Eastman-kodak Company

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag

Lexmark International, Inc.

Other

Evolve Additive Solutions, Inc.

Nexpress Digital LLC

Eric C Stelter

Joseph E Guth

Rodney Ray Bucks

Alan Earl Rapkin

Thomas A Jadwin

Donald Saul Rimai

Matthias Hermann Regelsberger

Peter S Alexandrovich

Robert D Fields

Jerry Eugene Livadas

Kenneth P Friedrich

Joseph Y Kaukeinen

Edward Michael Eck

John R Thompson

Ligia Aura Bejat

John F Crichton

Michael Alan Gist

Prabuddha Jyotindra Mehta

Yee S Ng

Michael Craig Leemhuis

Patrick M Lambert

David Anthony Schneider

Arun Chowdry

James Raymond Flick

W Charles Kasiske

Michael Frauens

Ulrich Mutze

Laverne N Lincoln, Jr

Kelly Marie Wright

Dinesh Tyagi

J Samuel Batchelder

Muhammed Aslam

Joseph A Pavlisko

Hwai-Tzuu Tai

William B Vreeland

Lloyd A Lobo

James Douglas Shifley

James D Allen

Eric Karl Zeise

George R Walgrove, Iii

Kenneth Joseph Brown

Thomas K Hilbert

Gary P Lawniczak

Robert David Bobo

Andrew Ciaschi

Paul Essic Thompson

Kurt E Jones

William K Goebel

James Denny Anthony

James H Hurst

David M McVay

Allan R Amering

Wunan Chang

Eugene D Yeo

Paul S Gloyer

Michael G Beyerlein

Lloyd Anthony Lobo

Joseph Edward Guth

A selective deposition-based additive manufacturing system capable of building a three-dimensional (3D) part utilizing a semi-crystalline polymeric material includes at least one electrostatographic engine configured to develop one or more layers of particles of semi-crystalline polymeric material corresponding to one or more slices of a 3D model of a 3D part. The system includes a transfer medium configured to receive the one or more layers of particles of the semi-crystalline polymeric material on a front side from the at least one electrostatographic engine and to move the one or more layers away from the electrostatographic engine and a platen configured to carry the 3D part or support being printed. The system includes a gantry coupled to the platen and configured to move the platen into registration with the one or more layers, and a heater configured to heat a top surface of the 3D part being printed to a transfuse temperature. The system includes a layer transfer assembly having a roller contacting a back side of the transfer medium and a driver configured to cause the layer to transfer from the front side of the transfer medium to the heated top surface of the part. The system includes a cooler configured to cool the heated semi-crystalline polymeric material at a maximum rate of at least 20° C. per second such that the semi-crystalline material is in a super-cooled state wherein the semi-crystalline polymeric material does not completely initially crystallize.

Selective deposition-based additive manufacturing device and method of printing 3D parts with semi-crystalline materials

A toner cartridge for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A rotatable drive shaft is positioned within the reservoir. A partition is mounted on the drive shaft and axially movable along the drive shaft when the drive shaft rotates. The partition divides the reservoir into a first compartment for storing fresh toner and a second compartment for storing waste toner. An expandable agitator is positioned within the second compartment and rotatable with the drive shaft. When the drive shaft rotates and the partition moves along the drive shaft expanding a volume of the second compartment, the agitator expands along a length of the drive shaft and rotates with the drive shaft for agitating waste toner in the second compartment.

Toner cartridge having an expandable toner agitator

An electrophotographic imaging system according to one example embodiment includes a toner cartridge including a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A shaft is rotatably positioned within the reservoir and includes a threaded portion. A partition mounted on the threaded portion of the shaft moves axially along the threaded portion when the shaft rotates. The partition divides the reservoir into a first toner compartment and a second toner compartment. A sensing arrangement monitors an axial position of the partition along the shaft. The sensing arrangement includes a plurality of sensors arranged at predetermined axial locations relative to the shaft and a sensed member connected to the partition. The plurality of sensors are positioned to detect an axial position of the sensed member relative to the shaft for determining the axial position of the partition along the shaft.

Systems for detecting an axially moveable member within a toner cartridge

A toner cartridge according to one example includes a housing having a toner reservoir, an exit for exiting toner and an entry port for receiving waste toner. A partition divides the reservoir into a first compartment for storing fresh toner and a second compartment for storing waste toner. The first compartment is in fluid communication with the exit. The partition is movable within the reservoir between a first position and a second position. The entry port is in fluid communication with the first compartment when the partition is in the first position such that waste toner received through the entry port is deposited into the first compartment. The entry port is in fluid communication with the second compartment but closed off from the first compartment when the partition is in the second position such that waste toner received through the entry port is deposited into the second compartment.

Systems and methods for reincorporating waste toner with fresh toner within a toner cartridge

Web medium supplies for a printer that uses a web medium on a core and printers are provided. In one aspect, the web medium supply has a frame with a first mounting support and second mounting support that are positioned along an axis of rotation. A first core mounting supports the core for rotation around the axis of rotation and a second core mounting supports the core for rotation around the axis of rotation. Rotation of the core is controlled by a first force applied to the first core mounting and a second force applied to the second core mounting that are both less than a third force that is sufficient to drive an alternative core against an inertial load of the core and web from one driven end.

Printer web medium supply with drive system

A development system () for an electrophotographic printer () with multiple augers and containing a development roller () and a first channel () containing a feed auger () and developer (), where the magnetic strength of the feed pole of the development roller increases in the direction of developer flow () in the first channel. This increase in magnetic field strength of the feed pole () ensures that a uniform layer of developer is formed on the development roller despite the volume of developer in the first channel decreasing along the length of the first channel in the direction of developer flow.

Development roller with increasing magnetic field

A development system () for an electrophotographic printer with multiple augers containing a development roller () and a first channel contains a feed auger () and developer, with a plurality of paddles () attached to the feed auger, at least some the paddles increase in size with respect to a previous paddle along a direction of developer flow (). This arrangement of paddles ensures that a uniform layer of developer is formed on the development roller despite the volume of developer in the first channel decreasing along the length of the first channel in the direction of developer flow.

Method of using feed auger with paddles

A method for transporting developer in an electrophotographic printer with multiple augers includes transporting developer from a first channel to a development roller across at least a portion of the development roller; releasing spent developer from the development roller to a second channel; wherein the second channel has a first region having a first cross-sectional area and a second region having a second cross-sectional area; wherein the first region is a mixing region the second region is a transport region; and wherein the first cross-sectional area is larger than the second cross sectional area.

Method for transporting electrophotographic developer in a printer

Feed auger with paddles

A development system () for an electrophotographic printer () with multiple augers containing a development roller (), a first channel () containing a feed auger (), and a second channel () containing a mixing auger () with the second channel having regions optimized for either developer mixing or developer transport. Optimizing the regions of the second channel for mixing and transport ensures that a homogeneous developer is steadily provided to the first channel and the development roller, thus enabling the production of uniform, high-quality images.

Electrophotographic printer development system with multiple augers

A method for transferring developer () to a development roller () in an electrophotographic printing process includes feeding developer from a first channel () to the development roller; releasing developer from the development roller to a second channel (); and wherein a strength of a pickup field of a feed magnet () in the development roller increases in a direction of developer flow in the first channel.

Method for transferring developer

Development stations are provided. A development station has a housing having a recirculation path an auger being rotatable to move the developer along at least part of the recirculation path. A drive transmission has a first output mechanically linked for movement with a first end of the auger and a second output mechanically linked for movement with a second end of the auger and distributes a force at an input end between a first force provided at the first output and at a second force provided at the second output to rotate the auger against a drag. The first force and the second force are less than a third force to drive an alternative auger from a driven end. The auger has a first end yield strength and a second end yield strength that are each less than a driven end yield strength of the alternative auger.

Development station with dual drive

Methods are provided for operating a development station. A method comprises the steps of applying a first force at a first end of an auger and applying a second force at a second end of the auger with the first force and the second force being sufficient to rotate the auger against a drag exerted by a developer and a replenishment toner being moved by rotation of the auger; and, tensioning the auger along a length of the auger by urging the first end of the auger away from the second end and by urging the second end of the auger away from the first end.

Methods for operating development station auger

Methods for operating a development station are provided. In one aspect a method comprises the steps of: applying a first force at a first end of an auger and a second force at a second end of the auger with the first force and the second force being sufficient to rotate the auger against a drag exerted by the developer and the replenishment toner. Both the first force and the second force are less than a third force applied to a single driven end of an alternative auger to rotate the alternative auger against the drag and wherein the auger has a first yield strength at the first end and a second yield strength at the second end that are less than a third yield strength required to receive the third force at the driven end of the alternative auger.

Methods for dual drive operation of an auger in a development station

Development stations are provided. A development station has a housing having a recirculation path and an auger being rotatable to move the developer along part of the recirculation path. A first output is at a first end of the auger through which a first urging force urging the first end of the auger away from the second end can be applied and a second output at a second end of the auger through which a second urging force urging the second end away from the first end can be applied. At least one actuator generates an input force from which at least one of the first force and the second force can be provided; and a separator provides the first urging force and the second urging force to create a tension in the auger.

Development station with auger tensioning

Growing community of inventors

Pittsford, NY, United States of America

Eric C Stelter