# US 10,245,850 B2 · Heating gas between an inlet and an outlet to printed media > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,245,850 B2 - Document ID: US10245850B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/314,992 - Filed: 2014-06-05 - Published: 2018-03-08 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-05 - Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Inventors: Nuria Espinar Lacueva; Martin Urrutia Nebreda; Joseba Ormaechea Saracibar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245850B2 ## CPC - B41J 11/0022: {using convection means, e.g. by using a fan for blowing or sucking air} - B41J 3/4078: {Printing on textile} - B41M 7/009: {using thermal means, e.g. infrared radiation, heat} - F26B 21/50: Ducting arrangements from the source of air or other gases to the materials or objects being dried - F26B 21/55: Outlets for directing or distributing the air or other gases - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - B41M: PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING, (correction of typographical errors B41J; processes for applying transfer pictures or the like B44C1/16; fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00; printing textiles D06P) - F26B: DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM (drying devices for combines A01D41/133; racks for drying fruit or vegetables A01F25/12; drying foodstuffs A23; drying hair A45D20/00; body-drying implements A47K10/00; drying household articles A47L; drying gases or vapours B01D; chemical or physical processes for dewatering or like separating liquids from solids B01D43/00; centrifugal apparatus B04; drying ceramics C04B33/30; drying yarns or fabrics in association with some other form of treatment D06C; drying frames for laundry without heating or positive air circulation, domestic laundry-or spin-driers, wringing or hot pressing laundry D06F; furnaces, kilns, ovens F27) ## Abstract Apparatus to provide heated gas to punted media. The apparatus includes a housing including: an inlet to receive gas from a fan; and an outlet defining at least one slot shaped nozzle to provide heated gas to printed media, the housing defining a direct path between the inlet and the outlet. The apparatus also includes a heater positioned within the housing to heat gas from the inlet. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus to provide heated gas to printed media, the apparatus comprising: a housing including: an inlet to receive gas from a fan; and an outlet defining at least one slot shaped nozzle to provide heated gas to the printed media, the housing defining a direct path between the inlet and the outlet, wherein a width of the housing increases from the inlet to the outlet such that a first end of the housing is smaller than a second end of the housing, the first end of the housing comprising the inlet, and the second end of the housing comprising the outlet; and a heater positioned within the housing to heat the gas from the inlet, wherein a width of the heater follows the increasing width of the housing from the inlet to the outlet such that a first end of the heater closest to the first end of the housing is smaller than a second end of the heater closest to the second end of the housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heater is positioned between the inlet and outlet to reduce a volume of heated gas within the housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outlet defines a plurality of slot shaped nozzles. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the plurality of slot shaped nozzles at least partially overlap one another to provide a uniform flow of heated gas across the outlet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the plurality of slot shaped nozzles comprise a first row of slot shaped nozzles and a second row of slot shaped nozzles, the slot shaped nozzles in the first row spaced apart from the slot shaped nozzles in the second row. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the slot shaped nozzles in the first row are inclined along a first direction, and the slot shaped nozzles in the second row are inclined along the first direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the outlet has a longitudinal axis, and the plurality of slot shaped nozzles are inclined relative to the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heater comprises a resistor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing has a trapezoid shape, and the heater has a trapezoid shape that follows the trapezoid shape of the housing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the width of the housing that increases from the inlet to the outlet is a first width of the housing, wherein a second width of the housing decreases from the inlet to the outlet, wherein the width of the heater that follows the increasing first width of the housing from the inlet to the outlet is a first width of the heater, and wherein a second width of the heater follows the decreasing second width of the housing. ### Claim 11 An apparatus to provide heated gas to printed media, the apparatus comprising: a housing including: an inlet to receive gas from a fan; and an outlet defining at least one slot shaped nozzle to provide heated gas to the printed media, the housing defining a direct path between the inlet and the outlet, wherein a shape of a cross section of the housing changes between the inlet and the outlet, and wherein a first width of the housing increases from the inlet to the outlet, and a second width of the housing decreases from the inlet to the outlet; and a heater positioned within the housing to heat the gas from the inlet, wherein a width of the heater follows the increasing first width of the housing from the inlet to the outlet such that a first end of the heater closest to a first end of the housing is smaller than a second end of the heater closest to a second end of the housing, the first end of the housing comprising the inlet, and the second end of the housing comprising the outlet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the heater is shaped to correspond to the changing shape of the cross section of the housing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the heater is positioned between the inlet and outlet to reduce a volume of heated gas within the housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the outlet defines a plurality of slot shaped nozzles comprising a first row of slot shaped nozzles and a second row of slot shaped nozzles, and wherein the slot shaped nozzles in the first row are inclined along a first direction, and the slot shaped nozzles in the second row are inclined along the first direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein another width of the heater follows the decreasing second width of the housing from the inlet to the outlet such that a first end along the another width of the heater closest to the first end of the housing is larger than a second end along the another width of the heater closest to the second end of the housing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first width of the housing is along a first axis, and the second width of the housing is along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. ### Claim 17 A printer apparatus comprising: a dryer module comprising: a housing including: an inlet to receive gas from a fan; and an outlet defining at least one slot shaped nozzle to provide heated gas to printed media, the housing defining a direct path between the inlet and the outlet, wherein a width of the housing increases from the inlet to the outlet such that a first end of the housing is smaller than a second end of the housing, the first end of the housing comprising the inlet, and the second end of the housing comprising the outlet; and a heater positioned within the housing to heat the gas from the inlet, wherein a width of the heater follows the increasing width of the housing from the inlet to the outlet such that a first end of the heater closest to the first end of the housing is smaller than a second end of the heater closest to the second end of the housing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The printer apparatus of claim 17, wherein the dryer module further comprises a recirculation chamber, and wherein the outlet defines a plurality of recirculation apertures to enable circulation of gas from the outlet to the inlet via the recirculation chamber.