Safe radiant toner heating apparatus with membrane
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsJames H. Hurst, Andrew Ciaschi, Donald S. Rimai, Carl I. Bouwens
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for heating toner on a receiver having an ignition energy, having an energy source for providing input energy; and a membrane disposed adjacent to the receiver. The membrane receives the input energy from the energy source; stores a portion of the input energy; and radiates emitted energy that is absorbed by the toner, the receiver, or a combination thereof, wherein the absorption causes the temperature of the toner to rise above a desired temperature. The stored portion of the input energy is less than the ignition energy.
Claims17
Apparatus for heating toner on a receiver having an ignition energy, comprising:
- a. an energy source for providing input energy;
- b. a membrane disposed adjacent to the receiver and adapted to:
- i. receive the input energy from the energy source;
- ii. store a portion of the input energy;
- and
- iii. radiate emitted energy that is absorbed by the toner, the receiver, or a combination thereof, wherein the absorption causes the temperature of the toner to rise above a desired temperature;
- and
- c. wherein the stored portion of the input energy is less than the ignition energy.
Apparatus for heating toner on a receiver having an ignition energy, comprising:
- a. an energy source for providing input energy;
- b. a membrane disposed adjacent to the receiver and adapted to:
- i. receive the input energy from the energy source;
- ii. store a portion of the input energy, wherein the stored portion of the input energy is less than the ignition energy;
- and
- iii. radiate emitted energy that is absorbed by the toner, the receiver, or a combination thereof, wherein the absorption causes the temperature of the toner to rise above a desired temperature;
- c. wherein the membrane comprises a plurality of segments, each of the plurality of segments differing from the other segments in at least one of surface treatment, thickness, membrane material, emissivity, or radiation emissive output;
- and
- d. a fixture for holding the energy source and the membrane, including a membrane transport for moving the membrane so that a selected segment is disposed between the energy source and the receiver.
Apparatus for heating toner on a receiver having an ignition energy, comprising:
- a. an energy source for providing input energy;
- b. a membrane disposed adjacent to the receiver and adapted to:
- i. receive the input energy from the energy source;
- ii. store a portion of the input energy;
- and
- iii. radiate emitted energy that is absorbed by the toner, the receiver, or a combination thereof, wherein the absorption causes the temperature of the toner to rise above a desired temperature;
- c. a transport for moving the receiver relative to the membrane;
- d. a safety switch for detecting stoppage of the transport and in response to the stoppage causing the energy source to stop providing input energy;
- and
- e. wherein the stored portion of the input energy is less than the ignition energy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.