Lexmark International, Inc.

International Business Machines Corporation

William F Voit, Jr

Ashok Murthy

Alexander D Meade

Ignatius L Britto

James J Molloy

Thoi Nguyen

Stanley Dyer

Iraj D Shakib

Donald Lee West

David M Riherd

An electrophotographic printer with fixing of the final image on paper (27) by first preheating the image side of the paper on a plate (25) which is in a straight path with the nip of a heated transfer roller (17) and a heated backing roller (21). This permits high temperatures need for fixing liquid toners and avoids paper curling.

Imaging apparatus with straight path fixing

A document (7) carrying thermoplastic toner (46) to be fixed is held in the nip of belts (26 and 30) where it is moved under a heater (34) . The toner is in contact with the longer of the two belts. When a slightly rough image is desired, such as in normal printing on paper, the document is removed while the toner is still mobile and has some affinity for the belt on which it is carried. When a very smooth image is desired, such as for transparencies to be optically projected, the document is removed after the toner is cooled.

Fixing device with selectable finish

A wear-resistant ribbon guide surface (11 or 25a, 25b) is added to a thermal printhead (1) to lower the ribbon exit angle after printing or to shift the ribbon exit position away from the printing. The angle past that surface remains large enough for visibility of prior printing. The modification of exit conditions makes the printing darker and significantly improves printhead life.

Thermal printhead with ribbon exit guide

Growing community of inventors

Lexington, KY, United States of America

William F Voit, Jr