Precuring apparatus and method for reducing voltage required to electrostatically material to an arcuate surface
OwnerJack N. Bartholmae, E. Neal Tompkinsinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A precurl device for adjusting the curvature of the paper prior to being disposed on a transfer drum (48). The paper is fed along a path defined by a guide (296) to a nip between two precurl rollers (244) and (246). The durometer of the roller (246) is higher than the durometer of the roller (244), such that the roller (244) will deform at the nip between the rollers. The paper is fed to an attachment roller (198) that is adjacent the drum (48). A variable precurl device (312) is operable to vary the force on the roller (244) against the roller (246), to vary the amount of arcuate deformation imparted to the paper (146).
Claims13
A print engine paper feed device for feeding paper onto a rotating arcuate surface, comprising:
- a directing device for directing a sheet of paper along a defined path;
- a precurl device for deforming said sheet of paper to have an arcuate deformation that allows said sheet of paper to follow an arcuate path in the direction of curvature of the rotating arcuate surface defined as a predetermined number of degrees of path curvature per path millimeter of travel that is greater than a predetermined minimum and a combined curl-droop angle greater than a predetermined minimum, said curl-droop angle defined as the sum of the angle of repose of said sheet of paper prior to deformation thereof over an unsupported fixed length and the angle of curl of said sheet of paper over a fixed length after deformation thereof;
- a precurl control for controlling the amount of arcuate deformation imparted to said sheet of paper by said precurl device;
- and
- an attachment device for attaching said sheet of paper to the rotating arcuate surface after arcuate deformation thereof by said precurl device.
A method for feeding paper onto a rotating arcuate surface in a prim engine, comprising the steps of:
- directing a sheet of paper along a defined path;
- deforming the sheet of paper to have an arcuate deformation that allows the sheet of paper to follow an arcuate path in the direction of curvature of the rotating arcuate surface defined as a predetermined number of degrees of path curvature per path millimeter of travel that is greater than a predetermined minimum and a combined curl-droop angle greater than a predetermined minimum, the curl-droop angle defined as the sum of the angle of repose of the sheet of paper prior to deformation thereof over an unsupported fixed length and the angle of curl of the sheet of paper over a fixed length after deformation thereof;
- controlling the amount of arcuate deformation imparted to the sheet of paper in the step of deforming;
- and
- attaching the paper to the rotating arcuate surface after arcuate deformation thereof by the step of deforming.
A print engine paper feed device for feeding paper onto a rotating arcuate surface of radius R millimeters, comprising:
- a directing device for directing a sheet of paper along a defined path;
- a precurl device for deforming said sheet of paper to have an arcuate deformation along an arcuate path that is equal to or exceeds 2.9 degrees of path curvature per path millimeter of paper travel;
- an attachment device for attaching the paper to the rotating arcuate surface after arcuate deformation thereof by said precurl device.
A print engine paper feed device for feeding paper onto a rotating arcuate surface, comprising:
- a directing device for directing a sheet of paper along a defined path;
- a precurl device for deforming said sheet of paper to have an arcuate deformation that allows said sheet of paper to follow an arcuate path in the direction of curvature of the rotating arcuate surface defined as a combined curl-droop angle greater than 15.degree., said curl-droop angle defined as the sum of the angle of repose of said sheet of paper prior to deformation thereof over an unsupported fixed length and the angle of curl of said sheet of paper over a fixed length after deformation thereof;
- a precurl control for controlling the amount of arcuate deformation imparted to said sheet of paper by said precurl device;
- and
- an attachment device for attaching said sheet of paper to the rotating arcuate surface after arcuate deformation thereof by said precurl device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.