Xerox Corporation

Other

501 Delphax Systems

Wojciech Zalewski

Sotos M Theodoulou

Robert A Moore

Andrzej Maczuszenko

Jeffrey Belbeck

Sarbjit S Parhar

Sabir H Bajwa

Duncan J Gibbons

Methods and systems for providing a generally fluidized toner in an image developer system utilized in an image forming system are provided. The method includes introducing a fluid, such as atmospheric air, into a chamber containing toner particles to fluidize the toner. The fluid-like characteristics of the fluidized toner may be used to delump and transport the toner, and to detect the toner level.

Image developer that provides fluidized toner

An image forming system having two simplex print engines is provided that transfers and fuses two images on either side of a substrate in a single nip. The two images can be formed simultaneously at the single nip.

System and method for duplex printing

In a printing system a first endless imaging member, such as a belt or drum, moves past an imaging station where it receives a dry toner image, and contacts a second endless imaging member to transfer the toner image to the second member. The first and the second imaging members are each operated isothermally with at least the second member at a temperature T2 higher than the softening temperature of the toner which, in turn, is above the temperature T1 of the first member. The first member has a hard abrasion-resistant and preferably smooth surface with a surface energy under about 20 dynes per centimeter, while the second member is both softer and has a higher surface energy, but still below that of the ultimate imaging substrate, e.g., paper, and has a thickness and compressibility that allow it to conform. In a preferred system, a charge-deposition cartridge deposits a latent charge image on a dielectric layer to attract and hold toner particles. A five micrometer thick surface layer of Teflon PFA simultaneously provides a suitable capacitance and low surface energy for the first member which is then developed with hard toner particles formed with a polymer having a softening temperature somewhat below the operating temperature T2 of the second imaging member. The second imaging member may be a belt having a woven Nomex carcass and an overlayer of silicone or fluorosilicone rubber elastomer having a Shore A hardness of approximately 50 to 80 durometer, to effect essentially complete image transfer between the first and second belts. In a multicolor system, separate imaging members for each color are successively brought into contact with and transfer their powder toner images in a softened state to a common transfer belt which applies the composite multicolor image to a final print.

Toner print system with heated intermediate transfer member

There is described a cartridge mounting for locating a cartridge in a printer adjacent a print drum for receiving a charge image from the cartridge. The cartridge includes a spine and has a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the print drum and an inner face adjacent the image receiving portion of the drum surface. The mounting has provision for locating the cartridge radially in relation to the axis of rotation of the drum and for biasing the cartridge towards the drum surface. Further provision is made for locating the cartridge tangentially in opposition to the direction of travel of the drum surface. Spacers extend from the inner face of the cartridge to abut the drum surface at a sliding contact, thus spacing the cartridge a predetermined distance from the surface.

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South Easton, MA, United States of America

Wojciech Zalewski