An actinic radiation-curable inkjet ink according to the present invention contains an actinic radiation polymerizable compound and a linear styrene (meth)acrylic acid ester copolymer dissolved therein. The styrene (meth)acrylic acid ester copolymer has a softening point of 30 to 120° C., and a content of the styrene (meth)acrylic acid ester copolymer is 1 to 50 wt % based on a total mass of the actinic radiation-curable inkjet ink.

A liquid ejection head includes a print element substrate having an ejection port surface in which a plurality of ejection ports are arranged and a temperature control unit that controls a temperature of the ejection port surface. The print element substrate ejects a liquid from the plurality of ejection ports onto a medium moved by the liquid ejection head relatively to the liquid ejection head. The ejection port surface includes a region on a downstream side of the ejection port surface in a direction in which the medium relatively moves when the medium is viewed from the liquid ejection head, and includes a region on an upstream side of the ejection port surface in the relative moving direction. The temperature control unit control the temperature of the ejection port surface so that a temperature of the downstream side region becomes higher than a temperature of the upstream side region.

A method of manufacturing a pattern includes providing a pattern of a first liquid on a medium, applying a powder material to the provided pattern, and providing a second liquid to the powder material applied to the first liquid.

A method of indirect digital printing is disclosed herein. The method employs (i) first (e.g. transparent) and second aqueous ink components (comprising colorant particles) and (ii) a target surface (e.g. hydrophobic) of an intermediate transfer member (ITM). A quantity of first ink component is deposited (e.g. by ink-jetting) onto the target surface and partially dried to produce a partially-dried layer thereon. Droplets of the second ink component are deposited onto the partially-dried layer of first ink component to form a wet, colored ink-image. Upon deposition of the droplets of the second ink component, the colorant particles from the second component penetrate into the partially-dried layer of the first ink component. The wet, colored image is dried into a tacky ink-image-bearing residue film which is transferred to the substrate. Physical and/or chemical properties of the first and second ink components as provided by various embodiments are disclosed herein.

A system includes: (a) a flexible intermediate transfer member (ITM) including multiple layers and markers including: (i) a structure engraved, in at least one of the layers, at respective marking locations along the ITM, and (ii) at least part of the structure is filled with a filling material that changes one or both of optical and magnetic properties of the ITM, the ITM includes an outer layer for receiving ink droplets, and transferring the ink image to a target substrate, (b) sensing assemblies disposed at respective predefined locations relative to the ITM, and configured to produce signals indicative of respective positions of the markers, and (c) a processor, which is configured to receive the signals, and based on the signals, to control a deposition of the ink droplets on the ITM, and the processor is configured to detect a deformation of the ITM based on the first and second signals.

An ink film construction consisting: (a) a printing substrate; and (b) at least one ink film, fixedly adhered to a top surface of the printing substrate, the ink film having an upper film surface distal to the top surface of the substrate, wherein a surface concentration of nitrogen at the upper film surface exceeds a bulk concentration of nitrogen within the film, the bulk concentration measured at a depth of at least 30 nanometers below the upper film surface, and wherein a ratio of the surface concentration to the bulk concentration is at least 1.1 to 1.

A printing apparatus includes a printhead having a plurality of chips each including a plurality of nozzle arrays which are arranged in a predetermined nozzle array direction and each of which is formed from a plurality of nozzles and energy generation elements provided in correspondence with the nozzles of each nozzle array and each configured to generate energy used for discharging ink. The apparatus relatively moves the printhead and a print medium in a direction intersecting the nozzle array direction, reads a predetermined test pattern printed on the print medium by driving the printhead, analyzes the read test pattern, calculates a slant of the printhead with respect to a reference based on a result of the analysis, and corrects the calculated slant of the printhead by moving the printhead.

An apparatus and methods of decorating a metallic container are provided. More specifically, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods used to provide a decoration or indicia on a predetermined portion of an outer surface of a metallic container body. The decorator includes at least one digital print unit, a transfer blanket, and a support element. The digital print unit transfers a decorating material to the transfer blanket to form a decoration on the transfer blanket. The support element then moves a metallic container into contact with the transfer blanket. In this manner, the decorating material is transferred to an exterior surface portion of the metallic container to decorate the metallic container. In one embodiment, the digital print unit is an electrophotographic system which transfers a toner material to the transfer blanket. In another embodiment, the digital print unit includes an inkjet print head which transfers an ink to the transfer blanket. Optionally, the decorator may include two or more support elements.

An image formation device includes a support, a fluid ejection device, and a first porous element. The support is to support movement of a substrate along a travel path, while the fluid ejection device is located along the travel path to deposit droplets of colorants within a liquid carrier onto the substrate to at least partially form an image on the substrate. A first porous element is located downstream from the fluid ejection device to be in contact against the substrate to remove, via capillary flow, at least a portion of the liquid carrier from the substrate. An ultrasonic element is in contact against the first porous element, at a location separated from a location at which the first porous element engages the substrate, to drive the removed liquid carrier out of the first porous element.

Embodiments of the invention relate to a method of indirect printing with an aqueous ink. Related apparatus, systems and treatment formulations are disclosed herein. Some embodiments relate to an aqueous treatment formulation for use with an intermediate transfer member of a printing system. In some embodiments, the system comprises a treatment station disposed downstream of the impression station and upstream of the image forming station for forming a uniform thin layer of a liquid treatment formulation onto a surface of an intermediate transfer member (ITM) at a lower run thereof.