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US 5,353,105 AGranted
Method and apparatus for imaging on a heated intermediate member
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsRobert W. Gundlach, Christopher Snelling
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is a method and apparatus for printing using an intermediate member acting as a receptor for marking particles representing an image. The marking particles may be deposited directly or indirectly on the member, after which time the member is exposed, via an internal heat source, to an elevated temperature sufficient to cause the melting and coalescing of the marking particles. Subsequently, the intermediate member is advanced so as to place the tackified marking particles present on the outer surface thereof into intimate contact with the surface of a recording sheet.
Claims16
A recording apparatus for producing an image on a image on a recording sheet, comprising:
- an endless intermediate member having a rigid inner surface and a resilient outer surface;
- marking means for depositing marking material on the outer surface of said intermediate member to produce an image thereon;
- a heater, disposed within said endless intermediate member and in direct communication with the inner surface of said intermediate member, for heating said intermediate member so as to cause the tackification of the charged marking material deposited on the outer surface thereof prior to contacting the recording sheet;
- and
- means, defining a nip with the outer of said intermediate member, for transferring the tackified marking material image to the recording sheet passing through the nip defined by said intermediate member and said transferring means, whereby the tackified marking material image is cooled upon contact with the recording sheet to become permanently fixed to the surface of the recording sheet.
2 more elements
A recording apparatus for producing an image on a recording sheet, comprising:
- an endless intermediate member having an inner surface and an outer surface;
- direct marking means for depositing marking material on the outer surface of said intermediate member to produce image thereon;
- a heater, disposed within said endless intermediate member and in direct communication with the inner surface of said intermediate member, for heating said intermediate member so as to cause the tackification of the charged marking material deposited on the outer surface thereof prior to contacting the recording sheet;
- and
- means, defining a nip with the outer surface of said intermediate member, for transferring the tackified marking material image to the recording sheet passing through the nip defined by said intermediate member and said transferring means, whereby the tackified marking material image is cooled upon contact with the recording sheet to become permanently fixed to the surface of the recording sheet.
2 more elements
A duplex recording apparatus for producing images on both sides of a recording sheet, comprising:
- first and second imaging systems, each including:
- an endless intermediate member having an inner surface and an outer surface;
- marking means for depositing marking material on an outer surface of the intermediate member to form an image thereon;
- a heater, disposed within said endless intermediate member and in direct communication with the inner surface of said intermediate member, for heating said intermediate member so as to cause the tackification of the charged marking material deposited on the outer surface thereof prior to contacting the recording sheet;
- and
- means, defining a nip between the first and second intermediate members, for forcing said first and second intermediate members into contact with the respective sides of a recording sheet passing through the nip, so as to transfer the tackified marking material images on said first and second intermediate members to the respective sides of the recording sheet, thereby permanently fixing the tackified images thereto.
3 more elements
A method for producing an image on a recording sheet, comprising the steps of:
- non-interactively generating a developed image of charged marking particles on an outer surface of an intermediate member, including the steps of p2 electrically biasing the intermediate member to a DC potential of approximately +300 volts,
- applying, to a shield electrode present on a first side of a printhead having a plurality of apertures therethrough, a pulsed DC voltage, wherein the printhead is positioned between the intermediate member and toner supply means,
- applying an AC voltage to the toner supply means, wherein the AC voltage is at the same frequency as the pulsed DC voltage, but is approximately 180 degrees out of phase therewith, thereby establishing an electrostatic field about the shield electrode structure, and
- applying, to an addressable electrode present on an opposite side of the printhead and surrounding a first aperture, a negative voltage between 0 and minus 350 volts to regulate the amount of toner being propelled through the first aperture and deposited on the surface of the intermediate member;
- heating at least a portion of the interior of said intermediate member so as to cause the tackification of the marking particles on the outer surface thereof prior to contacting the recording sheet;
- and
- contacting the outer surface of said intermediate member with the recording sheet to transfer the tackified marking material to the recording sheet.
4 more elements
A method for producing an image on a recording sheet, comprising the steps of:
- non-interactively generating a developed image of marking particles on an outer surface of an intermediate member, including the steps of
- uniformly covering a first surface of a pyroelectric marking member with electrically charged marking particles, said particles being attracted by said first polarity,
- positioning said first surface of the pyroelectric member in close proximity to the intermediate member, and
- locally heating the pyroelectric member to expose selective portions of the pyroelectric member and produce localized regions of opposite charge polarity on the first surface thereof, thereby repelling some of the charged development particles away from the opposite charge polarity areas towards the outer surface of the intermediate member to produce an image thereon;
- heating at least a portion of the interior of said intermediate member so as to cause the tackification of the marking particles on the outer surface thereof prior to contacting the recording sheet;
- and
- contacting the outer surface of said intermediate member with the recording sheet to transfer the tackified marking material to the recording sheet.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.