Powder transport, fusing and imaging apparatus

A transport member for transferring powdered material, such member comprising

• a substantially inextensible support member defining a closed circuit path,for unidirectional transport of powder between first and second locations,
• a first coating on the support member, said first coating having an elastomeric composition effective to conform to the surface of a print medium having a characteristic surface roughness, and
• an overcoating of release material defining an outer surface of said first coating.

A system for the transport of a toned image between heated and unheated stations in an image forming apparatus, such system comprising

• a sheet or laminar transport member having a back surface and a front surface, said transport member including a dielectric material to pick up toner and form a toned image on said front surface, said transport member being formed in a closed loop,
• first and second motive assemblies for moving said closed loop to transport the toned image between said unheated station and said heated station, and
• means forming a contact thermal shunt between different portions of said back surface to reduce the transport of thermal energy as the belt moves between said stations.

A system for forming print images on two sides of a sheet member, such system comprising

• a first dielectric belt arranged in a closed loop extending from a first region wherein the first belt receives a first toned image, through a second region wherein the first belt travels over a first resilient roller to urge the first toned image against a sheet member for transferring the first toned image to the sheet member,
• a second dielectric belt arranged in a closed loop extending from a third region wherein the second belt receives a second toned image, through a fourth region wherein the second belt travels over a second resilient roller to urge the second toned image against a sheet member for transferring the second toned image to the sheet member,
• said first and second resilient rollers each having substantially identical resilient characteristics, and being aligned and opposed with each other such that a sheet member passed between the two rollers simultaneously receives said first and second toned images on opposed sides of the sheet member.