VARIABLE DATA LITHOGRAPHY SYSTEM FOR APPLYING MULTI-COMPONENT IMAGES AND SYSTEMS THEREFOR

摘要

A reimageable layer of an imaging member is provided with a dampening fluid layer. The reimageable layer has specific properties such as composition, surface profile, and so on so as to be well suited for receipt and carrying the dampening fluid layer. An optical patterning subsystem such as a scanned modulated laser patterns the dampening fluid layer. Ink having a first set of properties such as color, composition, etc., is applied at an inking subsystem such that it selectively resides in voids formed by the patterning subsystem in the dampening fluid layer to thereby form an inked latent image. The inked latent image is then transferred to a substrate, and the reimageable surface cleaned. The process is repeated for a second ink having properties different than the first. Each ink image may successively be applied to the substrate, or a composite image may be formed then applied to the substrate.

主权项

1. A variable data lithography system for applying a multicomponent image to a substrate, comprising:
an imaging member comprising an arbitrarily reimageable surface layer, the arbitrarily reimageable surface layer having:
a surface roughness Ra in the range of 0.1 to 4.0 micrometers (μm); anda lateral spatial scale average distance RSm not exceeding 20 micrometers (μm); a dampening solution subsystem for applying a layer of dampening solution to the arbitrarily reimageable surface layer; a patterning subsystem for selectively removing portions of the dampening solution layer to produce a latent image in the dampening solution; a marking material subsystem, comprising:
a plurality of marking material assemblies, each for applying marking material over the arbitrarily reimageable surface layer such that the marking material selectively occupies regions of the arbitrarily reimageable surface layer where dampening solution is removed by the patterning subsystem to produce an inked latent image with the marking material, each of the plurality of marking material assemblies comprising:
a marking material source; anda marking material transfer subsystem for receiving marking material from the marking material source and applying the marking material to the arbitrarily reimageable surface of the imaging member; anda control mechanism for selectively engaging and disengaging each of the plurality of marking material assemblies with the arbitrarily reimageable surface of the imaging member as the arbitrarily reimageable surface is changed between each cycle of the imaging member with respect to the plurality of marking material assemblies; and an image transfer subsystem for transferring the inked latent image to a substrate.