Solid Fog Development for Digital Offset Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Variable data lithography systems face high power consumption and limited print speed due to the need for high-power lasers to evaporate fountain solution, which also shortens the lifespan of components and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A charged fountain solution particle development device with a rotatable imaging member and an anilox member featuring a textured surface layer, where fountain solution is chilled to freeze into solid particles and then charged, allowing for efficient deposition onto an electrostatically charged pattern on the imaging member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If high-power lasers are used to evaporate fountain solution to form latent images, then image formation is achieved, but power consumption increases significantly and print speed is limited to about 5 m/s
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of fountain solution from liquid to solid particles through freezing, and changes the method of image formation from thermal evaporation to electrostatic attraction. Solid charged particles are attracted to oppositely charged regions on the imaging drum, eliminating the need for high-power lasers and enabling higher print speeds while reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal/mechanical evaporation system with an electrostatic system. Instead of using laser heat to remove fountain solution, the system uses electrostatic charges to attract charged solid particles to form the latent image, fundamentally changing the physical mechanism of image formation.
2Reliability
If high-power lasers are used to evaporate fountain solution, then latent image formation is achieved, but component lifespan is reduced due to thermal stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the high-power laser thermal system with an electrostatic particle attraction system. This eliminates thermal stress on components such as the imaging drum, micro-mirror array, and fountain solution reservoir, thereby extending component lifespan while maintaining image formation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition of fountain solution from liquid to solid particles through freezing. These solid charged particles are then attracted electrostatically to form the latent image, replacing the thermal evaporation process and reducing thermal damage to components.
3Ease of manufacture
If high-power lasers are used for fountain solution evaporation, then digital pattern creation is achieved, but system cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the expensive high-power laser system with a lower-cost electrostatic particle charging and attraction system. This substitution significantly reduces system cost while achieving the same digital pattern creation function on the imaging drum.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fountain solution from liquid to solid particles and changes the image formation mechanism from thermal to electrostatic. This fundamental parameter change enables a more cost-effective system design that eliminates the need for expensive high-power laser modules.
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
This solution reduces power consumption, increases print speed, and extends the lifespan of components by using charged solid particles to form images, thereby improving the overall efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the printing process.
Implementation Method 1
The textured surface layer may be chilled to below a freezing temperature of the fountain solution to freeze the metered layer of fountain solution into solid fountain solution particles
Implementation Method 2
The particle charger converts the fountain solution of the metered layer into charged solid particles
Implementation Method 3
The charged solid particles are released from the anilox member proximate the rotatable imaging member charge-retentive surface and are attracted to the electrostatic charged pattern to attach to the charge-retentive surface
Data Source
AI summary
A solid particle aerosol development device form fogs of solid (e.g., frozen) fountain solution particles that are charged, and brings the charged solid fountain solution particles into proximity of an electrostatic charged image pattern on a imaging member's charge retentive surface. The charged solid fountain solution particles bond to the charge retentive surface at the charged image pattern to develop that image into a fountain solution latent image. The solid particle aerosol development devices produce solid fountain solution particles to develop electrostatic latent images while mitigating issues of evaporation and vapor production, and thus may apply fine films of fountain solution which may otherwise evaporate. In examples, the fountain solution aerosol development devices may include an anilox member, a metering member in contact with the anilox member, a fountain solution reservoir, a particle charger and a particle delivery baffle.