Imaging system with electrophotographic patterning of an image definition material and methods therefor

摘要

A system comprises an electrophotographic subsystem, a transfer subsystem, an imaging member, and an inking subsystem. The electrophotographic subsystem comprises a photoreceptor, a charging subsystem, an exposure subsystem, and a development subsystem. In operation, the photoreceptor is charged areawise. An exposure pattern is formed by the exposure subsystem on the surface of the charged photoreceptor to thereby write a latent charge image onto the photoreceptor surface. The image is developed with an image definition material, such as a dampening fluid. The image definition material forms a positive pattern of the image to be printed. The image pattern is then transferred to the reimageable surface. The transferred pattern is then developed by selectively applying an ink over regions of image definition material. The inked image may be transferred to a substrate.

主权项

1. A variable data lithography system, comprising:
a photoreceptor; a charging subsystem for applying a first electrostatic charge to said photoreceptor; an exposure subsystem disposed for selective exposure of said photoreceptor to thereby form an exposure pattern from regions that are exposed and unexposed by said exposure subsystem on a surface of said photoreceptor, said exposure enabling altering the electrostatic charge on said photoreceptor to thereby define regions of said photoreceptor having a first electrostatic charge state and a second electrostatic charge state; an image definition material subsystem disposed proximate said photoreceptor for selectively applying an image definition material substantially over regions of said photoreceptor having said first electrostatic charge state and not over regions having said second electrostatic charge state to thereby form an image definition material image on a surface of said photoreceptor corresponding to said exposure pattern; an imaging member having a reimageable surface formed thereover, disposed proximate said photoreceptor such that said image definition material selectively applied over said photoreceptor is transferred over said reimageable surface, forming regions of image definition material separated by regions of no image definition material on said reimageable surface, and thereby transferring said image definition material image between said photoreceptor and said reimageable surface; an inking subsystem for selectively applying ink over said reimageable surface such that said ink preferentially occupies regions over said image definition material on said reimageable surface to thereby form an inked image over said reimageable surface; and an image transfer subsystem for transferring the ink over said image definition material to a substrate to thereby transfer said inked image from said reimageable surface to said substrates wherein said regions of said photoreceptor having a first electrostatic charge state have a first charge polarity, and further wherein said image definition material subsystem is configured such that image definition material applied thereby over said photoreceptor comprises electrostatically charged particles having a second charge polarity, said first charge polarity being opposite said second charge polarity, wherein said image definition material comprises a dampening fluid, said dampening fluid comprising a carrier fluid in which are disposed said electrostatically charged particles.