A method for producing a foamed body includes: forming a foamed layer precursor including applying a coating liquid onto a base to form a liquid film and applying an ink onto the liquid film by an inkjet method, where the coating liquid contains a foaming agent and an active energy ray curable material having a radical-polymerizable functional group, the active energy ray curable material contains a multifunctional active energy ray curable material having two or more radical-polymerizable functional groups, and the ink contains a foaming accelerator having a radical-polymerizable functional group; and foaming a desired position of the foamed layer precursor by heating to form a foamed layer. A functional group equivalent of the radical-polymerizable functional group in the foaming accelerator is greater than a functional group equivalent of the radical-polymerizable functional group in the active energy ray curable material.

A method for producing a foamed body includes: forming a foamed layer precursor including applying a coating liquid onto a base to form a liquid film and applying an ink onto the liquid film by an inkjet method, where the coating liquid contains a foaming agent and an active energy ray curable material having a radical-polymerizable functional group, the active energy ray curable material contains a multifunctional active energy ray curable material having two or more radical-polymerizable functional groups, and the ink contains a foaming accelerator having a radical-polymerizable functional group; and foaming a desired position of the foamed layer precursor by heating to form a foamed layer. A functional group equivalent of the radical-polymerizable functional group in the foaming accelerator is greater than a functional group equivalent of the radical-polymerizable functional group in the active energy ray curable material.

The present invention refers to a plant (1) for printing a fibrous material (T). The printing plant (1) comprises: a station (14) for supplying a fibrous material configured for supplying the fibrous material along a predetermined operative path, a treating station (10) configured for treating the fibrous material with a treatment composition by applying the composition itself on a first side (T1) of the fibrous material (T) ; and a printing station (6) configured for ink-printing at least part of a second side (T2) of the fibrous material (T) opposite to the first side (T1). Moreover, the present invention refers to a process of printing a fibrous material.

The present invention refers to a plant (1) for printing a fibrous material (T). The printing plant (1) comprises: a station (14) for supplying a fibrous material configured for supplying the fibrous material along a predetermined operative path, a treating station (10) configured for treating the fibrous material with a treatment composition by applying the composition itself on a first side (T1) of the fibrous material (T); and a printing station (6) configured for ink-printing at least part of a second side (T2) of the fibrous material (T) opposite to the first side (T1). Moreover, the present invention refers to a process of printing a fibrous material.

Ink-based digital printing systems useful for ink printing include a secondary roller having a rotatable reimageable surface layer configured to receive fountain solution. The fountain solution layer is patterned on the secondary roller and then partially transferred to an imaging blanket, where the fountain solution image is inked. The resulting ink image may be transferred to a print substrate. To achieve a very high-resolution (e.g., 1200-dpi, over 900-dpi) print with these secondary roller configurations, an equivalent very high-resolution fountain solution image needs to be transferred from the secondary roller onto the imaging blanket. To increase the resolution of the image on the secondary roller, examples include a textured surface layer added to the secondary roller for contact angle pinning the fountain solution on the roll. Approaches to introduce a micro-structure onto the surface layer of the secondary roller, and also superoleophobic surface coatings are described.

A formative surface having a conductive base covered with a dielectric and oleophobic/hydrophobic surface layer is created with defined pits to grow micro-puddles of a defined volume. The formative surface is brought into close proximity with a charge retentive surface carrying a charge image. Fountain solution vapor nucleates and grows preferentially on the base of the pits as micro-puddle droplets. The puddles are charged and extracted from the surface to provide a fog of charged droplets of narrow volume and charge distribution. The charged droplets are attracted and repelled respectively from the charged and discharged image regions of the charge retentive surface, thus developing the charged image into a fountain solution latent image. The developed latent image is then brought into contact with a transfer member blanket and split, thus creating on the blanket a fountain solution latent image ready for inking.

Ink-based digital printing systems useful for ink printing include a secondary roller having a rotatable reimageable surface layer configured to receive fountain solution. The fountain solution layer is patterned on the secondary roller and then partially transferred to an imaging blanket, where the fountain solution image is inked. The resulting ink image may be transferred to a print substrate. To achieve a very high-resolution (e.g., 1200-dpi, over 900-dpi) print with these secondary roller configurations, an equivalent very high-resolution fountain solution image needs to be transferred from the secondary roller onto the imaging blanket. To increase the resolution of the image on the secondary roller, examples include a textured surface layer added to the secondary roller for contact angle pinning the fountain solution on the roll. Approaches to introduce a micro-structure onto the surface layer of the secondary roller, and also superoleophobic surface coatings are described.

Based on evaporation of fountain solution from a rotating blanket cylinder to create an image that may be inked and printed, a digitally addressable heater array at or just below the blanket surface evaporates deposited fountain solution and forms a fountain solution latent image on the surface. The heater array has controllable heating elements (e.g., field effect transistors, thin film transistors) that provide a transient heat pattern on the surface to evaporate the fountain solution. Heat is generated by current flow in the heating elements, and power developed by the heating circuit is the product of source-drain voltage and current in the channel. Current may be supplied along data lines by an external voltage controlled by digital electronics to provide the desired heat at heating elements addressed by a specific gate line. The heater array may include a current return line that may be a 2-dimensional mesh.

Fountain solution latent images are provided on an inking blanket without using laser-induced evaporation systems. Approaches include a rotatable charge retentive surface configured to receive an unfused toned electrostatic pattern of toner particles adhered thereto via electrophotography. The toner includes small diameter polymeric or inorganic particles that may have no color pigment to appear transparent or translucent. Fountain solution is disposed on at least one of the toner, the charge retentive surface and a transfer substrate. The transfer substrate is adjacent the charge retentive surface and forms a nip therebetween, with the transfer substrate sandwiching the unfused toned electrostatic pattern of toner particles and fountain solution against the charge retentive surface at the nip. Fountain solution sandwiched between the surfaces splits as the surfaces separate downstream the nip, leaving a fountain solution latent image remaining on the transfer member surface based on the electrostatic charged pattern on the charge retentive surface.

There is disclosed apparatus for wetting a roller of a printing system comprising an applicator unit comprising a liquid agent chamber. Upper and lower walls extend from the liquid agent chamber to define a slit therebetween. The upper wall extends beyond a lip of the lower wall to a transfer lip. A flow restrictor is received in the slit to prevent flow of liquid agent to a respective portion of the transfer lip, thereby defining a restricted portion of the slit and an adjacent unrestricted portion of the slit. The flow restrictor fits in the restricted portion with a clearance that permits liquid agent flow at a reduced velocity relative flow through the unrestricted portion, such that liquid agent along the restricted portion is discharged from the lower wall. A method of installing a flow restrictor is also disclosed.