Apparatuses useful for printing and methods of stripping media from surfaces in apparatuses useful for printing

An apparatus useful for printing, comprising:

• a first member including a first outer surface;
• a second member including a second outer surface;
• a belt including an inner surface and an outer surface;
• a first nip formed by contact between the inner surface of the belt and the second outer surface and contact between the outer surface of the belt and the first outer surface;
• and
• a stripping mechanism comprising a stripping member disposed internal to the belt, the stripping member comprising a stripping shoe and a shim attached to the stripping shoe, the shim including a tip in contact with the inner surface of the belt, the shim being movable relative to the first nip to adjust pressure applied by the outer surface of the belt against the first outer surface adjacent the first nip, the stripping shoe rolls over a surface of a support member with the stripping shoe in contact with rollers when the shim is moved relative to the first nip, the stripping shoe being held against the support member by the belt, wherein media are stripped from the outer surface of the belt after exiting from the first nip.

An apparatus useful for printing, comprising:

• a first pressure roll including a first outer surface;
• a second pressure roll including a second outer surface;
• a heated belt including an inner surface and an outer surface;
• a first nip formed by contact between the inner surface of the belt and the second outer surface and contact between the outer surface of the belt and the first outer surface, the first nip including an inlet where media enter the first nip and an outlet where the media exit the first nip;
• and
• a stripping mechanism comprising:
• a motor;
• a stripping member connected to the motor and disposed internal to the belt, wherein the motor is operable to position the stripping member relative to the first nip to vary a pressure applied by the outer surface of the belt against the first outer surface downstream from the outlet of the first nip, and the media are stripped from the outer surface of the belt after exiting from the outlet of the first nip;
• and
• a plurality of springs connected to the stripping member, the springs resiliently biasing the stripping member against the inner surface of the belt.

A method of stripping media from a surface in an apparatus useful for printing, the apparatus comprising a first member including a first outer surface, a second member including a second outer surface, a belt including an inner surface and an outer surface, at least one heat source located internal to the belt for heating the belt;

• a first nip formed by contact between the inner surface of the belt and the second outer surface and contact between the outer surface of the belt and the first outer surface, and a stripping mechanism including a stripping member disposed internal to the belt and at least one cleaning pad disposed in contact with the inner surface of the belt, the method comprising:
• positioning the stripping member relative to the first nip to vary a pressure applied by the outer surface of the belt against the first outer surface downstream from an outlet of the first nip to a first pressure;
• contacting a first medium carrying a first marking material with the outer surface of the belt at the first nip;
• and
• stripping the first medium from the outer surface of the belt downstream from the first nip with the stripping member.

An apparatus useful for printing, comprising:

• a first roll including a first outer surface;
• a second roll including a second outer surface;
• a third roll including a third outer surface;
• a belt supported on the second outer surface and the third outer surface, the belt including an inner surface and an outer surface;
• a first nip formed by contact between the inner surface of the belt and the second outer surface and contact between the outer surface of the belt and the first outer surface, the first nip having an inlet at which a medium enters the first nip and an outlet at which the medium exits from the first nip;
• and
• a stripping mechanism comprising a stripping member disposed between the second outer surface and the inner surface of the belt, the stripping member being positionable relative to the first nip, without changing the location of the inlet or the outlet of the first nip, to position the outer surface of the belt in contact with the first outer surface to form a second nip downstream from, and adjacent to, the outlet of the first nip and to vary a pressure applied by the outer surface of the belt against the first outer surface at the second nip, the inner surface of the belt being spaced from the second outer surface at the second nip, wherein media are stripped from the outer surface of the belt after exiting from the first nip.