Apparatus and method for applying a liquid to a printing surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021268824-A1
Application number	US-201817255729-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 5, 2018
Priority date	Sep 5, 2018
Publication date	Sep 2, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus (100) for applying a liquid to a printing surface (150). The apparatus comprise: a housing (110) arranged to receive the liquid, the housing comprising an aperture and the aperture comprising at least a first side defined by the housing and a second side defined by the housing which is opposite to the first side, such that the liquid can flow out of the housing by passing through the aperture between the first side and the second side; and a liquid guide member (120) which is inserted into the aperture so that the liquid guide member extends from the first side to the second side. The liquid guide member comprises: a first transfer surface; a second transfer surface which is separated from the first transfer surface by a gap; a first channel which extends from a first inlet which is adjacent to the aperture to a first outlet which is adjacent to the first transfer surface; and a second channel which extends from a first inlet which is adjacent to the aperture to a first outlet which is adjacent to the second transfer surface, the liquid guide member being arranged such that in use the liquid will flow along the first channel from the aperture to the first transfer surface and then transfer from the first transfer surface onto the printing surface, and the liquid will flow along the second channel from the aperture to the second transfer surface and then transfer from the second transfer surface onto the printing surface as the printing surface moves relative to the apparatus.

First claim

1 . An apparatus for applying a liquid to a printing surface, the apparatus comprising:
a housing arranged to receive the liquid, the housing comprising an aperture and the aperture comprising at least a first side defined by the housing and a second side defined by the housing which is opposite to the first side, such that the liquid can flow out of the housing by passing through the aperture between the first side and the second side; and a liquid guide member which is inserted into the aperture so that the liquid guide member extends from the first side to the second side, wherein the liquid guide member comprises: a first transfer surface; a second transfer surface which is separated from the first transfer surface by a gap; a first channel which extends from a first inlet which is adjacent to the aperture to a first outlet which is adjacent to the first transfer surface; and a second channel which extends from a first inlet which is adjacent to the aperture to a first outlet which is adjacent to the second transfer surface, the liquid guide member being arranged such that in use the liquid will flow along the first channel from the aperture to the first transfer surface and then transfer from the first transfer surface onto the printing surface, and the liquid will flow along the second channel from the aperture to the second transfer surface and then transfer from the second transfer surface onto the printing surface as the printing surface moves relative to the apparatus.

2 . An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first inlet has a first width at its widest point and the first transfer surface has a second width at its widest point, the widths of the first inlet and the first transfer surface being measured in a direction which is orthogonal to the direction of movement of the liquid through the first channel and to the direction of movement of the printing surface relative to the apparatus,
and wherein the second width is greater than the first width.

3 . An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second inlet has a third width at its widest point and the second transfer surface has a fourth width at its widest point, the widths of the second inlet and the second transfer surface being measured in a direction which is orthogonal to the direction of movement of the liquid through the second channel and to the direction of movement of the printing surface relative to the apparatus,
and wherein the fourth width is greater than the third width.

4 . An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first channel is wider at the end adjacent to the first transfer surface than it is at the end adjacent to the first inlet,
the width of the first channel being measured in a direction which is parallel to the direction of movement of the liquid through the first channel and to the direction of movement of the printing surface relative to the apparatus.

5 . An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second channel is wider at the end adjacent to the second transfer surface than it is at the end adjacent to the second inlet,
the width of the second channel being measured in a direction which is parallel to the direction of movement of the liquid through the second channel and to the direction of movement of the printing surface relative to the apparatus.

6 . An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid is transferred from the printing surface to a further surface.

7 . An apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the printing surface is the surface of an anilox roller.

8 . An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a first doctor blade, the first doctor blade being arranged adjacent to the aperture and the liquid guide member so that it contacts the printing surface, the first doctor blade being arranged to pass over the printing surface after the liquid has been applied.

9 . An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a second doctor blade, the second doctor blade being arranged adjacent to the aperture and the liquid guide member so that it contacts the printing surface, the second doctor blade being arranged to pass over the printing surface before the liquid has been applied.

10 . An apparatus according to claim 1 , the apparatus further comprising a pump which is arranged to maintain a target pressure of liquid in the housing.

11 . An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises a primer.

12 . A liquid guide member for use with a an apparatus for applying a liquid to a printing surface, wherein the apparatus comprises a housing arranged to receive the liquid, the housing comprising an aperture and the aperture comprising at least a first side defined by the housing and a second side defined by the housing which is opposite to the first side, such that the liquid can flow out of the housing by passing through the aperture between the first side and the second side,
the liquid guide member being suitable for insertion into the aperture so that the liquid guide member extends from the first side to the second side, and comprising: a first transfer surface; a second transfer surface which is separated from the first transfer surface by a gap; a first channel which extends from a first inlet which is adjacent to the aperture to a first outlet which is adjacent to the first transfer surface; and a second channel which extends from a first inlet which is adjacent to the aperture to a first outlet which is adjacent to the second transfer surface, the liquid guide member being arranged such that in use the liquid will flow along the first channel from the aperture to the first transfer surface and then transfer from the first transfer surface onto the printing surface, and the liquid will flow along the second channel from the aperture to the second transfer surface and then transfer from the second transfer surface onto the printing surface as the printing surface moves relative to the apparatus.

13 . A method of applying liquid to a printing surface, the method comprising:
providing an apparatus which comprises a housing arranged to receive the liquid, the housing comprising an aperture and the aperture comprising at least a first side defined by the housing and a second side defined by the housing which is opposite to the first side, such that the liquid can flow out of the housing by passing through the aperture between the first side and the second side; inserting a liquid guide member into the aperture so that the liquid guide member extends from the first side to the second side, the liquid guide member comprising: a first transfer surface; a second transfer surface which is separated from the first transfer surface by a gap; a first channel which extends from a first inlet which is adjacent to the aperture to a first outlet which is adjacent to the first transfer surface; and a second channel which extends from a first inlet which is adjacent to the aperture to a first outlet which is adjacent to the second transfer surface, the liquid guide member being arranged such that in use the liquid will flow along the first channel from the aperture to the first transfer surface and then transfer from the first transfer surface onto the printing surface, and the liquid will flow along the second channel from the aperture to the second transfer surface and then transfer from the second transfer surface onto the printing surface as the printing surface moves relative to the apparatus.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Feygelman Alex
• Ashtamker Ben-Zion

Classifications

• B41J11/0015

  for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing (selective coating B41J2/2114) · CPC title

• B05C1/0817

  characterised by means for removing partially liquid or other fluent material from the roller, e.g. scrapers (coating roller co-operating with dosing rollers B05C1/0834) · CPC title

• B05C1/0813

  characterised by means for supplying liquid or other fluent material to the roller · CPC title

• B41M7/0018 Primary

  using ink-fixing material, e.g. mordant, precipitating agent, after printing, e.g. by ink-jet printing, coating or spraying · CPC title

• B41F19/001 Primary

  with means for coating or laminating · CPC title