Offset print apparatus and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11912014-B2
Application number	US-201917634154-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2019
Priority date	Oct 31, 2019
Publication date	Feb 27, 2024
Grant date	Feb 27, 2024

Abstract

Offset print apparatus comprises: a blanket to receive print agent; a non-contact temperature sensor to monitor electromagnetic radiation from a measurement location of the blanket and generate a respective output; and a controller to: receive the output from the non-contact temperature sensor; determine coverage information relating to a print agent coverage of the blanket at the measurement location; and calculate a temperature of the blanket at the measurement location taking into account both the output from the non-contact temperature sensor and the determined coverage information.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Offset print apparatus comprising:
a blanket to receive print agent;
a non-contact temperature sensor to monitor electromagnetic radiation from a measurement location of the blanket and generate a respective output; and
a controller to:
receive the output from the non-contact temperature sensor;
determine coverage information relating to a print agent coverage of the blanket at the measurement location; and
calculate a temperature of the blanket at the measurement location taking into account both the output from the non-contact temperature sensor and the determined coverage information.

2. The offset print apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is to control operation of an offset print apparatus device based on the temperature of the blanket at the measurement location.

3. The offset print apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the offset print apparatus is liquid electrophotographic print (LEP) apparatus and the print agent is liquid electrophotographic ink.

4. The offset print apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is to: select temperature sensor compensation data based on the determined coverage information; and calculate the temperature of the blanket at the measurement location taking into account both the output from the non-contact temperature sensor and the selected temperature sensor compensation data.

5. The offset print apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is to receive coverage information relating to a print agent coverage of the blanket.

6. The offset print apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the coverage information for a measurement location comprises information relating to the amount of print agent and/or the type of print agent on the blanket at the measurement location.

7. The offset print apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the non-contact temperature sensor is an infrared temperature sensor.

8. A method of operating offset print apparatus, the offset print apparatus comprising a blanket to receive print agent and a non-contact temperature sensor to monitor electromagnetic radiation from a measurement location of the blanket and generate a respective output,
the method comprising:
receiving the output from the non-contact temperature sensor;
determining coverage information relating to a print agent coverage of the blanket at the measurement location; and
calculating a temperature of the blanket at the measurement location taking into account both the output from the non-contact temperature sensor and the determined coverage information.

9. The method according to claim 8 further comprising: controlling operation of an offset print apparatus device based on the temperature of the blanket at the measurement location.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the offset print apparatus is liquid electrophotographic print (LEP) apparatus and the print agent is liquid electrophotographic ink.

11. The method according to claim 8 comprising: selecting temperature sensor compensation data based on the determined coverage information; and calculating the temperature of the blanket at the measurement location taking into account both the output from the non-contact temperature sensor and the selected temperature sensor compensation data.

12. The method according to claim 8 , wherein determining coverage information relating to print agent coverage of the blanket at the measurement location comprises receiving coverage information relating to a print agent coverage of the blanket.

13. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the coverage information for the measurement location comprises information relating to the amount of print agent and/or the type of print agent on the blanket at the measurement location.

14. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the non-contact temperature sensor is an infrared temperature sensor.

15. Offset print apparatus comprising a controller to estimate temperature at a measurement location of a blanket using a non-contact sensor, and to control a dryer based on an estimated temperature, wherein the print apparatus is to estimate temperature at the measurement location as a function of coverage information relating to a print agent coverage of the blanket at the measurement location.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Gorbikov Evgeny
• Shaviv Petrushevsky Michal
• Chauvin Martin
• Naveh Ron

Classifications

• B41F7/06 Primary

  for printing on sheets · CPC title

• B41F30/04

  attaching to transfer cylinders · CPC title

• G03G15/10

  using a liquid developer · CPC title

• G03G15/2025

  with special means for lubricating and/or cleaning the fixing unit, e.g. applying offset preventing fluid · CPC title

• G03G15/2039

  with means for controlling the fixing temperature · CPC title