초록 ▼

A paint injector for digital printing in which paint is deposited in metered amounts on a print medium comprises a wheel rotatable by a shaft of a motor, an idler disposed in a paint reservoir, and an endless cable disposed around the wheel and the idler. The motor is preferably computer controlled

A paint injector for digital printing in which paint is deposited in metered amounts on a print medium comprises a wheel rotatable by a shaft of a motor, an idler disposed in a paint reservoir, and an endless cable disposed around the wheel and the idler. The motor is preferably computer controlled such that the rotation of the wheel and thus movement of the cable is selectively controlled. As the wheel is rotated, paint contained within the paint reservoir coats the cable and is thus drawn by the cable in front of an air stream. The air stream pulls the paint from the cable and carries it toward the print medium. By employing a plurality of such paint injectors into a single print head, each containing a different color of paint, and secured to a computer controlled, movable carriage positioned over the print medium, a digital image can be painted by the print head on the print medium.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A method of digital printing, comprising:providing at least one paint injector, the at least one paint injector having a wheel rotatable by a shaft of a motor, an idler at least partially disposed in paint contained in a reservoir, and a wire-like member disposed at least

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A method of digital printing, comprising:providing at least one paint injector, the at least one paint injector having a wheel rotatable by a shaft of a motor, an idler at least partially disposed in paint contained in a reservoir, and a wire-like member disposed at least partially around said wheel and said idler;advancing the wire-like member with the motor to apply a coating of paint to the wire-like member; anddirecting a fluid stream at a paint coated portion of the wire-like member thereby removing paint from an exterior of the wire-like member and depositing it onto a surface.