Method and apparatus for drying liquid deposited on liquid receptive material

Claim 2

In a system for drying a liquid on a liquid-receptive material as set forth in claim 1 including means associated with said antenna to subdue arcing between the electrodes.

Claim 3

In a system for drying a liquid on a liquid-receptive material as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means to subdue arcing between electrodes includes a blower for directing ionized air away from said antenna.

Claim 4

In a system for drying a liquid on a liquid-receptive material as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means associated with said antenna for subduing arcing between electrodes comprises a dielectric shielding material surrounding the spaced electrodes.

Claim 5

In a system for drying a liquid on a liquid-receptive material as set forth in claim 1 wherein the spaced electrodes of said antenna have a circular cross section.

Claim 6

In a system for drying a liquid on a liquid-receptive material as set forth in claim 1 wherein the spaced electrodes of said antenna have a substantially crescent-shaped cross section.

Claim 7

In a system for drying a liquid on a liquid-receptive material as set forth in claim 1 including means for discharging static electric charge on the liquid-receptive material positioned along the path of travel thereof.

Claim 8

In a system for drying a liquid on a liquid-receptive material as set forth in claim 8 wherein said means associated with said antenna for subduing arcing between electrodes comprises: a second plurality of spaced electrodes, and generating means coupled to said electrodes producing a current output to generate an electromagnetic field through which tHe liquid-receptive material passes along the path of travel thereof.

Claim 9

In a system for drying a liquid on a liquid-receptive material, comprising: a first plurality of electrodes in spaced-apart relation in an enclosing housing, a second plurality of spaced electrodes with individual electrodes thereof disposed between adjacent electrodes of pairs of said first plurality of electrodes in spaced-apart parallel relation thereto, inductance means connected across said first and second plurality of electrodes to form a tank circuit therewith, generating means having a current output direct coupled to said plurality of electrodes in a free-running oscillator configuration to produce an electromagnetic field radiating therefrom to the liquid-receptive material, dielectric shielding materials surrounding said electrodes to subdue arcing therebetween, and means for moving the liquid-receptive material through the balanced electromagnetic field to effect a drying action of the liquid on the liquid-receptive material.

Claim 10

In a system for drying a liquid on a liquid-receptive material as set forth in claim 10 wherein said means for moving the material through the balanced electromagnetic field includes gripper bars having opposite ends thereof movable along chain rails, and grounded conductors extended along the chain rails to maintain said gripper bars at a ground potential.

Claim 11

In a system for drying a liquid on a liquid-receptive material as set forth in claim 10 wherein the electrodes have a substantially crescent-shaped cross section.

Claim 12

In a system for drying a liquid on a liquid-receptive material as set forth in claim 10 wherein said electrodes have a substantially circular cross section.

Claim 13

In a system for drying a liquid on a liquid-receptive material as set forth in claim 10 wherein the dielectric shielding material has a low dissipation factor.

Claim 14

In a system for drying a liquid on a liquid-receptive material as set forth in claim 10 wherein the dielectric shielding material has a high breakdown voltage.

Claim 15

In a system for drying a liquid on a liquid-receptive material as set forth in claim 10 wherein the dielectric shielding material is formed sheet of tetrafluoroethylene polymer extending across the front and between the sides of the electrodes in an undulatory path to provide troughs of shielding material between adjacent electrodes.

Claim 16

In a system for drying a liquid on a liquid-receptive material as set forth in claim 10 wherein the electrodes are arranged to form first and second heads, the first head and second head being disposed on opposite sides of the liquid-receptive material.

Claim 17

In a system for drying a liquid on a liquid-receptive material as set forth in claim 10 wherein the housing supporting said electrodes is maintained at a ground potential and constructed of an electrically conducted material.

Claim 18

In a system for drying a liquid on a liquid-receptive material as set forth in claim 17 including means for urging the liquid-receptive material into sliding contact with the dielectric shielding material.

Claim 19

In a system for drying ink on a ink-receptive material as the material moves through a printing press comprising: a first plurality of shaped electrodes spaced along and mounted to a first supporting frame, a second plurality of electrodes spaced along and mounted to a second supporting frame, said second plurality of electrodes having individual elements thereof disposed between adjacent electrodes pairs of said first plurality of electrodes in a spaced-apart parallel relation thereto, first mounting means for supporting the first plurality of spaced electrodes on said first supporting frame, second mounting means for supporting the second plurality of spaced electrodes on said second supporting frame, inductance means electrically connected between said first plurality and said second plurality of electrodes to form a tank circuit therewitH, means for electrically connecting the first supporting frame to ground, and generating means having a current output direct coupled to the second supporting frame to form a free-running oscillator with said tank circuit and for producing an electromagnetic field radiating from said electrodes through the ink-receptive material.

Claim 20

In a system for drying ink on ink-receptive material as set forth in claim 20 including a static eliminator positioned along the path of the material to discharge static charges on the ink-receptive material prior to the material moving through the electromagnetic field produced by said first and second plurality of electrodes.

Claim 21

In a system for drying ink on an ink-receptive material as set forth in claim 20 including means associated with the electrodes to prevent ionization of air between electrodes of sufficient magnitude to cause arcing therebetween.

Claim 22

In a system for drying ink on a ink-receptive material as set forth in claim 22 wherein said means associated with said electrodes to prevent ionization of air includes;: a housing extending around the electrodes opposite the path of the moving material, and a blower arranged to direct air through said housing such that ionization of air adjacent said electrodes is minimized to prevent arcing.

Claim 23

In a system for drying ink on an ink-receptive material as set forth in claim 20 wherein said electrodes have a substantially crescent-shaped cross section.

Claim 24

In a system for drying ink on an ink-receptive material as set forth in claim 24 wherein the said substantially crescent-shaped cross section of the electrodes feathers into a substantially circular cross section at opposite ends of each electrode.

Claim 25

In a system for drying ink on an ink-receptive material as set forth in claim 20 including means mounted in spaced-apart relation from the electrodes for directing the ink-receptive material into the balanced electromagnetic field.

Claim 26

In a system for drying ink on an ink-receptive material as set forth in claim 26 wherein the means for directing material into the balanced electromagnetic field is a perforated manifold, and a source of pressurized air communicating with the manifold to direct air through the perforation against the material.

Claim 27

In a system for drying ink on an ink-receptive material as set forth in claim 20 wherein the electrodes of said first and second plurality are arranged to form first and second heads, the first head and second head being disposed on opposite sides of the ink-receptive material.