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:
Sep. 14, 2010
Filed:
Jan. 30, 2007
Alexander J Geyling, Lexington, KY (US);
Michael David Maul, Lexington, KY (US);
Alexander J Geyling, Lexington, KY (US);
Michael David Maul, Lexington, KY (US);
Lexmark International, Inc., Lexington, KY (US);
Abstract
A fuser assembly is provided comprising first and second fuser structures, drive apparatus and nip engagement and release apparatus. The first fuser structure comprises a heated rotatable member and first structure for supporting the heated rotatable member. The second fuser structure comprises a rotatable backup member positioned adjacent the heated rotatable member and second structure for supporting the backup member. The rotatable backup member is adapted to define a nip with the heated member. The drive apparatus is associated with one of the heated rotatable member and the backup member for effecting rotation of the one member in a selected first direction or a second direction. The nip engagement and release apparatus comprises nip-loading structure adapted to apply a sufficient force to one of the first and second support structures to achieve a desired nip load in response to the one member rotating in the first direction and decreasing the force to the one support structure to decrease the load at the nip in response to the one member rotating in the second direction. The nip engagement and release apparatus applies and decreases the force without the use of a sensor feedback loop.