# US 10,870,291 B2 · Partially dried inkjet media conditioner

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- Number: US 10,870,291 B2
- Document ID: US10870291B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/326,057
- Filed: 2016-09-02
- Published: 2019-06-13
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-02
- Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Inventors: Steve O Rasmussen; Kevin Lo; Richard Lee Brinkly; Mark H MacKenzie
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870291B2

## CPC

- B41J 11/002: {Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating}
- B41J 11/0024: {using conduction means, e.g. by using a heated platen}
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

In one example, a partially dried inkjet media conditioner can include: a print engine that encases a print zone within a housing, and a media path to provide partially dried inkjet media from the print zone to a conditioner within the print engine, wherein the conditioner comprises a heated pressure roller.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A partially dried inkjet media conditioner, comprising:
a print engine that encases a print zone within a housing; and
a media path coupled to a position of a dryer zone between an input and an output of the dryer zone to provide partially dried inkjet media from the dryer zone to a conditioner within the print engine, wherein the conditioner comprises a heated pressure roller and wherein an output of the conditioner is separate from the output of the dryer zone.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The conditioner of claim 1, wherein the heated pressure roller applies pressure to a first side of the partially dried inkjet media and heat to a second side of the partially dried inkjet media.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The conditioner of claim 1, wherein the heated pressure roller comprises a first roller that includes a contact zone that applies pressure to a first side of the partially dried inkjet media.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The conditioner of claim 3, wherein the heated pressure roller comprises a second roller that includes a heat source and a heat transfer belt to apply heat to a second side of the partially dried inkjet media.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The conditioner of claim 1, wherein the heated pressure roller increases evaporation of printing fluid applied to the partially dried inkjet media by the print zone.

### Claim 6

A system for a partially dried inkjet media conditioner, comprising:
a housing;
a print engine disposed in the housing, wherein the print engine encases a print zone;
a first media path to provide partially dried inkjet media from the print zone to a dryer zone within the print engine; and
a second media path coupled to a position of the dryer zone between an input and an output of the dryer zone to provide the partially dried inkjet media from the dryer zone to a conditioner within the print engine, wherein the conditioner comprises a heated pressure roller, the output of the dryer zone is coupled to a duplexer zone, and wherein an output of the conditioner is separate from the output of the dryer zone.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the heated pressure roller is positioned above the print zone within the print engine.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the second media path is coupled to an output of the dryer zone.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the heated pressure roller comprises a vertical orientation with a pressure roller positioned to receive a first side of the partially dried inkjet media and a heated roller positioned to receive a second side of the partially dried inkjet media.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the heated pressure roller is positioned above the dryer zone.

### Claim 11

A system for a partially dried inkjet media conditioner, comprising:
an inkjet print engine that encases an inkjet print zone;
a first media path to provide partially dried inkjet media from the inkjet print zone to a dryer zone within the inkjet print engine;
a second media path coupled to a position of the dryer zone between an input and an output of the dryer zone to provide the partially dried inkjet media from the dryer zone to a conditioner positioned above the print zone and the dryer zone within the print engine, wherein the conditioner comprises a heated pressure roller, the output of the dryer zone is coupled to a duplexer zone to return the partially dried inkjet media to the print zone, and wherein an output of the conditioner is separate from the output of the dryer zone; and
a third media path to provide the partially dried inkjet media from the conditioner to an output zone.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the output zone is positioned below the conditioner.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the heated pressure roller comprises a horizontal orientation with a pressure roller positioned to receive a first side of the partially dried inkjet media and a heated roller positioned to receive a second side of the partially dried inkjet media.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the conditioner is removable from the inkjet print engine.