The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 19, 1999
Filed:
Nov. 19, 1998
Etienne Marie De Cock, Edegem, BE;
Xeikon N.V., Mortsel, BE;
Abstract
A substrate carrying an unfixed toner image is fed through a contact zone which extends continuously from an entrance to an exit (18; 78). The zone is defined by an endless surface such as a first belt and a reaction surface such as a second belt in face-to-face pressure contact therewith. The first belt adjacent the entrance is heated to a temperature sufficient to reduce the viscosity of the toner to less than 50 Pa s. The first belt is forcibly cooled intermediate the entrance and the exit to a temperature below the glass transition point T.sub.g of the toner. Thereby un-fixed toner images can be fixed to the substrate and provided with a desirable level of gloss in one single device, while widening the range of operating conditions without risk of offset occurring.