Electrophotographic printer for reel paper having a thermal print fixing station

A method for operating an electrophotographic printer which prints on reel paper comprising the steps of:

• providing a reel paper having a front side and a rear side, the rear side having a fixed printed image thereon;
• printing the front side of the reel paper with a toner image in a print transfer station and, transporting the reel paper by means of a paper transport device associated with the print transfer station;
• thermal print-fixing the toner image on the front of the reel paper in a fixing station in a fixing area between a heated fixing roller and a feed roller;
• tautly guiding the reel paper during printing around the fixing roller for a predetermined wrapping angle by means of an unheated pivoting paper guide saddle so that the reel paper is preheated before actual fixing;
• during interruption of the printing, pivoting the paper guide saddle away from the fixing roller and opening a fixing area so that the reel paper does not rest against the fixing roller;
• and
• controlling the pivoting of the paper guide saddle and the transport of the paper in the fixing station such that relative movement does not occur in a contact area between the reel paper and the fixing roller during the movement of the paper guide saddle when the reel paper is placed against the fixing roller and when the reel paper is stripped off the fixing roller.

An electrophotographic printer system for forming a toner image on reel paper without adversely affecting previously fixed toner images on the reel paper, comprising:

• reel paper having a front side and a rear side, the rear side having a fixed toner image thereon;
• means for receiving the reel paper;
• a print transfer station with integrated paper transport device for transferring onto the front side of the reel paper an additional toner image which is produced on an intermediate carrier and inked, said print transfer station arranged downstream of the means for receiving in a transport direction of the paper;
• an electrothermal fixing station arranged downstream of the print transfer station in the transport direction of the paper, said electrothermal fixing station having only a heating roller for thermally fixing said additional toner image on the front side of the reel paper, said heating roller contacting said front side of said reel paper, and said electrothermal fixing station having a feed roller that contacts the rear side of the reel paper, wherein said fixed toner image on the rear side of the reel paper is not damaged when said additional toner image is thermally fixed on the front side of the reel paper;
• means for driving said heating roller;
• means for pivoting said feed roller between at least one position against the heating roller and another position away from the heating roller in a fixing area;
• an unheated paper guide saddle that is pivotable between at least one position against the heating roller and another position away from the heating roller and by means of which the reel paper is guided around the heating roller at a wrapping angle which is predetermined by a pivot position of the paper guide saddle for the purpose of preheating before actual fixing of the toner additional image on the front side of the reel paper;
• and
• a paper brake that is mounted upstream of the fixing station in the transport direction of the paper for making the reel paper taut between the fixing area and the paper guide saddle.

An electrophotographic printer system for forming a toner image on reel paper without adversely affecting previously fixed toner images on the reel paper, comprising:

• reel paper having a front side and a rear side, the rear side having a fixed toner image thereon;
• means for receiving the reel paper;
• a print transfer station with integrated paper transport device for transferring onto the front side of the reel paper an additional toner image which is produced on an intermediate carrier and inked, said print transfer station arranged downstream of the means for receiving in a transport direction of the paper;
• and
• an electrothermal fixing station arranged downstream of the print transfer station in the transport direction of the paper, said electrothermal fixing station having only a heating roller for thermally fixing said additional toner image on the front side of the reel paper, said electrothermal fixing station having means for wrapping the reel paper about the heating roller over a wrapping angle of approximately 60 degrees, said heating roller contacting said front side of said reel paper, and said electrothermal fixing station having a feed roller that contacts the rear side of the reel paper, wherein said fixed toner image on the rear side of the reel paper is not damaged when said additional toner image is thermally fixed on the front side of the reel paper.

An electrophotographic printer system for printing on front and rear sides of reel paper, comprising:

• reel paper having a front side and a rear side;
• a first electrophotographic printer having means for forming a fixed toner image on the rear side of the reel paper;
• a second electrophotographic printer coupled to said first electrophotographic printer, said second electrophotographic printer having means for receiving the reel paper with the fixed toner image on the rear side thereof;
• at least said second electrophotographic printer having a print transfer station with integrated paper transport device for transferring onto the front side of the reel paper an additional toner image which is produced on an intermediate carrier and inked, said print transfer station being arranged downstream of the means for receiving in a transport direction of the paper, and an electrothermal fixing station arranged downstream of the print transfer station in the transport direction of the paper, said electrothermal fixing station having only a heating roller for thermally fixing said additional toner image on the front side of the reel paper, said heating roller contacting said front side of said reel paper, and said electrothermal fixing station having a feed roller that contacts the rear side of the reel paper, wherein said fixed toner image on the rear side of the reel paper is not damaged when said additional toner image is thermally fixed on the front side of the reel paper;
• means for driving said heating roller;
• means for pivoting said feed roller between at least one position against the heating roller and another position away from the heating roller in a fixing area;
• an unheated paper guide saddle that is pivotable between at least one position against the heating roller and another position away from the heating roller and by means of which the reel paper is guided around the heating roller at a wrapping angle which is predetermined by a pivot position of the paper guide saddle for the purpose of preheating before actual fixing of the additional, toner image on the front side of the reel paper;
• and
• a paper brake that is mounted upstream of the fixing station in the transport direction of the paper for making the reel paper taut between the fixing area and the paper guide saddle.