Xerox Corporation

Jeffrey William Drawe

Marc Dennis Daniels

Joseph A Swift

Stanley John Wallace

Conrad J Bell

Shengliang Zhang

Sharon R Hagell

Andrew C Larocca

Paul Michael Fromm

James J Spence

Richard L Schank

Joseph Herman Lang

Paul N Richards

Gregory Joseph Kovacs

Robert Steven Pozniakas

Song-Feng Mo

Stephen F Randall

Richard W Bigelow

David Sekovski

Wendy K Apton

Jing Qing Song

John D McCaffrey

John F Obrien

Steven R LeRoy

Peter Gordon O'Dell

Harold G Deisenroth

Brian J Larocque

Francis R Harmon

Robert K Fox

John A Yavonditte

An additive manufacturing system for fabricating multi-sided printed composite sheet structures includes a roll fed duplex architecture that prints polymer images on both sides of a substrate sheet to form two-sided 3D composite layers. A substrate web is fed into the machine, and a top side is printed with a wetting agent, powdered, and the excess powder is removed. The image may be pinned to the substrate in a fusing step so that the web can be inverted to print a second image on the other side. The inversion architecture could include inverting rollers, tubes or a Mobius strip that may flip the substrate for backside printing using a single imaging station. The resulting two-side powdered and pinned substrate would then be cut, stacked, heated and compressed to create a 3-D object with more polymer in the stack, resulting in better adhesive binding characteristics at a much higher production speed.

Apparatus and method for fabricating multi-sided printed composite sheet structures

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for reclaiming unused powder in a composite-based additive manufacturing process. According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided process and apparatus that use a substrate layer frame inversion mechanism that can flip the substrate over 180 degrees. The excess powder will simply drop into a waste reclaim container for later reuse. An optional mechanical vibrator may be used to completely loosen any remaining powder.

Composite-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) use of gravity for excess polymer removal

According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided process and apparatus to analyze imaging problems including but not limited to detecting defects of an imaging substrate useful in a Composite-Based Additive Manufacturing (CBAM) process. Data from the at least one imaging sensor may be used to: compensate for irregularities in a substrate deposited layer; compensate for irregularities in the printed layer, such as missing jet correction; reject a layer, the layer being scrapped and re-printed; pause the print job so that maintenance or service may be performed; or provide traceability data for proof-of-work, forensic, diagnostic, or other purposes. Depending on system architecture and design goals, the imaging sensor may be employed prior to or subsequent to the deposition of a printed layer.

Composite-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) image quality (IQ) verification and rejection handling

According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided process and apparatus to use additives with the clear wetting agent to aid in detection of defective substrates or missing jets. For light colored substrates, dye can be used for darkening of the wetting agent to provide sufficient contrast for defect detection. For dark colored substrates, the dye could be a specific color that a sensor is tuned for. An additive that glows only in the presence of a specific wave length of light could be utilized for any color substrate. By comparing the detected pattern to the desired pattern, end product voids can be greatly reduced or eliminated.

Wetting agent additive for an in-line quality check of composite-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) substrates

A printing apparatus has been developed that prints inkjet images on a continuous web with a configurable number of distinct ink colors. The printing apparatus includes a frame configured to support a plurality of components to form a printing system, the frame including a plurality of mounting locations, a plurality of printing system components including at least one printhead array and at least one first ink composition curing assembly, each printing system component in the plurality of printing system components being configured to mount to a mounting location on the frame, and the printing apparatus being enabled to eject a first ink composition onto an image receiving surface when a first set of printing system components selected from the plurality of printing system components is mounted to the frame and being enabled to eject a second ink composition onto an image receiving surface when a second set of printing system components selected from the plurality of printing system components is mounted to the frame, the second set of printing system components not including a first ink composition curing assembly.

Inkjet printing apparatus

A cleaning system and process for removing residual toner from an imaging surface, including a primary cleaner system for removing the predominant amount of residual toner and debris and a retractable secondary agglomeration cleaning blade mounted downstream from the primary cleaner, wherein, when the blade is moved into the engaged position, the cleaning edge is engaged with the imaging surface at for shearing release of agglomerations from the imaging surface and wherein the cleaning blade is movable to the retracted position during periods in which the primary cleaner is in its operative position.

Retractable agglomeration removable blade with cleaning mechanism and process for agglomeration removal

A real-time photo-induced discharge curve (PIDC) model generator uses a nonliner model structure based on the physics of a xerographic system photoreceptor. The PIDC generator estimates a small number of parameters in the PIDC model in real-time for a given xerographic system configuration. The estimated PIDC may be used by xerographic system process controls, diagnostics and xerographic system setup in real-time.

Systems and methods for generating photo-induced discharge curves

Image quality of an image generated by a xerographic or equivalent image generating process may develop non-uniform charge characteristics, in addition to other negative effects, as a result of positive over-spray, but these negative effects can be at least attenuated by exposure of the photoreceptor to fluorescent light.

Method and apparatus for attenuating effects of positive over-spray on photoreceptor

In DC pin scorotron charging apparatus for charging a photoreceptor to a final voltage, a first DC pin scorotron charging device initially charges the photoreceptor to an intermediate overshoot voltage and a second DC pin scorotron charging device thereafter uniformly charges the photoreceptor to the final voltage. The first DC pin scorotron charging device provides a generally high percent open control grid area, a generally high emitter slope, and a generally high emitter pin current. The second DC pin scorotron charging device provides a generally low percent open control grid area, a generally low emitter slope, and a generally low emitter pin current.

DC pin scorotron charging apparatus, and printing machine arranged with the same

A device for transferring electrical charge from an electrically conductive element to a rotating element is provided. The device has a body including a pultruded composite member having a multiplicity of electrically conductive fibers provided with a polymer matrix. The plurality of conductive fibers is oriented within the polymer matrix in a longitudinal direction of the pultruded composite member. The fibers each extend in a substantially parallel direction, parallel to a first axis. The body includes a first contact area. The body defines an aperture therein. The body has a second contact area on the periphery of the aperture spaced from the first contact area and a support. The support is secured to the body for supporting the body. The first contact area is for contact with the conductive element and the second contact area is for contact with the rotating element. The fibrillated portion is coincident with at least one of the first contact area or said second contact area.

Carbon fiber electrical contact mounting for rotating elements

A device for transferring electrical charge between a first element and a second element is provided. The elements have relative rotational motion therebetween. The device has a body including a multiplicity of electrically conductive fibers. A substantial portion of the fibers extend in a substantially parallel direction, parallel to a first axis. The body includes a first contact area. The body defines an aperture therein. The body further includes a second contact area on the periphery of the aperture spaced from the first contact area. The first contact area is for contact with the first element and the second contact area is for contact with the second element.

Carbon fiber electrical contact for rotating elements

A process for coating flexible belt seams including providing a flexible belt having an outwardly facing surface and a welded seam, forming a smooth liquid coating on the welded seam, the liquid coating comprising a film forming polymer and a fugitive liquid carrier in which the belt surface is substantially insoluble, and removing the fugitive liquid carrier to form a smooth solid coating on the seam.

Process for improving belts

A modular conveyor and conveyor system for transporting articles thereon. The functioning of the entire system is integrated by a programmable logic controller (PLC) mounted on each conveyor unit. Where PLCs on adjacently connected conveyors communicate with one another. Each conveyor has sensing devices for communicating with the PLC by indicating the absence or presence of articles located at specific zones on the conveyor. In response to the sensing input, the PLC will send and receive articles to and from adjoining units. All of the movement of articles on the conveyor system are preprogrammed into the PLC, however manual over-ride is provided for. The conveyors have rollers for moving articles along the length of the units. Belts are located at one end for moving articles transverse to the roller movement. Roller-ball racks are used for rotational movement of articles on the unit. The PLC controls the activation of the rollers, belts, and racks of the conveyor in response to the sensor input information.

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Bloomfield, NY, United States of America

Jeffrey William Drawe