Abstract: Plural film layers are disposed on a substrate. Each film layer has regions devoid of film material, thus forming film layer cavity openings. Each film layer has its cavities arranged to provide fluid coupling with its adjacent film layer or layers. The film layer cavities form a traverse channel coupling the top and bottom film layers and also one or more lateral channels coupling cavity openings in the top film layer. The film layer traverse channel couples with a substrate channel that extends from the substrate top surface to one or more of its other surfaces. A device such as a fluid dispenser, fluid ejector, sensor or bioprocessing device is disposed on the top film layer and fluidly coupled to the plural film layers traverse and lateral channels. The traverse channel and the one or more lateral channels are arranged to transport or flow one or more fluids.

Abstract: An original comprises a first page and a second page as disposed face-down on the platen surface of an image-processing device. The platen is scanned to form a platen image. The positions of two diagonally-opposite corners of the original are determined based on a fixed platen reference point. An original image is formed by cropping the platen image based on the positions of the two original corners. The size and position of either one selected page or both pages are determined based on the two original corner positions. When the image of only one selected page is desired, the image of the selected page is formed by cropping the original image based on the size and position of the selected page. When the images of both pages are desired, the images of both pages are formed by cropping the original image based on the sizes and positions of both pages.

Abstract: A fuser assembly includes a pressure member motion speed reduction device which slows the pressure member speed when the printed paper lead edge exits the nip. The temporarily slower pressure member speed stretches or retards the surface of the fusing member elastomer enough to assist in peeling the lead edge from the fusing member thereby allowing the rest of the paper to peel off. In one embodiment, the paper stripping or peeling process is assisted by means of one or more air knives, one or more stripping fingers, or any combination of these items.

Abstract: A media handling system comprises a configuration of N linked modules. Each module has an order based on the module's linkage in the configuration. Thus, a first module of order 1 links to a second module of order 2, the second module links to a third module of order 3, etc., and an (N?1)th module of order (N?1) links to an Nth module of order N. A feeder module feeds a sheet of media to downstream modules. Each downstream module sends a reporting message to an included controller. The reporting message includes the time the module processed the sheet and the module's reported type. For each reporting module, the controller determines the module's order and type based on the reported time and reported type in the module's reporting message. The controller validates the configuration by determining when the order and the type for the reporting modules match a predetermined pattern.

Abstract: An original comprises a first page and a second page as disposed face-down on the platen surface of an image-processing device. The platen is scanned to form a platen image. The positions of two diagonally-opposite corners of the original are determined based on a fixed platen reference point. An original image is formed by cropping the platen image based on the positions of the two original corners. The size and position of either one selected page or both pages are determined based on the two original corner positions. When the image of only one selected page is desired, the image of the selected page is formed by cropping the original image based on the size and position of the selected page. When the images of both pages are desired, the images of both pages are formed by cropping the original image based on the sizes and positions of both pages.

Abstract: Dispenser conduit partitions are used to improve the discharge flow of toner particles from a toner dispenser bottle in a host image forming device. A dispenser conduit partition assembly is inserted into the funnel-like dispenser conduit of the toner dispenser bottle. The conduit partition assembly is arranged with multiple partition members. The multiple partition members act to partition the single symmetric dispenser conduit into a corresponding multiplicity of asymmetric dispenser component conduits. As a result, the toner particles are dispensed by the multiple dispenser component conduits to thereby form a corresponding multiplicity of asymmetric toner particle discharge flows, thus reducing toner bridging.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a backing and is arranged for a media to be positioned against the backing. The backing includes an embedded backing pattern. The media is skewed with respect to the scanning, thus defining a media skew. The media and the backing are scanned to form a pixel pattern. For each pixel, an included pattern recognition algorithm determines when the pixel represents the backing. When the pixel represents the backing, it is replaced with a replacement backing symbol, otherwise it is replaced with a replacement media symbol. The pixel determining and symbol replacing process is continued for remaining pattern pixels to form a replacement symbol pattern comprised of the replacement backing symbols and the replacement media symbols. The media is then processed based on the replacement symbol pattern, the processing including detecting the media skew, registering the media, or both.

Abstract: A media handling system comprises a configuration of N linked modules. Each module has an order based on the module's linkage in the configuration. Thus, a first module of order 1 links to a second module of order 2, the second module links to a third module of order 3, etc., and an (N?1)th module of order (N?1) links to an Nth module of order N. A feeder module feeds a sheet of media to downstream modules. Each downstream module sends a reporting message to an included controller. The reporting message includes the time the module processed the sheet and the module's reported type. For each reporting module, the controller determines the module's order and type based on the reported time and reported type in the module's reporting message. The controller validates the configuration by determining when the order and the type for the reporting modules match a predetermined pattern.

Abstract: A thermal actuator comprises a substantially straight beam. The beam has a beam length and a beam mid-point. The beam comprises a plurality of beam segments. Each beam segment has a beam segment width, the beam thus forming a corresponding plurality of beam segment widths. The beam segment widths vary along the beam length based on a predetermined pattern. As the beam is heated by an included heating means, the beam buckles. The buckling of the beam, in turn, causes the beam mid-point to translate or move in a predetermined direction. The beam mid-point movement, in turn, operates an included optical waveguide switch. The heating means comprises any of Joule heating, eddy current heating, conduction heating, convection heating and radiation heating.

Abstract: A thermal actuator comprises a substantially straight beam. The beam has a beam length and a beam mid-point. The beam comprises a plurality of beam segments with beam segment lengths. Each beam segment has a beam segment neutral axis, thus forming a corresponding plurality of beam segment neutral axes. The beam segment neutral axes are offset along the beam length based on a predetermined pattern. As the beam is heated by an included heating means, the beam buckles. The buckling of the beam, in turn, causes the beam mid-point to translate or move in the predetermined direction. The beam mid-point movement, in turn, operates an included optical waveguide switch. The heating means comprises any of Joule heating, eddy current heating, conduction heating, convection heating and radiation heating.

Abstract: A thermal actuator comprises a plurality of substantially straight and parallel beams arranged to form a beam array. The midpoint of each beam is attached or coupled to an orthogonal coupling beam. Each array beam has a beam heating parameter with a corresponding beam heating parameter value. The beam heating parameter values vary across the beam array based on a predetermined pattern. As the beams are heated by an included heating means, the distribution of beam temperatures in the beam array becomes asymmetric, thus causing the beam array to buckle. The buckling of the beams in the beam array, in turn, causes the attached coupling beam to move in a predetermined direction. The coupling beam motion, in turn, operates an included optical waveguide switch. The beams in the beam array are heated by any of Joule heating, eddy current heating, conduction heating, convection heating and radiation heating.

Abstract: A fuser stripper baffle exit minimizes differential gloss marks due to paper contacting the fuser exit baffle. Portions of paper that touch the baffle cool differently than portions that don't, resulting in differential gloss in the paper path or spanwise direction. The exit baffle contains a series of axial-direction steps or plateaus in its upper surface, such that the highest step is nearest the fuser roll, while the lowest plateau is furthest from the roll. This reduces the surface area of the fuser stripper baffle exit that contacts the surface of the paper sheet as the paper sheet is stripped from the fuser roll. The paper thus touches the exit baffle for the minimum amount of time, thus minimizing the heat transfer to the baffle. This minimizes differential cooling effects which, in turn, minimizes differential gloss.

Abstract: A multi-function device is arranged to perform a plurality of functions. Each function includes a plurality of parameters. Each parameter has a current value from a plurality of parameter allowed values. Each parameter current value is preset to a default value and the device's current function is preset to a primary function. Dedicated user function buttons are provided to modify the device's current function to a desired function as needed for a particular job. Once the desired function is selected, the device is further arranged with dedicated parameter buttons so the user can select one or more parameters and then modify the selected parameters' current values as needed for the job. After running the job with the modified current function and the modified parameter current values, the modified parameters are reset to their default values and the device's current function is reset to the primary function.

Abstract: A particle filling line comprises a vertical conduit that is arranged to dispense particles to one or more containers that are disposed on an included movable conveyor belt. The conduit includes a conduit hollow, a conduit top and a conduit bottom that defines an outlet. Particles supplied to the conduit top flow through the outlet to fill the containers. The conduit is filled with particles. The particles include a particle spacing air. The particle spacing air is reduced by means of a porous tube that is fixed in the conduit hollow and coupled to a vacuum source. After reducing the particle spacing air, the particles flow through the outlet to be received in the containers.

Abstract: A diptank applies coating solution to devices that are dipped therein. A reservoir tank contains a reservoir of coating solution. The diptank forms a coating solution overflow return that flows to the reservoir by means of a conduit and a self-adjusting return line. The self-adjusting return line comprises a plastic tubing with an upper portion, a central portion and a lower portion. The upper portion is coupled to the conduit. The tubing central portion is flexible and corrugated and arranged to extend and compress in its length. The lower portion is supported by an attached buoy that floats on the surface of the reservoir. The lower portion defines an outlet that discharges the coating solution overflow return to the reservoir. As a result, the coating solution overflow return is discharged to the reservoir at a fixed vertical distance or level with respect to the surface of the reservoir.

Abstract: An imageable belt includes a seam that is finished using an abrasive finishing machine. The seam comprises a seam width with adhesive material disposed thereon. The finishing process includes an abrasive finishing media with a finishing surface and a backer bar. The backer bar comprises a backer bar radius. The backer bar surface is positioned against the belt inner surface so that the belt outer surface contacts the finishing surface to define a finishing contact arc with respect to the backer bar radius. A tension, feed rate and pressure are applied to the finishing media. Using the finishing machine, the seam is then finished to remove the adhesive material. The finishing process results in a seam that is imageable. In one embodiment, the backer bar radius is adjusted so that the finishing contact arc covers the seam width.

Abstract: A xerographic charging device corona current is determined by forming a first signal across a sense resistor in series with the charging device power supply, forming a second signal using a resistive voltage divider network across the power supply, and forming a third signal using a resistor-capacitor charging circuit across the power supply, and then processing the first, second and third signals to form an output signal that is based on the corona current.

Abstract: An apparatus for coating a photoreceptor substrate, such as a photoreceptor belt or a photoreceptor drum, consists of at least one photoreceptor coating fluid reservoir or diptank. The diptank defines an inlet at one end and a conduit with an orifice at the other end. The conduit includes at least one porous element such as a grid, screen or mesh arranged for suspending a plurality of layers of non-contaminating rounded objects, such as stainless steel or glass beads, in the bottom of the conduit. Photoreceptor coating solution supplied to the inlet is thereby forced to flow through the plurality of layers of beads prior to coating a photoreceptor substrate that is inserted through the orifice. As a result, the uniformity of the coating solution is improved as it coats the photoreceptor substrate, thereby reducing coating defects in the finished photoreceptor belt or drum.

Abstract: A printing machine comprises a charging device that forms a variable operating voltage. A charging device pre-fault status condition is determined by sampling the charging device operating voltage, forming a slope value based on a charging device operating voltage rate of change per unit time, and determining when the slope value falls in a charging device pre-fault status range of values. When the pre-fault status determination is made, a message is formed based on a current print count value. This message is then sent to a user or operator. When the print count value falls in a charging device replacement range of values, a replacement message is sent to inform that the charging device needs to be replaced. Otherwise, when the print count value does not fall in this range of values, a cleaning message is sent to inform that the charging device needs to be cleaned.

Abstract: A light emitting diode driver is arranged to supply a drive current to a light emitting diode. The light emitting diode forms a radiant output and is arranged with a photo detector that forms a monitor signal based on the radiant output. The drive current comprises a first current and a second current. A comparison signal is formed by comparing the monitor signal and a level control signal. A buffered output signal is provided based on the comparison signal. The first current is provided based on the buffered output signal. A difference voltage is formed based on the first current. An amplified signal is provided based on the difference voltage. The second current is provided based on the amplified signal.