Low-temperature gas flow insertion in printing system dryers
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorsCasey E. Walker, Scott Johnson, Stuart J. Boland, William Edward Manchester, Sean K. Fitzsimons
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for inserting low temperature gas into dryers of printing systems. The system comprises a dryer, which includes a heating element and a flow generator. The heating element is within an interior of the dryer and is able to heat a web of printed media as the web travels through the interior. The flow generator is within the interior and is operable to directly project an impinging jet of gas along a width of the web that deflects heated air proximate to the web. The gas is cooler than the heated air.
Claims18
An apparatus comprising:
- a dryer of a printing system;
- a heating element within an interior of the dryer that is operable to apply radiant heat to a web of printed media as the web travels through the interior;
- a flow generator within the interior that is operable to directly project an impinging jet of gas along a width of the web that deflects heated air proximate to the web, wherein the gas is cooler that the heated air;
- a reflector that is positioned between the flow generator and the heating element and is oriented to reflect radiant heat from the heating element away from the flow generator;
- and
- an insulated jacket that surrounds an external surface of the flow generator and receives a volume of gas that insulates the external surface of the flow generator from the heated air.
A method comprising:
- driving a web of printed media through an interior of a dryer;
- operating a heating element within the interior of the dryer to apply radiant heat to the web as the web travels through the interior;
- projecting, via a flow generator within the dryer, an impinging jet of cool gas directly along a width of the web within the interior and deflecting heated air proximate to the web, wherein the gas is cooler than heated air within the interior, and wherein an insulated jacket surrounds an external surface of the flow generator and receives a volume of gas that insulates the external surface of the flow generator from the heated air;
- and
- reflecting radiant heat from the heating element away from the flow generator via a reflector positioned between the flow generator and the heating element.
A flow generator within a dryer, comprising:
- a nozzle;
- a gas source operable to force gas through the nozzle,
- wherein the nozzle is located within an interior of a dryer and is operable to directly project an impinging jet of cool gas along a width of a web of printed media within the dryer, wherein the gas is cooler than heated air within the interior and deflects heated air proximate to the web;
- a reflector positioned between the nozzle and a heating element within the dryer, the reflector oriented to reflect radiant heat from the heating element away from the nozzle;
- and
- an insulated jacket that surrounds an external surface of the nozzle and receives a volume of gas that insulates the external surface of the nozzle from the heated air.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.