| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090003899 | TURRET FUSING APPARATUS - A turret fusing apparatus including (a) a frame; (b) a rotatable external pressure roller mounted at a first mounting position to the frame; and (c) a rotatable turret assembly mounted at a second mounting position on the frame for selectably forming different fusing nips having different characteristics with the rotatable external pressure roller. The rotatable turret assembly has at least a pair of internal pressure rollers including a first rotatable internal pressure roller for forming a first fusing nip having a first set of characteristics with the rotatable external pressure roller, and a second rotatable internal pressure roller for forming a second fusing nip having a second set of characteristics with the rotatable external pressure roller. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090116888 | THERMALLY UNIFORM PAPER PREHEAT TRANSPORT - A pre-heater system and adapted to be used on an electrostatic marking apparatus for improving gloss on media having marking thereon at a location in the apparatus prior to a conventional fuser roll assembly or station, the system including a primary heater adapted to blow pressurized hot air into a surface of an image receiving media in order to substantially dispense hot air throughout an entire paper or media surface; and a preheat media transport for transporting media from the location in the apparatus prior to the conventional fuser roll assembly or station through the primary heater, the preheat media transport includes means for maintaining the preheat media transport at a substantially uniform predefined temperature. | 05-07-2009 |
| 20090162081 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS HAVING BELT FUSER AND CORRESPONDING METHODS - Disclosed are an electrophotographic apparatus for forming images on sheets, and corresponding methods. The electrophotographic apparatus includes an endless fuser belt for fusing toner particles to the sheets to form the images, a sensor for detecting a defect position of at least one defect in the endless fuser belt, and a controller that receives the defect position of the at least one defect on the endless fuser belt from the sensor, wherein the controller positions the endless fuser belt relative to the sheets to avoid the at least one defect from coming into contact with the toner on the sheets during fusing of the toner particles to the sheets. | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090196642 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS HAVING WEB FUSER AND CORRESPONDING METHODS - Disclosed are an electrophotographic apparatus for forming images on sheets, and corresponding methods. The electrophotographic apparatus includes a fuser web for fusing toner particles to the sheets to form the images, a sensor for detecting a defect position of at least one defect in the fuser web, and a controller that receives the defect position of the at least one defect on the fuser web from the sensor, wherein the controller positions the fuser web relative to the sheets to avoid the at least one defect from coming into contact with the toner on the sheets during fusing of the toner particles to the sheets. | 08-06-2009 |
| 20090257773 | FUSER ASSEMBLIES, ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUSES AND METHODS OF FUSING TONER ON SUPPORT SHEETS - Fuser assemblies for fusing toner on support sheets, electrophotographic apparatuses, and methods of fusing toner on support sheets are disclosed. The fuser assembly includes a fuser belt; a thermally-insulated enclosure surrounding at least a portion of the fuser belt; a conveyor for conveying the support sheet to a nip at which the fuser belt contacts the support sheet and the toner is fused onto the support sheet; a pre-heater; and a heat transfer system for transferring heat from inside of the enclosure to the pre-heater, the pre-heater using the heat to pre-heat the support sheet before the support sheet is conveyed to the nip. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090269108 | FUSER ASSEMBLIES, XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUSES AND METHODS OF FUSING TONER ON COPY SHEETS - Fuser assemblies for fusing toner on copy sheets, xerographic apparatuses, and methods of fusing toner on copy sheets in xerographic apparatuses are disclosed. An embodiment of the fuser assemblies includes a continuous fuser belt including an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface; at least a first roll and a second roll which support the fuser belt, at least one of the first roll and second roll being adapted to heat the fuser belt; a heater including an outer heating surface facing the inner surface of the fuser belt; and a mechanism operatively connected to the heater for moving the heater to bring the heating surface into contact with the inner surface of the fuser belt. The heater is operable to supply heat from the heating surface to the inner surface to increase the temperature of the outer surface of the fuser belt adjacent the inner surface heated by the heating surface. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20090324272 | FUSER ASSEMBLIES, XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUSES AND METHODS OF FUSING TONER ON MEDIA - Fuser assemblies for fusing toner on media, xerographic apparatuses, and methods of fusing toner on media in xerographic apparatuses are disclosed. An embodiment of the fuser assemblies includes a fuser belt; a first roll supporting the fuser belt, the first roll including a first heating element and a second heating element extending axially along the first roll and along a width of the fuser belt, the first heating element being longer than the second heating element; and a second roll supporting the fuser belt, the second roll including a third heating element and a fourth heating element extending axially along the second roll and along the width of the fuser belt, the third heating element being longer than the fourth heating element. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20090324273 | FUSER ASSEMBLIES, XEROGRAPHIC APPARATUSES AND METHODS OF FUSING TONER ON MEDIA - Fuser assemblies, xerographic apparatuses, and methods of fusing toner on media in xerographic apparatuses are disclosed. An embodiment of the fuser assemblies includes a fuser belt having an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, at least a first roll and a second roll supporting the fuser belt, and a radiant heater facing the inner surface of the fuser belt. The radiant heater is adapted to emit radiant heat onto the inner surface of the fuser belt to increase the temperature of the outer surface of the fuser belt opposite the inner surface heated by the radiant heater. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20100104308 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FUSER AND PRESSURE ASSEMBLY TEMPERATURE CONTROL - An apparatus ( | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100111549 | FUSERS, PRINTING APPARATUSES AND METHODS OF FUSING TONER ON MEDIA - Fusers, printing apparatuses and methods of fusing toner on media are disclosed. An embodiment of a fuser for fusing toner on a medium includes at least two modules arranged along a process direction of the medium, each module having an ON state in which the module discharges a hot gas and an OFF state in which the module does not discharge the hot gas; and a controller connected to the modules for controlling the ON/OFF state of each module to control the discharge of the hot gas from each module onto the medium as the medium is transported past the modules in the process direction. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100111579 | FUSERS, PRINTING APPARATUSES AND METHODS OF FUSING TONER ON MEDIA - Fusers, printing apparatuses and methods of fusing toner on media are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment of the fusers includes a pressure roll; a fuser belt; a nip formed by the fuser belt contacting the pressure roll, the nip including an inlet end where the medium enters the nip, an outlet end where the medium exits the nip, and a nip width defined between the inlet end and the outlet end; a mechanism for moving the pressure roll toward or away from the fuser belt to adjust the nip width; and a stripping member for stripping the medium from the fuser belt after the medium exits from the outlet end of the nip. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100176117 | APPARATUSES USEFUL FOR PRINTING AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE OF MEDIA IN APPARATUSES USEFUL FOR PRINTING - Apparatuses useful for printing and methods for controlling the temperature of media in apparatuses useful for printing are disclosed. An embodiment of the apparatuses includes a heated first roll including a first outer surface; a heated second roll including a second outer surface; a third roll including a third outer surface; a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the third outer surface; a belt supported on the first roll and the second roll and disposed between the first outer surface and the third outer surface, the belt including an inner surface and an outer surface; a nip between the third outer surface and the outer surface of the belt at which the belt heats media which include a surface, marking material on the surface and an interface between the surface and marking material; and a positioning device coupled to the second roll. The positioning device is operable to move the second roll relative to the outer surface of the belt to change a wrap length of the belt on the second outer surface, based on the temperature of the third outer surface, to maintain a substantially constant temperature at the interface between the surface and marking material. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20100178071 | APPARATUSES USEFUL FOR PRINTING AND METHODS OF CONTROLLING A TEMPERATURE OF A SURFACE IN APPARATUSES USEFUL FOR PRINTING - Apparatuses useful for printing and methods of controlling a temperature of a surface in an apparatus useful for printing are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment of the apparatuses includes a first roll including a first outer surface and at least one first heating element for heating the first outer surface; a second roll including a second outer surface; a nip between the first outer surface and the second outer surface; a first temperature sensor for sensing a pre-nip temperature at a pre-nip location; and a first voltage modulator connected to each first heating element and the first temperature sensor. The first voltage modulator receives a temperature signal from the first temperature sensor indicative of the pre-nip temperature and modulates an AC voltage supplied to each first heating element to maintain each first heating element continuously ON at a power level ranging from partial power to full power to control the pre-nip temperature. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20100178085 | APPARATUSES USEFUL FOR PRINTING AND METHODS OF STRIPPING MEDIA FROM SURFACES IN APPARATUSES USEFUL FOR PRINTING - Apparatuses useful for printing and methods of stripping media from surfaces in apparatuses useful for printing are provided. An exemplary embodiment of an apparatus useful for printing comprises a first roll; a belt including an inner surface and an outer surface, the first roll and the outer surface of the belt forming a nip; and a stripping member located internal to the belt. The stripping member includes at least a first stripping surface and a second stripping surface having a smaller curvature than the first stripping surface. The stripping member is rotatable to selectively position one of the first stripping surface and the second stripping surface in contact with the inner surface of the belt. The one of the first stripping surface and the second stripping surface facilitates stripping of a medium fed to the nip from the outer surface of the belt. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20100196064 | APPARATUSES USEFUL FOR PRINTING AND METHODS OF STRIPPING MEDIA FROM SURFACES IN APPARATUSES USEFUL FOR PRINTING - Apparatuses useful for printing and methods for stripping media from surfaces in apparatuses useful for printing are disclosed. An apparatus useful for printing comprising a first member including a first outer surface; a second member including a second outer surface; a belt including an inner surface and an outer surface; a first nip formed by contact between the inner surface of the belt and the second outer surface and contact between the outer surface of the belt and the first outer surface; and a stripping mechanism comprising a stripping member disposed internal to the belt. The stripping member is positionable relative to the first nip to vary a pressure applied by the outer surface of the belt against the first outer surface downstream from the first nip. The media are stripped from the outer surface of the belt after exiting from the first nip. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100237559 | APPARATUSES USEFUL FOR PRINTING AND CORRESPONDING METHODS - Apparatuses useful for printing and methods of cleaning debris from a surface in an apparatus useful for printing are provided. An exemplary embodiment of an apparatus useful for printing includes a first roll, a belt including an inner surface and an outer surface, the first roll and the outer surface of the belt forming a nip, a stripping member located between the inner surface of the belt and the first roll for facilitating stripping of media from the outer surface of the belt after the media is fed through the nip with the belt moving in a first direction, wherein debris builds up on the inner surface of the belt adjacent to the stripping member during stripping of the media, and a cleaning device for cleaning the debris from the inner surface of the belt upon movement of the belt in a second direction opposite to the first direction. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100239350 | APPARATUSES USEFUL FOR PRINTING AND CORRESPONDING METHODS - Apparatuses useful for printing and methods of stripping media from surfaces in apparatuses useful for printing are provided. An exemplary embodiment of an apparatus useful for printing includes a first roll, a belt including an inner surface and an outer surface, the first roll and the outer surface of the belt forming a nip, and a stripping member located internal to the belt. The stripping member includes a first needle bearing, wherein the first needle bearing contacts with the inner surface of the belt to facilitate stripping of media fed to the nip from the outer surface of the belt. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100329716 | APPARATUSES USEFUL FOR PRINTING AND CORRESPONDING METHODS - Apparatuses useful for printing and methods of are provided. The apparatus includes a user interface for operating the printing apparatus, a fuser for fusing media, the fuser having a plurality of temperature settings, a gloss meter for measuring gloss of an image fused on the media, and a controller controlling the printing apparatus, wherein the controller: a) causes fusing of a plurality of media of a first type at a nominal fusing temperature, and then measuring a temperature of the pressure roll as a steady state pressure roll temperature, b) causes media of the first type to be input to the fuser to fuse an image onto the media, the fuser having a first fusing temperature, c) causes the gloss meter to measure a gloss level of the image fused on the media, and sending the measured gloss level with the first type of media to the controller, d) causes steps b) and c) to be repeated at various fusing temperatures different from the first fusing temperature, and saving the measured gloss levels with corresponding fuser temperatures, e) in response to a user indication of a desired gloss level received over the user interface, sets a temperature of the pressure roll to the steady state pressure roll temperature, and f) fuses media utilizing one of the measured fusing temperatures corresponding to the desired gloss level. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20100330494 | APPARATUSES USEFUL IN PRINTING AND METHODS OF FIXING MARKING MATERIAL ON MEDIA - Apparatuses useful in printing and methods of treating marking material on media are disclosed. An embodiment of the apparatuses includes a roll including a first outer surface; a continuous belt including an inner surface and a second outer surface forming a nip by contact with the first outer surface, the belt being driven by rotation of the roll; and a heater disposed inside of the belt. The heater includes a circumferentially-extending heating surface contacting the inner surface of the belt over an angle of at least about 90°. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20110012969 | DUAL MODE PRINTER - A dual mode imaging device includes an input for supplying a medium to the imaging device, the medium comprising at least one of an erasable paper, and a non-erasable paper. The erasable paper can be one of an imaged or a non-imaged erasable paper. A conventional imaging subsystem is provided for imaging the non-erasable paper. A heating subsystem is provided for heating an input medium to one of an erasing temperature, an imaging temperature, or a fusing temperature according to a type of job requirement. A cooling station selectively cools an erased medium to an imaging temperature. A write subsystem is provided for UV imaging an erased medium. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110037802 | DUAL MODE PRINTER WRITE HEADS - A dual mode imaging device includes an input for supplying a recording medium to the printer. The recording medium can be erasable media and/or a non-erasable media. A carriage assembly within the imaging device includes guide rails, the carriage assembly reciprocal along the guide rails and parallel to an imaging surface of the recording medium. The carriage assembly includes an ink jet print head for imaging a non-erasable media in a first print mode and a write head having a UV imaging light source for imaging erasable media in a second print mode. The device further includes a heater provided on the carriage assembly for selectively heating the erasable media to one of an erase temperature and a UV imaging temperature. The heater can be proximate to or incorporated with the UV write head. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20110037803 | WRITE HEATING ARCHITECTURE FOR DUAL MODE IMAGING SYSTEMS - A dual mode imaging system includes an ink jet device for imaging non-erasable media and a write device for imaging erasable media. A media transport subsystem is provided for supplying non-erasable and erasable media to one of the ink jet device and the write device. A heat source is incorporated into the media transport subsystem, and particularly in connection with a guide baffle of the ink jet device, the heat source heating erasable media to a temperature suitable for imaging at the write device. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20110037820 | ERASE AND WRITING CONTINUOUS FOR ERASABLE MEDIA - An imaging device includes an input for supplying an erasable medium to the imaging device, the erasable medium comprising at least one of an imaged and a non-imaged erasable medium The imaging device further includes an erase subsystem comprising active and inactive states, the erase subsystem erasing an imaged erasable medium in an active state, a cooling subsystem for selectively cooling an erased medium, and a write subsystem for imaging a received medium. The device further includes a user interface for configuring the imaging device and a sensor for detecting the type of input medium. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20110037821 | ERASE DECOUPLED FROM WRITING FOR ERASABLE PAPER - An erasable media imaging device includes an input for supplying erasable media to the imaging device, the erasable media being one of an imaged erasable medium and a non-imaged erasable medium. An erase subsystem is provided for erasing an imaged erasable medium and a write subsystem is provided for imaging a non-imaged erasable medium, the erase subsystem and function decoupled from the write subsystem and function. In a corresponding method, one of an imaged erasable medium and a non-imaged erasable medium are supplied to the imaging device. The method further includes selecting only one of an erase mode and a write mode, the erase mode decoupled from the write mode, erasing an imaged erasable medium in the erase mode, and imaging the non-imaged erasable medium in the write mode. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20110052235 | APPARATUSES USEFUL IN PRINTING AND METHODS OF CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE OF SURFACES IN APPARATUSES USEFUL IN PRINTING - Apparatuses useful in printing and methods of controlling the temperature of surfaces in apparatuses useful in printing are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the apparatuses useful in printing includes a belt including a first surface; at least one heat source for heating the first surface; a roll including a second surface; a temperature sensor positioned to measure a temperature of the second surface; and a roll positioning device coupled to the roll for positioning the second surface of the roll in contact with the first surface of the belt to form a nip and increase the temperature of the second surface, and for positioning the second surface out of contact with the first surface to decrease the temperature of the second surface, in response to the temperature measured by the temperature sensor. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110079735 | PEN SPECIFIC FOR ERASABLE MEDIA USAGE - Exemplary embodiments provide materials and methods for a pen that can include a writing end for writing an image on an erasable medium and an erasing end for locally erasing an image from the erasable medium. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110094440 | APPARATUSES USEFUL IN PRINTING, FIXING DEVICES AND METHODS OF PREHEATING SUBSTRATES IN APPARATUSES USEFUL IN PRINTING - Apparatuses useful in printing, fixing devices and methods of preheating substrates in apparatuses useful in printing are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the apparatuses useful in printing includes a first member including a first surface; a second member including a second surface forming a nip with the first surface; a substrate cooler disposed downstream from the nip to receive a first substrate exiting the nip, the substrate cooler removing heat from the first substrate by conduction; a substrate pre-heater disposed upstream from the nip; and a first heat transfer system for transferring heat from the substrate cooler to the substrate pre-heater. The substrate pre-heater applies the heat to conductively pre-heat a second substrate before the second substrate enters the nip. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110135350 | A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STRIPPING MEDIA FROM A SURFACE IN AN APPARATUS USEFUL IN PRINTING - An apparatus and method for stripping media from a surface and useful in printing may include a first member, a fixing belt, a first nip, a second nip, and a stripping device including a curved stripping edge contacting the inner surface of the fixing belt, the stripping edge being defined by a radius of less than about 10 mm, the stripping edge being spaced from the first outlet end of the first nip by a distance of less than about 10 mm, and the fixing belt bending at a stripping angle of about 20° to about 30° at the stripping edge, the stripping device being adjustably movable by a mechanism to vary the distance from the stripping edge to the first outlet end of the first nip, wherein media are stripped from an outer surface of the fixing belt after exiting from the first outlet end of the first nip. | 06-09-2011 |
