(19)
(11) EP 2 574 459 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
04.12.2013 Bulletin 2013/49

(43) Date of publication A2:
03.04.2013 Bulletin 2013/14

(21) Application number: 12178607.3

(22) Date of filing: 31.07.2012
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
B41C 1/10(2006.01)
B41F 7/02(2006.01)
 B41F 7/00(2006.01)
B41F 31/30(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR
Designated Extension States:
BA ME

(30) Priority: 05.08.2011 US 201113204567

(71) Applicant: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
Palo Alto, California 94304 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Stowe, Timothy D
    Alameda, CA 94501 (US)
  • Peeters, Eric
    Fremont, CA 94555 (US)

(74) Representative: Skone James, Robert Edmund 
Gill Jennings & Every LLP The Broadgate Tower 20 Primrose Street
London EC2A 2ES
London EC2A 2ES (GB)

   


(54) Variable Data Lithography System for Applying Multi-Component Images and Systems Therefor


(57) A reimageable layer (20) of an imaging member is provided with a dampening fluid layer (32). The reimageable layer (20) has specific properties such as composition, surface profile, and so on so as to be well suited for receipt and carrying the dampening fluid layer. An optical patterning subsystem such as a scanned modulated laser patterns the dampening fluid layer. Ink having a first set of properties such as color, composition, etc., is applied at an inking subsystem such that it selectively resides in voids formed by the patterning subsystem in the dampening fluid layer to thereby form an inked latent image. The inked latent image is then transferred to a substrate, and the reimageable surface cleaned. The process is repeated for a second ink having properties different than the first. Each ink image may successively be applied to the substrate, or a composite image may be formed then applied to the substrate.







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