Abstract: An electrophotographic imaging member comprising a support substrate having a two layered electrically conductive ground plane layer comprising a layer comprising zirconium over a layer comprising titanium, a hole blocking layer, an adhesive layer comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane film forming resin, a charge generation layer comprising perylene or a phthalocyanine particles dispersed in a polycarbonate film forming binder, and a hole transport layer, said hole transport layer being substantially non-absorbing in the spectral region at which the charge generation layer generates and injects photogenerated holes but being capable of supporting the injection of photogenerated holes from said charge generation layer and transporting said holes through said charge transport layer.

Abstract: In a reproduction machine having a fuser roller for fusing toner images on an image bearing sheet, a release agent management (RAM) system for applying an image offset prevent release agent to the fuser roller. The RAM system includes a rotatable supply core located to a first side of the fuser roller, a rotatable take up core located to a second side of the fuser roller, a release agent impregnated web member having a portion threaded between the supply core and the take-up core for contacting, and applying release agent to, the fuser roller, and a release agent supplying roll positioned for contacting and supplying release agent to the threaded portion of the web member. The release agent supplying roll has a non-continuous surface pattern that includes release agent supplying surface areas for contacting the threaded portion of the web member, and release agent non-supplying surface areas out of contact with the threaded portion of the web member.

Abstract: An image recording head, for one of a image recording apparatus in which a voltage is applied to fine pattern electrodes to directly record an image on a recording medium and a image recording apparatus in which a voltage is applied to fine pattern electrodes to form an electrostatic latent image on an intermediate recording medium, the electrostatic latent image is developed to form a developed image, and the developed image is transferred and fixed to a recording medium, wherein at least a part of the fine pattern electrodes comprises a member selected from the group consisting of the elements of one of transition metals which is acid-resistant and electrolytically noncorrosive, and an alloy of titanium including at least one of group VIII metals of the periodic table. Accordingly, the image recording head which has a long life particularly under an environment of high temperature and humidity is provided.

Abstract: A transfer element detect device which, for use in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile, a laser printer and the like, can detect accurately whether a transfer element such as copying paper or the like is present at a given position of transfer element attracting means or not. A threshold value is set in accordance with a peak value Pd' on the side of the received light signal level (curved line C) of the received light signal levels (curved line D') of the light sensor when a transfer element is not attracted on transfer element attracting means. After then, in accordance with the thus set threshold value S, it is detected whether the transfer element is present on the transfer element attracting means or not.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there is provided in a liquid electrophotographic reproduction machine, a development unit for developing latent images on an image bearing member using liquid developer material. The development unit includes a housing defining a liquid developer material holding chamber, and a quantity of liquid developer material contained within the chamber. The quantity of developer material includes carrier liquid and charged toner particles dispersed within the quantity of carrier liquid. The development unit also includes a heating element located inside the quantity of developer material for heating the quantity of developer material. The quantity of developer material when heated has a desired elevated temperature within a range of 50 to 60 degrees centigrade for improved developability without causing toner particle agglomeration.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining the dimensions of a stack of sheets in the tray. An optical sensor is arranged so that movement of the sheet guides in a paper tray causes a variably graduated scale to be moved past the sensor. The sensor may either be a transmissive or reflective type analog sensor in which the strength of the signal generated by the sensor is converted into a position of the side guides and as the analog scale is continuously variable, there is no need for separate discrete sensors or switches and sheet sizes of any dimension can be accommodated. A recalibration process is used to prevent contamination of the gauge and the associated change in signal strength by this sensor from causing the size determinations to be inaccurate. Alternatively, a digital sensor in cooperation with a digital bar code or other digital scale can be utilized to determine the variable sheet size, which digital sensor and variable scale are insensitive to contamination by dirt or paper particles, etc.

Abstract: An ultrasonic liquid wiper for an ink jet printer maintenance station has a cleaning nozzle confrontingly aligned but spaced from printhead nozzles suspected of having viscous plugs of partially dried ink. A cleaning solution is held within the cleaning nozzle by surface tension to form a meniscus and is caused to bulge toward into contact with the printhead nozzle face and form a bridge of cleaning solution therewith. In addition to dissolving ink, the cleaning solution is ultrasonically excited by a piezoelectric material immediately upstream of the cleaning nozzle to provide a high frequency energized liquid wiper to facilitate viscous plug removal without having physical contact with the printhead nozzle face, thereby preventing wear of any hydrophobic coating on the nozzle face. A vacuum nozzle is positioned on each side of the cleaning nozzle to remove the cleaning solution deposited on the nozzle face, together with any ink dissolved therein.

Abstract: A flexible belt assembly is prepared by positioning an edge of a belt-shaped substrate in proximity to a metal filled gasket within a groove of a support flange. An electromagnetic force is applied to the gasket to soften the metal to cause conforming of the shape of the gasket to the edge and to the groove. The flexible belt assembly is disassembled by applying a magnetic force to loosen the conforming compression fit.

Abstract: A negatively charged liquid developer comprised of a nonpolar liquid, thermoplastic resin particles, pigment, a charge adjuvant, and a BAB polymer charge director wherein A and B represent the polar and nonpolar polymer segments, respectively.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sensing multiple process parameters with a single sensor in a printing machine. The sensor senses the photoreceptor belt seam to insure that the latent image is not formed on the belt seam; the toner density is used to control the toner dispenser, photoreceptor charging, developer bias, image exposure and image processing systems; registration marks which are used to control registration of multiple images; presence of copysheets in a paper transport which is used to indicate timing and paper jams or faults; and copysheet type which is used to control the fusing process time. In order to measure all of these parameters, the sensor is uniquely located in printing parameter sensing relationship to the photoreceptor and along the paper path of the printing machine.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid developers comprised of a mixture of high and low vapor pressure fluids, and wherein there is enabled with such developers in embodiments excellent fixing characteristics especially when the developed image is transferred from an intermediate substrate to the final substrate, such as paper. In embodiments of the present invention there is provided developers and processes for achieving high fix wherein the developers contains a high vapor pressure fluid, such as an Isopar, like ISOPAR L.RTM., and a low vapor pressure fluid, such as NORPAR 15.RTM., SUPURLA NF5.RTM., and the like, and which low vapor pressure fluid is substantially odorless. The high vapor pressure fluid in embodiments is removed by heat once the developer is transferred to the intermediate substrate, and the low vapor pressure fluid remains with the developer when the developed image is transfixed, that is transferred, fixed and heated simultaneously, to a supporting substrate like paper.

Abstract: A system for logically identifying document elements in a document image using structural models includes assistant function for users to describe the structural models, a geometric relationship comparator for comparing geometric relationships in a document to the geometric relationships in a structural model, a matching system for determining which structural model matches the document image, and a logical tag assigning system for assigning logical tags to the document elements of the document image based on the matching structural model. The method for logically identifying the document elements in the document image using structural models comprises identifying the major white regions in the document image, using geometric relationships between the major white regions in the document image, identifying a structural model which matches the document image, and assigning logical tags to the document elements in the document image based on the matching structural model.

Abstract: Novel semiconductor devices are monolithically defined with p-type and n-type wide bandgap material formed by impurity induced layer disordering of selected regions of multiple semiconductor layers. The devices are beneficially fabricated by simultaneously forming the n-type and p-type layer disordered regions with sufficiently abrupt transitions from disordered to as-grown material. The novel devices include a heterojunction bipolar transistor monolithically integrated with an edge emitting heterostructure laser or a surface emitting laser, a heterostructure surface emitting laser, a heterostructure surface emitting laser having active distributed feedback, devices containing multiple buried layers which are individually contacted such as p-n junction surface emitting lasers, carrier channeling devices, and "n-i-p-i" or hetero "n-i-p-i" devices, and novel interdigitated structures, such as optical detectors and distributed feedback lasers.

Abstract: Charging devices which are used for charging and transfer and for charging and pretransfer in color electrophotographic printing. A charging device is used for charging a photoreceptor in preparation for exposure and also for pretransfer charging of a composite color image to ensure that all toner particles have the correct polarity. A subsequent charging device is used for charging the photoreceptor and for transferring a composite color image onto a substrate.

Abstract: In a multi-color imaging method and apparatus utilizing a charging step between two image creation steps, a corona generating device performs two different functions in different passes of the photoreceptor. The printing system may be a single pass system where all of the colors are developed in a single pass or a multi-pass system where each color is developed in a separate pass. The charging step may have more than one charging application as in a split recharge system.

Abstract: A process for producing an electrophotographic photoreceptor having a roughened substrate surface by wet honing the substrate surface with a composition including deionized water and substantially spherical glass beads. The process produces a photoreceptor substrate that eliminates interference fringe effects caused by reflection of coherent light without creating other printing defects such as white or black spots. A wet honing composition for producing such photoreceptors is also provided.

Abstract: In a multilayer printed-circuit substrate comprising a plurality of insulating resin layers, a plurality of metal-made electrically conductive circuits respectively laminated between the insulating resin layers and on the upper surface of the uppermost-positioned insulating resin layer and electrically conductive portions for respectively electrically connecting adjacent upper- and lower-positioned conductive circuits to each other, the insulating resin layers except at least the lowest-positioned insulating resin layer have flexibility, and blackening-treated films prepared by applying blackening treatment to the surface of the respective electrically conductive circuits are respectively provided between the upper surfaces of the conductive circuits and the insulating resin layers laminated thereon.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for raster scanning optical output device, such as a laser printer or the like, an array of independently addressable light emitting devices, such as an array of solid state lasers, is used to control spot position on an image plane in the slow scan direction. The array is disposed such that the spots emitted from each element of the array impinge the image plane displaced in the slow scan direction from one another. The total distance between all the spots is less than the distance between fast scan direction scan lines. Only a single element of the array is operated per scan line, thus only a single spot is formed on the image plane per scan line. Control of which of the elements of the array emits a light beam per scan line allows control of the spot position in the slow scan direction for that scan line.

Abstract: An apparatus which advances sheets from different stacks of sheets. In one mode of operation, two stacks of sheets are supported side by side. A sheet feeder associated with each stack of sheets advances successive uppermost sheets from the respective stack to a transfer station of a printing machine. Alternatively, a single sheet feeder mounted movably in the sheet feeding apparatus may be employed to advance successive sheets from each of the stack of sheets, in lieu two sheet feeders. In the absence of these stacks of sheets, another oversized stack of sheets may be positioned in the sheet feeder. This oversized stack of sheets extends from a first sheet storing section into a second sheet storing section. When two stacks of sheets are disposed in the sheet feeder, one stack is positioned in the first sheet storing section and the other stack is positioned in the second sheet storing section. In this way, the sheet feeding apparatus has capability of feeding multiple size sheets.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the concentration of toner within a developer material of carrier and toner. The apparatus having a magnetic roll for transporting a combination of carrier material and toner particles, a donor roll for transporting toner particles from said magnetic roll to a photoreceptor transfer zone, the magnetic roll and the donor roll each having a voltage applied thereto. A sensor measures the dynamic current between the magnetic roll and the donor roll and generates a signal as a function thereof. The dynamic current between the magnetic roll and the donor roll is a function of the concentration of the toner particles and the carrier material. As a result of the sensor output signal toner particles are added to the developer sump to maintain proper triboelectric properties within the developer unit.