Abstract: Methods are presented in which one or more pages of a print job are segmented into two or more parts, with the first part being transferred and affixed to the printed medium prior to transferring and affixing the second part, in order to facilitate high TMA (pile height) printing while mitigating adverse retransfer, blur, fusing, and hollow character effects.

Abstract: Methods are presented in which one or more pages of a print job are segmented into two or more parts, with the first part being transferred and affixed to the printed medium prior to transferring and affixing the second part, in order to facilitate high TMA (pile height) printing while mitigating adverse retransfer, blur, fusing, and hollow character effects.

Abstract: Document processing systems and methods are presented in which one or more pages of a print job are segmented into two or more parts, with the first part being transferred and affixed to the printed medium prior to transferring and affixing the second part, in order to facilitate high TMA (pile height) printing while mitigating adverse retransfer, blur, fusing, and hollow character effects.

Abstract: Document processing systems and methods are presented in which one or more pages of a print job are segmented into two or more parts, with the first part being transferred and affixed to the printed medium prior to transferring and affixing the second part, in order to facilitate high TMA (pile height) printing while mitigating adverse retransfer, blur, fusing, and hollow character effects.

Abstract: A xerographic marking engine adjusts a charging actuator, such as an AC peak-to-peak voltage or an AC peak-to-peak AC current, based upon toner patch density measurements made using, e.g., a toner patch density sensor. The sensor is used to detect a knee in a toner mass density curve obtained by sweeping an AC peak-to-peak voltage or an AC peak-to-peak current. Once the knee is located, an AC charging actuator peak-to-peak voltage or AC peak-to-peak current is determined that reduces the amount of positive charge that is deposited onto the surface of the photoconductor, thereby extending its life while maintaining acceptable print quality. The described approach may improve photoconductor life without significantly increasing production costs or complexity.

Abstract: Charging devices, electrostatic imaging devices, and methods generate a charging waveform having a DC bias component and an AC component for charging the imaging surface of a charge retentive member, the AC component having a substantially squarewave waveform.

Abstract: The life of the photoconductor in an image forming apparatus is typically limited by the eventual occurrence of some form of print quality defect related to the photoconductor. One of the typical failure mechanisms is the slow wearing away of the surface layer of the photoconductor. Photoconductor run life is improved by operating a charging station in a low wear mode during certain circumstances, including: during printing of a low stress page as detected based on the image data; during at least one of cycle up and cycle down operations to control charging of the at least one photoconductor over at least one print zone for at least one cycle of rotation of the at least one photoconductor; during printing of at least one test patch in a process control cycle; and upon determination from the image data that at least one photoconductor will not contribute to the printing during a next print cycle.

Abstract: Charging devices, electrostatic imaging devices, and methods generate a charging waveform having a DC bias component and an AC component for charging the imaging surface of a charge retentive member, the AC component having a substantially squarewave waveform.

Abstract: A xerographic marking engine adjusts a charging actuator, such as an AC peak-to-peak voltage or an AC peak-to-peak AC current, based upon toner patch density measurements made using, e.g., a toner patch density sensor. The sensor is used to detect a knee in a toner mass density curve obtained by sweeping an AC peak-to-peak voltage or an AC peak-to-peak current. Once the knee is located, an AC charging actuator peak-to-peak voltage or AC peak-to-peak current is determined that reduces the amount of positive charge that is deposited onto the surface of the photoconductor, thereby extending its life while maintaining acceptable print quality. The described approach may improve photoconductor life without significantly increasing production costs or complexity.

Abstract: The life of the photoconductor in an image forming apparatus is typically limited by the eventual occurrence of some form of print quality defect related to the photoconductor. One of the typical failure mechanisms is the slow wearing away of the surface layer of the photoconductor. Photoconductor run life is improved by operating a charging station in a low wear mode during certain circumstances, including: during printing of a low stress page as detected based on the image data; during at least one of cycle up and cycle down operations to control charging of the at least one photoconductor over at least one print zone for at least one cycle of rotation of the at least one photoconductor; during printing of at least one test patch in a process control cycle; and upon determination from the image data that at least one photoconductor will not contribute to the printing during a next print cycle.

Abstract: An electrostatographic printing apparatus comprises a charge receptor, and a transfer station for transferring a toner image from the charge receptor to a sheet. The sheet passes through a nip formed between the charge receptor and a moving transfer belt. Upstream of the nip, the belt forms a shallow angle relative to the charge receptor; downstream of the nip, the belt forms a steep angle relative to the charge receptor. This configuration enables self-stripping of the sheet from the transfer belt at the exit of the nip.

Abstract: A defect analysis system for a xerographic print engine includes a residual mass sensor that senses the two-dimensional signature structure of residual mass remaining on a photoconductive or other substrate surface after image transfer. Preferably, the sensor is a full width array that spans substantially an entire width of the photoconductive surface. This information is then processed and analyzed to determine a specific type of transfer defect present. This may include the quantified level of defect for each detected type. The defect analysis system may also include a closed-loop control system that can adjust various xerographic process parameters using feedback based on the identification and optionally magnitude of each specific defect type. The identified print quality defect, such as mottle, streaks, point deletions, graininess, etc.

Abstract: Embodiments herein generally relate to printing systems and methods that use toner and more particularly to a system and method that observes the distribution, for different levels of transfer field, of mass per area of toner remaining on the drum/belt as the drum/belt transfers the toner. The distribution is compared to predetermined standards and/or other networked printing systems to evaluate characteristics of the toner. Actuators can then be used to improve the toner characteristics resulting in improved print quality within a printing system and improved printing consistency between internally or externally networked printing systems and/or marking engines.

Abstract: Electrodes are embedded in a biased charge roller of a xerographic device. The electrodes, which may run the length of the roller, are deposited on an insulating substrate. A semi-conductive conformable layer of a flexible elastomer covers the electrodes. The semi-conductive conformable layer limits current flow between electrodes and relaxes charge deposited on the roller surface. Stationary pre-nip and post-nip contacts apply the bias to the imbedded electrodes. The electrodes in the post nip region are biased to VPOST. The electrodes positioned in the pre-nip regions are either grounded or biased to VPRE<VPOST. The electroded biased charge roller may generate air breakdown in the post nip region, resulting in highly uniform charging.

Abstract: A printing apparatus may include a heating element with at least one of a contact fuser, a radiant fuser, a substrate preheater, an image bearing member heater, and a transfuser, the heating element including a lattice of filaments wherein the filaments are separated from each other by a spacing and the spacing is such that an energy input into the heating element is radiantly output in a specific frequency band. A method of using a printing apparatus may include providing a heating element that is part of the printing device and that includes a lattice of filaments wherein the filaments are separated from each other by a spacing and the spacing is such that an energy input into the lattice is radiantly output in a specific frequency band, and performing at least one printing operation.

Abstract: Embodiments herein generally relate to printing systems and methods that use toner and more particularly to a system and method that observes the distribution, for different levels of transfer field, of mass per area of toner remaining on the drum/belt as the drum/belt transfers the toner. The distribution is compared to predetermined standards and/or other networked printing systems to evaluate characteristics of the toner. Actuators can then be used to improve the toner characteristics resulting in improved print quality within a printing system and improved printing consistency between internally or externally networked printing systems and/or marking engines.

Abstract: A defect analysis system for a xerographic print engine includes a residual mass sensor that senses the two-dimensional signature structure of residual mass remaining on a photoconductive or other substrate surface after image transfer. Preferably, the sensor is a full width array that spans substantially an entire width of the photoconductive surface. This information is then processed and analyzed to determine a specific type of transfer defect present. This may include the quantified level of defect for each detected type. The defect analysis system may also include a closed-loop control system that can adjust various xerographic process parameters using feedback based on the identification and optionally magnitude of each specific defect type. The identified print quality defect, such as mottle, streaks, point deletions, graininess, etc.

Abstract: An electrostatographic printing apparatus comprises a charge receptor, and a transfer station for transferring a toner image from the charge receptor to a sheet by providing an electric field of predetermined magnitude at a transfer zone. The transfer station includes a rotatable transfer member, with a cleaning corotron associated therewith. A control system for maintaining a constant current at the transfer zone takes into account a current supplied by the cleaning corotron. The control system can also take into account current leakages associated with the transfer member.

Abstract: An electrostatographic printing apparatus comprises a charge receptor, and a transfer station for transferring a toner image from the charge receptor to a sheet by providing an electric field of predetermined magnitude at a transfer zone. The transfer station includes a rotatable transfer member, with a cleaning corotron associated therewith. A control system for maintaining a constant current at the transfer zone takes into account a current supplied by the cleaning corotron. The control system can also take into account current leakages associated with the transfer member.

Abstract: An electrostatographic printing apparatus comprises a charge receptor, and a transfer station for transferring a toner image from the charge receptor to a sheet. The sheet passes through a nip formed between the charge receptor and a moving transfer belt. Upstream of the nip, the belt forms a shallow angle relative to the charge receptor; downstream of the nip, the belt forms a steep angle relative to the charge receptor. This configuration enables self-stripping of the sheet from the transfer belt at the exit of the nip.