Lexmark International, Inc.

Christopher Michael Bennett

Matthew David Heid

Michael Craig Leemhuis

Niko Jay Murrell

Gina Marie Johns

Julie Ann Gordon Whitney

Christopher David Strack

Andrew Pryse Dale

Gerald Floyd Davis

Kurt Daniel Lambert

An imaging device prints in color and monochromatically, such as black-only. It has a plurality of photoconductive drums, one each for black toner and at least one colored toner. The drums contact and rotate with an intermediate transfer member (ITM) to transfer images at a first transfer. During black-only imaging, the photoconductive drum for the black toner rotates with the ITM at process speed while the drum for the at least one colored toner rotates at less than process speed, often substantially less. The technique reduces consumption of colored toner during black-only imaging and minimizes charge build-up on the drum for the colored toner.

Monochromatic imaging with reduced colored toner consumption and ESD defects

An imaging device has first image transfer from photoconductive drums to an intermediate transfer member (ITM) and second image transfer from the ITM to media. Transfer rolls oppose the drums from an opposite side of the ITM and electrically ground to a frame of the imaging device by mechanical connection. The rolls may be laterally offset from the drums. The ITM has relatively low surface and volume resistivity. An imaging subassembly may include the frame, the ITM, and the transfer rolls grounded to the frame.

Imaging transfer to intermediate transfer member

A device for transferring images from an image donating member to an image receiving medium comprises a substrate, at least two electrodes disposed on the substrate, and at least one layer of coating disposed on the substrate having an outer surface for forming a nip region with the image donating member. The at least two electrodes are controllable to produce an electric field and control a position thereof at the nip region to allow transfer of an image from the image donating member to the image receiving medium in an image transfer operation.

Transfer device and system for an electrophotographic device comprising multiple electrodes

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Paris, KY, United States of America

Christopher Michael Bennett