Replaceable elements for xerographic printing process and method of operation

A multi-media, multi-format printing system having a continuous stock feed, said printing system contained within a housing and comprising:

• a central partition separating said housing into two section;
• a plurality of stock feeds all internal to said housing, said stock feeds positioned in a first of said sections accessible from a side;
• a burster for separating said continuous stock from any of said stock feeds into individual printable stock, said burster positioned in said first section;
• a xerographic printer positioned in said second section and containing removable elements;
• a shuttle for moving individual ones of said printable stock from said first section to said second section for presentation to said printer, said printer comprising:
• a compact, self-contained, exposure module containing a light source, and a spatial light modulator for creating an optical image with light from said light source, wherein said exposure unit is removable from said printer, and each member of said unit is removable from said unit;
• a replaceable, consumable printing surface adapted to receive said image generated by said exposure module and to create on said surface an electrostatic representation of said images as a second element;
• a replaceable, consumable toner/developer unit for providing electrostatic toner to said surface for adherence to said electrostatic image representation, said toner transported to said surface by said developer as a result of magnetic coupling to said developer;
• a replaceable, consumable fuser for applying pressure to a medium upon which said electrostatic toner image has been transferred for the purpose of locking said toner image to said medium;
• and
• a framework and supports, including fastening devices, around said replaceable, consumable elements allowing each of said replaceable, consumable elements to be removed from said system independent from the removal of any of the other replaceable, consumable elements, wherein said fastening devices are operable to allow optical alignment when said elements or substitutes thereof are replaced without adjustment of said elements.

A ticket printing machine for use in a substantially unattended environment, said machine comprising:

• a housing having a front, a back and two sides, said front having a slot for the insertion of ticket stock to be printed and a separate bin for removing tickets printed by said printer;
• a central partition dividing said housing into sections with a first one of said sides in a first one of said sections and a second one of said sides in a second one of said sections;
• a plurality of ticket stocks feeds all internal to said housing, said stock feeds positioned in said first of said sections and arranged to hold accordion folded tugger stock;
• a burster for separating said tugger stock from any of said stock feeds into individual printable tickets, said burster positioned in said first section;
• a xerographic printer positioned in said second section;
• a shuttle for moving individual tickets from said first sections to said second section for presentations to said printer;
• and
• a merging unit for presenting to said shuttle individual tickets from any of said internal stock feeds or from said front panel ticket slot, said printer comprising:
• a compact, self-contained, exposure module containing a light source, and a spatial light modulator for creating an optical image with light from said light source, wherein said exposure unit is removable from said printer, and each member of said unit is removable from said unit;
• a replaceable, consumable printing surface adapted to receive said image generated by said exposure module and to create on said surface an electrostatic representation of said images
• a replaceable, consumable toner/developer unit for providing electrostatic toner to said surface for adherence to said electrostatic image representation said toner transported to said surface by said developer as a result of magnetic coupling to said developer
• a replaceable, consumable fuser for applying pressure to a medium upon which said electrostatic toner image has been transferred for the purpose of locking said toner image to said medium and
• a framework and supports, including fastening devices, around said replaceable, consumable elements allowing each of said replaceable, consumable elements to be removed from said system independent from the removal of any of the other replaceable, consumable elements, wherein said fastening devices are operable to allow optical alignment when said elements or substitutes thereof are replaced without adjustment of said elements.
• consumable elements to be removed from said system independent form the removal of any of the other replaceable, consumable elements.

The method of constructing a xerographic printing system comprising the steps of:

• establishing a compact, self-contained, exposure module containing a light source, and a spatial light modulator for creating an optical image with light from said light source, wherein said expousre unit is removable from said printer, and each member of said unit is removable from said unit;
• establishing a replaceable, consumable printing surface adapted to receive images generated by said exposure module and to create on said surface an electrostatic representation of said image
• establishing a replaceable, consumable toner/developer unit for presenting electrostatic toner to said surface for adherence to said electrostatic image representations, said toner transported to said surface by said developer as a result of magnetic coupling to said developer
• establishing a replaceable, consumable fuser for applying pressure to a medium upon which said electrostatic toner image has been transferred for the purpose of bonding said toner image to said medium
• establishing a framework and supports, including fastening devices;
• and
• positioning all of said replaceable, consumable elements so as to allow each of said replaceable, consumable elements within said framework and supports to be positioned such that said elements can be removed from said system independent from the removal of any of the other replaceable, consumable elements.

The method of printing tickets using a substantially unattended ticket printing machine having a housing having a front, a back and two sides, said front having a slot for the insertion of a ticket and a separate bin for removing tickets printed by said printer and where the housing has a partitions dividing said housing into sections with a first one of said sides in a first one of said sections and a second one of said sides in a second one of said sections, said method comprising the steps of:

• positioning within said first housing section a plurality of ticket stock feeds having accordion folded tugger stock;
• positioning in said second section printer operable for creating images on said individual printable tickets, said printer position step including the steps of:
• establishing a compact, self-contained, exposure module containing a light source, and a spatial light modulator for creating an optical image with light from said light source, wherein said exposure unit is removable from said printer, and each member of said unit is removable from said unit;
• establishing a replaceable, consumable printing surface adapted to receive said images generated by said exposure module and to create on said surface electrostatic representations of said image
• establishing a replaceable, consumable toner/developer unit for presenting electrostatic toner to said surface for adherence to said electrostatic image representations, said toner transported to said surface by said developer as a result of magnetic coupling to said developer
• establishing a replaceable, consumable fuser for applying pressure to a medium upon which said electrostatic toner image has been transferred for the purpose of bonding said toner image to said medium
• establishing a framework and supports, including fastening devices;
• and
• positioning all of said replaceable, consumable elements so as to allow each of said replaceable, consumable elements within said framework and supports to be positioned such that said elements can be removed from said system independent from the removal of any of the other replaceable, consumable elements and said elements or substituted thereof may be replaced in said system with optical alignment without adjustment of said elements.