Controlling ink developer voltages
Example implementations provide a method of controlling an ink developer used in electro-photography; the method comprising, following cessation of printing, varying a plurality of voltages associated with movement of ink within the ink developer at temporally disparate times.
1. A printer for printing to a substrate;
the printer comprising an ink developer;
the ink developer comprising a plurality of members operable in response to a plurality of voltages to influence forming an image;
the printer comprising circuitry, responsive to cessation of printing, to vary at least one voltage of the plurality of voltages in a temporally offset manner relative to at least one other voltage of the plurality of voltages to influence ink movement associated with at least one member of the plurality of members;
wherein the plurality of members comprises a squeegee roller and the circuitry to vary at least one voltage of the plurality of voltages comprises circuitry to vary a squeegee roller voltage, associated with the squeegee roller of the ink developer.
2. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of members comprises an electrode and the circuitry to vary at least one voltage comprises circuitry to vary an electrode voltage of the electrode by reducing the potential difference between the electrode voltage and at least one voltage of the plurality of voltages.
3. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of members comprises a developer roller and the circuitry to vary the electrode voltage comprises circuitry to reduce the potential difference between the electrode voltage and a developer roller voltage associated with the developer roller of the ink developer.
4. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry to vary a squeegee roller voltage comprises circuitry to vary the squeegee roller voltage according to a predeterminable voltage profile.
5. The printer of claim 4 , wherein the predeterminable voltage profile comprises a plateau associated with a respective plateau voltage to influence movement of ink within the ink developer.
6. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry to vary the squeegee voltage comprises circuitry to reduce the potential difference between the squeegee roller voltage and a developer roller voltage associated with a developer roller of the ink developer.
7. The printer of claim 1 , further comprising a cleaner roller and circuitry to maintain a cleaner roller voltage of the plurality of voltages relative to the at least one other voltage of the plurality of voltages to influence transfer of ink to the cleaner roller from the at least one member of the plurality of members; wherein the at least one member is a developer roller and the at least one other voltage is a developer roller voltage of the developer roller.
8. A printer for printing to a substrate;
the printer comprising an ink developer;
the ink developer comprising a plurality of members operable in response to a plurality of voltages to influence forming an image;
the printer comprising circuitry, responsive to cessation of printing, to vary at least one voltage of the plurality of voltages in a temporally offset manner relative to at least one other voltage of the plurality of voltages to influence ink movement associated with at least one member of the plurality of members; and
a cleaner roller and circuitry to maintain a cleaner roller voltage of the plurality of voltages relative to the at least one other voltage of the plurality of voltages to influence transfer of ink to the cleaner roller from the at least one member of the plurality of members.
9. The printer of claim 8 , wherein the at least one member is a developer roller and the at least one other voltage is a developer roller voltage of the developer roller.
10. The printer of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of members comprises an electrode and the circuitry to vary at least one voltage comprises circuitry to vary an electrode voltage of the electrode by reducing the potential difference between the electrode voltage and at least one voltage of the plurality of voltages.
11. The printer of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of members comprises a developer roller and the circuitry to vary the electrode voltage comprises circuitry to reduce the potential difference between the electrode voltage and a developer roller voltage associated with the developer roller of the ink developer.
12. The printer of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of members comprises a squeegee roller and the circuitry to vary at least one voltage of the plurality of voltages comprises circuitry to vary a squeegee roller voltage, associated with the squeegee roller of the ink developer.
13. The printer of claim 12 , wherein the circuitry to vary a squeegee roller voltage comprises circuitry to vary the squeegee roller voltage according to a predeterminable voltage profile.
14. The printer of claim 13 , wherein the predeterminable voltage profile comprises a plateau associated with a respective plateau voltage to influence movement of ink within the ink developer.
15. A printer for printing to a substrate;
the printer comprising an ink developer;
the ink developer comprising a plurality of members operable in response to a plurality of voltages to influence forming an image;
the printer comprising circuitry, responsive to cessation of printing, to vary at least one voltage of the plurality of voltages in a temporally offset manner relative to at least one other voltage of the plurality of voltages to influence ink movement associated with at least one member of the plurality of members;
wherein the plurality of members comprises a developer roller;
wherein the plurality of members comprises an electrode with an associated electrode voltage to influence ink movement to the developer roller; and
wherein the circuitry to vary the electrode voltage comprises circuitry to reduce the potential difference between the electrode voltage and a developer roller voltage associated with the developer roller of the ink developer.
16. The printer of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of members comprises an electrode and the circuitry to vary at least one voltage comprises circuitry to vary an electrode voltage of the electrode by reducing the potential difference between the electrode voltage and at least one voltage of the plurality of voltages.
17. A controller for a printing device for printing to a medium:
the printing device comprising at least one ink developer; the ink developer comprising a developer roller, responsive to respective developer roller voltage and an electrode having an electrode voltage;
the controller comprising circuitry to manage at voltages associated with members of the ink developer to influence movement of ink within the ink developer;
wherein, in response to a cessation of printing, the controller is to first reduce the electrode voltage and then subsequently reduce the developer roller voltage.
18. The controller of claim 17 , the ink developer further comprising a squeegee roller, having a respective squeegee roller voltage, the controller to, in response to a cessation of printing, reduce the squeegee roller voltage after reducing the electrode voltage and before reducing the developer roller voltage.
19. The controller of claim 18 , wherein the squeegee roller voltage and the electrode voltage are reduced to a common level before the developer roller voltage is reduced.
20. The controller of claim 17 , the ink developer further comprising a cleaner roller associated with a cleaner roller voltage, the controller to, in response to a cessation of printing, reduce the cleaner roller voltage after reducing the electrode voltage.