Lexmark International, Inc.

International Business Machines Corporation

Steven Alan Curry

Earl Dawson Ward, Ii

Benjamin Keith Newman

Gregory Lawrence Ream

Phillip Byron Wright

Bradley Leonard Beach

Paul Douglas Horrall

Johnnie A Coffey

Raymond Jay Barry

Kathryn E Dowlen

Ronald Lloyd Roe

Robert Flynt Strean

Richard Alden Ramsdell

Larry Steven Foster

Jichang Cao

Harald Portig

David Lee Merrifield

Keith Seaman

John Wayne Gassett

Christopher Dane Jones

Douglas Anthony Able

David Erwin Rennick

James J Molloy

Robert Leonard Burdick

Daniel George Mlejnek

Brian Keith Bartley

Richard Andrew Seman, Jr

John Randolph McIntyre

Earl Dawson Ward Ii

William Dudley Freeman

Heat rolls and fuser belts utilized in the fusing step of the electrophotographic process are disclosed. These belts and rollers eliminate toner offset while still maintaining excellent release characteristics of the printed page from the fuser. The heat rolls comprise a core member having coated thereon a plurality of concentric layers, wherein at least one of said layers (preferably the top layer) does not contain electrically conductive materials and wherein the roll exhibits electrical breakdown at about 250 volts or less. The fuser belts comprise a heat resistant resin substrate (such as a polyimide belt) carrying thereon a plurality of layers coating the outer surface of said belt, wherein at least one of said layers (preferably the top layer) does not contain electrically conductive materials and wherein the belt exhibits electrical breakdown at about 250 volts or less.

Electrostatic fuser rolls and belts

An encoded device for a toner cartridge provides a plate having preprogrammed indicia positioned at locations defined in relation to a clock face. The preprogrammed indicia includes a start indicia positioned at about a 6:00 o'clock position and at least one measurement indicia located between about 200 degrees and about 230 degrees from the 6:00 o'clock position.

Encoded device having positioned indicia for use with a toner cartridge

An encoded wheel for a toner cartridge including a plate having preprogrammed indicia positioned at locations defined in relation to a clock face, the preprogrammed indicia including a start indicia positioned between about a 5:00 o'clock position and a 6:00 o'clock position, a stop indicia positioned at about a 9:00 o'clock position, at least one preselected cartridge characteristic indicia positioned between the start indicia and the stop indicia, and at least one measurement indicia located between about 200 degrees and about 230 degrees from said 6:00 o'clock position.

Encoded wheel for a toner cartridge

To protect a belt fuser (,) a weighted value for sheets being fused is assigned which is larger for smaller widths and larger for longer length. For standard width media a negative value is assigned. A first count is maintained until it reaches a first threshold, after which (operations,and,), the printer is slowed to half speed, twice interpage gap interval and lower fuser temperature. A subsequent count is made of a second set of weighted values (action,). In response to the second count the interpage gap interval is increased depending on the size of the count and the nature of the media. For example (Table 1), narrow and long media is fed 2 sheets at 30 ppm, then 3 sheets at 15 ppm by slowdown, then 5 sheets at 9 ppm by increasing the gap interval during slowdown and the remainder of such sheets are fed at 5 ppm by further increasing the gap interval. Very short envelopes and paper are fed 10 sheets at 10 ppm and the rest at 15 ppm by the slowdown. As count 1 is reduced, it must be at an intermediate value before ending the slowdown, which avoids excess switching between full speed and half speed. This operates the belt fuser at temperatures avoiding damage from narrow media while throughput is good.

Belt fuser overheat control

An electrophotographic printing apparatus utilizing a belt fuser mechanism which minimizes or eliminates the wrinkling or &ldquo;treeing&rdquo; of printed pages through the fuser is disclosed. In this device, the belt fuser apparatus is configured such that, as the printed page moves through the fusing nip, it is subjected to a lateral force from the center of the nip toward the ends of the nip, which is normal to its direction of travel through the nip. One way of achieving this is to utilize a concave heater frame and a substantially cylindrical backup roller such that the nip formed when these two components are pressed together, is essentially saddled-shaped. In such a nip, the velocity of the printed page through the nip is greater at the ends of the nip than in the middle of the nip, thereby providing the force which acts to stretch the page from the center of the page out towards its edges, thereby minimizing wrinkling or &ldquo;treeing&rdquo;.

Control of wrinkling in belt fuser by nip configuration

An image-fixing device for use in an electrophotographic process which includes an electrode (discharge member) on the exit side of a fuser mechanism is disclosed. This mechanism eliminates toner offset without requiring reformulation of the fuser or pressure rollers or restructuring of the fuser, and without compromising the release properties of those rollers. The preferred electrode has a saw-tooth configuration and is placed close to, but not contacting, the pressure roller and the back side of the printed page. A voltage, typically from about 200 to about 1,000 volts is applied to that electrode; the voltage has a polarity which is opposite the charge of the toner on the printed page.

Electrostatic fuser with post-nip electrically biased discharge member

One aspect of the invention is directed to a toner cartridge including a sump for carrying a supply of toner. An agitator is rotatably mounted in the sump, and the agitator has a first end and a second end. An encoded wheel is coupled to the first end of the agitator. The encoded wheel is structured and adapted to include a first preselected cartridge characteristic indicia having a first extent, a stop indicia having a second extent larger than the first extent and a start indicia having a third extent larger than the second extent. Each indicia may be in the form of a slot. Preferably, the start indicia is positioned between about a 5:00 o'clock position and a 6:00 o'clock position. The stop indicia is positioned at about a 9:00 o'clock position. At least one preselected cartridge characteristic indicia is positioned between the start indicia and the stop indicia. At least one measurement indicia is located between about 200 degrees and about 230 degrees in a clockwise direction from the 6:00 o'clock position.

Toner cartridge having encoded wheel

A silicone copolymer for use in an electrophotographic process is disclosed. This composition includes a specifically-defined heat-stable silicone oil-silicone wax copolymer. The copolymer has a melting point such that it is liquid on the hot fuser roll, but solidifies at room temperature on the printed page. A random silicone copolymer, in the form of a paste or pliable caulk, which is useful for sealing leaks in toner cartridges is also disclosed. Finally, the method for preparing these copolymers is disclosed.

Sealant materials for toner cartridges

A fuser hot roll for use in an electrophotographic process is disclosed. This roll is constructed such that the center portion of the roll's length has a greater thermal mass per unit length than each of the end portions of the roll's length. This can be accomplished either by constructing the center portion from a material which has a higher thermal capacity than the materials used for constructing the end portions, or constructing the center portion such that it is thicker than the end portions of the roll. The rolls of the present invention provide a simple way for regulating the fuser temperature such that it is uniform across the length of the hot roll, is uniform between the transitory (heat up) state and the steady state, and minimizes hot roll temperature overshoot during the transitory phase. The image fixing apparatus which incorporates this hot roll is also disclosed.

Electrophotographic fuser roll having distributed thermal mass

A toner cartridge (1) contains a photoconductive drum (49) having a central shaft (47). Gear (145) turns with the drum and has a stud (602). A coil spring (604) is mounted on the stud to form a spring clutch which is unwound by the rotation of the drum during imaging. Alternatively, a flat frictional surface is pressed against the side wall (600b) of the gear. Both contact areas have a light grease. The drag forces provide accurate, smooth operation during imaging.

Control of photosensitive roller movement

Method is disclosed for determining characteristics of a toner cartridge. One aspect is directed to determining the characteristics associated with a quantity of toner in the cartridge, and thus, the method includes the steps directed to determining a home position of an encoded device relative to a code reader, determining a delay in rotational movement of the encoded device with respect to a rotational movement of a drive mechanism as an agitator moves through the toner, and translating the delay into an amount of toner remaining in the cartridge. Another aspect is directed to determining preselected cartridge characteristics from the encoded device, and thus, the method includes steps directed to rotating the encoded device, reading a coding of the encoded device, and decoding the coding to determine the preselected cartridge characteristic information represented by the coding. The method steps directed to these aspects of the method may be performed separately or in aggregate.

Method for determining characteristics of an electrophotographic

A cartridge for an electrophotographic machine having a sump for carrying an agitator rotatably mounted in the sump for engagement with a toner; an encoded device coupled to a first end of the agitator; and a torque sensitive coupling connected to a second end of the agitator which is connectable to a drive mechanism of the machine. The encoded device includes coding representing cartridge characteristic information.

Imaging apparatus cartridge including an encoded device

A release agent composition for use in an electrophotographic process is disclosed. This composition includes a specifically-defined heat-stable silicone oil-silicone wax random copolymer. The copolymer has a melting point such that it is liquid on the hot fuser roll, but solidifies at room temperature on the printed page. A random silicone copolymer, in the form of a paste or pliable caulk, which is useful for sealing leaks in toner cartridges is also disclosed. Finally, the method for preparing these copolymers is disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Nicholasville, KY, United States of America

Steven Alan Curry