Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Hewlett-packard Company

George Bernhard Clifton

Theresa A Burkes

Robert J Lawton

John A Thompson

Angela Kay Hanson

Steven Robert Folkner

Kenneth Joseph O'Hara

Quintin T Phillips

John L Stoffel, Jr

Patrick S Dougherty

Jeffrey L Trask

Kenneth Eugene Heath

Gustavo M Guillemin

Thomas Roger Oswald

Jerry A Young

Ben Tyson

Carl D Geleynse

Eric S Schneider

Linda S Rodda

Patrick D Walker

An uncoated recording medium includes a blend of hardwood fibers and softwood fibers. The total fiber content is at least 80 wt % of a total wt % of the uncoated recording medium. A filler is present in the uncoated recording medium in an amount ranging from about 3 wt % to about 10.2 wt % of the total wt % of the uncoated recording medium. The uncoated recording medium has i) a weight ranging from about 50 g/mto about 70 g/m, and ii) a machine direction Lorentezen & Wetter 5 degree bending stiffness ranging from about 0.19 mNm to about 0.27 mNm and a cross direction Lorentezen & Wetter 5 degree bending stiffness ranging from about 0.09 mNm to about 0.12 mNm, and iii) an ISO brightness of at least 86.

Uncoated recording media

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and system for environmental watermarking. According to one embodiment, a print request is received at a printing device coupled to a processing unit, which evaluates whether an environmental print criteria has been satisfied. The document along with an environmental watermark image is printed on the print media upon determination that at least one environmental print criterion has been satisfied.

Environmental watermarking a print request

A method for color printing includes the steps of determining a voltage level of electrical power supplied to an electrophotographic printing device having multiple colors of toner, the voltage level defining a fusing capacity, and selecting a color table, stored in memory, defining a maximum toner application level for each color of toner, based upon the fusing capacity.

System and method for selecting color tables for a color printer

A method for determining a warranty start date for a product has steps of determining a warranty start event and generating a warranty start date after occurrence of the warranty start event. The timestamp may be generated through a query to a time server on a network connected to the product. Preferred examples of warranty start events comprise first use by the user, and production of a specified cumulative quantity of product output. The warranty start event as well as the generated warranty start date are preferably stored on a memory internal to the product.

Method for determining a warranty start date

A method and apparatus for determining an appropriate recalibration duty cycle. The method instructs a network connected computer peripheral to access one or more servers to retrieve a timestamp. Retrieved timestamps are used to calculate the elapsed time since the last trigger-event (e.g., last calibration, printing activity, time of power-off, or the like). If the calculated elapsed time is less than a predetermined or dynamically determined threshold, the method instructs the peripheral to omit otherwise implemented calibration activities, e.g., a power surge reboot.

Method and apparatus for avoiding unnecessary computer peripheral calibration activities

The present invention is directed to a sealing mechanism for use in a toner cartridge. The sealing mechanism includes a developer roller and a toner plow. The developer roller has an outer cylindrical surface. The toner plow includes a concave contact region configured to mate with the outer cylindrical surface of the developer roller and a toner plow face placed at an acute angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the developer roller.

System for and method of toner flow control

A method for generating a calibration product for an image producing device. The image producing device includes a plurality of toner stations and a transfer medium. Each toner station is configured to deposit an associated toner onto the transfer medium to thereby generate the calibration product. The method includes depositing a first toner from a first toner station onto the transfer medium while moving the transfer medium from a first position relative to the plurality of toner stations to a second position. The method further includes depositing a second toner from a second toner station onto the transfer medium while continuing to deposit the first toner onto the transfer medium while moving the transfer medium from the second position to a third position.

Methods for generating a calibration product for an image producing device having a plurality of toner stations

Methods and apparatus for reducing the time required to generate a calibration image product on a transfer medium in an inline imaging device having a plurality of toner stations by simultaneously applying at least two toners to the transfer medium. In one method of the present invention, each toner station is configured to deposit an associated toner onto the transfer medium to thereby generate the calibration product. The method includes the step of depositing a first toner from a first toner station and a second toner from a second toner station onto the transfer medium while moving the transfer medium from a first position relative to the plurality of toner stations to a second position. An apparatus of the present invention includes a scanning section, a plurality of toner stations, a transfer medium, and a calibration image product generator. Each toner station is configured to deposit a dedicated toner onto the transfer medium. The transfer medium is configured to move past the toner stations in serial order, and the scanning section is configured to cause selective deposition of toner associated with a toner station onto the transfer medium. The calibration image product generator is configured to cause the scanning section and the plurality of toner stations to produce a calibration image product on the transfer medium as the transfer medium moves past the toner stations. The calibration image product generator is further configured to cause at least two toner stations to simultaneously deposit toner onto the transfer medium.

Methods and apparatus for calibrating inline color laser printers

Methods and apparatus for reducing the time required to generate a plurality of calibration image products on a transfer medium in an inline imaging device. In the method, the image producing device has a transfer medium and a developer section configured to deposit toner onto the transfer medium to thereby generate the calibration image products. One method includes depositing toner onto the transfer medium using the developer section to produce a first calibration image product. Thereafter, toner is deposited onto the transfer medium to produce at least a portion of a second calibration image product. The portion of the second calibration image is produced prior to removing the entire first calibration image product from the transfer medium. An apparatus includes a scanning section, a developer section, a transfer medium and a calibration image product generator. The calibration image generator is configured to generate a first calibration image product by causing the developer section to selectively deposit toner onto the transfer medium at a first location. The calibration image generator is further configured to generate at least a portion of a second calibration image product by causing the developer section to selectively deposit toner onto the transfer medium at a second location.

In a color electrophotographic printing system using a transfer belt, residual toner remains on the surface of the transfer belt after the printing of a page. To prevent print defects from occurring, the residual toner on the surface of the transfer belt must be removed. A transfer belt charge roller driven by a high voltage power supply is used to positively charge the residual toner to permit electrostatic transfer of the residual toner from the surface of the transfer belt to the surface of a photoconductor drum for removal by a cleaning blade. By applying an AC waveform and a positive DC offset, the residual toner is effectively positively charged for electrostatic removal from the transfer belt.

System for charging toner on a toner carrying member for removing toner

A toner depletion detection system in an electrophotographic printer uses an optical density sensor to detect the depletion of toner. The optical density sensor is used by the electrophotographic printer to maintain the developed optical density at an optimum value by adjusting a DC offset voltage supplied to a developer to compensate for changes in the developed optical density. Additionally, the optical density sensor is used in a calibration which linearizes the relationship between the optical density of a developed halftone pattern and increments of the laser pulse width. In a first embodiment of the toner depletion detection system, the magnitude of the DC offset voltage supplied to the developer to compensate for changes in the developed optical density is monitored. When the magnitude of this DC offset voltage exceeds an empirically determined threshold value, the toner depletion condition is indicated. In a second embodiment of the toner depletion detection system, the relationship between the optical density of a developed halftone pattern and increments of the laser pulse width is periodically determined by the electrophotographic printer. When this relationship has shifted sufficiently, relative to a empirically determined threshold relationship, the toner depletion condition is indicated.

Detection of toner depletion in an electrophotographic printing system

An imaging system carries an image defined by a dry powder or liquid toner. The imaging system includes a first transfer roll that electrostatically or adhesively accumulates the color image from a photoconductor, and a second transfer roll in transfixing contact with the first transfer roll. The second transfer roll possessing a central radiant heat source and a radiant heat source located adjacent to the first transfer roll in radiant proximity to an entering media sheet and the transfixing contact between the first and second transfer rolls. The first transfer roll includes at least a first basecoat layer and a topcoat layer. The basecoat layer includes a material that is electrically conductive and exhibits elastomeric and macrocompliant properties enabling the media to wrap through a significant arc under the transfixing contact and heat of the second transfer roll. The topcoat layer includes a specially formulated Fluorosilicone topcoat material that has a low surface energy and exhibits a microcompliance and resiliency enabling the first layer to compliantly mate with the photoconductor surface. The second transfer roll includes an outer, liquid carrier phobic layer and an inner compliant layer for enabling direct transfer of an image from the first transfer roll to a media sheet. The second transfer roll is optionally electrically biased with a polarity to prevent premature transfer of the image on the first transfer roll.

Dry powder or liquid toner image transfixing system

A mechanism is described for automatically handling envelopes and paper sheets, the mechanism having an input window for receiving the envelopes and paper sheets. The mechanism comprises a first tray for holding a stack of paper sheets and is mountable in the window. A second tray is provided for holding a stack of envelopes and is also mountable in the window. A roller system is positioned to selectively engage the topmost sheet of the stack of sheets in the first tray or a bottommost envelope of the stack of envelopes in the second tray and to feed either the topmost sheet or the bottommost envelope, as the case may be.

Growing community of inventors

Boise, ID, United States of America

George Bernhard Clifton