Eastman-kodak Company

Jerome F Sleve

John Giannetti

Giovanni B Caiazza

Terry Nate Morganti

Gerald M Darby, Ii

Brian R LaBudde

Michael T Haupt

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.

Air baffle for paper travel path within an electrophotographic machine

A coupling, supportable by a first and second O-ring belt, has two gear sheaves in mating contact. The inner portion of each gear sheave has a friction surface for mating with one of the O-ring belts. The rotational drive of the first O-ring is imparted to the first of the gear sheaves through the first frictional surface causing the sheave to rotate. The rotation of the first sheave then causes the second sheave, through the mating gears, to rotate in a direction opposite the direction of the first gear sheave. The frictional surface of the second sheave then imparts the rotation of the second sheave to the second O-ring. In this manner the rotational drive of the first O-ring is reversed when transmitted by the second O-ring as said O-rings support said sheaves.

Growing community of inventors

Henrietta, NY, United States of America

Jerome F Sleve