Eastman-kodak Company

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag

Heidelberg Digital L.l.c.

Richard C Baughman

Terry Nate Morganti

William Yurich Fowlkes

James Van Orchard, Ii

Bruce J Rubin

David S Bump

David J Ellingham

Stephen J Flamini

Michael K Baskin

Frank S Stepanik

William B Vreeland

James Douglas Shifley

Borden H Mills

Borden Hicks Mills, Iii

Thomas J Foster

Orville C Rodenberg

James F Paxon

William C Wilson

William Joseph Hagen

Charles R Hubbard

Jeffrey H Cokeley

Rose M Bothner

Michael A Giometti

The invention relates to application of a surface treatment to a fuser, typically in a print process. According to various aspects of the invention, methods and apparatus are provided for applying surface treatment to a fuser comprising varying a width of surface treatment application to the fuser.

Method and apparatus for variable width surface treatment application to a fuser

A skive plate assembly for aiding receiver sheet removal from a roller in a fuser in an electrographic process, comprises a base plate, a skive plate having a central portion, and a skive plate attachment rigidly connecting the skive plate to the base plate such that the base plate and the skive plate define an air passage slot intermittently interrupted by the skive plate attachment, the skive plate defining a terminal edge positioned to face the roller, wherein a distance between the terminal edge and the base plate decreases with distance from the skive plate central portion. According to a further aspect of the invention, the terminal edge defines a gap with the roller, wherein the gap between the terminal edge and the roller is constant along the length of the skive plate.

Skive plate assembly

The invention generally relates to the field of fusing powder toner images on receiver sheets. According to various aspects of the invention, methods and apparatus are provided of cleaning, only during standby, a pressure roller that cooperates with a fuser roller in fusing toner images. The pressure roller is cleaned with a cleaning pad mounted adjacent the pressure roller in an electrographic printer.

Apparatus for cleaning a pressure roll in a fusing station

A journal for forming the axle of a wick roller wherein the mounting section of the journal is provided with a nose section so that any adhesive which is skived from the core of the roller as the journal is positioned therein will collect on the nose section and will not foul the central bore through the core.

Wick roller for an electrophotographic machine

A mechanism for applying pressure load force in a reproduction apparatus fuser device having at least one heated fuser member and a pressure member in nip relation to permanently fix a marking particle image to a receiver member. The pressure load force applying mechanism includes a load arm assembly rotatable about a fixed pivot axis to apply a pressure force to the pressure member, and a load cam selectively rotated about a drive shaft. A cam follower member is associated with the load cam, wherein a force of the load cam is applied via the cam follower member to the load arm assembly. A spring nest is formed as a part of the load arm assembly. The spring nest supports at least a heavy spring and a light spring; wherein the cam follower member, upon movement under the influence of the load cam, compresses the nested light spring and the heavy spring at different travel positions of the cam follower for varying the pressure force on the pressure member.

Fuser loading system

This invention provides a fuser station with a vented skive assembly for an image-forming machine. The image-forming machine may have a photoconductor, a primary charger, an exposure machine, a toning station, a transfer charger, and a vented fuser station. The fuser station may include a pressure roller, a fuser roller, and a skive assembly. The skive assembly has rib sections forming one or more slots, which are configured to provide an airflow pattern to reduce condensation. The skive assembly may have an insert protection device disposed in one or more of the slots.

Vented skive assembly for a fuser station in an image-forming machine

A copier/duplicator machine having a hose positioned to supply air to an upper cooler section in both its open and in its closed position, the hose being collapsible to its collapsed position when the cooler section is closed and stretchable to an open position of the cooler section with the hose having a spring ratio insufficient to cause the cooler section to close from its open position. In one embodiment, the hose has a stretch ratio of at least 2.4 and a spring ratio of less than 6 ounces per inch.

Apparatus for supplying cooling air to a cooler section in a fusing device

A copier/duplicator machine having a pressure roller system including two load arms for engagement with pressure roller bearings on each end of the pressure roller wherein the load arms include locator plates positioned on their outsides and extending beyond an engagement surface on each load arm and toward and past engagement surfaces on the pressure roller bearings to restrict the positioning of the load arm engagement surfaces so that the load arms can be installed only in proper engagement with the pressure roller bearings on the ends of the pressure roller.

Pressure roller system and an improved method for installing a pressure roller

The fusing assembly in an electrophotographic copier has a paper travel path passing between a pair of opposed air cooling plenums. Each plenum has an air supply plate confronting the travel path with slots for directing cooling air onto the moving paper. The lower plenum plate includes upstanding ribs parallel to the paper travel path for guiding the moving paper and spacing the paper from the plate to improve airflow by decreasing airflow impedance.

Air cooling station for electrophotographic copier

A transfer apparatus includes a transfer member, for example, a transfer drum with a line of small closely spaced laser drilled vacuum holes to hold a receiving sheet to the drum surface. The transfer drum is formed by forming a layer of at least intermediate conductivity material on the surface of a core, forming at least one vacuum opening in the core and laser drilling in the layer a line of closely spaced small holes communicating with the opening. In one embodiment, a short focal length lens focuses a laser beam near the surface of the layer, which beam spreads below the surface to form a conical hole. The conical hole helps maintain the continuity of a transfer field while being free from clogging.

Method of making transfer apparatus having vacuum holes

Color toner images are transferred in registry to a receiving sheet held on a transfer drum. To facilitate releasing the sheet with the last image the drum surface is roughened, providing at least 0.002 inches between peaks and valleys. To offset difficulties created by such roughening in initial securing of the sheet to the drum, a transfer field is not applied as the leading edge of the sheet leaves the nip. The transfer field is applied after a short portion of the sheet, for example, 0.25 inches has left the nip.

Multicolor image transfer method and apparatus

A transfer apparatus includes a transfer member, for example, a transfer drum with a line of small closely spaced laser drilled vacuum holes to hold a receiving sheet to the drum surface. To maintain the continuity of a transfer field but be free from clogging, the holes are narrow near the surface of the drum but wider as they extend deeper in the drum. Conical holes are drilled in the drum by a laser. In one embodiment, a short focal length lens focuses a laser bear near the surface of the drum which beam spreads below the surface to form a conical hole.

Transfer apparatus having vacuum holes and method of making such

Apparatus for transferring a toner image to a receiving sheet includes a transfer member with vacuum holes. To enhance the continuity of the transfer electric field, a conductive screen is placed on top of the vacuum holes. According to a preferred embodiment, the screen is conductive across the path of the receiving sheet, but insulative parallel to such path.

Transfer apparatus having vacuum holes for holding a receiving sheet

A finishing apparatus is adapted to receive sheets that are to be formed into booklets from a copier/duplicator or other reproduction apparatus. The sheets are fed along a sheet transport in the finishing apparatus to an assembly station where they are jogged and formed into booklets. The sheets of the booklet may be secured together by staples, an adhesive, or other binding means. The finisher has a covering having an opening directly above support that receives a stack of booklet covers. The covers are fed from the support to the sheet transport for delivery to the assembly station in timed relation to the sheets of the booklet so that the covers are inserted at the front and/or back of the booklet.

Finishing apparatus with cover inserter

A set of sheets delivered seriatim from a copier/duplicator or other source are advanced along a sheet path leading from an input station to an assembly station where a booklet is formed. As a sheet is moved along the path a line of adhesive is applied to one surface of the sheet adjacent to one side edge of the sheet. In the assembly station the sheets are jogged to align the sheets of the set and then pressure is applied to the sheets over the line of adhesive. When the entire set has been bound together into a booklet, the booklet is removed from the assembly station and delivered to an output station, such as a tote tray.

Growing community of inventors

Geneseo, NY, United States of America

Richard C Baughman