Coulter Systems Corporation

James C Compton

Manfred R Kuehnle

Harold J Weber

Kenneth A Lindblom

Michael J Szymanski

John N Poulakis

Donald S Cleveland

Electrophotographic imaging apparatus, particularly for color proofing, is provided for normal daylight operation including a light-tight housing having a framework mounting plural spaced functional processing stations for charging, imaging, toning, transfer and, optionally, cleaning, all interior of the housing. A platen assembly mounting an electrophotographic member is translated along a linear path, the assembly being guided by a rail and a track secured along the entire length of the framework. A copyboard is disposed below the carriage within the imaging station and carries a transparency. The electrophotographic member is translated past the charging station for charging same and brought to the imaging station where the copyboard is raised, to establish an intimate engagement with the member established and exposed to an interior disposed radiant energy source. After exposure, the copyboard is lowered and the member translated to the toning station where one of plural available toning modules has been raised to intercept the platen whereby to establish a toning gap for toning with liquid toner carried by said one module during passage past said module. The member next is translated to the transfer station for transfer to a pre-wet sheet of transfer medium. A registration system is provided at both imaging and transfer stations to assure registration between the member and the transparency on the one hand and the member and the transfer medium on the other hand at the respective station whereby all functional tolerance relationships being maintained independent of the framework.

Electrophotographic imaging apparatus and method particularly for color

A light scanning assembly for apparatus including a copyboard, an optical train and a carriage carrying charging, exposure and toning devices. The copyboard is movable from a horizontal disposition to a vertical disposition at which it is scanned in synchronism with simultaneous movement of the carriage horizontally. The light scanning assembly comprises a support bracket mounting a pair of illuminating lamps disposed each with an associated elliptically configured reflector. The support bracket is driven translating the lamp pair and their common intersection band across the face of the copyboard synchronously with the movement of the carriage. A third lamp is mounted (with reflector) on a second bracket to illuminate through the copyboard and is movable vertically with the first bracket. The third lamp is energized only when a transparent document is carried by the copyboard. The first pair of lamps are not energized at that occasion. The brackets are pivotable to rotate said respective lamps and associated reflectors along a predetermined arc during the vertical translation thereof so that the light emitted therefrom is focused along a straight line continuously directed to the center of the optical train along the line representing the shortest distance to the lens so that the image always is in focus. A cam wheel on the bracket follows a canted or tapered guide surface formed on a vertically arranged leg supporting said light scanning assembly to effect pivoting of the said bracket, return of the bracket being effected solely by gravity.

Light scanning assembly for electrophotographic printing plate making

Growing community of inventors

Marlborough, MA, United States of America

James C Compton