Eastman-Kodak Company

Walter A Stryjewski

John F Wright

Robert J O'Brien

Antoun I Ateya

A member has a compliancy which changes at elevated temperatures. The member is useful as a fuser member such as a fuser roller for applying heat and pressure to a toner image carried by a receiver to fuse the image without introducing fuser-related image defects. The fuser member includes an elastomeric material incorporating particles of a material which is solid at ambient temperatures but which becomes fluid at fusing temperatures, thus making the elastomeric material more compliant.

Member of compliant material

An improved apparatus and method for fusing images of pigmented thermoplastic resin marking particles to a receiver member. A marking particle image on the surface of a receiver member contacts the peripheral surface of a hollow member. A source of radiant energy, capable of at least partially melting such particles, is mounted within the hollow member. The hollow member is transparent to the energy of the source. The entire image-bearing surface of the receiver member is simultaneously pressed into full and intimate contact with the peripheral surface of the hollow member in order to lower the particle/receiver member boundary thermal resistance and enhance particle flow during radiation of energy by the source to fuse the image to the receiver member.

Flash fusing apparatus

Apparatus for fusing a toner image carried by a support. The apparatus includes first and second members, at least one of which is heated, which are supported in variable pressure engagement to fuse a toner image carried by a support passed between the members. A sensor senses the temperature of the heated member(s) and the pressure of engagement force is varied as a function of the temperature in order to maintain consistent fused image quality.

Toner image fusing apparatus

Apparatus for producing duplex copies and including a movable image receiving member for receiving first and second unfixed transferable images, an image transfer device for transferring the transferable images to the first and second sides of a copy sheet and copy sheet handling apparatus. The copy sheet handling apparatus includes a copy sheet vacuum pick-off member located adjacent to the image receiving member and a mechanism for moving the pick-off member in synchronism with the image receiving member through a closed loop path to initially vacuum contact a copy sheet in contact with the image receiving member after transfer of the first unfixed image to the first side of the copy sheet, to remove and reorient the copy sheet while the first image is unfixed, and to register the second side of the copy sheet with the second transferable image on the image receiving member at the image transfer device.

Apparatus for producing duplex copies

A fixing member having an abhesive surface for fusing a heat-softenable toner powder image to an appropriate receiving member is disclosed together with a fixing apparatus, e.g., a roller-fuser device, and a fixing process which employs such a fixing member. The surface of the fixing member bears an abhesive elastomeric fluoropolymer composition containing a crosslinked polymer comprising tetrafluoroethylene repeating units and perfluoroalkyl perfluorovinylether repeating units.

Electrographic fixing member and apparatus and process using same

A compliant roller for use in a xerographic fusing apparatus is made by placing a rigid gudgeoned roller core in a mold assembly with a preshrunk outer sleeve positioned about the interior surface of the mold and by forcing an elastomeric siloxane, e.g., silicone rubber, between the core and the sleeve. The sleeve is comprised of a material which contains tetrafluoroethylene and/or hexafluoropropylene copolymers. The ends of the roller are sealed with an epoxy resin and a forming fixture to form an oil tight and airtight seal.

Method for manufacturing a compliant roller for use in an electrographic

An electrographic copier and process wherein an image-bearing support material has toner particles fused thereto by a heated pressure member, the pressure member being kept clean of contaminants by a fusible resinous powder distributed over the support material and toner particles prior to the fusing step.

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Hilton, NY, United States of America

Walter A Stryjewski