Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Carl F. Ruoff
  • Patent number: 7534492
    Abstract: The fuser members of this invention include a core member that includes a rigid outer surface. An adhesion promoter layer comprising silane or epoxy silane coupling is disposed on the outer surface of the core member. A resilient layer comprising an elastomer is disposed on the adhesion promoter layer. A tie layer is disposed on the resilient layer, the tie layer being made of fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorocarbon thermoplastic copolymers and mixtures thereof. A primer layer, disposed on the tie layer, comprising perfluoroalkoxy resin and trifluoroethylene-perfluoroethyl vinyl ether-perfluoroethylene vinyl phosphate or a mixture of perfluoroalkoxy resin and trifluoroethylene-perfluoroethylvinyl ether; and an outer layer of fluoropolymer resin made from polytetrafluoroethylene, polyperfluoroalkoxy-tetrafluoroethylene, polyfluorinated ethylene-propylene and blends thereof is disposed on the primer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Jiann-Hsing Chen, Joseph A. Pavlisko, Shyh-Hua E. Jao, Po-Jen Shih
  • Patent number: 7534376
    Abstract: The invention provides a conductivity control agent comprised of a polymeric material containing diphosphonium bis(sulfoarylcarbonyloxy) glycol salts as conductivity control agent. The conductivity control agents can be used with semi-conductive rolls, belts and other biasable members. The inclusion of the conductivity control agent in the polymeric or polyurethane elastomers extends the electrical life of the polymeric biasable member in low humidity environments. Additionally, the resistivity of the elastomeric polymer on the biasable member is controlled to a desirable value by adjusting the conductivity control agent level in the elastomers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: M. Cristina B. DeJesus, Charles E. Hewitt, John C. Wilson
  • Patent number: 7531237
    Abstract: The present invention is a fuser member that includes a core member having a rigid outer surface. A resilient layer made of an elastomer is disposed on outer surface. A primer layer of perfluoroalkoxy resin and trifluoroethylene-perfluoroethylvinyl ether-perfluoroethylene vinyl phosphate or a mixture of perfluoroalkoxy resin and trifluoroethylene-perfluoroethylvinyl bonds the resilient layer and an outer layer. The outer layer comprises fluoropolymer resin selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyperfluoroalkoxy-tetrafluoroethylene, polyfluorinated ethylene-propylene, and blends thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Jiann-Hsing Chen, Joseph A. Pavlisko, Shyh-Hua E. Jao, Robert A. Lancaster
  • Patent number: 7501218
    Abstract: The present invention is an electrostatographic toner that includes an organometallic complex of dimethyl sulfoxide with a metal salt as a charge control agent having the structure; (M+n)x ((CH3)2SO2)y (A?q)z where n, q, x and z are integers between 1 and 6, and y is an integer between 2 and 12, The present invention also includes a developer having a toner, an organometallic complex of dimethyl sulfoxide with a metal salt as a charge control agent having the structure; (M+n)x ((CH3)2SO2)y (A?q)z where n, q, x and z are integers between 1 and 6, and y is an integer between 2 and 12, and a carrier particle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Robert A. Guistina, Jason Morgan, Dinesh Tyagi
  • Patent number: 7494706
    Abstract: The fuser members of this invention include a core member that includes a rigid outer surface. A resilient layer comprising an elastomer is optionally disposed on the cylindrical outer surface of the core member. A tie layer is disposed on the resilient layer or the outer surface if no resilient layer is present, the tie layer being made of fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorocarbon thermoplastic copolymers and mixtures thereof. An outer layer of fluoropolymer resin made from polytetrafluoroethylene, polyperfluoroalkoxy-tetrafluoroethylene, polyfluorinated ethylene-propylene and blends thereof, is disposed on the tie layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Jiann-Hsing Chen, Joseph A. Pavlisko, Shyh-Hua E. Jao, Nataly Boulatnikov
  • Patent number: 7488563
    Abstract: The present invention is a method of forming a toner image on a receiving sheet. The method includes forming an electrostatic image on a primary image member and toning the image with a dry toner to form a toner image. The toner includes toner particles having a diameter of between 4 and 10 microns and transfer assisting particles appended to the toner particles surface. The transfer assisting particles have a diameter of between 20 and 100 nm. The toner image is transferred from the primary image member to an intermediate image member having an overcoat layer, the overcoat layer having a Young's modulus of from 250 to 500 MPa. The toner image is transferred from the intermediate image member to a receiving sheet wherein the intermediate image member drives the primary image member or the receiving sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Donald S. Rimai, Biao Tan, Craig M. Cody, Rodney R. Bucks, Charles E. Hewitt, M. Cristina B. Dejesus, Paul L. Nielsen, Diane M. Herrick
  • Patent number: 7465409
    Abstract: Hard magnetic core particles for use in the development of electrostatic latent images are produced by combining ferric oxide, a strontium oxide precursor, an oxygenated boron compound and a binder to form a mixture, wherein the strontium oxide precursor is preferably present in an amount that provides SrO in a molar amount that is in excess of a stoichiometric amount that provides a ratio of Fe2O3 to SrO of 6/1. The mixture can be formed into green beads and the green beads can be fired to form the hard magnetic core particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Patrick M. Lambert
  • Patent number: 7459203
    Abstract: A fuser roller for toner fusing systems and processes, and including a base and a fusing surface layer. The fusing surface layer has a first elastomer continuous phase and a second elastomer discontinuous phase; the discontinuous phase is dispersed through the continuous phase in the form of domains. The second elastomer is wettable by the first elastomer, and at the temperature of the fusing process, the modulus of the second elastomer is greater than the modulus of the first elastomer. The swell levels of the first and second elastomers both are greater than zero, with the swell level of the second elastomer being lower than the swell level of the first elastomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Jerry A. Pickering
  • Patent number: 7452594
    Abstract: A fuser roller for toner fusing systems and processes, and including a base and a fusing surface layer. The fusing surface layer includes a first elastomer continuous phase, a second elastomer discontinuous phase, and thermally conductive filler, with the discontinuous phase dispersed through the continuous phase in the form of domains, and the thermally conductive filler also dispersed through the continuous phase. The second elastomer is wettable by the first elastomer. The second elastomer discontinuous phase domains are in sufficient number and of sufficient size, and there is a sufficient amount of the thermally conductive filler, so that the thermally conductive filler is concentrated sufficiently to be nonuniformly distributed through the fusing surface layer as a network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Jerry A. Pickering
  • Patent number: 7371492
    Abstract: The present invention is a photoconductive element that includes an electrically conductive support, an electrical barrier layer disposed over said electrically conductive support, and disposed over said barrier layer, a charge generation layer capable of generating positive charge carriers when exposed to actinic radiation. The barrier layer includes a vinyl polymer with aromatic tetracarbonylbisimide side groups and crosslinking sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Wayne T. Ferrar, Xin Jin, David S. Weiss, Michel F. Molaire, William T. Gruenbaum
  • Patent number: 7351512
    Abstract: This invention relates to a polymer sleeve including a polymer sidewall and a ceramer outer coating and a method for producing the polymer sleeve for use with a blanket cylinder in an electrophotographic process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Biao Tan, Craig M. Cody, Po-Jen Shih, Joseph A. Pavlisko
  • Patent number: 7334336
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for producing a polymer sleeve including a polymer sleeve for use with an image cylinder or a blanket cylinder in an electrophotographic process so that the sleeve has a stretched length as mounted on the mandrel equal to a length of the mandrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Biao Tan, Craig M. Cody, Po-Jen Shih, Joseph A. Pavlisko
  • Patent number: 7329463
    Abstract: This invention relates to a low camping fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer roller coating having a closely controlled curing agent content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Jiann-Hsing Chen, Joseph A. Pavlisko, Robert A. Lancaster, Nataly Boulatnikov
  • Patent number: 7326507
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a toner and process for preparing a toner for reproduction of a metallic, preferably golden or silvery, hue by a printing process, especially for electrophotography. A congeneric process and/or a congeneric toner is preserved with regard to its metallic hue and at the same time not to impair the essential properties of the toner for the printing process in which it is to be used. At least one metallic pigment is provided with a coating of silicate and subsequently with an organic layer and combining the thus obtained particle with toner material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Detlef Schulze-Hagenest, Udo Dräger, Dinesh Tyagi
  • Patent number: 7316881
    Abstract: A method of producing a custom color particulate toner for use in a two-component developer by mixing two or more component color toners. The component color toners are each surface treated with a blend of two or more types of silica particles, which differ in the functional groups appended to them. The silica blend for each component color toner is chosen so that, when the component color toners are mixed together to form the custom color mixture, they will all tribocharge to the same charge-to-mass ratio when mixed with a carrier to form a developer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Donald S. Rimai, William K. Goebel, Matthew C. Ezenyilimba, Peter S. Alexandrovich, Dinesh Tyagi, James H. Anderson
  • Patent number: 7314696
    Abstract: Toners and developers are disclosed. The toner of the present invention contains at least one toner resin, at least one charge control agent, at least one surface treatment agent, and optionally at least one release agent and/or colorant. The toners of the present invention have excellent triboelectric stability over a wide range of temperatures and relative humidity environmental conditions. Further, the toners of the present invention have excellent charge to mass stability over long periods of time. Development systems and methods for developing electrostatic images with toner are further disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Robert D. Fields, Patrick M. Lambert, Dinesh Tyagi, James H. Anderson
  • Patent number: 7273570
    Abstract: The present invention is a method of manufacturing polymer particles. The method includes providing an oil in water emulsion, wherein the oil phase comprises a volatile solvent and at least one water insoluble polymer. The volatile solvent has a solubility of not more than 10% in water and the water insoluble polymer has a weight average molecular weight of at least 2000. The water insoluble polymer is soluble in the volatile solvent. The emulsion is supplied to a rotating surface of a rotating surface reactor. The temperature of the rotating surface is maintained at the boiling point of said solvent or greater. The rotating surface of the reactor spins at a speed sufficient to cause the emulsion to spread over the rotating surface as a continuously flowing thin film wherein a vapor phase containing the volatile solvent is removed. The water insoluble polymer particles are then collected as a slurry of polymer particles and water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Stewart W. Blair, Lloyd A. Lobo, Tomas G. McHugh
  • Patent number: 7264867
    Abstract: The invention relates to a receiver sheet for electrophotography comprising a base material having thereon at least one toner receiver layer comprising a mixture of polyolefin and at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyolefin copolymers, amide containing polymers, and ester containing polymers, wherein a measured Tg of said at least one receiver layer comprises a Tg of less than 5° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Narasimharao Dontula, Terry A. Heath, Michael R. Brickey, Mridula Nair
  • Patent number: 7252885
    Abstract: A surface contacting member for toner fusing systems and processes. This surface contacting member has a fluoroelastomer surface layer containing amorphous silica that has been surface treated with at least one organoaminosilane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Jerry A. Pickering, Stephen V. Davis, Theodora Miller
  • Patent number: 7214834
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the chemical separation of the enantiomers of 1,1?-spirobiindane-6,6?-diol derivatives comprising providing a racemic chiral 1,1?-spirobiindane-6,6?-diol derivative, reacting a nonracemic chiral component with the racemic chiral 1,1?-spirobiindane-6,6?-diol derivative to afford a mixture of diastereomeric diesters, separating the mixture of diastereomeric diesters to provide a substantially pure individual diastereomeric diester, and chemically removing the ester groups from the substantially pure individual diastereomeric diester to provide a nonracemic chiral 1,1?-spirobiindane-6,6?-diol derivative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Thomas R. Welter