Hot roll fusing nip and means to control orientation of a sheet's leading edge thereto
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsEarl G. Edwards, Michael R. Headrick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Fusing of a toned sheet of copy paper is accomplished by a fusing nip formed by a resilient hot roll and a rigid backup roll. The sheet is introduced to the fusing nip in a unique manner such that the sheet's initial contact to the hot roll fuser is substantially only a point on the sheet's leading edge. This is accomplished by orientation means operable to bow the sheet's leading edge, and/or to produce skew between the fusing nip and the sheet's leading edge.
Claims14
A copier wherein a dry toner image is carried by a sheet of transfer material, having a hot roll fuser comprising a cylindrical hot roll and a cylindrical backup roll having parallel axes, and in pressure contact to thus form a straight-line fusing nip, and
- orientation means capable to control the relationship of the sheet's leading edge and said fusing nip so as to cause said fusing nip to be skewed to the sheet's leading edge so as to introduce a sheet to said fusing nip such that the initial contact of the sheet's leading edge to said nip is substantially a point on the leading edge of the sheet.
A copier wherein a dry toner image is carried by a sheet of transfer material, having a hot roll fuser comprising a cylindrical hot roll and a cylindrical backup roll having parallel axes, and in pressure contact to thus form a straight-line fusing nip,
- orientation means operable to control the relationship of the sheet's leading edge and said fusing nip so as to introduce a sheet to said fusing nip such that the initial contact of the sheet's leading edge to said nip is substantially a point on the leading edge of the sheet,
- said orientation means comprising fuser support means operable to support said fuser such that its fusing nip is skewed to the sheet's leading edge, and a sheet guide mounted immediately prior to said fusing nip and supporting said sheet so as to bow the sheet's leading edge, immediately prior to its entering said fusing nip, in a direction generally parallel to the direction of the sheet's movement.
A copier wherein a dry toner image is carried by a sheet of transfer material, having a hot roll fuser comprising a cylindrical hot roll and a cylindrical backup roll having parallel axes, and in pressure contact to thus form a straight-line fusing nip,
- orientation means operable to control the relationship of the sheet's leading edge and said fusing nip so as to introduce a sheet to said fusing nip such that the initial contact of the sheet's leading edge to said nip is substantially a point on the leading edge of the sheet,
- said orientation means comprising means operable between the feed path of said sheet and said fusing nip so as to provide skewed orientation between said fusing nip and the leading edge of said sheet.
A method for hot-roll fusing dry toner to a sheet of transfer material comprising the step of introducing the sheet to a straight-line fusing nip, formed by two parallel-axes fusing rolls which are in pressure contact, wherein the fusing nip and the sheet's leading edge are skewed, such that initial contact of the sheet's leading edge is substantially a point on the sheet's leading edge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.