A printing apparatus and method are disclosed for printing on three-dimensional objects. The apparatus employs an offset printing process in which an ink image is deposited onto an intermediate transfer member (ITM) having the form of a flexible endless belt. After drying of the ink image on the ITM, the ITM transports the dried ink image to an impression station having a nip at which the ITM is compressed between an object and an impression surface, so that the dried ink image is transferred from the ITM to the object. The impression surface may form part of a stationary anvil, the ITM sliding relative to the impression surface during passage through the impression station. To optimize throughput, the velocity of the ITM relative to the surface of the object at the impression station may be greater than the velocity of the ITM relative to the imaging station.

A printing apparatus and method are disclosed for printing on conical objects. An ink image is deposited onto the outer release surface of an intermediate transfer member (ITM) having the form of a flexible endless belt. After drying of the ink image on the ITM, the ITM transports the dried ink image to an impression station having a nip at which the ink image is transferred onto the objects. In order to permit printing on conical objects, the ITM is elastically deformable at least in the direction of movement of the ITM, and is guided in such a manner as to be elongated during passage through the impression station, the extent of elongation varying across the width of the ITM so as to match the surface velocity of the ITM to that of the object over the entire line of contact between the ITM and the object at the nip.

A printing apparatus and method are disclosed for printing on three-dimensional objects. The apparatus employs an offset printing process in which an ink image is deposited onto an intermediate transfer member (ITM) having the form of a flexible endless belt. After drying of the ink image on the ITM, the ITM transports the dried ink image to an impression station having a nip at which the ITM is compressed between an object and an impression surface, so that the dried ink image is transferred from the ITM to the object. The impression surface may form part of a stationary anvil, the ITM sliding relative to the impression surface during passage through the impression station. To optimize throughput, the velocity of the ITM relative to the surface of the object at the impression station may be greater than the velocity of the ITM relative to the imaging station.

A printing apparatus and method are disclosed for printing on conical objects. An ink image is deposited onto the outer release surface of an intermediate transfer member (ITM) having the form of a flexible endless belt. After drying of the ink image on the ITM, the ITM transports the dried ink image to an impression station having a nip at which the ink image is transferred onto the objects. In order to permit printing on conical objects, the ITM is elastically deformable at least in the direction of movement of the ITM, and is guided in such a manner as to be elongated during passage through the impression station, the extent of elongation varying across the width of the ITM so as to match the surface velocity of the ITM to that of the object over the entire line of contact between the ITM and the object at the nip.

An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit that forms a first toner layer on a medium on which an image is to be formed, a foil layer forming unit that forms a foil layer on the first toner layer on a surface of the medium on which an image is to be formed, and a second image forming unit that forms a second toner layer below the foil layer on the surface of the medium, on which an image is to be formed, in such a manner as to compensate for image steps that are formed by the first toner layer.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, an image heating apparatus including an image heating unit, a rotatable pressing roller, and an information storing portion; a reading portion; a counter portion; a display portion; and a controller. The controller controls the counter portion so that a) when the image heating apparatus mounted is exchanged with an image heating apparatus including a new image heating unit, on the basis of information of the information storing portion, the count value of the image heating apparatus, the count value of the image heating unit and the count value of the rotatable pressing member are reset, and b) when only the image heating unit mounted is exchanged with a new one, the count value of the image heating unit is reset and the count value of the rotatable pressing member is not reset.

An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit that forms a first toner layer on a medium on which an image is to be formed, a foil layer forming unit that forms a foil layer on the first toner layer on a surface of the medium on which an image is to be formed, and a second image forming unit that forms a second toner layer below the foil layer on the surface of the medium, on which an image is to be formed, in such a manner as to compensate for image steps that are formed by the first toner layer.

A toner is provided that contains a crystalline polyester resin comprising a polycondensed resin of a dicarboxylic acid represented by the following formula (1) with a diol represented by the following formula (2). A content of a cyclic ester represented by the following formula (3) in the toner, measured by a thermal extraction gas chromatographic mass spectrometry at a thermal extraction temperature of 160 C., is from 1 to 200 ppm in terms of toluene: ##STR00001##
where n represents an integer of from 2 to 12; ##STR00002##
where m represents an integer of from 2 to 12; and ##STR00003##
where n represents an integer of from 2 to 12, m represents an integer of from 2 to 12, and m+n6 is satisfied.

An example of a print system including a dryer to dry a sheet of paper. The print system includes a media feeder to feed the sheet of paper into the dryer and a controller to vary a speed of the media feeder. The print system includes a communication interface to receive data associated with an image to print on the sheet of paper and a processor. The processor is coupled to the controller and the communication interface. The processor is to determine a first density index for a first portion of the image and to determine a second density index for a second portion of the image. The processor is to adjust the speed of the media feeder via the controller based on the first density index and the second density index.

In a method and device for drying a printed recording medium, a printed recording medium is introduced into a heated first chamber in which a temperature suitable for drying the recording medium and a first pressure are set. The printed recording medium is also introduced into a second chamber in which a second temperature that is suitable for cooling the recording medium for a further processing and a second pressure are set. The first pressure can be provided to be lower than the second pressure.