Abstract: A dampening fluid metering system includes an anilox roll configured to meter dampening fluid onto a surface of an imaging member to form a thin, uniform layer of dampening fluid for subsequent imaging by exposure to light radiation. The anilox roll is configured to form a dampening fluid layer that is uniform and has a thickness of 1 micron or less, and preferably a thickness lying in a range of 0.2 to 1 micron.

Abstract: Multi-stage fixing systems for fixing toner to a substrate, printing apparatuses and methods of fixing marking material to a substrate are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the multi-stage fixing systems includes a softening device for softening toner applied to a substrate by a marking device; and a fixing device for fixing the softened toner to the substrate. The fixing device includes a first fixing member including a first surface; a first thermal energy source for actively heating the first surface; and a second fixing member including a second surface, the first surface and the second surface form a fixing nip at which the substrate with softened toner is received. The first fixing member and the second fixing member are operable to apply heat and pressure to the substrate and softened toner received at the fixing nip to fix the toner to the substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus transfer a material from first roller within a container to at least one second roller, and transfer the material from the second roller to at least one third roller. The second roller and the third roller form a loading nip at a location where the second roller is closest to the third roller. The method and apparatus transfer the material from the third roller to at least one recipient device, and measure current flow between the second roller and the third roller using a measurement device. Then, the method alters the relative rotation rate difference between the first roller and the second roller based on the current flow to maintain a predetermined density of the material at the loading nip using a controller.

Abstract: Fixing devices including extended-life components and methods of fixing marking material to a substrate are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the fixing devices for fixing toner to a substrate in printing includes a first fixing member including a first surface; a thermal energy source for heating the first surface of the first fixing member to a fixing temperature; and a second fixing member including a second surface. The first surface and the second surface form a fixing nip configured to receive a substrate including a surface and marking material comprising toner disposed on the surface. The first fixing member and the second fixing member are operable to apply a pressure of at least about 300 psi to the substrate and toner and to heat the toner to a sufficiently-high temperature, at the fixing nip, to fix the toner to the substrate.

Abstract: Multi-stage fixing systems for fixing toner to a substrate, printing apparatuses and methods of fixing marking material to a substrate are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the multi-stage fixing systems includes a softening device for softening toner applied to a substrate by a marking device; and a fixing device for fixing the softened toner to the substrate. The fixing device includes a first fixing member including a first surface; a first thermal energy source for actively heating the first surface; and a second fixing member including a second surface, the first surface and the second surface form a fixing nip at which the substrate with softened toner is received. The first fixing member and the second fixing member are operable to apply heat and pressure to the substrate and softened toner received at the fixing nip to fix the toner to the substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus transfer a material from first roller within a container to at least one second roller, and transfer the material from the second roller to at least one third roller. The second roller and the third roller form a loading nip at a location where the second roller is closest to the third roller. The method and apparatus transfer the material from the third roller to at least one recipient device, and measure current flow between the second roller and the third roller using a measurement device. Then, the method alters the relative rotation rate difference between the first roller and the second roller based on the current flow to maintain a predetermined density of the material at the loading nip using a controller.

Abstract: An apparatus for loading one or more donor rolls of a developer unit, comprising a developer housing having a reservoir for a developer material, a rotatable first donor roll that delivers the toner onto a moving photoconductive member, a trim roll that receives developer material from the reservoir and delivers the developer material to a first magnetic brush roller that delivers toner to the first donor roll, and a rotatable second magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the first magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the first donor roll. The apparatus may further comprise a rotatable second donor roll that receives the toner from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner onto the photoconductive member, and a rotatable third magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the second donor roll.

Abstract: A printing system is provided for color job matching of the output from a plurality of image marking engines. The system includes a first test image printed by a first image marking engine on a media document. The first test image having a data glyph and a plurality of reference patches. The system further includes a second test image printed by a second image marking engine on the media document. The second test image having a data glyph and a plurality of reference patches. The first and second test images are printed on the same side of the media document. A scanner is provided for scanning the media document.

Abstract: An apparatus for loading one or more donor rolls of a developer unit, comprising a developer housing having a reservoir for a developer material, a rotatable first donor roll that delivers the toner onto a moving photoconductive member, a rotatable first magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the reservoir and delivers the toner to the first donor roll, and a rotatable second magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the first magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the first donor roll. The apparatus may further comprise a rotatable second donor roll that receives the toner from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner onto the photoconductive member, and a rotatable third magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the second donor roll.

Abstract: A control system for use with a development process including at least one magnetic roll with a settable speed is provided. The controller is directly or indirectly responsive to a reload feedback signal, which signal is generated in response to changes in output reload performance of the development process. In the case of direct responsiveness, the controller uses one or more reload feedback signals to facilitate magnetic roll speed setting. In the case of indirect responsiveness, the controller uses a reload sensitivity signal, which reload sensitivity signal varies as a function of input digital image content and output reload performance feedback, to facilitate magnetic roll speed setting.

Abstract: An apparatus for loading one or more donor rolls of a developer unit, including: a developer housing having a reservoir for a developer material, the developer material comprising toner, a rotatable first donor roll that delivers the toner onto a moving photoconductive member, a rotatable trim roll that receives the developer material from the reservoir and delivers the developer material to a first magnetic brush roll that delivers the toner to the first donor roll, and a controller, responsive to a reload sensitivity signal, for controlling the speed of the trim roll.

Abstract: A printing system is provided for color job matching of the output from a plurality of image marking engines. The system includes a first test image printed by a first image marking engine on a media document. The first test image having a data glyph and a plurality of reference patches. The system further includes a second test image printed by a second image marking engine on the media document. The second test image having a data glyph and a plurality of reference patches. The first and second test images are printed on the same side of the media document. A scanner is provided for scanning the media document.

Abstract: An apparatus for loading one or more donor rolls of a developer unit, comprising a developer housing having a reservoir for a developer material, a rotatable first donor roll that delivers the toner onto a moving photoconductive member, a trim roll that receives developer material from the reservoir and delivers the developer material to a first magnetic brush roller that delivers toner to the first donor roll, and a rotatable second magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the first magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the first donor roll. The apparatus may further comprise a rotatable second donor roll that receives the toner from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner onto the photoconductive member, and a rotatable third magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the second donor roll.

Abstract: An apparatus for loading one or more donor rolls of a developer unit, comprising a developer housing having a reservoir for a developer material, a rotatable first donor roll that delivers the toner onto a moving photoconductive member, a rotatable first magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the reservoir and delivers the toner to the first donor roll, and a rotatable second magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the first magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the first donor roll. The apparatus may further comprise a rotatable second donor roll that receives the toner from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner onto the photoconductive member, and a rotatable third magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the second donor roll.

Abstract: A control system for use with a development process including at least one magnetic roll with a settable speed is provided. The controller is directly or indirectly responsive to a reload feedback signal, which signal is generated in response to changes in output reload performance of the development process. In the case of direct responsiveness, the controller uses one or more reload feedback signals to facilitate magnetic roll speed setting. In the case of indirect responsiveness, the controller uses a reload sensitivity signal, which reload sensitivity signal varies as a function of input digital image content and output reload performance feedback, to facilitate magnetic roll speed setting.

Abstract: A development system for an electrophotographic system including: a magnetic brush roll speed selector for selecting a rotational speed for a magnetic brush roll in a development system of the electrophotographic system; and a controller, responsive to the rotational speed, for adjusting xerographic actuators to maintain DMA within a predefined range.

Abstract: An improved development system for an electrophotographic system includes a reload defect detector for generating a signal corresponding to a potential for reload defect detected in an image to be developed by an electrophotographic system; and a magnetic roll speed selector for selecting a rotational speed for a magnetic roll in a development system of the electrophotographic system, the selected rotational speed corresponding to the generated reload defect potential signal. The speed of the magnetic roll is selected to be a lower speed in response to the potential for reload defect being relatively low. The slower rotation of the magnetic roll prolongs the life of the developer and extends the operational life of the development system before corrective action is needed.

Abstract: A method for producing a toner of a custom color in a developer unit including a housing defining a reservoir for storing a supply of toner, a donor member for transporting toner to an imaging surface; including: identifying custom color requested; determining color of toner in the reservoir; detoning toner on the donor member if the color of toner in the reservoir is beyond a predefined value in color space from the custom color requested; calculating and dispensing primaries toner colors to be added to the reservoir to obtained the custom color requested; mixing the primary toner colors dispensed in the reservoir; and evaluating and comparing the color components of the toner being mixed to the custom color requested.

Abstract: An apparatus which controls the dispensing in mixing of marking particles into a developer unit used in an electrophotograhic printing machine. In particular, the present invention is directed to a developer housing that includes a variable speed mixing apparatus for improving material life and performance. The quantity of marking particles required to reproduce the document is predicted and the dispensing and mixing of marking particles controlled in response thereto.

Abstract: A method for producing a toner of a custom color in a developer unit including a housing defining a reservoir for storing a supply of toner, a donor member for transporting toner to an imaging surface; including: identifying custom color requested; determining color of toner in the reservoir; detoning toner on the donor member if the color of toner in the reservoir is beyond a predefined value in color space from the custom color requested; calculating and dispensing primaries toner colors to be added to the reservoir to obtained the custom color requested; mixing the primary toner colors dispensed in the reservoir; and evaluating and comparing the color components of the toner being mixed to the custom color requested.