Abstract: A packaging system (10) in which a lid portion (30) is secured to a base portion (20) by means of adhesive along two opposite sidewalls (24, 25). The system (10) includes a tear strip opening device (40) which provides access to the contents thereof. Structure (60, 66) is provided in each of the opposite sidewalls (24, 25) above the position of the opening device (40) which allows the lid portion (30) to be pressed onto the base portion (20) without detaching the lid portion (30) and base portion (20), the structure (66) in sidewall (25) also forms a hinge about which the lid portion (30) can be rotated once the opening device (40) has been operated.

Abstract: A baffleless, easily accessible, copy sheet transport apparatus without sheet baffles that enables viewing and accessing jammed sheets without opening any baffles. The transport includes a pulley driven narrow timing belt with biased idler rolls providing normal force on belt driven copy sheets. Unobstructive copy sheet side guides are included to enhance viewing and removal of copy sheets from the copy sheet transport.

Abstract: An adjustable, pivoting paper tray that enhances the feeding of a full ream of shorter than standard size paper by a feed roll from the paper tray without encountering stack normal force relief impediments includes a half ream sized adjustable backstop. The backstop has floating or articulating fingers resting on the ream of paper in the paper tray that slide downward as each sheet is feed from the paper tray. This movement of fingers allows every sheet to be fed from the sheet stack.

Abstract: A device for adding controlled amounts of moisture to one or both sides of a copy sheet. The device includes a pair of water jets, a reservoir for storing a quantity of liquid and connected to the water jet, a pair of generally cylindrical, pressure rolls, each having an outer cylindrical surface with the rolls being aligned with respect to one another along their axes so as to define a nip between the outer cylindrical surfaces, and a controller for controlling application of water from the water jets to selected portions of each sheet passing thereunder before each sheet enters the nip formed between the outer cylindrical surfaces. Alternatively, the water jets could apply the liquid to the cylindrical surfaces of the pressure rolls.

Abstract: An ionographic printer directs a sheet of ions from a source to a charge receptor to create an electrostatic latent image thereon. An ion sheet splitting rod is positioned between the ion source and the charge receptor that splits the ion sheet into two separate streams of ions and insulating wedges serve to focus the separate ion streams into two rows of apertures in an ion control device. The ion streams pass through relatively large apertures having associated therewith a pinch electrode for narrowing the ion streams to a preselected width, and displacing electrodes for positioning the narrowed ion streams within the apertures.

Abstract: A system which controls image dependent curl by moisturizing a sheet immediately after fusing, determines critical machine and environmental characteristics through a series of on-line sensors. An operator selectable table is used to indicate the type of sheet loaded in each sheet holding tray.

Abstract: A device and method for measuring the thickness of liquid on an adjustable metering roll. The device comprising a transfer roll that mates with a back-up roll to form a nip through which a sheet passes for wetting a side of the sheet. An adjustable metering roll mates with the transfer roll and has a portion thereof positioned in a liquid filled sump for liquid to be added to an outside surface thereof. An optical sensor is positioned to detect the type of reflected light from the liquid on the outside surface of the metering roll and give off a Go/No Go signal when indicating contact between the metering roll and the transfer roll. The correct liquid thickness is obtained on the surface of the metering roll by further adjsutment of the metering roll.

Abstract: A tape containing a supporting substrate and a magnetic layer coated thereover. This tape can be selected for thermal fusing processes where the coating, after heating of the tape which is in contact with a nonmagnetic image, transfers into the image and renders it magnetic. The corrected image can then be selected for MICR processes and devices.

Abstract: A low cost, modular, top adjustable slitter/perforator accessory for a machine that feeds paper to an output station is disclosed. The slitter/perforator is positioned just prior to the output station and when actuated places desired combinations of slits and/or perforations in paper passing through it. The accessory allows infinite location adjustments of slits and/or perforations along the width of paper by an operator while the machine continues to transport the paper. The slitter/perforator is automatically shut off when paper is directed to the machine's finisher.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for achieving optimum noise control of multiple coronode wires in a copier/printer involves optimizing phase relationships of the voltage on the wires in such a way so as to steer the maximum part of the noise distribution profile in the direction best suited for absorption or dissipation. In a two corotron charging system, the coronodes are preferably charged to where the phase angle, charge frequency and spacing between wires are optimized. If desired, a sound absorption material could be added to the charging system.

Abstract: A baffleless, easily accessible, copy sheet transport apparatus without sheet baffles that enables viewing and accessing jammed sheets without opening any baffles. The transport includes a pulley driven narrow timing belt with biased idler rolls providing normal force on belt driven copy sheets.

Abstract: A copier/printer includes a micro sized ion generating device that includes an insulated support substrate having an edge portion. An AC coronode covered by an insulated member is mounted on the edge portion of the support substrate, and a DC biased screen is on top of the insulated member, completes the device.

Abstract: Developed image noise is reduced by momentarily breaking the close range forces holding toner non-uniformly to a charge retentive surface in an electrostatic image. The source of the image noise can be of a mechanical nature, such as, raking by carrier beads in conventional two component development. The short range forces are broken by applying ultrasonic vibration to the charge retentive surface.

Abstract: An apparatus which transfers a developed image from a charge retentive surface to a copy sheet. The apparatus includes a transfer roller that is overcoated with an insulator and charged by either a brush, roller or a blade. The biased transfer roller is brought into contact with the back of a copy sheet thereby transferring charges that migrate through the copy sheet to enable toner transfer from the photoconductive surface to the copy sheet. A metal blade can be used to simultaneously charge and clean the transfer roller.

Abstract: A system that prints onto the spine or edges of a book includes a thermal ink jet printer having a printhead configured and positioned to traverse the spine or edge of books. The ink jet printer has a book support that facilitates the positioning of a book adjacent the printhead. Imaging by the printhead onto the spine or edge of the book is controlled by a computer with appropriate software. An adjustment device is connected to the printhead for controlling the positioning of the printhead with respect to the spine or edge of the book in order to compensate for different fonts sizes and book thicknesses.

Abstract: A corona generating device with light blocking ability in order to prevent premature exposure of film includes a dielectric support substrate, a corona producing member attached to a surface of the dielectric support member, a low voltage DC source connected to the corona producing member, a blocking electrode positioned above a surface of the dielectric support substrate opposite from the surface having the corona producing member attached thereto with the blocking electrode being adapted to block light produced by ions emitted from said corona producing member from reaching the area of the film being charged, and a high voltage AC source coupled to the corona producing member for energizing the corona producing member to emit ions therefrom.

Abstract: A customer replaceable unit includes a cover and support structure for supporting a photoreceptor belt while it is packaged, shipped and inserted over drive and idler rolls in a machine. It prevents a machine operator from having to handle the belt itself and provides protection from extrinsic damage.

Abstract: A vacuum corrugation feeder used to feed a wide variety of sheet sizes and stocks includes a variable ratio feedhead plenum. Included within vacuum plenum is an adjustable shutter apparatus that includes a foam roller mounted for rotation on shaft. A shutter member in the form of a plastic sheet is connected to the foam roller and can be wrapped and unwrapped around the foam roller by rotation of knob that is connected to the shaft depending on whether the vacuum pressure is to be high or low. The foam roller is mounted above a plenum plate of the vacuum plenum such that rotation of the knob in a clockwise direction causes the shutter to unwrap from the foam roller and partially cover vacuum holes in the plenum plate and thereby decrease the amount of negative pressure from the vacuum plenum that reaches sheets being fed.

Abstract: A contact charging system uniformly charges a photoconductive surface by the use of a resistive belt surrounding and moved by two rollers and in contact with the photoconductive surface. The roller at the pre-nip area is grounded while that at the post-nip area is kept at a desired high potential. Alternatively, a pair of shoes are used for contact charging a photoconductive surface with one of the shoes being grounded and the other being biased to a desired DC potential by a biasing source. A resistive film is in contact with the pair of shoes with both the film and shoes being in contact with the photoconductive surface. Also, a blade is used to uniformly charge a photoconductive surface with one portion of the blade being grounded and another portion being biased to a desired DC potential. The blade is in direct contact with the photoconductive surface. This charging system tailors the electric field so that air breakdown only occurs at the post-nip area.

Abstract: An adjustable skew offset device includes a tapered roll as a paper drive roll and a line contact idler roll which is axially adjustable. With these two rolls forming a nip, paper passing therethrough can be purposely skewed clockwise or counterclockwise and thereby serving either to compensate for any fixed skew offset in the paper path or to null out any skew offset between small and large size papers.