| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090009573 | INK-JET PRINTER USING PHASE-CHANGE INK PRINTING ON A CONTINUOUS WEB - A printing apparatus includes a printing station, including at least one printhead for applying phase-change ink to the substrate, and a backing member disposed on an opposite side of the substrate substantially opposite the printhead, the backing member causing the substrate to reach a predetermined ink-receiving temperature. | 01-08-2009 |
| 20090116071 | SYSTEM AND METHOD TO PERTURB ERROR DIFFUSION PATTERNS - A method for halftoning an image using an error diffusion process generates an upper threshold level and a lower threshold level and selects a region number parameter. A pixel from the input image is selected and compared to the upper and lower threshold levels. A first pixel value is output when the input pixel value is below the lower threshold level. The first pixel value is output when the input pixel value is below the upper threshold level and above the lower threshold level and a value of the input pixel divided by the region number parameter, modulo 2, equals zero. A second pixel value, the first pixel value being different from the second pixel value, is output when the input pixel value is below the upper threshold level and above the lower threshold level and a value of the input pixel divided by the region number parameter, modulo 2, is greater than zero. The second pixel value is output when the input pixel value is above the upper threshold level. The error between the output pixel value and the modified input pixel value is diffused to neighboring pixels. | 05-07-2009 |
| 20090237434 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING PRINT HEAD DEFECTS IN PRINTING CLEAR INK - A method for detecting a defect in an inkjet print head for printing a substantially clear ink includes including an ultraviolet or infrared sensitive material in the substantially clear ink, marking a test image on a substrate by jetting the substantially clear ink through one or more jets of the inkjet print head to be evaluated, exposing the test image to activating radiation having a wavelength to which the included ultraviolet or infrared sensitive material responds. During or following the exposing, the test image is evaluated with an image sensor, and whether the inkjet print head or any one of the one or more jets thereof being evaluated is defective is then determined based on the evaluation. A system for the method is also set forth. | 09-24-2009 |
| 20090263583 | SCRATCH OFF DOCUMENT AND METHOD OF PRINTING SAME - A scratch-off document may include a substrate. The substrate may include a front side and a backside with an information layer on the front side. An information layer may include an indicia component and a noise component. The noise component together with the indicia component may include a plurality of pile heights, and the indicia component may be visible when combined with the noise component. A scratch-off layer is included over the information layer so that the indicia component is not recognizable through the scratch-off layer. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20100097434 | HEATED FOLDING SYSTEM FOR A PHASE CHANGE INK IMAGING DEVICE - A folding system includes a media pathway configured to transport a print substrate having phase change ink thereon. The folding system includes a folding apparatus disposed along the media pathway configured to fold the print substrate. A folding heater is configured to heat the phase change ink on the print media to a folding temperature. The folding temperature is above ambient temperature and below a melting temperature for phase change ink. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20110001314 | SECURITY CODES WITHIN SCRATCH-OFF LAYERS AND METHOD OF EMBEDDING THEREOF - A scratch-off document may include a substrate bearing printed content and a scratch-off layer covering the printed content. The scratch-off layer may include a mass of a first ink and a portion of a second ink embedded within the first ink. The first ink and the second ink may exhibit a metameric match when exposed to visible light, and the second ink may be positioned to form a security code | 01-06-2011 |
| 20110012958 | Staggered Head Stitch Shifts in a Continuous Feed Direct Marking Printer - An imaging device includes an image receiving surface configured to move in a process direction in the imaging device. A plurality of printhead arrays are arranged to deposit marking material onto the image receiving surface. Each printhead array includes a plurality of printheads arrayed in a cross-process direction across the image receiving surface. Each printhead array includes at least one stitch line corresponding to a position along an axis parallel to the cross-process direction where an end of one printhead in the printhead array aligns with an end of another printhead in the printhead array. The at least one stitch line of each printhead array is offset a predetermined distance in the cross-process direction from the at least one stitch line of each of the other printhead arrays. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110063374 | Method for Achieving Uniform Media Temperature and Size throughout the Pre-Heat Zone - An imaging device includes a source of a substantially continuous web of media, and a web transport system configured to transport the continuous web from the source along a web path having a print zone. At least one printhead arranged along the web path in the print zone and configured to deposit ink onto the web to form images. A preheating system is positioned along the web path between the source and the print zone. The preheating system includes a first heating stage and a second heating stage. The first heating stage has at least one heater configured to heat the web to an initial preheat temperature prior to reaching the second stage. The second stage includes at least one heater configured to reduce a temperature of the web from the initial preheat temperature to a target temperature for the preheating system. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110111125 | Dithered Printing of Clear Ink to Reduce Rub and Offset - An imaging device includes a media supply and handling system configured to move media along a path. A printing system is disposed along the path that includes at least one printhead for applying melted phase-change ink of at least one color to the media to form images thereon. A fixing assembly is disposed along the path downstream of the printing system that is configured to apply heat and/or pressure to the melted phase change ink of the images on the media. A coating system is disposed along the path downstream from the spreader. The coating system includes at least one printhead for applying a clear ink on top of the images formed on the media by the printing station. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110141171 | System and Method for Compensating for Small Ink Drop Size in an Indirect Printing System - A method improves transfer efficiency of ink images on an image receiving member that were formed with small ink drops. The method includes identifying image data that correspond to ink drops that have a mass less than a predetermined threshold and that fail to comingle with another ink drop ejected with reference to the image data, modifying the identified image data to generate ink drops that comingle with at least one other ink drop ejected with reference to the image data, generating firing signals for inkjet ejectors in a print head with reference to the image data and modified image data, and ejecting in response to the firing signals a plurality of ink drops from the inkjet ejectors for each identified image data to enable a coalesced ink drop to form on an image receiving surface that has a mass that is greater than the predetermined threshold. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110187777 | Ink Drop Position Correction In The Process Direction Based On Ink Drop Position History - A method compensates for changes in drop velocity of drops emitted by inkjets in a printhead of an ink jet imaging device. The method includes adjusting image data used to generate firing signals for an inkjet ejector in a printhead of an inkjet imaging device with an initial ink drop correction parameter, adjusting a portion of the adjusted image data with another ink drop correction parameter in response to the portion of the adjusted image data corresponding to a predetermined firing pattern mask, generating firing signals for the inkjet ejector from the adjusted image data, and transmitting the generated firing signals to the inkjet ejector in the printhead. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110193336 | Method and system of printing a scratch-off document - A scratch-off document may include a substrate bearing a toner image and a scratch-off layer covering the printed content. The scratch-off layer may include a mass of a first solid ink and a mass of a second solid ink printed over the first solid ink in a distraction pattern. The toner image is formed of a toner that adheres to the substrate, while the scratch-off layer is made of a wax-based or other solid ink that may be removed from the substrate by scratching without removing the toner image. The distraction pattern includes varying pile heights that distract a viewer from any pile height variations that may exist in the toner image. | 08-11-2011 |
| 20110279505 | Method For Identifying And Verifying Dash Structures As Candidates For Test Patterns And Replacement Patterns In An Inkjet Printer - A method compensates for changes in drop velocity of drops emitted by inkjets in a printhead of an ink jet imaging device. The method includes operating inkjet ejectors in a plurality of printheads to eject ink in a pattern of structured dashes on an image receiving member, the structured dashes corresponding to a predetermined image data pattern, generating image data corresponding to the pattern of structured dashes on the image receiving member, identifying a process direction correction parameter for each ejector in the plurality of printheads with reference to the generated image data, modifying image data to be printed by the plurality of printheads with reference to the process direction correction parameter identified for at least one of the ejectors, and operating the plurality of printheads with reference to the modified image data. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110279513 | Method And System For Printhead Alignment To Compensate For Dimensional Changes In A Media Web In An Inkjet Printer - A method enables a controller to align printheads in a printer. The method includes identifying a first cross-process position for each printhead in a plurality of printheads in a printer with reference to image data of a test pattern printed by the plurality of printheads on a media substrate, identifying a second cross-process position for each printhead in the plurality of printheads, calculating a printhead cross-process position error between the identified first cross-process position and the identified second cross-process position for each printhead, comparing a maximum printhead cross-process position error to a predetermined threshold, and operating a plurality of actuators with reference to the calculated printhead cross-process position errors to reposition the printheads in the plurality of printheads in response to the maximum printhead cross-process position error being equal to or less than the predetermined threshold. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20120162672 | Method And System For Assigning Color Values To Primary Colors And Secondary Colors For Color Rendering In An Inkjet Printer - A method enables primary color values for pixel to be processed before the pixel is rendered. The method includes allocating non-black primary colors as being under black, secondary colors, or tertiary colors. | 06-28-2012 |
| 20120206530 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PRINTHEAD ALIGNMENT TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE BANDING ARTIFACTS FOR INTERLACED PRINTHEADS - A method for aligning printheads, some of which are arranged in an overlapped configuration, in a printer has been developed. The method includes identifying a stitch error for each color station in a plurality of color stations in the printer. The stitch error is identified with reference to shrinkage of a print medium as the print medium passes the plurality of color stations. A portion of the stitch error is used to move at least one printhead in the color station corresponding to the stitch error to compensate for a banding issue caused by the overlapped printhead configuration. All or part of the stitch error may also be applied to other printheads in the color station to compensate for possible color to color registration issues. | 08-16-2012 |
| 20120313989 | Method And System For Operating A Printhead To Compensate For Failed Inkjets - An inkjet printer has a printhead in which all of the inkjets are used for printing, but at a less than maximum available ejection output. When a failed inkjet is identified, the ejection throughput is increased for inkjets that print pixels in an at least two pixel neighborhood about a missing pixel, so the pixels to be printed by the failed inkjet are printed by inkjets that print pixels in the two pixel wide neighborhood. | 12-13-2012 |
| 20130021398 | Method and System for Aligning Printheads that Eject Clear Ink in an Inkjet Printer - A method enables an operator to detect misalignment of printheads that eject clear ink in an inkjet printer. The method prints a first test pattern with a first color of ink and then prints a second test pattern of clear ink on top of the first test pattern. The ink of the first and the second test patterns is then spread to enable the clear ink to be dispersed in interstitial spaces in the ink of the first color. An operator is then able to detect the spatial relationship of predetermined marks in the second test pattern to predetermined marks in the first test pattern. The predetermined marks of the first and the second test patterns are arranged to enable an operator to detect a misalignment distance and the inkjet printer uses the misalignment distance entered by the operator to adjust the alignment of the printheads that eject clear ink. | 01-24-2013 |
| 20130155137 | Method and System for Split Head Drop Size Printing - A method for operating an inkjet printer to form images that include both high density and low density segments has been developed. The method includes operating one printhead to eject ink drops with a large size to form high density segments of the image, and operating a second printhead to eject ink drops with a small size to form low density segments of the image. The large ink drops provide high coverage in the high density segments, and the small ink drops provide improved image quality in the low density segments of the image. | 06-20-2013 |
| 20130222455 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTION AND COMPENSATION OF INOPERABLE INKJETS IN AN INKJET PRINTING APPARATUS - In an inkjet printer, a method for of compensating for defects in printed images identifies a cross-process direction location of a defect in a printed image and a candidate inkjet corresponding to the location of the defect. The method modifies the operation of the candidate inkjet to form a second ink image. The method identifies a second inkjet that actually formed the first image defect in response to identifying a second defect in the second ink image located proximate to the first defect. The method enables identification and compensation of inoperable inkjets when image data do not correspond perfectly to inkjets in the printer. | 08-29-2013 |
| 20140015882 | System and Method for Sub-Pixel Ink Drop Adjustment for Process Direction Registration - A method of operating an inkjet printer reduces ink drop placement errors in a process direction. The method includes generating firing signals for inkjets in a printhead at a first frequency and initiating the generation of the firing signals to a first plurality of inkjets in the printhead at a second frequency, the first frequency being greater than the second frequency. | 01-16-2014 |
| 20140168304 | System And Method For Imaging And Evaluating Coating On An Imaging Surface In An Aqueous Inkjet Printer - An inkjet printer is configured to apply a coating material to an imaging surface before an ink image is formed on the surface. At least one optical sensor generates image data of the coating on the imaging surface and identifies a thickness of the coating material. Components of the coating material applicator can be adjusted to keep the thickness of the coating material within a predetermined range. | 06-19-2014 |
| 20140168312 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMAGING AND EVALUATING PRINTING PARAMETERS IN AN AQUEOUS INKJET PRINTER - An aqueous inkjet printer is configured to evaluate and adjust multiple components within the printer with reference to image data of the surface of a rotating member obtained at different times during a single print cycle. The print cycle can be performed in a multiple pass manner to enable a single optical sensor to be used for generation of the image data. Alternatively, the print cycle can be performed in a single revolution of the rotating member and multiple optical sensors positioned about the rotating member to generate the image data. | 06-19-2014 |
| 20140210898 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTIMATING INK USAGE IN AN INKJET PRINTER - An inkjet printer estimates ink usage in the printer with reference to image pixels and a history of inkjet firing for each inkjet. The printer includes an apparatus that generates an ink mass for each image pixel with reference to the image pixel and a predetermined number of previously ejected image pixels and identifies a total ink mass measurement for a printhead with reference to the ink masses generated for the image pixels of an image to be printed by the inkjet printer. | 07-31-2014 |
| 20150022605 | System and Method for Transfixing an Aqueous Ink in an Image Transfer System - An image transfer medium for transferring an ink image onto a substrate is provided on its surface with a layer of particles that include an aggregation treatment agent capable of crashing out colorants, latex and/or resin in the liquid ink. A method for transferring an ink image includes providing an image transfer medium; applying a layer of particles to the image transfer medium, the particles including an aggregation treatment agent capable of crashing out colorants, latex and/or resin in liquid ink; applying liquid ink drops to the image transfer medium; initiating crashing of the colorant, latex and/or resin in the ink drops upon contact with the particles; and upon a sufficient amount of aggregation and drying, contacting a second substrate to the image transfer medium to transfer the ink from the transfer medium to the second substrate. | 01-22-2015 |
