Lexmark International, Inc.

Martin Victor DiGirolamo

Donald Wayne Stafford

Peter W Bracken

Jeffery R Brener

Ronald Willard Baker

Peter E Wallin

Bernard L Wilzbach

Paul Douglas Horrall

Earl Dawson Ward, Ii

David Starling MacMillan

Robert Leonard Burdick

Robert Francis Soto

Robert Watson McAlpine

David Lee Merrifield

Phillip Byron Wright

Gary Scott Overall

John Parker Richey

James J Molloy

Mark Duane Foster

Jason Carl True

Mark William Johnson

Richard Kent Anderson

Sam E Mullinix, Jr

Samuel Edward Mullinix, Jr

Dale Randal Danner

Michael Craig Leemhuis

Ronald Lloyd Roe

Alan Stirling Campbell

Johnny Dale Massie, Ii

Kelly Ann Killeen

Michael John Dixon

Steven L Applegate

Stanley Dyer

Michelle Kathryn Morris

Patrick Andrew Buxton

Robert Arnold Christiansen

Gary Michael Tylicki

Larry J Rice

Donald Thomas Kral

Kurt Daniel Lambert

William Hargis Barton

Kenneth Daniel Seevers

Jody Evan McCoy

Billie Jo Enciu

James Caro Lurton

Whitney April Greer

James Thomas Welch

Peter Eric Wallen

Mark Meredith Trayner

Geoffrey Kyle Canter

Kristoffer Alan Hazen

A toner adder roll according to one example embodiment includes an electrically conductive shaft defining an axis of rotation of the toner adder roll. A foam member is cylindrically disposed about the shaft and forms an outer circumferential surface of the toner adder roll. The foam member is composed of a polymeric open-cell foam material. An abrasive agent is dispersed on the outer circumferential surface of the toner adder roll.

Toner adder roll having an abrasive agent additive

A toner release coating may be applied to a toner regulating member such as a doctor blade. The toner release coating may reduce toner adhesion at a doctoring pre-nip location of the doctor blade. The toner release coating may be formed from a mixture of lubricating particulate and polymeric binder resin in a liquid carrier.

Toner release coating

The present disclosure relates to a surface energy reduction material in the form of a topcoat or additive to a coating that may be applied to a toner regulating member such as a doctor blade which may reduce toner build-up about a nip region, pre-nip region, and/or post-nip region. The surface energy reduction material may be include any material having a surface energy of less than or equal to 35 dynes/cm, for example, between 15-30 dynes/cm, including all values and ranges therein. The surface energy reducing materials may include any material that provides a 25% or more reduction of the surface energy of the doctor blade compared to an untreated doctor blade, for example, greater than or equal to 50% reduction or greater than or equal to 75% reduction, including all values and ranges therein.

Doctor blade surface energy modification

A doctor blade for use with an imaging apparatus includes an elongated member, and a metering surface formed on a portion of the elongated member. The metering surface has surface features, which are modified by buffing the metering surface.

Buffed toner metering blade for use with an imaging apparatus

Methods and apparatus for increasing the bias force between a developer half and a cleaner half of a process cartridge are disclosed. One or more springs are interposed between the cleaner half and the developer half of the process cartridge. These springs are of sufficient strength to maintain a constant separation between the developer and the photosensitive member of the process cartridge. Sources of force other than springs, such as weights or elastic members may also be employed to provide and increase the bias force urging the developer and photosensitive member together.

Apparatus and methods for increasing bias force on opposing photosensitive member and developing means

A charge roller has a steel shaft and conductive outer cylindrical body which is formed by curing with heat a blend comprised of epichlorohydrin rubber, mineral-oil-free zinc oxide dispersion, stearic acid as a lubricant, accelerators and a sulfur donor. The roller has a long useful life and does not express oil while inactive.

Charge roller

Toner is conserved in printer (1) under operator control by changing the final modulation for each bit in a bit map depending on whether the bit is an edge bit or an internal bit in the character being printed. Since only the final modulation is affected, processing speed and efficiency are not degraded. The operator can select various degrees of internal gray and internal white. Some levels of gray may be satisfactory for some final correspondence.

Toner conservation by PEL modulation with operator control

An extended wear developer sleeve coating formulation that provides optimum print quality for a toner cartridge that prints 30,000 pages. The coating formulation contains an unique coupling agent which acts to chemically bond the graphite material and the phenolic resin components of the formulation together, even at high graphite loads, to increase the cohesive strength of the coating and improve its wear resistance.

Extended wear developer sleeve with coupling agent

A conductive paste comprising a flexible elastomer, an electrically conductive particulate material and, optionally, a solvent is disclosed. This paste is used for providing flexible, electrically conductive bonding between materials. In a preferred embodiment, conductive paste of the present invention is used in a flexible doctor blade to provide bonding and an electrical connection between the support member and the portion of the blade which contacts the developer roller.

Electrical contact material for flexible doctor blade

A compliant doctor blade has a metal bar (13) with bottom attached by dual side adhesive tape (15) to a resilient layer of porous foam (7). The bottom of the foam layer is attached by dual side adhesive tape (8) to a shim (1), which is stiff in the direction of movement of the roller (9) which the shim contacts. The shim has a polyester body (3) and a bottom layer (5) containing abrasive grit and conductive carbon black. Finally, the end of the doctor blade is dipped in a conductive paste which hardens into a conductive coating (17) which bridges the conductive layer of the shim and the metal bar. Advantages are reduced costs and improved performance, particularly with respect to streaks from prenip packing.

Abrasive shim compliant doctor blade

A computer controlled plain paper printer and image production apparatus comprising a monochromatic, laser stimulated electrophotographic printer having an optionally coupled color ink jet printer is described. The paper medium path from the laser printer is gate controlled between a direct exit path from the laser printer and a color print path into and through the ink jet printer. Both print units produce at their respective capacities and deliver recorded text and images on a paper substrate delivered to one or more discharge trays.

Color highlighting accessory for a monochromatic printer

Toner conservation by pel modulation with operator control

The conductive film (3) of a compliant doctor blade has dispersed particles of molybdenum disulfide, as well as dispersed particles of grit and conductive filler. The molybdenum disulfide eliminates filming of toner. The molybdenum disulfide may be a surface powder since the anti-film action occurs at the pre-nip and therefore is not lost by the molybdenum disulfide wearing away at the nip.

Compliant doctor blade surface having molybdenum disulfide

A compliant doctor blade having excellent toner metering capabilities is disclosed. The doctor blade includes a compliant laminate (3) having a resin film backing layer and carrying a binder which contains abrasive particles, such as silicon carbide particles, and a conducting means. In a preferred embodiment the conducting means are conductive carbon black particles which are contained in the resin binder which also includes the abrasive silicon carbide. The compliant laminate is supported on an aluminum bar (1). The bar has fastened to its bottom face a compliant foam layer (2) which includes on its bottom face a shim (10) having a stiffness of from about 0.5 to about 31.0 inches of deflection/inch of length/pounds of force. The laminate is bent under the foam layer and shim where it contacts the developer roller (6). The conductive layer remains conductive as it wears during use. In addition, this doctor blade minimizes toner buildup in the prenip area and provides effective and uniform metering of the toner on the developer roller.

Compliant doctor blade

Doctor blade 1 has a compliant lamination (4) having a resin film backing layer (4a) and conductive layer (4b) abrasive silicon carbide particles and conductive carbon black in a resin binder. The compliant lamination is supported on an aluminum bar 2, having a downwardly extending wall 2b. In use lamination 2 is bent under the support bar at the end of the wall, a direct turn which avoids a wedge configuration where the lamination contacts the developer roller (7). The conductive layer remains conductive as it wears during use and the avoidance of the wedge prevents a build-up of toner at the nip during use, both of which make possible long effective useful operation of this doctor blade.

Extended life compliant doctor blade with conductive abrasive member

Growing community of inventors

Lexington, KY, United States of America

Martin Victor DiGirolamo