Coulter Systems Corporation

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag

Coulter Corporation

Kenneth D Fraser

Manfred R Kuehnle

Ronald J Duke

Lysle D Cahill

John A Lawson

John C Butler

Kenneth A Lindblom

John L Tibbits

John F Keane

E Raymond Thomas

Peter Taylor

Stanley C Harting

George H Kramer

Theodore A Kessis

Gary L Frank

Harold J Weber

Steve Cormier

W Scott Fraser

Anton Rodi

Josef Matkan

Gerhard Bartscher

Uwe Angst

Michael J Szymanski

Carsten Schoenfeld

A cylinder (2) for a printing machine, particularly a developing cylinder in an electrographic printing machine, having a rigid, elongated shaft body (10) and a rigid hollow body (11) whose exterior forms the covering and the top and bottom surfaces of the cylinder. In order that, during operation under constant conditions, the cylinder can roll properly against another rigid cylinder of the printing machine, flat sides (12,13) of the hollow body (11) which form the top and bottom surfaces of the cylinder, have centrical bore holes that are larger than the diameter of the shaft body (10) in the area of the flat sides. Located in the space between the shaft body and the flat sides of the hollow body is an elastic material (14,15) which joins the flat sides of the hollow body to the shaft body. Inside the hollow body, in the center between the flat sides of the hollow body one or a plurality of braces (16) are arranged which extend transversely to the figure axis of the shaft body, and which firmly join the hollow cylindrical covering of the hollow body to the shaft body, so that the figure axis of the hollow body and the figure axis of the shaft body coincide in a normal state, and intersect at a small angle under the influence of outer forces.

Cylinder for a printing machine

A device and a method for developing an electrostatic latent image, which is located on a movable image carrier (1), using a non-conductive single-component toner. The device includes a toner feed device (3), in order to transport toner particles (5) from a toner reservoir (4) and charge them electrically, a rotationally mounted developing roller (2) to receive the charged toner particles from the toner feed device and to transport the toner particles which it holds into a gap between the developing roller and the image carrier, and a rotationally mounted doctor roller (6), which is arranged in the path of the toner particles from the toner feed device to the developing roller, to produce a uniform toner layer with a defined thickness on the developing roller. The surface of the developing roller (2) and the surface of the doctor roller (6) are separated from one another by a gap which is wider than the average diameter of the toner particles (5). In this manner, electrographic printing with high quality and at high speed is made possible.

Single-component developing station

A power cam drive assembly for generating and delivering two different degrees of force serially to a body, the second force being greater than the first force. A main drive gear is coupled to a driven cam gear which is coupled to an outer cam shell. A cam core is nested within the cam shell for rotation along an eccentric path therewithin. The cam core has an axial extension also coupled to the driven cam gear. A windable clock spring located between the cam core and cam shell has one end secured to the cam core and the other end locked to the cam shell. A cam roller is disposed within the cam core. The clock spring has a greater rotational torque than required to rotate the cam core. The driven cam gear rotates, causing the cam shell to rotate, through the clock spring interconnection, causing rotaton of the cam core with attendant rotation of the cam roller which impacts on a cam stop in its path preventing further rotation of roller and cam core, causing the first force to be transmitted via a lever arranged to transmit the first force to the body. Further rotation of the cam shell causes the cam roller to move in a downward direction, winding the clock spring, resulting in further rotation of the cam core producing the second downward force for transmission to the body via the lever.

Power drive cam assembly

A microfilm camera/processor including an electrophotographic medium mounted for successive translation step by step over plural functional stations for performing functional operations successively on portions thereof, the stations being an electrostatic spin charging station, an exposure station including a shutter mechanism forming an latent charge image, a toning station including a planar development electrode, a liquid toner depositing feed and a mechanism for bringing the electrode surface into and out from close proximity to the latent charge image, a cleaning and drying station forming a dried toner image and a dry transfer station to force the dry toner image below the surface of a softened coating carried by a strip film receptor and a preprogrammed control .

Electrophotographic microfilm camera/processor apparatus

Apparatus and method for producing color proofs electrophotographically. A platen carrying an electrophotographic member is translated sequentially past functional stations including a charging station, an exposure station, a toning station, a transfer station and a cleaning station. Once toning is completed, the platen carrying the toner image is translated to the transfer station. An intermediate transfer medium is disposed at the transfer station as the sole receptor of the toner image from the electrophotographic member. A roller effects transfer engagement between the intermediate transfer medium and the toner image carrier. Direct transfer mode or offset transfer mode electively is provided at the transfer station. For offset mode, the toner image on the photoconductive layer involves first transfer to the intermediate transfer medium and from the latter to the transfer medium. The direct transfer mode is effected by employing, as an intermediate transfer medium, the same material as the transfer medium. Successive color separation transparencies are substituted in sequence respectively to form the finished color proof.

Electrophotographic imaging apparatus, particularly for color proofing

Graphics and text data are combined selectively to discharge incremental areas of a charged electrophotographic member to form thereon a latent text and/or graphics image represented by the graphics and text data, the imaged member thereafter being toned and output from the system so that the toned image may be fused on the member and the member may be used as a printing plate in an offset lithographic printing press. The apparatus includes an optical system that may form a maximum of 22 individual rays which are deflected twice through a field flattening lens and then onto the charged member. The optical system further includes an optical scale or grating which provides electrical signals indicating the precise location of the individual rays along scan lines on the member. The apparatus further includes an electronic system which generates electrical signals from the graphics and text data to form the 22 individual rays. The text data is used to modulate signals produced by the graphics data, the result of the modulation being beam control signals used to form the 22 individual rays. The apparatus further includes a toning system that provides a vertical meniscus of toning fluid, the meniscus being essentially stationary with the electrophotographic member as the electrophotographic member is rotated past the toning station.

Digital plate maker system and method

A method of developing a latent electrostatic charge image formed on a photoconductor surface comprising the steps of applying a thin viscous layer of electrically charged toner particles to an applicator roller preferably by electrically assisted separation thereof from a liquid toner suspension, defining a restricted passage between the applicator roller and the photoconductor surface which approximates the thickness of the viscous layer, transferring the toner particles from the applicator roller to the photoconductor surface due to the preferential adherence thereof to the photoconductor surface under the dominant influence of the electric field strength of the electrostatic latent image carried by said photoconductive surface, the quantity of toner particles transferred being proportional to the relative incremental field strength of the latent electrostatic image. Apparatus is provided for carrying out the method of the invention which includes an applicator roller mounted for rotation in a container for toner suspension, an electrode arranged adjacent the circumferential surface of said roller to define an electrodeposition chamber therebetween and electrical connections between the said roller, electrode and a voltage source to enable electrolytic separation of toner particles in the chamber forming a thin highly viscous layer of concentrated toner particles on the roller, the roller arranged to define a virtual 'zero' gap with the photoconductive surface carrying the latent electrostatic image, the virtual 'zero' gap approximating the thickness of the electrodeposited toner layer.

Method and apparatus for developing electrostatic latent images

A digital plate maker system to receive graphics and text data and selectively discharge incremental areas of a charged electrophotographic member to form thereon the latent images represented by the graphics and text data, the imaged member thereafter being toned and output from the system. Thereafter, the toned image may be fused on the member and the member being used in an offset lithographic printing press. The digital platemaker system includes an optical system which may form a maximum of 22 individual rays which are direct deflected twice through a field flattening lens and then onto the charged member. The optical system further includes an optical scale or grating which provides electrical signals indicating the precise location of the individual rays along scan lines on the member. The digital plate maker system further includes an electronic system which generates electrical signals to form the 22 individual rays. The text data is used to modulate signals produced by the graphics data, the result of the modulation being the beam control signals used to form the 22 individual rays. The digital plate maker system further includes a toning system which provides a vertical meniscus which is essentially stationary with the electrophotographic member as the electrophotographic member is rotated past the toning station.

Optical system for imaging an electrophotographic member

A method and apparatus is provided for toning a latent electrostatic image on an exposed photoconductive surface of an electrophotographic member, using liquid toner comprising toner particles suspended in an electrically insulating liquid dispersant. Plural, generally identical, toner modules are arranged side by side at a first level, each module comprising a toner tray having a development electrode mounted on the upper surface thereof. The development electrode has a planar upper surface. A motor operates an articulated linkage which causes the tray to be elevated to a second level for toning, one of the modules being selected from the others. Antifriction bearing surfaces are mounted on the upper surface of the tray at opposite ends of the development electrode. The antifriction surfaces extend upwardly of the development electrode a short distance slightly above the upper surface thereof to define a gap between the development electrode and the surface to be toned. A toggle actuated control valve can be provided to direct the toner flow over the electrode in the direction of the movement of said surface, changing the direction of flow during the reciprocal movement of said surface. Alternatively, the flow of toner may be continuous over the planar electrode. During toning, a bias voltage is applied between the development electrode and the photoconductive surface to establish an electrical field within the gap for assisting toning. The charge level to which the toner responds is above the residual level thereby leaving the nonimaged or background area of the photoconductive surface free of toner particles.

Toning system for electrostatic imaging apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Scarborough, Canada

Kenneth D Fraser