Transferring and fixing system and method using a guided conveyor section and a free conveyor section

A system for transfer printing of an electrostatically charged toner image in an electrographic printing or copying device, comprising:

• an intermediate carrier with an electrostatically charged toner image thereon which transfers the toner image onto a recording medium at a transfer printing region;
• the recording medium lying on an electrostatically-chargeable conveyor belt and adhering thereto due to electrostatic forces and which transports the recording medium through said transfer printing region and along a guided transport section where it is conveyed to a fixing device;
• said guided transport section being arranged in a transport unit and the fixing device being arranged in a fixing unit, said transport unit and fixing unit being used independent of one another and removable from the printing or copying device;
• and
• said fixing unit having at least one wall designed as a hollow chamber profile which hinders a heat transfer from the fixing unit to the transport unit.

A method for transfer printing of an electrostatically charged toner image from an intermediate carrier of an electrographic printing or copying device onto a recording medium and for fixing of the transfer-printed toner image onto the recording medium, comprising the steps of:

• transporting the recording medium lying on an electrostatically-chargeable conveyor belt and adhering thereto due to electrostatic forces through a transfer printing region and subsequently along a guided transport section;
• conveying the recording medium to a fixing device;
• and
• arranging the guided transport section in a transport unit and arranging the fixing device in a fixing unit used independent of one another in the printing or copying device and which are removable, the fixing unit having at least one wall designed as a hollow chamber profile and which hinders a heat transfer from the fixing unit to the transport unit.

A method for transfer printing of an electrostatically charged toner image from an intermediate carrier of an electrographic printing or copying device onto a recording medium and for fixing of the transfer-printed toner image onto the recording medium, comprising the steps of:

• transporting the recording medium lying on an electrostatically chargeable conveyor belt and adhering thereto due to electrostatic forces through a transfer-printing region and subsequently along a guided transport section;
• conveying the recording medium to a fixing device;
• and
• arranging the guided transport section in a transport unit and arranging the fixing device in a fixing unit, independent of one another in the printing or copying device, the fixing unit having at least one wall designed to hinder a heat transfer from the fixing unit to the transport unit.