Lexmark International, Inc.

Robert Leonard Burdick

Paul Douglas Horrall

Earl Dawson Ward, Ii

Harald Portig

Ronald Willard Baker

Martin Victor DiGirolamo

Bernard L Wilzbach

Larry Steven Foster

David Lee Merrifield

James J Molloy

Christopher Gregory Chee

William Paul Cook

Benjamin Keith Newman

Benjamin Alan Askren

Michael David Maul

John Wayne Gassett

Ronald Lloyd Roe

Johnnie A Coffey

Edward Alan Rush

Philip Jerome Heink

Douglas Campbell Hamilton

Steven Alan Curry

Mark Andrew Omelchenko

Peter Alden Bayerle

James Philip Harden

Bryan Michael Blair

Stacy Marie Pargett

William Scott Klein

David Michael Cseledy

Robert Flynt Strean

Krikor Yosmali

James Allen Lokovich

Gary Michael Tylicki

Reginald Keith Bethel

Matthew Lowell McKay

Larry J Rice

Richard Alden Ramsdell

Charles Jerome Cheek

Ann Marie Garland

William Dudley Freeman

Bill C Chappel

An apparatus and method for ink-jet printing onto an intermediate drum in a helical pattern while correcting for image skew and aliasing. A plurality of ink-jet print heads place an image on an intermediate drum, impervious to ink, in a helical patter. To compensate for helical printing, the image is altered by nozzle placement and image manipulation to correct for skewing errors, and thereafter, the nozzle timing is adjusted to correct for aliasing. The plurality of print heads move parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum while the drum is simultaneously rotating, causing the image to be placed in a helical pattern. Once the entire image is placed on the drum, paper is rolled against the drum under pressure and the image is transferred thereto.

Apparatus and method for ink-jet printing onto an intermediate drum in a helical pattern

An improved intermediate belt system (ITM module) is provided, which controls the lateral motion of the belt in the scan direction of an EP printer, without the use of edge reinforcements or other attachments added to the belt. The tracking system of this ITM module is passive, and maintains roll alignment/parallelism within a predetermined tolerance while also maintaining roll conicity-end flare to a predetermined maximum diametral variation over the roll to minimize the effect of external forces on the belt walk rate. The ITM module also provides angled tracking guides near the tension roll to control the lateral position of the belt; the position of these tracking guides is adjustable at time of manufacture to achieve the desired lateral belt position.

Method and apparatus for reducing lateral motion of a transfer belt of a laser printer

An apparatus for correcting printhead skew in an electrophotographic machine. The electrophotographic machine includes a machine frame having a plurality of mounting locations, at least one printhead, and a plurality of resilient elongate beam members. Each of the plurality of resilient elongate beam members have a proximal end and a distal end, wherein each proximal end is attached to the printhead and each distal end is attached to a respective one of the mounting locations of the machine frame, thereby mounting the printhead to the machine frame. The printhead further includes a printhead base having a pivot axis defined, at least in part, by a location of attachment of said plurality of resilient elongate beam members. The apparatus further includes a skew adjustment mechanism for effecting a pivot of the printhead about the pivot axis.

Laser printhead mounting apparatus and printhead skew adjustment mechanism for an electrophotographic machine

A toner fuser system suitable for producing high quality color transparencies is provided. The fuser system includes a media conditioning assembly located directly downstream of a fuser assembly, which may be a roll fuser or an instant-on belt fuser. The conditioner assembly includes a convective heat source, a heating zone, and a convective circulation path past the heat source and the heating zone to provide convective heat transfer to a transparency in the heating zone. A transparency (or other media) with toner to be fused travels on a media path first through the fuser assembly and then through the heating zone of the conditioner assembly. The fuser assembly causes toner to adhere to the transparency just well enough to allow the transparency to pass into the conditioner. In the conditioner, the toner is reheated, thereby causing the surface of the toner to reflow into a smooth, glossy, and uniform surface that increases light transmission efficiency of color transparencies. Additionally, the system eliminates the need for silicone oil, which is used in some prior art systems to prevent sticking of the transparency to the fuser assembly.

Toner fuser system having post-fuser media conditioner

An image-fixing device for use in an electrophotographic process which includes a wiping member (,) in contact with the back-up roller of the fusing portion of the device is disclosed. This wiping member eliminates moisture condensation on the back-up roller (,). This acts to eliminate stalls and paper jams without requiring major reformulation of the compositions of the fuser belt or back-up roll or the structure of the printer.

Belt fuser wiper to remove moisture

Toner cartridge for laser printer

The temperature of a heated roller (1) is monitored by a heat sensor (19) which rests on metal rectangle (25) on polyimide strip (5). The top end of the strip is attached directly to the frame (3). the bottom end of the strip has a hole (7), which receives an arm (9a) of pivoted member (9). A coil spring (13) pivots member 9 to cause arm 9a to pull the strip into contact with the heated roller. Because of the wide contact and low force between the strip and the roller, wear is reduced and smooth operation is realized.

Wrapped temperature sensing assembly

The charging roller (42) and push plates (44) are spring mounted to the lid (36) of the printer. When the lid is closed, the plates push plungers (11) down to rotate crank arms (23), which open a shutter (7) in electrophotographic cartridge (1). This holds the cartridge in place and provides both a resilient, protective cushion for the cartridge and a pop-up action to the lid.

Imaging device with cartridge and lid interaction

A toner cartridge having no toner pump with the toner adding roller (11 ) positioned horizontal to the developer roller (3), the toner chamber (9) located predominantly below the developer roller, the photoconductive drum located 120 degrees from the top of tile developer roller, and the doctor blade (5) is located near the top. The cartridge has a minimal number of operational parts.

Reduced component toner cartridge

In a toner cartridge, photoconductor drum (11) is driven by a gear (3) which is in the printer, toner adder roller (48) is driven independently by a face coupling (5) which is in the printer. On the opposite side, a gear train from toner adder roller (48) drives developer roller (42) and toner paddle (52). The two systems permit the cartridge to function in different printers requiring different ratios of speeds. Stiffness requirements of the cartridge are reduced. Movements are more consistent, and space utilization is enhanced.

Toner cartridge with independent driven systems

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Lancaster, KY, United States of America

Robert Leonard Burdick