Lexmark International, Inc.

Alexander Johannes Geyling

Harald Portig

Kerry Leland Embry

Richard Gordon Boyatt, Iii

Jichang Cao

Robert Watson McAlpine

Michael David Maul

Jeffery James Buchanan

Niko Jay Murrell

Edward Lawrence Kiely

Bartley Charles Gould, Ii

Russell Edward Lucas

Gregory Lawrence Ream

Brian Allen Blair

Darin Michael Gettelfinger

Edward Alan Rush

James Philip Harden

Calvin Dale Murphy

Stacy Marie Pargett

Marc Cousoulis

Brandon Alden Kemp

William Claiborne Ryle

Travis Alan Riggs

John D Butler

A fusing apparatus includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being opposite the first surface on the substrate, a first resistive trace and a second resistive trace, the first and second resistive traces being disposed adjacent each other along the first surface of the substrate in a length-wise direction thereof. A resistance of the first resistive trace is less than a resistance of the second resistive trace. The fusing apparatus further includes a plurality of thermistors disposed along the second surface of the substrate, including a first thermistor disposed on the second surface of the substrate opposite the first resistive trace in a central location along the length of the first resistive trace, a second thermistor disposed on the second surface of the substrate opposite the second resistive trace in a central location along the length of the second resistive trace, and a third thermistor disposed on the second surface of the substrate opposite a first area of the second surface, the third thermistor being closer to a first length-wise end of the substrate than the second resistive trace and a first length-wise end of the first resistive trace being closer to the first length-wise end of the substrate than the third thermistor.

Heater member for the fuser assembly of an electrophotographic imaging device

A fuser assembly, including a heat transfer member; a backup member disposed adjacent the heat transfer member so as to form a fuser nip; a frame in which the heat transfer member and the backup member are at least partly disposed; and a cover member pivotably coupled to the frame so as to pivot between a closed position and an open position, the cover member in the open position providing an opening for accessing and withdrawing a sheet of media disposed in the fuser assembly. A latch mechanism selectively latches the cover member to the frame and including a lever member disposed relative to an outer surface of the cover member such that movement of the lever member by a single hand of a user unlatches the cover member from the frame for moving the cover member to the open position.

An intermediate transfer member (ITM) module including a frame; a backup roll and a drive roll rotatably disposed along a first end portion of the frame. A tension roll is rotatably disposed along a second end portion of the frame. An ITM belt forms an endless loop around the backup roll, the drive roll and the tension roll such that rotation of the drive roll causes the ITM belt to translate and the tension roll and the backup roll to rotate. The drive roll and the backup roll form a transfer nip with a transfer roll. A drive mechanism is coupled between the drive roll and the backup roll and includes a plurality of gears. The drive mechanism overdrives the backup roll relative to the drive roll while limiting an amount of tension of the ITM belt in the second transfer nip.

Drive mechanism for an intermediate transfer member module of an electrophotographic imaging device

An imaging device, including a locking assembly connected to the frame of the imaging device and selectively engaged with the fuser assembly thereof when the fuser assembly is mounted to the frame. The locking assembly includes a lock member slidingly coupled to the frame between a first position in which the lock member engages with the fuser assembly for locking the fuser assembly to the frame and a second position in which the lock member is disengaged from the fuser assembly to allow the fuser assembly to be disconnected and removed from the frame. A lever mechanism is movably coupled to the frame and coupled to the lock member, wherein actuation of the lever mechanism moves the lock member between the first position and the second position.

Fuser locking assembly for an electrophotographic imaging device

A hub-based drive coupling mechanism for a fusing assembly, including a gear operatively coupled to a motor; a hub member; and a backup roll having a shaft rotatably coupled to the gear via the hub member, the gear including an outer cylindrical portion having a plurality of tabs disposed along an inner surface thereof, the hub member including an annular portion having a plurality of protrusions radially extending therefrom, and the backup roll shaft having a pin member. When the drive gear is rotated, the plurality of tabs of the drive gear directly contact the plurality of protrusions of the hub member to cause the hub member to rotate and the plurality of protrusions of the hub member directly contact the plurality of segments of the pin member to cause the shaft to rotate.

Hub-based drive coupling mechanism for a fuser backup member, and methods of using same

A method and system are disclosed for detecting a fatal error condition in a printing device having an intermediate transfer member for facilitating toner transfer, including sensing a reflectance value of the intermediate transfer member at a first predetermined time; comparing the sensed reflectance value at the first period of time to a predetermined threshold; sensing a reflectance value of the intermediate transfer member at a second predetermined time after the predetermined first time; and comparing the sensed reflectance value of the intermediate transfer member at the second period of time to the predetermined threshold. If each of the sensed reflectance value at the first predetermined time and the sensed reflectance value at the second predetermined time is greater than the predetermined threshold, the method includes selectively suspending further printing operations until the imaging device is serviced.

Imaging device with diagnostic testing for fatal errors

An intermediate transfer member (ITM) module including a frame; a backup roll and a drive roll rotatably disposed along a first end portion of the frame. A tension roll is rotatably disposed along a second end portion of the frame. An ITM belt forms as an endless loop around the backup roll, the drive roll and the tension roll such that rotation of the drive roll causes the ITM belt to translate and the tension roll and the backup roll to rotate. The drive roll and the backup roll form a transfer nip with a transfer roll. A drive mechanism is coupled between the drive roll and the backup roll and includes a plurality of gears. The drive mechanism overdrives the backup roll relative to the drive roll while limiting an amount of tension of the ITM belt in the second transfer nip.

A hub-based drive coupling mechanism for a fusing assembly, including a gear operatively coupled to a motor; a hub member; and a backup roll having a shaft rotatably coupled to the gear via the hub member, the gear including an outer cylindrical portion having a plurality of tabs disposed along an inner surface thereof, the hub member including an annular portion having a plurality of protrusions radially extending therefrom, and the backup roll shaft having a pin member. The gear rotates for a first fraction of a revolution without rotating the hub member and the backup roll due to the tabs of the gear not contacting the protrusions of the hub member, and rotates for a second fraction of the revolution with the hub member due to contact between the tabs and protrusions, but without rotating the backup roll.

Hub-based drive coupling mechanism for a fuser backup member and methods of using same

A toner image transfer apparatus in a printer is provided. The toner image transfer apparatus comprises a transfer belt structure, a rotatable transfer rod and a transfer roll retraction mechanism. The transfer belt structure comprises a driven toner image transfer belt and a rotatable backup roll engaging an inner surface of the transfer belt. The rotatable transfer roll is adapted to define a nip with the belt and backup roll. The transfer roll retraction mechanism comprises motion transfer structure coupled to the transfer roll and drive apparatus associated with the motion transfer structure.

Retraction mechanism for a toner image transfer apparatus

An image-forming device includes a media path extending through the image-forming device, and at least one image transfer nip positioned along the media path. An electrode is positioned subsequent to the nip with respect to the media path and is coupled to a voltage source. An electric field produced by the electrode and voltage source limits the degree of post-nip toner scattering by applying an electrostatic force to toner particles on media sheets passing along the media path. The image-forming device further includes a processor for monitoring a plurality of ambient conditions, for adjusting the voltage applied to the electrode, and optionally, for repositioning the electrode with respect to the media path.

Electrode-based post nip field conditioning method and apparatus

The present application is directed to toner transfer systems with an adjustable transfer belt. The transfer belt transfers toner images from a first location to a second location. Two or more support rolls position and drive the transfer belt. A tensioning device is operatively connected to one of the support rolls. The tensioning device moves the support roll between a first position that places a first amount of tension on the belt, and a second position that places a lesser second amount of tension on the belt. The support roll is in the first position during image formation, and in the second position during non-image formation such as storage and shipping.

Toner transfer systems with an adjustable transfer belt for use in an image forming device

A fuser assembly is provided comprising first and second fuser structures, drive apparatus and nip engagement and release apparatus. The first fuser structure comprises a heated rotatable member and first structure for supporting the heated rotatable member. The second fuser structure comprises a rotatable backup member positioned adjacent the heated rotatable member and second structure for supporting the backup member. The rotatable backup member is adapted to define a nip with the heated member. The drive apparatus is associated with one of the heated rotatable member and the backup member for effecting rotation of the one member in a selected first direction or a second direction. The nip engagement and release apparatus comprises nip-loading structure adapted to apply a sufficient force to one of the first and second support structures to achieve a desired nip load in response to the one member rotating in the first direction and decreasing the force to the one support structure to decrease the load at the nip in response to the one member rotating in the second direction. The nip engagement and release apparatus applies and decreases the force without the use of a sensor feedback loop.

Growing community of inventors

Lexington, KY, United States of America

Alexander Johannes Geyling