Xerox Corporation

Ronald A Gaither

Robert S Foltz

Eugene A Swain

Peter J Schmitt

John J Wilbert

Henry T Mastalski

Clifford H Griffiths

Timothy J Leenhouts

Richard C Petralia

Alfred O Klein

Paul J Brach

Edward C Williams

Christopher E Dackson

A laser ablation apparatus includes a nozzle, disposed through a housing, wherein the nozzle has: (i) a nozzle housing comprised of a bottom surface; (ii) a first orifice defined by the bottom surface; (iii) a second orifice defined by the bottom surface; (iv) a first passageway defined by the nozzle housing in communication with the first orifice; and (v) a second passageway defined by the nozzle housing in communication with the second orifice, wherein the portion of the second passageway adjacent the second orifice forms an angle .theta..sub.3 with the portion of the first passageway adjacent the first orifice, wherein the angle .theta..sub.3 is effective for directing a first fluid stream through the second orifice at the surface of the enclosed substrate portion to facilitate removal of the coating in the form of coating debris during or subsequent to exposure of the coating of an enclosed substrate portion to high energy radiation. A high energy radiation generating apparatus and a first fluid stream generating apparatus are coupled to the nozzle. A second fluid stream nozzle is disposed in a direction for directing a second fluid stream against the first fluid stream to keep coating debris inside the housing. Exhausting apparatus is coupled to the housing.

Laser ablation nozzle

A method and apparatus are disclosed for capturing coating debris during laser ablation of a photoreceptor comprising: (a) enclosing a predetermined length of a coated substrate in a housing to result in an enclosed coated substrate portion, wherein there exists a gap between the enclosed substrate portion and the housing in communication with air outside the housing; (b) directing high energy radiation at the coating of the enclosed substrate portion; (c) directing a first fluid stream against the coating of the enclosed substrate portion to remove at least part of the coating in the form of coating debris during or subsequent to (b), whereby the first fluid stream may move a portion of the coating debris outside the housing in the absence of (d); (d) directing a second fluid stream against the first fluid stream in a direction effective for keeping the coating debris inside the housing, thereby minimizing movement of the coating debris into the air outside the housing; and (e) exhausting the coating debris.

Capture system employing diverter fluid nozzle

A method and apparatus are disclosed for capturing coating debris during laser ablation of a photoreceptor comprising: (a) enclosing a predetermined length of a coated substrate in a housing to result in an enclosed coated substrate portion, wherein there exists a gap between the enclosed substrate portion and the housing in communication with air outside the housing; (b) directing high energy radiation at the coating of the enclosed substrate portion; (c) directing a first fluid stream against the coating of the enclosed substrate portion to remove at least part of the coating in the form of coating debris during or subsequent to (b), whereby the first fluid stream may move a portion of the coating debris outside the housing in the absence of (d); (d) directing an annularly-shaped second fluid stream against the first fluid stream in a direction effective for keeping the coating debris inside the housing, thereby minimizing movement of the coating debris into the air outside the housing; and (e) exhausting the coating debris.

Capture system employing annular fluid stream

A method and apparatus for electrostatically spray coating substrates with layers of material having uniform thicknesses is provided. A substrate to be coated is electrically grounded and an electrically charged, atomized spray of coating material is directed toward the substrate from a nozzle. The nozzle is traversed along a length of the substrate, which can also be rotated, to coat substantially the entire surface of the substrate. In order to compensate for thickness variations in the applied coating, the speed of traversal of the nozzle is varied. In a preferred embodiment, where photoreceptor drums are produced by spraying a photoreceptor material onto a cylindrical substrate, the speed of traversal of the nozzle is reduced as it approaches at least one end of the cylindrical substrate.

Method for varying nozzle traversal speed to obtain uniform thickness

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Fairport, NY, United States of America

Ronald A Gaither