Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag

Heidelberg Digital L.l.c.

Nexpress Solutions, Inc.

Eastman-kodak Company

James Van Orchard, Ii

Terry Nate Morganti

David Francis Cahill

Richard C Baughman

Borden H Mills

James Denney Anthony

A journal for forming the axle of a wick roller wherein the mounting section of the journal is provided with a nose section so that any adhesive which is skived from the core of the roller as the journal is positioned therein will collect on the nose section and will not foul the central bore through the core.

Wick roller for an electrophotographic machine

An apparatus and method for taking up the slack in the web material between the supply roller and the take-up roller in the web cleaning assembly of an electrophotographic apparatus. A clutch mechanism is positioned between the drive gear on the take-up roller and the hub of the motor that drives the drive gear. A spring-biased pawl on the hub engages a tooth of an inner gear on the drive gear to provide a driving connection between the hub and the take-up gear when the motor drives the hub in a first direction but effectively releases the driving connection when the take-up gear is manually rotated while the motor is idle. This allows the take-up roller to be rotated to take up the slack in the web without having to rotate the motor.

Method for installing and removing slack from a web of cleaning material in an electrophotographic machine

An electrophotographic apparatus having a web cleaning assembly and a method for servicing web cleaning assembly. The web cleaning assembly is pivotably mounted to a slide in the fuser section of the apparatus whereby the assembly can be slid out of the fuser section and then rotated to a service position where the assembly is releasably latched while the supply and take-up rollers within the web cleaning assembly are removed and replaced.

Fuser web cleaning assembly for an electrophotographic machine

Mechanism for removing slack in the web of cleaning material in an electrophotographic machine

This invention provides a fuser station with a vented skive assembly for an image-forming machine. The image-forming machine may have a photoconductor, a primary charger, an exposure machine, a toning station, a transfer charger, and a vented fuser station. The fuser station may include a pressure roller, a fuser roller, and a skive assembly. The skive assembly has rib sections forming one or more slots, which are configured to provide an airflow pattern to reduce condensation. The skive assembly may have an insert protection device disposed in one or more of the slots.

Vented skive assembly for a fuser station in an image-forming machine

In a reproduction apparatus having a logic and control unit, and a fuser assembly including a heated fuser roller and a sensor for sensing the temperature of such fuser roller by utilizing heat to change sensor resistance to provide an electrical signal corresponding to the fuser temperature, for the logic and control unit, a method for detecting erratic resistance in the temperature sensor. The method includes the steps of, at preselected time intervals, comparing a current temperature reading to a previous temperature reading, and determining if the temperature sensing system indicates that the temperature has changed by more than a predetermined amount based upon reproduction apparatus operating characteristics. If the temperature sensing system indicates, from the determining step, that the temperature has changed by more than a predetermined amount, an indication that an error has occurred is made. Then, such error indication is recorded in an error log of the logic and control unit, and a response strategy for such error is provided.

Detecting erratic resistance in temperature sensors

An upper skive plate and a method for quickly installing and removing the skive plate in the fuser section of an electrophotographic apparatus without damaging the roller therein. The skive plate carries a plurality of skives which strip a sheet of paper from the roller during operation of the apparatus. To install the skive plate, guide openings in the plate are positioned on locator pins which are affixed to the load arms which, in turn, support the roller. The plate is moved forward on the pins and is releasably latched in position by a pair of rotatable pawls on the plate which cooperate with clamping surfaces on the load arms. To remove the skive plate, this procedure is reversed.

Upper skive plate and method of installation in the fuser section of an electrophotographic machine

A mechanism for applying pressure load force in a reproduction apparatus fuser device having at least one heated fuser member and a pressure member in nip relation to permanently fix a marking particle image to a receiver member. The pressure load force applying mechanism includes a load cam selectively rotated about a drive shaft, the cam having a wide constant radius section to have a wide tolerance in the stopping position. A cam follower member is associated with the load cam. A force of the load cam is applied via the cam follower member. A control mechanism is provided for the load pressure applying mechanism. The control mechanism includes a raised section at each end of the constant radius section of the load cam to act as stops for the follower.

Cam control mechanism

A copier/duplicator machine having a pressure roller system including two load arms for engagement with pressure roller bearings on each end of the pressure roller wherein the load arms include locator plates positioned on their outsides and extending beyond an engagement surface on each load arm and toward and past engagement surfaces on the pressure roller bearings to restrict the positioning of the load arm engagement surfaces so that the load arms can be installed only in proper engagement with the pressure roller bearings on the ends of the pressure roller.

Pressure roller system and an improved method for installing a pressure roller

An electrophotographic apparatus having structure for mounting a drive motor on the fuser section whereby the motor can be removed and replaced from the outside of the housing. The structure includes a mounting structure which is affixed to one of the walls of the housing and an adapter plate which is affixed to the face of the motor. The mounting structure has a stub extension for receiving the gear on the drive motor and a plurality of mounting holes spaced outward therefrom. The adapter plate has a main opening to receive the hub of the motor and openings through which screws secure the plate to the motor. The plate has mounting openings which align with the mounting holes in the mounting structure to secure the plate, hence the motor, to the housing.

Mounting of a drive motor in the fuser section of an electrophotographic machine

A fuser section for an electrophotographic apparatus which includes a lower skive plate which can be quickly installed and removed without damaging the fuser roller. The skive plate carries a plurality of skives which strip a sheet of paper from the fuser roller during operation of the apparatus. To install the skive plate, forward latch pins are positioned in guide tracks on the fuser section and the plate is moved forward and downward while maintaining the plate in a substantially horizontal position thereby keeping the sharp skives clear of the fuser roller during installation. As the skives approach the fuser roller, rear latch pins on said skive plate are first latched to the fuser section after which the forward latch pins are latched thereto with the skives now riding on said fuser roller. To remove the skive plate, this procedure is reversed.

Installation of lower skive plate in the fuser section of an electrophotographic machine

A mechanism for controlling temperature of the at least one heated fuser element of a fuser, for a reproduction apparatus having a heater for the fuser element, operating at a desired temperature to permanently fix a marking particle image to a receiver member. The temperature controlling mechanism includes a temperature sensing element producing a signal corresponding to a sensed temperature of the fuser element. A temperature sensing face member defines a cavity for receiving the temperature sensing element therein. The temperature sensing face member has a surface configured to correspond to the configuration of the fusing element. A housing is provided having an interior chamber for receiving the temperature sensing face member at one end. Air is substantially trapped in the interior chamber adjacent to the temperature sensing face member. The housing is supported in a bracket for movement so as to engage the temperature sensing face member in contact with the fuser element to accurately sense the temperature thereof. A logic and control unit receives the signal from the temperature sensing element, and in response to receiving the signal, compares the signal to a reference temperature for the fuser element, and activates the heater for the fuser element based on such comparison.

Fuser temperature control sensor which is insensitive to surrounding air currents

A mechanism for sensing the pressure in the offset preventing oil delivery system for the fuser assembly of a reproduction apparatus. The pressure sensing mechanism includes a pressure-sensing gauge operatively associated with the offset preventing oil delivery system. A pressure sensing circuit includes a pressure gauge port for converting detected pressure from the pressure-sensing gauge into a corresponding electrical signal. Responsive to the electrical signal, the pressure sensing circuit calculates a delta voltage between when the oil delivery system is operating and when the oil delivery system is not operating, and determines whether the delta voltage system is within a specific operating range. A logic and control unit, responsive to the electrical signal, monitors the electrical signal from the pressure sensing circuit to ensure that the offset preventing oil is being properly delivered to the oil delivery system.

Offset preventing oil pressure sensor system

A rotating wick device for applying release oil to a fusing roller or other fuser member includes an elongated hollow distribution tube. A porous ceramic material surrounds the distribution tube and is covered with a porous polytetrafluoroethylene material. Preferably, the polytetrafluoroethylene material includes a first portion adjacent the ceramic material which is of unexpanded polytetrafluoroethylene and a second portion adjacent the first portion which is expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.

Growing community of inventors

Holley, NY, United States of America

James Van Orchard, Ii