Eastman-Kodak Company

Giovanni B Caiazza

John Giannetti

Jerome F Sleve

Terry Nate Morganti

Brian R LaBudde

A fuser entrance guide in an electrophotographic apparatus, which supports a sheet of copy medium as it enters the fuser section. The guide has a curved base plate that has vacuum ports both at the edges and across the central area thereof. The ports in the central area are arranged in rows with the exits of all ports in a respective row being fluidly connected by a groove formed in the lower surface of the base plate. The recessed area of the grooves reduce the total contact area of the sheet thereby reducing the drag forces on the sheet but, at the same time, increasing the holding force of the vacuum on the sheet.

Vacuum assisted fuser entrance guide for an electrophotographic machine

A method and apparatus for increasing the efficiency of a vacuum-assisted, fuser entrance guide in a marking engine by varying the vacuum on the guide as a sheet of marking medium moves thereacross wherein a low vacuum is applied on the guide while the sheet of marking medium is being transported across the guide solely by the vacuum transport and is then increased once the lead edge of the sheet enters the nip between the fuser rollers and the sheet becomes driven by the more powerful force of the fuser rollers. The higher vacuum provides a greater attraction force on the sheet, which, in turn, prevents the trail edge of the sheet from sagging or drooping from the guide's surface.

Fuser entry guide with variable vacuum for a marking engine

A means and a method for increasing the efficiency of a vacuum-assisted, fuser entrance guide in an electrophotographic apparatus by blocking and deflecting air currents away the sheet of copy medium as the sheet moves from a vacuum transport towards the entrance guide. A baffle is positioned in the gap between the vacuum transport and the fuser entrance guide that form the travel path for the sheet through the apparatus. The baffle has a deflecting surface that extends substantially across the gap, which diverts the air currents away from the sheet.

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Rochester, NY, United States of America

Giovanni B Caiazza