Colorocs Corporation

Kirk W Charles

Danny L Slayton

David R Davis

Charles S Palm

Khosrow Lak

Maurice S Wheatley, Jr

Wayne C Jones

Gregory A Chatham

Anthony J Ireland

Peter F Sampson

E Neal Tompkins

Peter A Zuber

Jack N Bartholmae

A belt conditioning system for a flexible belt electrophotographic print engine includes a cleaning blade (144) which is operable to clean a transfer belt (20) on a per page basis. A roller (152) is operable to be disposed in contact with the belt (20) on a page intermittent basis to more aggressively condition the belt (20). A controller (39) is operable to activate the roller (152) on a page intermittent basis and, during activation of the roller (152), transfer of images to the transfer belt (20) from a PC belt (30) is inhibited to prevent any registration problems from occurring during the conditioning cycle.

Method and apparatus for intermittent conditioning of a transfer belt

In an electrophotographic system, a compact, space-efficient device is provided which allows adjustment and quick release of a photosensitive belt. An idler roller supporting the belt is used in conjunction with a cam which provides a take-up feature. A configuration is provided which allows the cam to be disengaged, and the idler roller retracted to facilitate removal of the belt.

Belt tensioning and quick release device for electrophotographic system

A transfer mechanism for a full color double transfer electrophotographic print engine. Relatively conductive developer materials having successively increasing triboelectric charge characteristics are used to develop sequential images. Conductive plates displaced away from the transfer station along the direction of travel of the transfer belt are used as one electrode for applying an electrostatic field at each transfer station. A parameter of the transfer mechanism is a bulk resistivity of the transfer belt in the range of 10.sup.7 to 10.sup.10 ohm-centimeters and a surface resistivity for the belt in the range of 10.sup.7 to 10.sup.10 ohms per square. A selectively operable compression roller, compressing paper and transfer belt against a rubberized idling roller at one of the transfer stations increase dwell time in the transfer station. The compression roller automatically falls to a cleaning station where it is rotated by another rotary member to clean it between transfers. The use of conductive developer materials also tends to eliminate halo problems common in color electrophotography.

Transfer system for electrophotographic print engine

An improved full color electrophotographic print engine using flexible belts to carry a photosensitive electrostatic image developer and a transfer belt for building up composite developed images. Each belt, and an optical scanner, are driven by mechanically independent motors which are synchronized by an electronic digital controller implementing precise servos. The use of the flexible belts allows the machine to be relatively inexpensive, very small compared to previous full color print engines, and yet maintain precise registration of color composite images. An improved fuser mechanism with increased dwell time at constant machine speed is also shown. The fuser includes a pair of spaced-apart rollers, both of which urge a sheet of image receptor against the heated roller over a predetermined angular portion of the roller. The machine is specifically designed to be used interchangeably with an optical bench source as a copier or with a laser bench as a laser printer. Improved copy quality monitoring by sensing actual amounts of toner deposited on a photoreceptor belt is also shown. Also, improved downwardly facing gravity-fed toner deposition modules are shown including an embodiment which has a purely magnetic gate for opening and closing the toner supply.

Fuser assembly for an electrophotographic print engine

Improved dual belt synchronization for a print engine for color electrophotography using a photoreceptor belt and a seamless transfer belt on which a composite image is built up. Improved synchronization of the two belt drives enhances image registration. A tension mechanism used in conjunction with the belts prevents rapid changes in the belt dimensions. An improved transfer belt cleaner system is synchronized with the belt drives such that excess toner is not left in the imaging area of the transfer belt.

Belt controls for a print engine for color electrophotography

Print engine for color electrophotography

Toner modules for electrophotographic print engine

Improved print quality monitoring for color electrophotography

Growing community of inventors

Atlanta, GA, United States of America

Kirk W Charles