Abstract:
An aqueous transfix blanket and a printer including the aqueous transfix blanket. The aqueous transfix blanket includes a screen layer including a plurality of mesh wires that define a plurality of spaces between the plurality of mesh wires. The aqueous transfix blanket further includes a first layer that overlies the screen layer and a second layer that underlies the screen layer, wherein the plurality of spaces provide a plurality of air gaps between the first layer overlying the screen layer and the second layer underlying the screen layer.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present teachings relate to the field of inkjet aqueous transfix devices and, more particularly, to transfer members for inkjet aqueous transfix devices. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Inkjet printing processes can include the use of a liquid ink jetted from a printhead through a plurality of nozzles. The ink can be jetted directly onto a print medium such as paper, plastic, or textile. In an aqueous transfix process, a water-based ink can be jetted directly onto a surface of an intermediate transfer member such as a rotating belt or drum, or onto a sacrificial coating, such as a polyurethane coating, applied to the intermediate transfer member. After the ink is jetted, the ink is transferred through pressure from a pressure roll, and physical contact between the ink and the print medium at a transfix nip, from the surface of the intermediate transfer member to a surface of the print medium. 
     While jetting of the ink onto the intermediate transfer member typically occurs at a jetting viscosity, a better transfer of the ink from the intermediate transfer member to the print medium may be realized if the ink viscosity at the point of transfer is higher than the jetting viscosity. Thus a printer employing an aqueous transfix process typically includes infrared heaters to heat the ink after the ink is jetted onto the intermediate transfer member but before it is transferred to the print medium to remove a desired amount of solvent (i.e., water) from the ink. While some drying is preferred, the heating is carefully controlled to ensure that the ink is not excessively dried, which would degrade the transfer of the ink to, and bonding of the ink with, the print medium. 
     The surface of the intermediate transfer member should have various physical, chemical, and thermal properties so that the ink is properly transferred to the print medium. The intermediate transfer member is typically designed so that its outer surface retains as much of the thermal energy output from the heaters as possible to improve control of the ink viscosity. If heat is transferred deeper to the inner layers of the intermediate transfer belt, viscosity control of the ink becomes more challenging, for example because it becomes more difficult to estimate the amount of heat transferred to the ink, and thus the amount the ink is dried, compared to the amount of heat retained by the intermediate transfer member. Ideally, thermal energy from the printer heaters would be retained only in the outer surface of the intermediate transfer member. 
     Further, the surface energy of the intermediate transfer member should be sufficient to reduce the spread of ink across the intermediate transfer member before it is transferred to the print medium. The surface of the intermediate transfer member should also be flexible, non-compressible, and sufficient to release the ink to the print medium at the transfix nip. 
     An intermediate transfer member can include a silicone layer outer surface or “transfix blanket” that is adhered to a stainless steel substrate with an adhesive. The stainless steel substrate can, in turn, be wrapped around an aluminum drum. The silicone layer outer surface can optionally include fillers in an attempt to improve heat retention for ink drying and surface energy for ink release and transfer. The intermediate transfer member may also include a foam layer underlying the silicone layer to provide a thermal insulation layer to reduce heat transfer to the underlying stainless steel layer. While the foam layer may improve thermal properties of the intermediate transfer member, it may also increase compressibility of the silicone surface during contact with the pressure roll at the transfix nip, which is typically to be avoided. 
     An intermediate transfer member design having an improved heat retention at the outer surface and which is sufficiently non-compressible would be desirable. 
     SUMMARY 
     The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of one or more embodiments of the present teachings. This summary is not an extensive overview, nor is it intended to identify key or critical elements of the present teachings, nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure. Rather, its primary purpose is merely to present one or more concepts in simplified form as a prelude to the detailed description presented later. 
     In an embodiment, an aqueous transfix blanket may include a screen layer having a plurality of mesh wires that define a plurality of spaces between the plurality of mesh wires, a first layer overlying the screen layer, and a second layer underlying the screen layer, wherein the plurality of spaces provide a plurality of air gaps between the first layer overlying the screen layer and the second layer underlying the screen layer. 
     In another embodiment, an aqueous transfix printer may include an aqueous transfix blanket. The aqueous transfix blanket may include a screen layer comprising a plurality of mesh wires that define a plurality of spaces between the plurality of mesh wires, a first layer overlying the screen layer, and a second layer underlying the screen layer, wherein the plurality of spaces provide a plurality of air gaps between the first layer overlying the screen layer and the second layer underlying the screen layer. The aqueous transfix printer may further include a transfix roller and a transfix nip at an interface between the aqueous transfix blanket and the transfix roller. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present teachings and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. In the figures: 
         FIG. 1A  depicts a schematic cross-sectional view of an illustrative transfix blanket for a printer, according to one or more embodiments disclosed; 
         FIG. 1B  depicts a schematic plan view of an illustrative screen layer that forms a portion of the  FIG. 1A  transfix blanket; 
         FIG. 2  depicts an illustrative printer including the transfix blanket, according to one or more embodiments disclosed; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic cross-sectional view of part of an intermediate transfer member belt or roll that includes a transfix blanket for a printer, according to one or more embodiments disclosed; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic cross-sectional view of part of an intermediate transfer member belt or roll that includes a transfix blanket for a printer, according to one or more embodiments disclosed; and 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic cross-sectional view of part of an intermediate transfer member belt or roll that includes a transfix blanket for a printer, according to one or more embodiments disclosed. 
     
    
    
     It should be noted that some details of the FIGS. have been simplified and are drawn to facilitate understanding of the present teachings rather than to maintain strict structural accuracy, detail, and scale. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the present teachings, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
     As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the word “printer” encompasses any apparatus that performs a print outputting function for any purpose, such as a digital copier, bookmaking machine, facsimile machine, a multi-function machine, electrostatographic device, etc. Unless otherwise specified, the word “polymer” encompasses any one of a broad range of carbon-based compounds formed from long-chain molecules including thermoset polyimides, thermoplastics, resins, polycarbonates, epoxies, and related compounds known to the art. 
     An embodiment of the present teachings can provide an intermediate transfer member for use in an aqueous transfix printer that has better heat retention in the outer surface and reduced transfer of heat to underlying layer such as an underlying stainless steel layer compared to some conventional intermediate transfer members. 
     An embodiment of an aqueous transfix print blanket according to the present teachings is depicted in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . The aqueous transfix blanket  100  may be a subassembly of a printer. It will be appreciated the FIGS. represent generalized schematic illustrations where other structures may be added and existing structures may be removed or modified. 
       FIG. 1A  is a cross section depicting a section of the aqueous transfix blanket  100 . The aqueous transfix blanket  100  may include an outer conforming layer  102 , an intermediate mesh or screen layer  104 , and an inner polymer layer  106 . 
     Optionally, the outer conforming layer  102  may have formed thereon at least one deposited layer  103 . In an embodiment, the deposited layer  103  may be a spread layer such as a synthetic rubber and fluoropolymer elastomer (i.e., fluoro rubber), for example Viton® (available from DuPont), or an FKM material (as defined by American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards D1418). The deposited layer  103  may be used to spread and/or wet the ink to assist in the release of the ink from the deposited layer  103  during and/or after ink transfer, and ink byproducts and other contaminants from the surface of the belt or roll during cleaning. The deposited layer  103  may also be more durable than the conforming layer  102 , thereby increasing the lifetime of the belt or roll  300 . The synthetic rubber and fluoropolymer elastomer deposited layer  103  can provide a good balance of wetting and release, and is durable to resist wear from, for example, contact with a print medium or other printer surfaces. If the conforming layer  102  has suitable wetting and release properties, and is suitably durable against wear, a separate deposited layer  103  may not be necessary. 
       FIG. 1A  depicts the aqueous transfix blanket  100  during use, and thus further depicts the aqueous transfix blanket  100  attached to a rigid underlayer  107  and an aqueous ink layer  110 . The rigid underlayer  107  may include, for example, a stainless steel substrate  108  and an aluminum drum  109 . The aqueous transfix blanket  100  is attached to the stainless steel substrate  108  which is, in turn, attached to the aluminum drum  109 . The aqueous ink layer  110 , as depicted, has been jetted over or onto the conforming layer  102  using, for example, the printer  200  depicted in  FIG. 2  and described in detail below. 
     The conforming layer  102 , which may be compressible, can include an elastomer such as silicone, a fluoro rubber such as Viton® (available from DuPont), ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), nitrile rubber (i.e., acrylonitrile butadiene rubber or NBR), polyurethane, and combinations of two or more of these. The elastomer outer layer may have a thickness of from about 20 micrometers (μm) to about 5,000 μm, or from about 40 μm to about 2,500 μm, or from about 100 μm to about 1,000 μm. 
     The screen layer  104 , which is depicted in cross section in  FIGS. 1A and 1   n  plan view in  FIG. 1B , is interposed between the conforming layer  102  and the polymer layer  106 . The screen layer  104  includes a plurality of mesh wires  112  that define a plurality of spaces  114  therebetween. In  FIG. 1B , the mesh wires  112  are arranged in a symmetrical square grid pattern, although a rectangular grid pattern, a triangular grid pattern, a pentagonal grid pattern, etc., both symmetrical and asymmetrical, are also contemplated. The mesh wires  112  of the screen layer  104  may include a material such as fiberglass, carbon fiber, a para-aramid synthetic fiber such as Kevlar® (available from E. I. DuPont de Nemours, Inc. of Wilmington, Del., hereinafter, DuPont™), a meta-aramid material such as Nomex® (available from DuPont), a metal, a metal alloy, etc. It will be understood that the mesh wires may be formed by molding a molten material which is then solidified to form the plurality of mesh wires  112  and plurality of spaces  114 , punching a solid sheet of material with a die or other cutter to form the plurality of spaces  114 , by using a plurality of separate and individual mesh wires  112 , etc. 
     While  FIG. 1B  depicts six horizontal mesh wires  112  and six vertical mesh wires  112  for a section of a screen layer, it will be appreciated that a screen layer  104  may have any number of mesh wires  112  depending on the size of the aqueous transfix blanket  100  and the spacing between each wire  12 . In an embodiment for a screen layer having a square pattern, a pitch of the mesh wires (i.e., a distance between corresponding points on adjacent mesh wires) may be from about 1.0 millimeter (mm) to about 3.0 mm, or from about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm, or about 2.0 mm in both a vertical direction (Y-direction)  114  and a horizontal direction  116  (X-direction). Each mesh wire may have a thickness  118  of from about 150 μm to about 350 μm, or from about 200 μm to about 300 μm, or about 250 μm. 
     The polymer layer  106  may include a polymer such as polyimide, a biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate polyester resin film such as Mylar® (available from DuPont), polyester, and combinations of two or more of these. The inner polymer layer may have a thickness of from about 60 μm to about 100 μm, or from about 70 μm to about 90 μm, or about 80 μm. 
     The screen layer  104  can be attached to the conforming layer  102  using, for example, a thin double-sided, high temperature adhesive tape or film (not individually depicted for simplicity), or by molding the conforming layer  102  in place; the screen layer  104  can be similarly attached or molded to the polymer layer  106 . Any adhesive used to attach the screen layer  104  to the conforming layer  102  and to the polymer layer  106  is selected so that the adhesive does not flow into the spaces  114  between the mesh wires  112 , and the spaces  114 , and to maintain an air gap, and more specifically a plurality of air gaps, between the conforming layer  102  and the polymer layer  106  as depicted in  FIG. 1A . 
     As discussed above, an aqueous transfix blanket  100  should be designed so that its outer surface retains as much of the thermal energy output from the heaters as possible to improve control of the ink viscosity. An air gap  114  provided by the relatively fine screen layer  104  under the outer conforming layer  102  forms an effective thermal insulation which assists in retaining the heat within the conforming layer  102 . For example, while silicone has a thermal conductivity of about 0.170 watts per meter kelvin (W/m·K), air has a thermal conductivity of about 0.024 W/m·K. The thermal insulation provided by the screen layer  104 , and more specifically the air gap  114  in the screen layer  104 , reduces the transfer of heat from the conforming layer  102  into deeper layers of the intermediate transfer member, such as the into the polymer layer  106  and the rigid underlayer  107 , compared to conventional intermediate transfer members that have a silicone layer directly attached to a stainless steel underlayer. Reducing heat transfer helps maintain the surface temperature of the aqueous transfix blanket. Further, the air gap provided by the screen layer  104  does not significantly change the mechanical properties of the conforming layer  102 , which are important for correctly transferring ink from the conforming layer  102  to the print medium, and fixing the ink to the print medium, at the transfix nip. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the mesh wires  112  of the screen layer  104  may be formed from fiberglass, which has a thermal conductivity of about 0.04 W/m·K. While the fiberglass has a better thermal conductivity compared to silicone, it is a poorer thermal insulator than air. Generally, a screen layer  104  having a larger pitch between mesh wires  112  would provide a better thermal insulation than a screen layer having a smaller pitch between mesh wires  112 . As the pitch becomes increasingly smaller, the thermal conductivity becomes closer to the material from which the screen is manufactured and further away from the thermal conductivity of air. However, if the pitch is excessively large, a silicone conforming layer  102  may collapse into the air gap  114  to physically contact the layer below the screen layer  104 . Thus, for a screen layer having mesh wires  112  arranged in a symmetrical square grid pattern, a pitch at least within the range of about 1.0 mm to about 3.0 mm, or from about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm, or about 2.0 mm in both a vertical  114  and a horizontal  116  direction would be sufficient. Grid patterns having other shapes may be examined using the information herein to determine a sufficient mesh wire pitch. 
       FIG. 2  depicts an illustrative aqueous transfix printer  200  including the transfix blanket  100 , according to one or more embodiments disclosed. The printer  200  may be an indirect aqueous inkjet printer that forms an ink image on a surface of the blanket  100 . The blanket  100  may be mounted about an intermediate transfer member  212 . The ink image may be transferred from the blanket  100  to media passing through a nip  218  formed between the blanket  100  and a transfix roller  219 . 
     A print cycle is now described with reference to the printer  200 . A “print cycle” refers to operations of the printer  200  including, but not limited to, preparing an imaging surface for printing, ejecting ink onto the imaging surface, treating the ink on the imaging surface to stabilize and prepare the image for transfer to media, and transferring the image from the imaging surface to the media. 
     The printer  200  may include a frame  211  that supports operating subsystems and components, which are described below. The printer  200  may also include an intermediate transfer member  212 , which is illustrated as a rotating imaging drum. The intermediate transfer member  212  may have the blanket  100  mounted about the circumference of the intermediate transfer member  212 . The blanket  100  may move in a direction  216  as the intermediate transfer member  212  rotates. The transfix roller  219  may rotate in the direction  217  and be loaded against the surface of blanket  100  to form the transfix nip  218 , within which ink images formed on the surface of blanket  100  are transfixed onto a print medium  249 . In some embodiments, a heater in the intermediate transfer member  212  or in another location of the printer heats the blanket  100  to a temperature in a range of, for example, approximately 40° C. to approximately 80° C. The elevated temperature promotes partial drying of the liquid carrier that is used to deposit the hydrophilic composition and the water in the aqueous ink drops that are deposited on the blanket  100 . 
     A surface maintenance unit (“SMU”)  292  may remove residual ink left on the surface of the blanket  100  after the ink images are transferred to the print medium  249 . The SMU  292  may include a coating applicator, such as a donor roller (not shown), which is partially submerged in a reservoir (not shown) that holds a sacrificial hydrophilic polyurethane coating composition in a liquid carrier. The donor roller may rotate in response to the movement of the blanket  100  in the process direction. The donor roller may draw the liquid polyurethane composition from the reservoir and deposit a layer of the polyurethane composition on the blanket  100 , which may be represented in  FIG. 1  as sacrificial coating  103 . As described below, the polyurethane composition may be deposited as a uniform layer having any desired thickness. After a drying process, the dried polyurethane coating may substantially cover a surface of the blanket  100  before the printer  200  ejects ink drops during a print process. The SMU  292  may be operatively connected to a controller  280 , described in more detail below, to enable the controller  280  to operate the donor roller, as well as a metering blade and a cleaning blade to deposit and distribute the coating material onto the surface of the blanket  100  and to remove un-transferred ink and any polyurethane residue from the surface of the blanket  100 . 
     The printer  200  may also include a dryer  296  that emits heat and optionally directs an air flow toward the polyurethane composition that is applied to the blanket  100 . The dryer  296  may facilitate the evaporation of at least a portion of the liquid carrier from the polyurethane composition to leave a dried layer on the blanket  100  before the intermediate transfer member passes one or more printhead modules  234 A- 234 D to receive the aqueous printed image. 
     The printer  200  may also include an optical sensor  294 A, also known as an image-on-drum (“IOD”) sensor, which is configured to detect light reflected from the blanket  100  and the polyurethane coating applied to the blanket  100  as the intermediate transfer member  212  rotates past the sensor. The optical sensor  294 A includes a linear array of individual optical detectors that are arranged in the cross-process direction across the blanket  100 . The optical sensor  294 A generates digital image data corresponding to light that is reflected from the blanket  100  and the polyurethane coating. The optical sensor  294 A generates a series of rows of image data, which are referred to as “scanlines,” as the intermediate transfer member  212  rotates the blanket  100  in the direction  216  past the optical sensor  294 A. In at least one embodiment, each optical detector in the optical sensor  294 A may include three sensing elements that are sensitive to wavelengths of light corresponding to red, green, and blue (RGB) reflected light colors. In another embodiment, the optical sensor  294 A may include illumination sources that shine red, green, and blue light. In yet another embodiment, the sensor  294 A may have an illumination source that shines white light onto the surface of blanket  100 , and white light detectors are used. 
     The optical sensor  294 A may shine complementary colors of light onto the image receiving surface to enable detection of different ink colors using the photodetectors. The image data generated by the optical sensor  294 A may be analyzed by the controller  280  or other processor in the printer  200  to identify the thickness of the polyurethane coating on the blanket  100 . The thickness and coverage may be identified from either specular or diffuse light reflection from the blanket  100  and/or the coating. Other optical sensors  294 B,  294 C, and  294 D may be similarly configured and located in different locations around the blanket  100  to identify and evaluate other parameters in the printing process, such as missing or inoperative inkjets and ink image formation prior to image drying ( 294 B), ink image treatment for image transfer ( 294 C), and the efficiency of the ink image transfer ( 294 D). Alternatively, some embodiments may include an optical sensor to generate additional data that may be used for evaluation of the image quality on the media ( 294 E). 
     The printer  200  may include an airflow management system  201 , which generates and controls a flow of air through the print zone. The airflow management system  201  may include a printhead air supply  202  and a printhead air return  203 . The printhead air supply  202  and return  203  may be operatively connected to the controller  280  or some other processor in the printer  200  to enable the controller to manage the air flowing through the print zone. This regulation of the air flow may be through the print zone as a whole or about one or more printhead arrays. The regulation of the air flow may help to prevent evaporated solvents and water in the ink from condensing on the printhead and as well as attenuating heat in the print zone to reduce the likelihood that ink dries in the inkjets, which may clog the inkjets. The airflow management system  201  may also include one or more sensors to detect humidity and temperature in the print zone to enable more precise control of the temperature, flow, and humidity of the air supply  202  and return  203  to ensure optimum conditions within the print zone. 
     The printer  200  may also include an aqueous ink supply and delivery subsystem  220  that has at least one source  222  of one color of aqueous ink. Since the printer  200  is a multicolor image producing machine, the ink delivery system  220  includes, for example, four (4) sources  222 ,  224 ,  226 ,  228 , representing four (4) different colors CYMK (cyan, yellow, magenta, black) of aqueous inks. 
     The printhead system  230  may include a printhead support  232 , which provides support for a plurality of printhead modules, also known as print box units,  234 A- 234 D. Each printhead module  234 A- 234 D effectively extends across the width of the blanket  100  and ejects ink drops onto the blanket  100 . A printhead module  234 A- 234 D may include a single printhead or a plurality of printheads configured in a staggered arrangement. Each printhead module  234 A- 234 D may be operatively connected to a frame (not shown) and aligned to eject the ink drops to form an ink image on the coating on the blanket  100 . The printhead modules  234 A- 234 D may include associated electronics, ink reservoirs, and ink conduits to supply ink to the one or more printheads. One or more conduits (not shown) may operatively connect the sources  222 ,  224 ,  226 , and  228  to the printhead modules  234 A- 234 D to provide a supply of ink to the one or more printheads in the modules  234 A- 234 D. As is generally familiar, each of the one or more printheads in a printhead module  234 A- 234 D may eject a single color of ink. In other embodiments, the printheads may be configured to eject two or more colors of ink. For example, printheads in modules  234 A and  234 B may eject cyan and magenta ink, while printheads in modules  234 C and  234 D may eject yellow and black ink. The printheads in the illustrated modules  234 A- 234 D are arranged in two arrays that are offset, or staggered, with respect to one another to increase the resolution of each color separation printed by a module. Such an arrangement enables printing at twice the resolution of a printing system only having a single array of printheads that eject only one color of ink. Although the printer  200  includes four printhead modules  234 A- 234 D, each of which has two arrays of printheads, alternative configurations include a different number of printhead modules or arrays within a module. 
     After the printed image on the blanket  100  exits the print zone, the image passes under an image dryer  204 . The image dryer  204  may include a heater, such as a radiant infrared heater, a radiant near infrared heater, and/or a forced hot air convection heater  205 . The image dryer  204  may also include a dryer  206 , which is illustrated as a heated air source, and air returns  207 A and  207 B. The infrared heater  205  may apply infrared heat to the printed image on the surface of the blanket  100  to evaporate water or solvent in the ink. The heated air source  206  may direct heated air over the ink to supplement the evaporation of the water or solvent from the ink. In at least one embodiment, the dryer  206  may be a heated air source with the same design as the dryer  296 . While the dryer  206  may be positioned along the process direction to dry the hydrophilic composition, the dryer  206  may also be positioned along the process direction after the printhead modules  234 A- 234 D to at least partially dry the aqueous ink on the blanket  100 . The air may then be collected and evacuated by air returns  207 A and  207 B to reduce the interference of the air flow with other components in the printing area. 
     The printer  200  may further include a print medium supply and handling system  240  that stores, for example, one or more stacks of paper print mediums of various sizes. The print medium supply and handling system  240 , for example, includes sheet or substrate supply sources  242 ,  244 ,  246 , and  248 . The supply source  248  may be a high capacity paper supply or feeder for storing and supplying image receiving substrates in the form of cut print mediums  249 . The print medium supply and handling system  240  may also include a substrate handling and transport system  250  that has a media pre-conditioner assembly  252  and a media post-conditioner assembly  254 . The printer  200  may also include a fusing device  260  to apply additional heat and pressure to the print medium after the print medium passes through the transfix nip  218 . The printer  200  may also include an original document feeder  270  that has a document holding tray  272 , document sheet feeding and retrieval devices  274 , and a document exposure and scanning system  276 . 
     Operation and control of the various subsystems, components, and functions of the printer  200  may be performed with the aid of the controller  280 . The controller  80  may be operably connected to the intermediate transfer member  212 , the printhead modules  234 A- 234 D (and thus the printheads), the substrate supply and handling system  240 , the substrate handling and transport system  250 , and, in some embodiments, the one or more optical sensors  294 A- 294 E. The controller  280  may be a self-contained, dedicated mini-computer having a central processor unit (“CPU”)  282  with electronic storage  284 , and a display or user interface (“UI”)  286 . The controller  80  may include a sensor input and control circuit  288  as well as a pixel placement and control circuit  289 . In addition, the CPU  282  may read, capture, prepare, and manage the image data flow between image input sources, such as the scanning system  276 , or an online or a work station connection  290 , and the printhead modules  234 A- 234 D. As such, the controller  80  may be the main multi-tasking processor for operating and controlling all of the other machine subsystems and functions. 
     Once an image or images have been formed on the blanket  100  and coating under control of the controller  280 , the printer  200  may operate components within the printer  200  to perform a process for transferring and fixing the image or images from the blanket  100  to media. The controller  280  may operate actuators to drive one or more of the rollers  264  in the media transport system  250  to move the print medium  249  in the process direction P to a position adjacent the transfix roller  219  and then through the transfix nip  218  between the transfix roller  219  and the blanket  100 . The transfix roller  219  may apply pressure against the back side of the print medium  249  in order to press the front side of the print medium  249  against the blanket  100  and the intermediate transfer member  212 . Although the transfix roller  219  may also be heated, as shown, the transfix roller  219  is unheated in  FIG. 2 . The pre-heater assembly  252  for the print medium  249  may be in the media path leading to the transfix nip  218 . The pre-conditioner assembly  252  may condition the print medium  249  to a predetermined temperature that aids in the transferring of the image to the media, thus simplifying the design of the transfix roller  219 . The pressure produced by the transfix roller  219  on the back side of the heated print medium  249  may facilitate the transfixing (transfer and fusing) of the image from the intermediate transfer member  212  onto the print medium  249 . The rotation or rolling of both the intermediate transfer member  212  and transfix roller  219  not only transfixes the images onto the print medium  249 , but also assists in transporting the print medium  249  through the transfix nip  218 . The intermediate transfer member  212  may continue to rotate to enable the printing process to be repeated. 
     After the intermediate transfer member moves through the transfix nip  218 , the image receiving surface passes a cleaning unit that removes residual portions of the sacrificial polyurethane coating and small amounts of residual ink from the image receiving surface of the blanket  100 . In the printer  200 , the cleaning unit is embodied as a cleaning blade  295  that engages the surface of the blanket  100 . The blade  295  is formed from a material that wipes the surface of the blanket  100  without causing damage to the blanket  100 . For example, the cleaning blade  295  may be formed from a flexible polymer material in the printer  200 . In another embodiment, the cleaning unit may include a roller or other member that applies a mixture of water and detergent to remove residual materials from the surface of the blanket  100  after the intermediate transfer member moves through the transfix nip  218 . The term “detergent” or cleaning agent refers to any surfactant, solvent, or other chemical compound that is suitable for removing any sacrificial polyurethane coating and any residual ink from the image receiving surface of the blanket  100 . 
     While  FIG. 1  depicts an aqueous transfix blanket  100  attached to a rigid underlayer  107  that may be part of an intermediate transfer member such as an intermediate transfer roll  212 , it will be understood that the aqueous transfix blanket  100  may form, in part or in whole, any of a rotating blanket, a rotating belt, or a rotating roll, for example as more particularly depicted in the cross sections of  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The rotating blanket, belt, or roll includes a screen layer  104  as described above with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
       FIG. 3  depicts an intermediate transfer member blanket that may form part of an intermediate transfer member belt or roll  300  that includes, at least, a screen layer  104  and an outer conforming layer  102  as described above with reference to  FIG. 1 . The screen layer  104  and the outer conforming layer  102  alone may function sufficiently as a intermediate transfer member, specifically as a belt or roll. Optionally, the outer conforming layer  102  may have formed thereon at least one deposited layer  103  as described above for other embodiments. 
     Optionally, the belt or roll  300  may also include an inner support layer  304 , for example an inner support layer including a polymer layer or a woven fiber. The inner support layer may include at least one of polyimide, a biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate polyester resin film such as Mylar® (available from DuPont), polyester, carbon fiber, a para-aramid synthetic fiber, a meta-aramid material, a metal, a metal alloy, and combinations of two or more of these. A polymer inner support layer  304  may have a thickness of from about 60 μm to about 100 μm, or from about 70 μm to about 90 μm, or about 80 μm. A fiber inner support layer  304  may have a thickness of from about 100 μm to about 1 mm, or from about 200 μm to about 700 μm, or from about 300 μm to about 500 μm. 
       FIG. 4  depicts an intermediate transfer member blanket that may form part of an intermediate transfer member belt or roll  400 . The intermediate transfer member  400  may include a deposited layer  103 , an outer conforming layer  102 , a screen layer  104 , and an inner support layer  304  as above. Additionally, the intermediate transfer member  400  may include an elastomer nip forming layer  402  interposed between the screen layer  104  and the inner support layer  304 . The elastomer nip forming layer can include an elastomer such as silicone, a fluoro rubber such as Viton® (available from DuPont), ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), nitrile rubber (i.e., acrylonitrile butadiene rubber or NBR), polyurethane, and combinations of two or more of these. If used, the elastomer nip forming layer may assist with the surface conforming to rough papers and ink layers. The elastomer nip forming layer may have a thickness of from about 20 micrometers (μm) to about 5,000 μm, or from about 40 μm to about 2,500 μm, or from about 100 μm to about 1,000 μm. 
       FIG. 5  depicts another embodiment of an aqueous transfix blanket  500  that has been prepared for attachment to an underlying substrate (not depicted for simplicity).  FIG. 5  depicts an optional deposited layer  103 , an outer conforming layer  102 , an inner support layer  304 , and a screen layer  104 , with each layer in accordance with analogous layers  102 ,  103 ,  304 , and  104  as described above. In an embodiment, the screen layer  104  may be attached to a rigid or flexible underlying substrate below the screen layer  104  using an adhesive  502  as depicted, or the screen layer  104  may be molded onto the underlying substrate. The screen layer  104  may be attached to the inner support layer  304  using, for example, a thin double-sided, high temperature adhesive tape or film  504 . 
     Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the present teachings are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value, however, inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements. Moreover, all ranges disclosed herein are to be understood to encompass any and all sub-ranges subsumed therein. For example, a range of “less than 10” can include any and all sub-ranges between (and including) the minimum value of zero and the maximum value of 10, that is, any and all sub-ranges having a minimum value of equal to or greater than zero and a maximum value of equal to or less than 10, e.g., 1 to 5. In certain cases, the numerical values as stated for the parameter can take on negative values. In this case, the example value of range stated as “less than 10” can assume negative values, e.g. −1, −2, −3, −10, −20, −30, etc. 
     While the present teachings have been illustrated with respect to one or more implementations, alterations and/or modifications can be made to the illustrated examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it will be appreciated that while the process is described as a series of acts or events, the present teachings are not limited by the ordering of such acts or events. Some acts may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other acts or events apart from those described herein. Also, not all process stages may be required to implement a methodology in accordance with one or more aspects or embodiments of the present teachings. It will be appreciated that structural components and/or processing stages can be added or existing structural components and/or processing stages can be removed or modified. Further, one or more of the acts depicted herein may be carried out in one or more separate acts and/or phases. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “including,” “includes,” “having,” “has,” “with,” or variants thereof are used in either the detailed description and the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.” The term “at least one of” is used to mean one or more of the listed items can be selected. Further, in the discussion and claims herein, the term “on” used with respect to two materials, one “on” the other, means at least some contact between the materials, while “over” means the materials are in proximity, but possibly with one or more additional intervening materials such that contact is possible but not required. Neither “on” nor “over” implies any directionality as used herein. The term “conformal” describes a coating material in which angles of the underlying material are preserved by the conformal material. The term “about” indicates that the value listed may be somewhat altered, as long as the alteration does not result in nonconformance of the process or structure to the illustrated embodiment. Finally, “exemplary” indicates the description is used as an example, rather than implying that it is an ideal. Other embodiments of the present teachings will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosure herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the present teachings being indicated by the following claims. 
     Terms of relative position as used in this application are defined based on a plane parallel to the conventional plane or working surface of a workpiece, regardless of the orientation of the workpiece. The term “horizontal” or “lateral” as used in this application is defined as a plane parallel to the conventional plane or working surface of a workpiece, regardless of the orientation of the workpiece. The term “vertical” refers to a direction perpendicular to the horizontal. Terms such as “on,” “side” (as in “sidewall”), “higher,” “lower,” “over,” “top,” and “under” are defined with respect to the conventional plane or working surface being on the top surface of the workpiece, regardless of the orientation of the workpiece.