Xerox Corporation

Danielle R Hall

Brent Rodney Jones

Timothy Carlyle Shaw

Frederick T Mattern

Daniel Clark Park

Darryl I Jensen

Jos Wim Jacobs

David Brian Schaefer

Michael F Deily

Rich Chambers

A phase change ink imaging device includes an ink loader operatively connected within a housing of the imaging device. At least a portion of the ink loader is configured to be withdrawn from the housing to enable ink stick insertion.

Solid ink loader with pull-out drawer for insertion access

An image output device includes a marking engine and a media path adjacent the marking engine. The media path has a media transportation direction and a media transport element (e.g., a nip drive, a belt drive, a suction drive, an air pressure drive, etc.) within the media path that moves the media along the media path in the media transportation direction. A drive motor is operatively connected to the media transport element. The drive motor provides drive force in a forward direction that causes the media transport element to move media along the media path in the media transportation direction. The drive motor can also provide the drive force in a reverse direction opposite the forward direction. A one-way drive transfer device (e.g., a one-way clutch, a one-way swing arm mechanism, etc.) is operatively connected to the drive motor. The one-way drive transfer device only transfers drive force from the drive motor when the drive motor operates in the reverse direction. The reverse direction drive of the motor, in conjunction with a one-way drive transfer device, can be used to perform the lock/unlock or the open/close of a jam clearance mechanism, baffle, or shield.

Paper path powered jam/lock systems and methods

An air bearing sheet heater assembly is provided for heating a sheet in an ink imaging printer. It includes a heater plate that has a heating element and defines a first side of a sheet path through the heater assembly. It also includes at least one movable platelet that defines a second side of the sheet path, as well as, an air bearing assembly mounted to the at least one platelet. The air bearing assembly controllably creates an air bearing between the second side and the first side of the sheet path for moving and pneumatically spacing the front surface of the at least one movable platelet from the front side of the heater plate, thereby reducing stiction forces and friction along the sheet path through the air bearing sheet heater assembly.

Sheet heater assembly having air bearing platelets

Growing community of inventors

Sherwood, OR, United States of America

Danielle R Hall