Delphax Systems

Jeffrey J Carrish

Sotos M Theodoulou

Robert A Moore

William R Buchan

An imaging system, or unit of an imaging system, and a method of imaging employing a single imaging member to form a liquid-toned image, to condition the image, and to transfuse it to a print-receiving medium. The member moves through three sections, with the image formed in the first section, then changing state in each successive section. In a preferred embodiment, a heat exchanger uses heat from the third section to extract the liquid carrier from the toned image while it is in the second section. Condensed carrier replenishes toner, cooling the first section. Multicolor printing is effected by employing several such units, one for each color, to transfuse colored images in succession onto a receiving member.

Liquid/dry toner imaging system

Fusing apparatus for an electrographic printer, includes an abhesive belt for carrying and contacting a recorded image, a low temperature heater to fuse the image, and an assembly for synchronously moving a sheet in contact with the belt past the heater for an extended dwell time so that the toned image attains a fusing temperature as it resides in thermal contact with the heater along an extended transport path. The belt has a release coating of low surface free energy. Image transfer or fusing may be accomplished at sufficiently low belt temperatures that a single belt may be employed to effect imaging, toning, image transfer and fusing steps without impairing heat-sensitive toning assemblies, photoconducting elements, or other temperature-sensitive parts of the printer.

Image transport fusing system

A printing system forms a first electrostatic latent image on a dielectric member and tones the image with a first toner. The toned image is then consolidated on the dielectric member, and one or more additional toners are applied to form a multiply-toned image which is then fused and transferred to a sheet. At intermediate stages of forming the multiply-toned image, the previously applied toner is melted and cooled to consolidate it. A dielectric belt with a fast thermal response time allows the multicolor image to be efficiently formed on the belt and all colors transferred to a paper sheet which is fed once through the machine. The belt may receive latent images from a photosensitive imaging drum of conventional type, or may itself be a photosensitive belt which directly receives an optical image. Preferably, however, the electrostatic latent images are deposited on the belt by one or more electronically controlled printhead arrays. By charge coding the latent image, one printhead operating in a bipolar mode may deposit a single image which is toned with four colors. Images may also be consolidated directly on a latent imaging drum.

System and method for forming multiply toned images

Sheet turnover apparatus of particular utility in the document-delivery system of a high speed printer, copier, or the like. Documents are serially routed through an infeed nip of a three-roller assembly, and received by a narrow, angularly-profiled chute. The chute includes a recoil assembly at its far end, which causes the document to reverse its travel within the chute to be directed toward the outfeed nip of the roller assembly. A paddle or flipper assembly mounted to the central roller of the roller triad directs the trailing edge of the document from infeed nip to outfeed nip, where it becomes the document's leading edge.

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Milford, MA, United States of America

Jeffrey J Carrish