Lexmark International, Inc.

David Starling MacMillan

Donald Wayne Stafford

Ronald Lloyd Roe

Philip Jerome Heink

Bradley Leonard Beach

Martin Victor DiGirolamo

Mark William Johnson

Robert Watson McAlpine

Jarrett Clark Gayne

Ronald Willard Baker

Scott Richard Castle

Ligia Aura Bejat

Jason Carl True

Jean Marie Massie

Bhaskar Gopalanarayanan

Mark Stephen Weisman, Jr

David Clay Blaine

Vernon Wayne Ulrich

Richard Kent Anderson

Michael Craig Leemhuis

Gregory Lawrence Ream

Johnny Dale Massie, Ii

Kelly Ann Killeen

John William Kietzman

Mark Duane Foster

Peter E Wallin

Peter Brown Pickett

Alexander D Meade

Ronald Todd Sellers

Royden Thomas Kern

Sean David Smith

Johnny Ray Sears

Gerald Lee Fish

Robert Francis Soto

Michael Wesley Baskette

Bart Mansdorf

Jenny Marie Berens

Jeffrey Lynn Richie

Jody Evan McCoy

Jason Edward Gordon

Whitney April Greer

James Thomas Welch

Jonathan Lee Barnes

A toner release coating may be applied to a toner regulating member such as a doctor blade. The toner release coating may reduce toner adhesion at a doctoring pre-nip location of the doctor blade. The toner release coating may be formed from a mixture of lubricating particulate and polymeric binder resin in a liquid carrier.

Toner release coating

The present disclosure relates to a surface energy reduction material in the form of a topcoat or additive to a coating that may be applied to a toner regulating member such as a doctor blade which may reduce toner build-up about a nip region, pre-nip region, and/or post-nip region. The surface energy reduction material may be include any material having a surface energy of less than or equal to 35 dynes/cm, for example, between 15-30 dynes/cm, including all values and ranges therein. The surface energy reducing materials may include any material that provides a 25% or more reduction of the surface energy of the doctor blade compared to an untreated doctor blade, for example, greater than or equal to 50% reduction or greater than or equal to 75% reduction, including all values and ranges therein.

Doctor blade surface energy modification

The present disclosure relates to an image forming device component that includes an elastomeric material having a surface and a triboelectric charging material that may be exposed on the elastomeric material surface. The triboelectric material may be exposed by a finishing process that results in removal of a portion of the material leaving voids in the surface. The surface may have a surface roughness in the range of about 0.1 to 5.0 Ra. The component may include a developer roller in an electrophotograhic printer and may provide contact electrification to a given toner during a printing operation.

Image forming apparatus component with triboelectric properties

The present disclosure relates to the use of radiation cured coatings that may be used in a device within an image forming apparatus. The coating composition may include a reactive oligomer capable of radiation curing having a number average molecular weight (Mn) of greater than 1500. A reactive diluent may then be combined with the reactive oligomer, which diluent is also capable of radiation curing and which has a Mn of less than or equal to 1500. The reactive diluent may be present at a level of less than fifty percent by weight of the coating composition. The coating composition may be present at a solids level of 90-100%.

Radiation cured coatings for image forming device components

A doctor blade for use with an imaging apparatus includes an elongated member, and a metering surface formed on a portion of the elongated member. The metering surface has surface features, which are modified by buffing the metering surface.

Buffed toner metering blade for use with an imaging apparatus

A toner layer regulating system for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a toner carrier; a toner regulating member (e.g., doctor blade) disposed proximate the toner carrier, with the toner regulating member having a first surface disposed toward the toner carrier and forming a nip with the toner carrier. The toner regulating member comprise a flexible metallic substrate and a metallic coating on the first surface in an area thereof forming the nip. The coating on the toner regulating member comprises a material selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, tungsten carbide, and alloys thereof. The coating may be substantially homogeneous and/or have a thickness of not more than 30 um. The coating may have a relatively smooth surface roughness of &#x2266;2.0 um Ra.

Toner regulating system having toner regulating member with metallic coating on flexible substrate

A toner layer regulating system for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a toner carrier; a toner regulating member supported in cantilevered fashion against the toner carrier so as to form a toner nip therebetween comprising a flexible metallic substrate having a coating covering at least an area forming the nip; wherein the coating comprises at least a matrix of a base polymer and a plurality of fine particles having a particle size of 0.1 microns to thirty microns; wherein the coating has a thickness of approximately one hundred fifty microns or less; wherein the coating has a surface roughness in the range of 0.15 to 1.5 microns Ra and in the range of 1 to 15 microns Rz. A carrier stratum may be disposed between the coating and the substrate, and the coating may be single layer or have a plurality of layers.

Electrophotographic toner regulating member with polymer coating having surface roughness modified by fine particles

A layered intermediate used in inkjet printing contains a release coat formed on a transfer medium in an area where an image has not been printed. The release coat is formed of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) or a PVP copolymer and at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of glycol solvents and diol solvents. A viscous coating of PVP or the PVP copolymer is formed on the transfer medium in an area where an image has been printed. A release layer formed from components in the release coat and components in the ink is formed on the viscous coating. A first ink layer is formed on the release layer of flocculated ink. A second ink layer is formed on the first ink layer, of ink that is substantially not flocculated.

Method of printing and layered intermediate used in inkjet printing

A coating apparatus for applying a coating liquid to a printing substrate. The apparatus includes a rotatable first roll, and a rotatable second roll positioned adjacent to the first roll and defining with the first roll a first nip through which the printing substrate passes. The apparatus also has a metering device for applying a layer of coating liquid onto the second roll, which in turn transfers the coating liquid to the printing substrate. The apparatus further has a controller that communicates with at least the second roll, wherein the controller performs the steps of determining whether the idle time of the second roll is longer than a predetermined threshold, setting a pre-spin flag if the idle time of the second roll is longer than a predetermined threshold, and directing the second roll to perform a pre-spin upon the presence of the pre-spin flag.

Apparatus and method of using motion control to improve coatweight uniformity in intermittent coaters in an inkjet printer

The invention provides an improved paper coating composition for ink jet printing applications. The composition contains from about 2 to about 1 parts by weight polyvalent metal salt, from about 0 to about 30 parts by weight deionized water, an effective amount of cationic amine polymer and surfactant and from about 35 to about 60 parts by weight of an ink penetrant promoter selected from the group consisting of 1,2-propanediol, dipropylene glycol and mixtures of 1,2-propanedioland dipropylene glycol. Since the composition is free from ethylene glycol components, the composition is safer to use and less harmful to humans and the environment. The composition has also been found to provide improved ink drying with less bleeding or smearing of image.

Paper coating for ink jet printing

A method of making a coating formulation prior to its introduction onto a web to be printed by an ink jet printer. The method includes the steps of: determining the nature and amount of undesirable substances in a component of the coating formulation, adjusting the pH of the component, contacting the pH adjusted component with a first activated carbon material, filtering the thus treated component, contacting the thus treated component with a second activated carbon material, and filtering the thus treated component and combining it with other components of the coating formulation to yield a treated coating formulation having a reduced amount of the undesirable substances.

Method for treating coating formulations

The invention provides an improved paper coating system for ink jet printing applications. The system includes an ink jet printer containing an ink jet pen and a paper coating device for coating a print media with an effective amount of coating composition prior to printing thereon. The coating composition preferably includes from about 0.25 to about 20% by weight of a first component selected from the group consisting of polyvalent metal salt and organic acid, a second component consisting of from about 1 to about 20% by weight amine polymer, from about 0.25 to about 2.0% by weight surfactant and from about 25 to about 96% by weight glycol-based solvent having a surface tension ranging from about 25 to below about 45 dynes/cm. Since the coating composition is free from ethylene glycol-based components, the composition is safer to use and less harmful to humans and the environment. The composition has also been found to provide improved ink drying with less bleeding or smearing of image.

The invention provides an improved paper coating composition for ink jet printing applications. The composition contains from about 2 to about 1 parts by weight polyvalent metal salt, from about 0 to about 30 parts by weight deionized water, an effective amount of cationic amine polymer and surfactant and from about 35 to about 60 parts by weight of an ink penetrant promoter selected from the group consisting of 1,2-propanediol, dipropylene glycol and mixtures of 1,2-propanediol and dipropylene glycol. Since the composition is free from ethylene glycol components, the composition is safer to use and less harmful to humans and the environment. The composition has also been found to provide improved ink drying with less bleeding or smearing of image.

The invention provides a test fluid for detecting coating flaws in a coated web and a method for testing a web coating system. The test fluid includes, water, a polyol, a surfactant, a radiant energy activated tracer compound and an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of an alkylene glycol and a dialkylene glycol. The test fluid is used to identify deficiencies in the web coating system so that adjustments to the web coating system may be made before assembling the coating system in an ink jet printer.

Paper coating test method and composition

A method of printing uses a liquid applicator to apply a coating solution ontaining polyvinyl pyrrolidone or a polyvinyl pyrrolidone copolymer to an intermediate transfer medium. An image is printed onto the intermediate transfer medium using an ink jet printing device. The coating solution contains an organic solvent, which is preferably a glycol solvent or a diol solvent. Suitable solvents include trimethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, di propylene glycol, tri propylene glycol, 1,2 butane diol, 2 pyrrolidone, gamma butyrolactone and glycerol. The coating solution is applied in an amount of 0.01 to 10 mg/cm . The coating solution may contain 0.01 to 20 wt. % of polyvinyl pyrrolidone or a polyvinyl pyrrolidone copolymer, 5-95 wt. % of an organic solvent and 5-95 wt. % water. More preferably, the coating solution contains 0.01 to 15 wt. % of polyvinyl pyrrolidone or a polyvinyl pyrrolidone copolymer, 5-95 wt. % of an organic solvent and 5-95 wt. % water. Most preferably, the coating solution contains 2 to 8 wt. % of polyvinyl pyrrolidone or a polyvinyl pyrrolidone copolymer, 5-95 wt. % of an organic solvent and 5-95 wt. % water. The PVP should have a molecular weight greater than 400,000, more preferably greater than 750,000 and most preferably within the range of from 850,000 to 1,500,000.

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Winchester, KY, United States of America

David Starling MacMillan