SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING DOCUMENT FINISHES ON A DOCUMENT USING A BLEND OF TONERS
A system and method for printing a document having one or more document finishes. The method comprises determining an electrostatic image to be applied to a sheet of paper that corresponds to a document finish, applying a finish toner to the sheet of paper corresponding to the electrostatic image, the finish toner operable to yield a document finish when fused to the sheet of paper, and fusing the finish toner to the sheet of paper. Typically, the finish toner is applied after a non-finish toner and/or a non-finish ink have been applied to the sheet of paper. Thus, the non-finish toner/ink provides the content of the sheet of paper while the finish toner provides a finish, such as a glossy, matte, or satin finish, etc. Such a system is well suited for creating and reproducing documents with finishes because large industrial printers are not required to produce the document finish.
1 . A method for printing a document, the method comprising:
determining an electrostatic image to be applied to a sheet of paper that corresponds to a document finish;
applying a blend of finish toners to the sheet of paper corresponding to the electrostatic image, the finish toners operable to yield a document finish when fused to the sheet of paper; and
fusing the finish toners to the sheet of paper.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the document finish comprises a glossy document finish.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the document finish comprises a matte document finish.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the document finish comprises a satin document finish.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining an electrostatic image to be applied to a sheet of paper that corresponds to a document pattern; and
applying non-finish toner to the sheet of paper according to the electrostatic image that corresponds to the document pattern.
6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the non-finish toner is fused to the sheet of paper prior to applying the finish toner to the sheet of paper.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the applying the finish toner to the sheet of paper further comprises:
applying a first predetermined amount of a first finish toner having particles of a first size; and
applying a second predetermined amount of a second finish toner having particles of a second size.
8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the particles of first finish toner comprise a fine granularity and the particles of the second finish toner comprise a course granularity.
9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a electrostatic image to be applied to a sheet of paper that corresponds to an document pattern; and
applying non-finish ink to the sheet of paper according to the electrostatic image that corresponds to the document pattern.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the fusing further comprises:
setting a temperature of a fuser to a predetermined temperature; and
setting a pressure of a pressure roller to a predetermined pressure.
11 . The method of claim 10 further comprising adjusting the predetermined temperature and predetermined pressure to produce a different document finish.
12 . A method for printing a document, the method comprising:
determining an electrostatic image to be applied to a sheet of paper that corresponds to a document finish;
applying a blend of finish toners to the sheet of paper corresponding to the electrostatic image, the blend of finish toners including at least a translucent finish toner and a clear finish toner; and
fusing the blend of translucent and clear finish toners to the sheet of paper.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the document finish comprises a glossy document finish.
14 . The method of claim 12 wherein the document finish comprises a matte document finish.
15 . The method of claim 12 wherein the document finish comprises a satin document finish.
16 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining an electrostatic image to be applied to a sheet of paper that corresponds to a document pattern;
applying a non-finish toner to the sheet of paper according to the electrostatic image that corresponds to the document pattern; and
fusing the non-finish toner to the sheet of paper.
17 . A printer having a print stage, comprising:
a laser operable to impart an electrostatic image to a rotating drum, the electrostatic image corresponding to a document finish;
a toner roller operable to impart a blend of finish toners to the rotating drum according to the electrostatic image;
a belt system operable to maneuver a sheet of paper toward the rotating drum such that the rotating drum imparts the finish toners to the paper according to the electrostatic image; and
a fuser operable to fuse the finish toners to the sheet of paper.
18 . The printer of claim 17 wherein the belt maneuvers the sheet of paper from a paper tray.
19 . The printer of claim 17 wherein the laser imparts the electrostatic image to the rotating drum via a focusing mirror system.
20 . The printer of claim 17 , further comprising a printer controller operable to control the laser and operable to receive a print command from a computer system via a communication port.
21 . The printer of claim 17 , further comprising a charge corona wire operable to impart a negative charge to the rotating drum.
22 . The printer of claim 17 , further comprising a second print stage including:
a second laser operable to impart a second electrostatic image to a second rotating drum, the second electrostatic image corresponding to an image pattern;
a second toner roller operable to impart non-finish toner to the second rotating drum according to the second electrostatic image;
a second belt system operable to maneuver a sheet of paper toward the second rotating drum such that the second rotating drum imparts the non-finish toner to the paper according to the second electrostatic image; and
a second fuser operable to fuse the non-finish toner to the sheet of paper.