Patent ID: 6948806

Claim:
A high-speed phase change ink image producing machine comprising: (a) a movable imaging member having an imaging surface; (b) a printhead system connected to said control subsystem for pixel-wise ejecting drops of melted liquid phase change ink onto said imaging surface to form an image; (c) a substrate supply and handling system for feeding image receiving substrates to an image transfer station to receive the formed image; and (c) a polyimide film substrate pre-heater assembly located upstream of the image transfer station, said polyimide film substrate pre-heater assembly including: (i) plural rollers including a drive roller; (ii) a substrate path defining and heating assembly for defining a portion of substrate path; and (iii) a belt assembly including a polyimide film belt forming a loop, said loop forming a substrate transport nip against said substrate path defining and heating assembly, and said polyimide film belt including a polyimide film support layer, a puzzle cut seam having inter-fitting teeth and receptacle members, and a fluoroelastomeric overcoat layer, said overcoat layer includes fluorinated carbon, for filling and strengthening said puzzle cut seam, thereby preventing said inter-filling teeth and receptacle members thereof from popping up when said loop is driven over relatively small diameter rollers.