	US 12,240,229 B2
	Digital printing process and system
Benzion Landa, Nes Ziona (IL); Sagi Abramovich, Ra'anana (IL); Moshe Levanon, Rehovot (IL); Galia Golodetz, Rehovot (IL); Helena Chechik, Rehovot (IL); On Mero, Ganei Tikva (IL); Tatiana Kurtser, Petach Tikva (IL); Ayal Galili, Beit Elazari (IL); Uriel Pomerantz, Kfar Saba (IL); Dan Avital, Mazkeret Batya (IL); Jose Kuperwasser, Ashdod (IL); and Omer Ashkenazi, Kfar Gibton (IL)
Assigned to LANDA CORPORATION LTD., Rehovot (IL)
Filed by LANDA CORPORATION LTD., Rehovot (IL)
Filed on Jun. 1, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/204,697.
Application 18/204,697 is a continuation of application No. 17/522,383, filed on Nov. 9, 2021, granted, now 11,724,488.
Application 17/522,383 is a continuation of application No. 16/793,995, filed on Feb. 18, 2020, granted, now 11,203,199, issued on Dec. 21, 2021.
Application 16/793,995 is a continuation of application No. 16/303,613, granted, now 10,632,740, issued on Apr. 28, 2020, previously published as PCT/IB2017/053177, filed on May 30, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/343,123, filed on May 30, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/343,108, filed on May 30, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2023/0382101 A1, Nov. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. B41M 5/00 (2006.01); B41J 2/005 (2006.01); B41M 5/025 (2006.01); B41M 5/03 (2006.01); C09D 11/322 (2014.01); C09D 11/38 (2014.01); C09D 11/54 (2014.01); B41J 2/01 (2006.01); B41M 1/06 (2006.01)

CPC B41J 2/0057 (2013.01) [B41M 5/0256 (2013.01); B41M 5/03 (2013.01); C09D 11/322 (2013.01); C09D 11/38 (2013.01); C09D 11/54 (2013.01); B41J 2/01 (2013.01); B41M 1/06 (2013.01); B41M 5/00 (2013.01); B41M 5/0011 (2013.01); B41M 5/0017 (2013.01); B41M 5/0041 (2013.01)]

29 Claims

1. A printing system comprising:

a. a rotatable intermediate transfer member (ITM);

b. an image forming station configured to form ink images upon a surface of the ITM, as the ITM rotates;

c. an impression station disposed downstream of the image forming station and configured to transfer the ink images from the ITM surface to substrate; and

d. a treatment station configured to apply, as the ITM rotates, a liquid to a surface of the ITM to form a liquid-coating on the surface of the ITM, the treatment station being disposed downstream of the impression station and upstream of the image forming station, the treatment station comprising:

(i) a bar having a channel disposed at one end thereof, and

(ii) a rod supported by and/or at least partially disposed in the channel, wherein a portion of a surface of the rod is rounded and faces the ITM surface,

wherein rotation of the ITM moves the applied liquid along a direction-of-rotation of the ITM, and wherein a presence of the rod deflects some the moving liquid away from the ITM surface, thereby thinning the liquid-coating of liquid, and

wherein the system is configured such that at least one of a first condition and a second condition is true, and wherein the first and second conditions are defined as follows:

(I) according to the first condition, a presence of the liquid-deflecting rod thins the liquid-coating of liquid down to a thickness that is at most 0.8μ;

(II) according to the second condition, rotation of the ITM moves the surface of the ITM at a surface-velocity of at least 1 meter/second.

17. A method of printing comprising:

a. applying a liquid to a surface of a rotating intermediate transfer member (ITM) to form a liquid-coating on the surface of the ITM, wherein (i) the ITM comprises a flexible endless belt mounted over a plurality of guide rollers; and (ii) rotation of the ITM moves the applied liquid along a—direction-of-rotation of the ITM;

b. deflecting, by a rod, some of the moving liquid away from the ITM surface so as to thin the liquid-coating, wherein:

i. the rod is supported by and/or at least partially disposed in a channel disposed at one end of a bar; and

ii. a portion of a surface of the rod is rounded and faces the ITM surface;

c. subsequently, depositing droplets of ink onto the ITM surface to form thereon an ink image; and

d. transfer ink image to substrate,

wherein the method is performed such that at least one of a first condition and a second condition is true, and wherein the first and second conditions are defined as follows:

(I) according to the first condition, the deflecting of step (b) is effective to thin the liquid-coating down to a thickness that is at most 0.8μ;

(II) according to the second condition, rotation of the ITM moves the surface of the ITM at a surface-velocity of at least 1 meter/second.