the balance between productivity and image integrity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces or prevents back-transfer, allowing for the precise transfer of images to a substrate while minimizing energy consumption and avoiding contamination, thus maintaining image integrity and reducing operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
The remover surface is coated with a coating material to reduce, avoid, or even prevent back-transfer of the printing material from the printing surface to the remover surface
Implementation Method 2
The coating blade applies a pressure to the remover surface to reduce a thickness of the coating material on the remover surface
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
Apparatus, printers, and methods to remove material from a printer surface are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a fluid remover to remove printing material from a printer surface, and a coating material to be applied to the fluid remover to prevent the printing material from adhering to the printing fluid remover.