Patent ID: 6767092
Filing Date: 2004-07-27
Classification: B41J,B41M,Y10S

Abstract:
A digital imaging machine for generating a multicolor ink-jet-ink-derived material image, said digital imaging machine including a plurality of modules arranged sequentially, each module comprising:an ink jet device for image-wise jetting, on to a associated operational surface of an intermediate member, droplets of a coagulable liquid ink, said ink jet device thereby forming on said operational surface of said intermediate member a primary image; a plurality of process zones associated with operational surface of said intermediate member, said plurality of process zones located sequentially in proximity with said operational surface, said plurality of process zones including a coagulate formation process zone, a excess liquid removal process zone, a transfer process zone, and a regeneration process zone; a coagulate forming mechanism for forming coagulates in said coagulate formation process zone from said coagulable liquid ink of said primary image so as to form from said primary image an aggregated image on said operational surface, said aggregated phase including a liquid phase; a liquid removing mechanism for removing in said excess liquid removal process zone a portion of said liquid phase from said aggregated image so as to form on said operational surface a liquid-depleted image; a transport for moving a receiver sequentially through each said module; a transfer mechanism for transferring to said receiver, from said operational surface in said transfer process zone, said liquid-depleted image; a regenerating mechanism for forming on said operational surface a regenerated operational surface for a subsequent formation thereon, by said ink jet device, of a new primary image, said regeneration process zone associated in proximity with said intermediate member at a location between said transfer process zone and said ink jet device; wherein said primary image includes a plurality of smallest resolved imaging areas and each of said plurality of smallest resolved imaging areas receives from said ink jet device a preselected number of droplets of said coagulable liquid ink, said preselected number including zero; wherein said intermediate member includes one of a rotatable member and a linearly-movable member; wherein said primary image, formed on said operational surface of said intermediate member, is formed as one of a continuous tone primary image and a half-tone primary image; and wherein a color ink-jet-ink-derived material image is and successively transferred in registry to said receiver in each of said modules included in said plurality of modules, thereby creating said ink-jet-ink-derived material multicolor image on said receiver.