Abstract: An apparatus including a fixing assembly for fixing an image onto a medium as the medium travels in a path through the assembly, the fixing assembly having a wide nip along the path of travel of the medium formed by a pair of nip forming rollers, at least one of which rollers contains a hydraulic fluid and maybe heated. The hydraulic roller has an aluminum core encased in a sealed stainless steel flexible hydraulic sleeve. In the space between the core and sleeve of each roller is a pressurized fluid. The apparatus also has a hydraulic piston for pressurizing the fluid.

Abstract: A zoom lens having two units of lens components including from the object side a positive optical unit and a negative optical unit. The positive optical unit includes two lens subunits, a weak power subunit, and a positive power subunit, while the negative optical unit consists of a negative lens component and provides most of the magnification change during zooming.

Abstract: A zoom lens system including a first lens unit of positive power and a second lens unit of negative power with the axial separation therebetween varies to bring about zooming. The first lens unit includes at least one positive lens element and at least one negative lens element and the second lens unit consists of a biconcave negative lens element having a strong curvature towards the front.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus includes a developing device for toning electrostatic images on an image member such as a photoconductive drum. The development device includes four developing units indexable through a single development position. Applicators for the developing units are fixed together and gimballed with respect to the image member. The applicator at the development position is accurately spaced from the image member by a pair of rollers that ride on rails fixed to the applicators.

Abstract: A rotating wick for a fuser includes an outside surface having a roughness less than 0.1 mm. peak-to-valley. The outside surface is preferably a porous fibrous cloth which can cover a NOMEX needled felt surrounding a rotatable porous ceramic material. If enough turns of the cloth are used, the felt can be eliminated and single convolutions of the cloth can be severed and thrown away when soiled.

Abstract: In electrographic apparatus a latent image on a flexible photoconductor is developed with toner particles at a development station and subsequently transferred to a receiver sheet, such as a copy sheet, and then fused to the sheet. Sometimes unwanted particles are on the photoconductor, including the area where an image is to be developed on the photoconductor. These particles are removed by a magnetic brush system located closely adjacent the surface of the photoconductor prior to the charging station. By means of a pair of tapered skis the cleaning pressure across the photoconductor is maintained at a uniform pressure during cleaning of the photoconductor so that the photoconductor is uniformly cleaned.

Abstract: A xeroprinting master includes a fixed insulative toner image on an electrophotographic element of the type exhibiting charge injection at an interface between a charge injection electrode and a charge transport layer. In xeroprinting use the master is charged to a polarity opposite that which is injectable. The charge is neutralized by charges injected from the electrode which migrate to the charged surface. Charge retained on the fixed toner image can be toned. The master can be made by positively charging it to a polarity the same as that which is injectable, imagewise exposing it and toning and fixing.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus in which a stack of sheets is supported and stored in a biased base tray. Successive uppermost sheets contained within the biased base tray are caused to move into engagement with a segmented feed roller. A cone shaped roller in combination with edge guides provide cross-track, in-track and skew alignment for the uppermost sheet after is it separated and advanced from the stack by the segmented feed roller. A biased retard pad prevents multiple sheet feeds from the stack.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus includes a laser and a laser chassis. An image member cartridge containing a photoconductive drum is receivable in the laser chassis and fixed with respect to the laser. The laser chassis and image member cartridge are movable as a unit toward a transfer drum to engage the photoconductive drum and the transfer drum. Positioning surfaces engage opposite ends of a shaft of the photoconductive drum to control positioning of the drums.

Abstract: A fusing apparatus for fusing toner images onto a substrate. The fusing apparatus has a generally cylindrical pressure roller, a fuser roller, and a device for applying toner release oil to the surface there of. The fuser roller further includes a first length portion that has a generally cylindrical outer shape for contacting the pressure roller to form a fusing nip through which the substrate can be moved. In order to prevent damage to the surface of the fuser roller, the fuser roller includes a second length portion which lies towards an end of the fuser roller away from the fusing nip and has a generally conical outer shape for preventing contact between the fuser roller and pressure roller.

Abstract: Small particle toner images carried on an image member are transferred to thermally conductive intermediate by heating the intermediate in the presence of an electrical field urging transfer. The intermediate is heated to a temperature sufficient to sinter the toner particles at least when they touch the intermediate and other toner particles, but insufficient to damage the image member or cause the toner to stick to the image member. The toner image is transferred from the intermediate to a receiving sheet, which step can include sufficient heat and pressure to fix the image to the receiving sheet.

Abstract: A toner image carrying thermoplastic layer on a receiving sheet is texturized from the back side of the sheet by positioning the sheet between a smooth hard surface and a texturizing surface with the texturizing surface contacting the back side. The thermoplastic layer is softened by heat and becomes texturized without embossing the back side. A curl preventing layer on the back side is not embossed because it has a melting point above the temperature of the process. A glossy-textured print can be produced this way. The process is especially useful in making multicolor prints of photographic quality.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus uses a printhead including both writing optical fibers and an autofocus optical fiber. Radiation emitting from the fibers is imaged by a high numerical aperture lens on writing and focusing surfaces, respectively. Radiation from the autofocus fiber is reflected back through the lens to a split detector focus sensing device. To produce an adequate detection window for focusing, the numerical aperture of the autofocus fiber is chosen to be substantially less than the numerical aperture of the writing fibers and of the lens.

Abstract: A development apparatus for applying toner of different colors to electrostatic images at a single development position, which moves translationally to align each of a series of development units with the development position. The development units are supported in a movable carriage which carriage includes a translation plate. The translation plate is supported on the floor or other similar surface by a set of wheels which wheels are secured to said translation plate by integrally molded mounts. The mount includes a surface for receiving an axle for the wheels, snaps for holding the axle against the surface and a retaining wall for preventing axial movement of the axle. The yoke also restricts movement of its wheel parallel to its axis of rotation.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus includes a photoconductive drum cartridge which has an opening through which toner is applied to an electrostatic image formed on the photoconductive drum. To provide more than one color, a development device includes four toning units which are indexible into alignment with the toning opening in the cartridge. Each toning unit includes an applicator assembly at the top of the unit which is movable with respect to the rest of the unit toward the toning opening. A resilient lift mechanism engages a pair of ledges at opposite ends of the applicator assembly and is actuatable to move the applicator assembly toward the toning opening. A sensor senses arrival of each toning unit in a position aligned with the toning opening. A logic and control in response to a signal from the sensor rotates a cam member which is resiliently coupled to the pins for moving the applicator assembly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing an image on an imaging member. The apparatus includes a magnetic brush for depositing a substantially uniform layer of thermoplastic toner particles onto the imaging member. A laser scanner device is utilized to imagewise heat selected toner particles such that the selected toner particles are lightly tacked to the imaging member. The imaging member is contacted by a second magnetic brush, which includes a supply of magnetic carrier particles preferably having a coercivity of greater than about 100 oersteds, at least two times to remove nonselected toner particles from the imaging member. Alternatively, the imaging member may be contacted by two separate magnetic brushes at least one time to remove nonselected toner particles from the imaging member.

Abstract: A fuser includes a pressure roller and a fusing roller and a skive for the fusing roller. The fusing roller is replaceable in a cartridge which has a housing which protects the fusing roller. The housing defines an access opening to the fusing roller and includes a skive for assisting in the separation of a receiving sheet from the fusing roller. The skive defines at least a portion of one edge of the access opening and is preferably molded integrally with the housing. A heat shield is positioned between the fusing roller and the housing to prevent the housing from becoming too hot to handle.

Abstract: A development apparatus for applying toner of different colors to electrostatic images at a single development position moves translationally to align each of a series of development units with the development position. The development units are supported in a movable carriage which carriage includes a translation plate. A pinion supported by the translation plate engages a stationary rack to move said translation plate while the plate is supported by rollers resting on the floor of the apparatus. To maintain alignment of the translation plate and pinion with the rack, a pair of rollers engage one of opposite rails integral with the rack while a third roller is spring-urged toward the opposite rail urging the plate and pinion into alignment with the rack.

Abstract: A toner image that combines pictorial information with text or graphic information is made glossy only in the pictorial portion. A clear gloss enhancing toner is selectively applied to the portion of the image that is pictorial as determined by a suitable manual input or electronic analysis of the image.

Abstract: An apparatus for fusing toner images to a receiving sheet includes a belt, web or sheet having a hard surface against which the toner image is pressed while at an elevated temperature. The receiving sheet is separated from the hard surface only after the toner image has cooled. A cooling device for cooling the toner image includes an air supply plenum into which cooling air is forced. Walls defining the plenum include a nozzle wall that is parallel to and spaced from a surface of the receiving sheet or belt, web or sheet. A large number of nozzles extend toward the surface being cooled from the nozzle wall for directing air generally perpendicular to the surface being cooled. Air then exhausts from the space between the nozzle wall and the surface being cooled on opposite sides of the path of the receiving sheet.