Abstract:
A single pass, multi-color electrophotographic printing machine architecture uses a vertically oriented photoconductive belt. Transfer of th e toner powder images occur at the lowermost portion of the photoconductive belt. The photoconductive belt is elliptically shaped, having a major and a minor axis. N image recording stations are positioned adjacent an exterior surface of the photoconductive belt on one side of the major axis thereof. N -1 image recording stations are positioned adjacent the exterior surface of the photoconductive belt on the other side of the major axis thereof. The image recording stations record electrostatic latent images on the photoconductive belt. This architecture optimizes image registration while minimizing the overall height of the printing machine.
Abstract:
An encoder interface for interfacing an encoder having a first part (104) defining a first axis to a structure having a second part (106) defining a second axis substantially parallel to the first axis includes a portion for translating the first part (104) with respect to the second part (106) in a direction transverse to the first axis and a portion for rigidly rotationally stabilizing the first part (104) with respect to the second part (106) against a rotation of the first part (104) about the first axis induced by a translation of the first part (104) with respect to the second part (106) in the direction transverse to the first axis. A method for interfacing an encoder having a first part (104) defining a first axis with a structure having a second part (106) defining a second axis substantially parallel to the first axis includes the steps of translating the first part (104) with respect to the second part (106) in a direction transverse to the first axis and rigidly rotationally stabilizing the first part (104) with respect to the second part (106) against a rotation of the first part (104) about the first axis induced by a translation of the first part (104) with respect to the second part (106) in the direction transverse to the first axis.
Abstract:
A belt drive module and a corresponding method includes or employs a belt that moves along a path, at least one support roller or other structure that supports the belt as it moves along the path, a drive roller that effects movement of the belt along the path, a tension roller that applies a tension force to the belt in order to maintain engagement of the belt with the drive and/or support rollers, at least one processing station (e.g., an image processing station) disposed along the path that performs a process relative to a predetermined position of the belt, and a torque assist drive that applies a torque assist force T d at a location between the drive roller and the tension roller. Torque assist may be provided by a current limited DC motor or by a constant torque friction clutch applied to a roller, e.g., a stripper roller of an electrophotographic imaging system. Advantageously, the torque assist force T d facilitates accurate positioning of the belt (e.g., latent image registrations in a color imaging process employing multiple imaging processing stations) by reducing slippage between the drive roller and the belt that may be encountered due to belt wear, toner contamination and/or other debris.
Abstract:
A system of mounting a raster output scanner relative to a photoreceptor such that deskewing, focusing, and pitch adjustment of the aerial image are possible. A spring isolated ROS assembly having at least two ROS arms attaches to a backer bar assembly that locates the position of the photoreceptor. The backer bar assembly and the ROS assembly connect at one end using a ball and socket and at the other end using a ball and fork such that the center line of the balls form a scan line plane. The ball and socket form a reference connection at one end. At the ball and socket end the photoreceptor backer bar has a mounting arm that is flexible in one plane but rigid in a perpendicular plane. A deskew mechanism, beneficially a motor driven cam, flexes the backer bar mounting arm as required to deskew the scan line.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a color printer which forms multiple latent images on the surface of a belt type photoreceptor in a single pass. The invention enables the placement of imaging stations (29,30,32,34) on both a tensioned and non-tensioned side of the belt (36) On the non-tensioned, an asynchronous line at a time printer such as an LED print bar (34A) is used to form the latent image in response to video data signals. On the tensioned side of the belt, either synchronous type imagers (29A,30A,32A), such as laser ROSs or asynchronous imagers such as LED print bars may be located to form the latent image. The leading edges of each image frame are registered according to known methods. Each scan line within an image frame is registered by comparing the belt speed beneath each of the imagers and generating a correction signal to the asynchronous print bar. Since the print bar operates asynchronously, it is possible to vary the pulsed line write time so as to register each of the scan lines formed by the print bar with the scan line being formed by the imagers at the tensioned side of the belt.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device for removing dust particles heaped on the back side of an image forming surface of a photoreceptor belt or on a driving roller. SOLUTION: This belt brush type cleaning device 94 comprises a belt brush 110 having a large number of electrically conductive fibers which extend externally from a flexible belt in order to remove the particles by being brought into contact the back side of the image forming surface of the photoreceptor belt 12, supporting rollers 102, 104, 106 and 108 which support freely movably the belt brush 110 in the state contacting with the back side of the image forming surface, flicker bars 120 which remove the particles from the belt brush 110 so as to clean the belt brush 110 surely and adequately and a means which biases electrically the belt brush 110.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inkjet print head provided with a nozzle plate with anti-wetting coating having high contact angle to maintain adequate drool pressure and low slide angle to maintain the easy clean/self clean feature.SOLUTION: The coating comprises an oleophobic low adhesion coating 26 having high thermal stability as indicated by less than about 15 percent weight loss when heated to up to 300°C. A drop of ultra-violet (UV) gel ink or a drop of solid ink exhibits a contact angle of greater than about 45° and sliding angle of less than about 30° with a surface of the coating. The coating maintains the contact angle and sliding angle after the coating has been exposed to a temperature of at least 200°C for at least 30 minutes.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide: an adhesive material used by a composite method for stacking a printhead structure; and a head assembly using the same.SOLUTION: A printhead assembly 100 includes: a plurality of functional plates stacked together; a first adhesive layer for compliance strength arranged between adjacent functional plates to provide bonding between the plates; and a second adhesive layer arranged between adjacent functional plates to provide chemical resistance to ultraviolet curable ink or gel ink.