Delphax Systems

Xerox Corporation

William R Buchan

Robert A Moore

Wendell J Caley, Jr

Sotos M Theodoulou

David M Hudson

Jeffrey J Carrish

Mark A Gilmore

A pressure member is provided suitable for use in an image forming system. The pressure member includes a core surrounded by a sleeve. The inner perimeter of the sleeve is large than the outer perimeter of the core to enable the sleeve to be removed and replaced easily when worn out.

Loose sleeve pressure member

An imaging system, or unit of an imaging system, and a method of imaging employing a single imaging member to form a liquid-toned image, to condition the image, and to transfuse it to a print-receiving medium. The member moves through three sections, with the image formed in the first section, then changing state in each successive section. In a preferred embodiment, a heat exchanger uses heat from the third section to extract the liquid carrier from the toned image while it is in the second section. Condensed carrier replenishes toner, cooling the first section. Multicolor printing is effected by employing several such units, one for each color, to transfuse colored images in succession onto a receiving member.

Liquid/dry toner imaging system

A photoconductive or magnetic filler allows a single thin belt to serve as the imaging element, i.e., as the latent and developed image carrier, as well as the element which transfers and fuses toner to a print. The transport member moves in a cyclic path to carry material from a first location to a second location maintained at a higher temperature, and counter-moving portions of the member are positioned to exchange heat with each other along an intermediate portion of the path, so that minimum energy is lost to the environment. In one embodiment as a printing apparatus, a belt transports a heat-fusible toner to a heated location where it is transferred and fused, i.e., transfused, as a print image to a sheet. Effective powder pick up and release is obtained in the printing apparatus with a transport member having an elastomeric layer of a softness which conforms to a receiving member of characteristic surface roughness, and a non-tacky outer coating which is harder than the elastomeric layer. The outer coating is thin enough to conform to the surface roughness, but hard enough to prevent entrainment of toner particles. A duplex system employs two belt-imaging members which each travel over one of a pair of opposed pressure rollers having identical elastic characteristics.

Powder transport, fusing and imaging apparatus

An electrode array forms a latent image by generating an electrical breakdown region and extracting an imagewise distribution of charge carriers which are accelerated toward a separate surface. Different control mechanisms, environments and ranges of operating parameters provide controlled amounts of charge delivered by electrons or ions for improved latent image production. High speed, high resolution and high uniformity of charge deposition are accomplished by different structures within the scope of the invention.

Printer with high frequency charge carrier generation

A transport member moves in a cyclic path to carry material from a first location to a second location at a different temperature, and a thermal shunt connects portions of the transport member. Counter-moving portions of the member are positioned to exchange heat with each other along an intermediate portion of the path, so that minimum energy is lost to the environment. In one embodiment as a printing apparatus, a belt transports a heat-fusible toner to a heater location where it is transferred and fused, i.e., transfused, as a print image to a sheet. Effective powder pick up and release is obtained in the printing apparatus with a transport member having an elastomeric layer of a softness which conforms to a receiving member of characteristic surface roughness, and a non-tacky outer coating which is harder than the elastomeric layer. The outer coating is thin enough to conform to the surface roughness, but hard enough to prevent entrainment of toner particles. A powdered filler allows a single thin belt to serve as the imaging element, i.e., as the latent and developed image carrier, as well as the element which transfers and fuses toner to a print. A duplex system employs two belt-imaging members which each travel over one of a pair of opposed pressure rollers having identical elastic characteristics.

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Pocasset, MA, United States of America

William R Buchan