Grounded Intermediate Transfer Member for LEP Print Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ineffective cleaning of Liquid Electro-Photography (LEP) printing devices between duty cycles can adversely affect print quality, and maintaining high voltage for the Intermediate Transfer Member (ITM) complicates maintenance and increases static electricity issues, especially when printing on conductive substrates.
Innovation Solution
The ITM is set to a grounded potential, eliminating the need for isolation, enhancing cleaning efficiency, reducing static electricity, and improving substrate handling, while allowing for increased productivity and extended lifespan of components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ITM is maintained at high voltage, then image transfer capability is improved, but device complexity and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of maintaining the ITM at high voltage relative to ground, the patent inverts the approach by grounding the ITM and applying high voltage to the photoconductor. This eliminates the need for complex isolation of the ITM while preserving the electrostatic potential difference required for effective image transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a grounded intermediate transfer member as a mediator between the high-voltage photoconductor and the substrate. This grounded ITM simplifies the electrical architecture by eliminating the need for high-voltage isolation, while still enabling effective image transfer through the electrostatic field generated by the photoconductor.
2Reliability
If the ITM is maintained at high voltage, then image transfer capability is improved, but static electricity issues worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the voltage configuration by grounding the ITM instead of maintaining it at high voltage. This eliminates static electricity accumulation on the ITM while preserving the electrostatic field necessary for image transfer, as the field is now generated by the photoconductor rather than the ITM.
3Manufacturing precision
If cleaning is performed between duty cycles, then print quality is improved, but productivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The grounded ITM configuration enables the photoconductor to self-clean through electrostatic attraction during normal operation. The grounded ITM creates an electrostatic field that attracts and removes residual ink or toner from the photoconductor surface, eliminating the need for separate cleaning cycles and maintaining print quality without productivity loss.
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 grounded ITM simplifies maintenance, reduces static electricity, and improves print quality by ensuring a clean transfer of images, increasing productivity and extending the lifespan of the photoconductor, and reduces the need for expensive isolation components.
Implementation Method 1
The photoconductor is provided with a substantially uniform electrostatic charge so as to enable the image to be transferred to the ITM or transfer blanket surrounding it
Implementation Method 2
The photoconductor is provided with a substantially uniform electrostatic charge so as to enable the image to be transferred to the ITM
Data Source
AI summary
A printing apparatus is described comprising a photoconductor for receiving an electrostatic charge pattern corresponding to an image, and one or more developers for applying a colorant to the photoconductor representative of the image. The apparatus further comprises a transfer member for transferring the image from the photoconductor onto a substrate, wherein the transfer member has a substantially grounded potential.