A thread-coating system includes: a thread-coating module having a droplet ejector assembly; a thread gatherer positioned upstream of the thread-coating module and configured for arranging a plurality of threads in a thread wall; a thread expander positioned downstream of the thread-coating module for receiving a coated thread wall and expanding the coated thread wall into individual threads. The thread gatherer is configured for adjusting a spacing of threads in the thread wall and an overall height of the thread wall via a pivoting motion.

A cleaning device includes a separation and contact mechanism that separates a web from a conveyance roller and brings the web into contact with the conveyance roller, and a controller. The controller includes a conveyed sheet number determination unit and a separation and contact control unit. The conveyed sheet number determination unit monitors a conveyed sheet number of both-surface image forming sheets where image forming processing is applied to both a first surface and a second surface with respect to the sheets conveyed by the conveyance roller, and determines whether or not a cumulative value of the conveyed sheet number has reached a predetermined threshold value. The separation and contact control unit controls the separation and contact mechanism so as to allow the web to be pressed to the conveyance roller by a pressing roller when the cumulative value of the conveyed sheet number has reached the threshold value.

A printing system for printing on a substrate, comprises a movable intermediate transfer member in the form of a flexible, substantially inextensible, belt guided to follow a closed path, an image forming station for depositing droplets of a liquid ink onto an outer surface of the belt to form an ink image, a drying station for drying the ink image on the belt to leave an ink residue film on the outer surface of the belt, first and second impression stations spaced from one another in the direction of movement of the belt, each impression station comprising an impression cylinder for supporting and transporting the substrate and a pressure cylinder carrying a compressible blanket for urging the belt against the substrate supported on the impression cylinder, and a transport system for transporting the substrate from the first impression station to the second impression station. The pressure cylinder of at least the first impression station is movable between a first position in which the belt is urged towards the impression cylinder to cause the residue film on the outer surface of the belt to be transferred onto the front side of the substrate supported on the impression cylinder, and a second position in which the belt is spaced from the impression cylinder to allow the ink image on the belt to pass through the first impression station and arrive intact at the second impression station for transfer onto the reverse side of the substrate supported on the second impression cylinder.

A printing system for printing on a substrate, comprises a movable intermediate transfer member in the form of a flexible, substantially inextensible, belt guided to follow a closed path, an image forming station for depositing droplets of a liquid ink onto an outer surface of the belt to form an ink image, a drying station for drying the ink image on the belt to leave an ink residue film on the outer surface of the belt, first and second impression stations spaced from one another in the direction of movement of the belt, each impression station comprising an impression cylinder for supporting and transporting the substrate and a pressure cylinder carrying a compressible blanket for urging the belt against the substrate supported on the impression cylinder, and a transport system for transporting the substrate from the first impression station to the second impression station. The pressure cylinder of at least the first impression station is movable between a first position in which the belt is urged towards the impression cylinder to cause the residue film on the outer surface of the belt to be transferred onto the front side of the substrate supported on the impression cylinder, and a second position in which the belt is spaced from the impression cylinder to allow the ink image on the belt to pass through the first impression station and arrive intact at the second impression station for transfer onto the reverse side of the substrate supported on the second impression cylinder.

A printer includes a line head and a waste liquid tank. The line head is configured to move in an A direction having a component of a horizontal direction and a component of an apparatus height direction and is configured to eject a liquid onto a sheet to make a record. The liquid ejected from the line head is collected in the waste liquid tank. The waste liquid tank is located below the line head in the Z direction. When viewed in the Z direction from top to bottom, a movement area of the line head and a portion of the waste liquid tank overlap each other over a range defined in the Y direction.

Disclosed herein is a substrate cooling unit for use with a duplex aqueous ink jet image forming device. The substrate cooling unit including a first cooling roll. a first transport belt, a second cooling roll positioned downstream of the first cooling roll in a process direction and a second transport belt. The first and second transports belts include a bottom layer of a fiber mesh impregnated with a polydimethylsiloxane, where the fiber mesh is selected from cotton, polyester, and nylon. The first and second transport belts include an optional intermediate adhesive layer and an optional top layer of silicone having an extractable level of less than 4 percent. The substrate cooling unit includes an invertor.

An intermediate unit includes a transportation path provided with a drying unit that accelerates the drying of the medium. The transportation path includes an inlet path, an outlet path, a first branch path, a second branch path, a first junction path, a second junction path, a switch-back type inversion path with a first inversion path and a second inversion path. The first branch path and the second branch path which branch off at a branch point from the inlet path. The first junction path and the second junction path and the outlet path join each other at a junction point. The first branch path and the first junction path and the first inversion path join each other at a first connection point. The second branch path and the second junction path and the second inversion path join each other at a second connection point.

An intermediate unit includes a transportation path provided with a drying unit that accelerates the drying of the medium. The transportation path includes an inlet path, an outlet path, a first branch path, a second branch path, a first junction path, a second junction path, a switch-back type inversion path with a first inversion path and a second inversion path. The first branch path and the second branch path which branch off at a branch point from the inlet path. The first junction path and the second junction path and the outlet path join each other at a junction point. The first branch path and the first junction path and the first inversion path join each other at a first connection point. The second branch path and the second junction path and the second inversion path join each other at a second connection point.

A medium transport apparatus includes a first roller configured to apply feeding force to a medium in a medium transport path for transporting the medium, a second roller disposed on an upstream side of the first roller in a medium transport direction in the medium transport path, the second roller being configured to apply feeding force to the medium, a third roller configured to be switched between a first position at which the medium is to be nipped with the second roller and a second position at which the nipping of the medium is to be released, a switching section configured to switch a position of the third roller, and at least one protruding member protruding from an outer circumferential surface of the second roller, the protruding member being configured to separate the medium from the outer circumferential surface of the second roller in the medium transport path.

A medium transport apparatus includes a first roller configured to apply feeding force to a medium in a medium transport path for transporting the medium, a second roller disposed on an upstream side of the first roller in a medium transport direction in the medium transport path, the second roller being configured to apply feeding force to the medium, a third roller configured to be switched between a first position at which the medium is to be nipped with the second roller and a second position at which the nipping of the medium is to be released, a switching section configured to switch a position of the third roller, and at least one protruding member protruding from an outer circumferential surface of the second roller, the protruding member being configured to separate the medium from the outer circumferential surface of the second roller in the medium transport path.