Star wheel surface enhancement and process of manufacture
OwnerStephen Francis DeFosse, Edward Lawrence Kiely +1inventors
InventorsStephen Francis DeFosse, Edward Lawrence Kiely, Sean David Smith
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Abstract
A star wheel manufacturing process, and a star wheel manufactured thereby, suitable for an ink jet printer. Metal is formed by chemical milling, subtractive etching or the like, into the desired star wheel configuration, including a plurality of radially extending projections having tips. At least a portion of each tip has an electropolished surface. A coating of fluorinated polymer or the like may be applied to at least a portion of the electrolpolished surface on each tip.
Claims20
A method for forming a printer star wheel, comprising steps of:
- providing metal to be used in the star wheel;
- forming the metal into the desired star wheel shape;
- and
- electropolishing at least a portion of the star wheel.
A star wheel comprising:
- a metallic body;
- a plurality of radially extending projections from said body, each said projection having a tip portion on a distal end thereof;
- and
- at least a portion of each of said tips having an electropolished surface.
An ink jet printer comprising;
- a print station including a media transport path therethrough, said path including a star wheel engaging printed surfaces of media exiting said print station, said star wheel having a plurality of projections and an electropolished surface on each of said projections.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.