Nexpress Solutions, Inc.

Eastman-kodak Company

Other

David J Quesnel

Donald Saul Rimai

John W May

Thomas Nathaniel Tombs

Arun Chowdry

Borden H Mills

Jiann-Hsing Chen

William B Vreeland

Andreas Dickhoff

Bruce R Benwood

Bonnie J Patterson

Steven Cormier

Kenneth D Stack

Bonnie Patteson

A method and apparatus for controlling image defects associated with overdrive or underdrive, and variations thereof, in an electrostatographic machine. A speed modifying force is transmitted to a conformable member that deforms in a nip, thereby inducing strains in the surface of the member at the nip which cancel or controllably reduce the strains caused by engagement in the nip. The speed modifying force may be an externally applied drag force or torque, and may be applied using an open loop or a feedback system including an electromagnetic brake, a motor, etc. The speed modifying force may be applied to a conformable member forming the nip through a redundant linkage of the system that employs gears or other suitable mechanisms.

Method and apparatus for using a conformable member in a frictional drive

Controlling image defects related to transfer or fusing of toner images in an electrostatographic machine, wherein engagement between an operational surface of a toner image bearing member or fusing member and an operational surface of another member forming a nip is adjusted using an engagement adjustment device in order to reduce or eliminate image defects relating to an overdrive or underdrive associated with the nip. The engagement adjustment device provides a preselected amount of overdrive or underdrive between a toner image bearing member or fusing member and a receiver member, which preselected amount includes zero.

Method and apparatus for controlling overdrive in a frictionally driven system including a conformable member

A deformable toner fuser roller, for use in a fusing station of an electrostatographic machine comprising a rigid cylindrical core member; an overdrive-controlling, elastically deformable structure surrounding the core member; and wherein the fuser roller is adapted to be heated by a heat source external to the roller and the overdrive-controlling elastically deformable structure comprises an effective or operational Poisson's ratio between 0.2 and 0.4.

Externally heated deformable fuser roller

An intermediate transfer roller that functions as an image receiving member within a reproduction apparatus having a rigid cylindrical core member and at least one layer of an elastically deformable structure surrounding the core member, the elastically deformable structure preferably has an effective Poisson's ratio in the range of 0.2 to 0.4.

Method and apparatus for an intermediate image transfer member

A small particle toner image is formed on a primary image member (21), such as a photoconductor; electrostatically transferred to an intermediate transfer member (42); and then electrostatically transferred to a receiving sheet. The intermediate transfer member (42) includes a substrate, a compliant blanket (19), and a thin, hard overcoat (80) sectioned into small, discreet segments (81).

Transfer member having sectioned surface coating to enhance

A small particle toner image is formed on a primary image member (11), such as a photoconductor; electrostatically transferred to an intermediate transfer member (22); and then electrostatically transferred to a receiving sheet. The intermediate transfer member includes a base of a relatively compliant material having an embedded coating of beads with a volume weighted average diameter of less than about 3 microns, and preferably between 0.5 and 1.0 micron. These beads cover at least 40% of the intermediate image member.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, NY, United States of America

David J Quesnel