Abstract: Electrophotographic printing of one or more layers of toner to enable the printing of a wide range of toner mass laydown using electrophotography to produce prints with raised letters. This method encompasses the steps of forming multicolor toner images and fusing the print one or more times to create the raised print, having the desired height of raised print.

Abstract: A piezoelectric crystal adjacent to a development member in an electrophotographic printer has an electrode on it facing the development member. An AC bias is applied across the crystal while a DC bias is applied between the electrode and the development member to measure toner-mass deposition rate. An AC bias is then applied between the electrode and the development member to measure developer flow rate. The toner concentration of the developer is determined using the measured toner mass-deposition rate and developer flow rate.

Abstract: A method for filling a developer station for an electrophotographic printer includes mixing or transporting developer in a sump with an auger; driving the auger with a motor; measuring a speed of the motor or a torque applied by the motor or power used by the motor; sending speed, torque, or power information to a filling mechanism for filling the sump with developer; and stopping or reducing the flow of developer into the sump when the speed, torque, or power reaches a predetermined setting.

Abstract: A system for filling a developer station for an electrophotographic printer including a sump containing developer; an auger in the sump to transport the developer; a shaft on the auger to drive the auger; a motor to drive the shaft of the auger; a mechanism for measuring speed or torque of the motor; a feedback mechanism; a filling mechanism for filling the sump with developer; and wherein filling is stopped or reduced when the speed or the torque reaches a predetermined setting.

Abstract: A finisher for a receiver moving in a feed direction includes a cutting device having a cutting blade and a scoring blade on opposite sides of the receiver and oriented perpendicular to the feed direction, and a scoring notch on the opposite side of the receiver from, and parallel to, the scoring blade. An actuator selectively causes the scoring blade to engage the scoring notch as the receiver moves between the scoring blade and scoring notch, so that the receiver is scored, or causes the cutting blade to engage the scoring blade, so that the receiver is cut. A controller receives a job specification including one or more cut or score location(s) on the receiver and causes the receiver to be cut at the cut location(s) or scored at the score location(s).

Abstract: Methods for forming bound electrophotographic prints are provided. In one aspect a method comprises the steps of applying a toner to a receiver to form a toner image with having toner in a binding area and in an image area. The binding area is proximate to a binding edge of the receiver and the image area that is separated from the binding area by an separation area. The toner image is fused to form a print, and a sheet and the prints are stacked with the toner in the binding area of the print confronting the sheet along a binding edge of the sheet. Heat is applied at the binding edges to cause the toner in the binding area to fuse for a second time. A residual portion of the applied heat heats the separation area but the separation area does not heat the image area to an extent sufficient to fuse toner in the image area.

Abstract: A method and system for printing image documents using a variety of toners where some toners using a multi-development station having two or more development stations. These toners are co-printed prior to fixing, on the receiver by the multi-development station.

Abstract: A method and system for printing image documents using a variety of toners where some toners using a multi-development station having two or more development stations. These toners are co-printed prior to fixing, on the receiver by the multi-development station.

Abstract: Web medium supplies for a printer that uses a web medium on a core and printers are provided. In one aspect, the web medium supply has a frame with a first mounting support and second mounting support that are positioned along an axis of rotation. A first core mounting supports the core for rotation around the axis of rotation and a second core mounting supports the core for rotation around the axis of rotation. Rotation of the core is controlled by a first force applied to the first core mounting and a second force applied to the second core mounting that are both less than a third force that is sufficient to drive an alternative core against an inertial load of the core and web from one driven end.

Abstract: Methods for operating a printer web medium supply are provided in one aspect of the method. An input force is received and the input force is distributed to supply first force at a first end of a core having a web wound thereon and to supply a second force at a second end of the core with the first force and the second force being sufficient to control rotation the core against an inertial load of the core and web medium wound thereon. Both the first force and the second force are less than a third force applied to a single driven end of an alternative core to rotate the alternative core against the inertial load and wherein the core has a first yield strength at the first end and a second yield strength at the second end that are less than a third yield strength required to receive the third force at the driven end of the alternative core.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic (EP) printer, a rotatable member includes a deposition area and a non-deposition area. A toner supply supplies toner to the member, and a moving receiving member receives from the deposition area of the rotatable member while the rotatable member rotates. The rotatable member is cleaned with a selectively-retractable blade in mechanical contact with the member so that toner is removed from the deposition area while the rotatable member rotates. An artifact sensor automatically detects a toner image artifact on the receiver. A controller responsive to the artifact sensor causes the blade to retract when an artifact is detected, and a blade cleaner cleans the blade while the blade is not in mechanical contact with the member.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a rotatable member in an electrophotographic (EP) printer includes depositing toner in a selected area on the member. A processor automatically determines whether some or all of the deposited toner should be removed from the member. If so, a blade is engaged with the member, the member is rotated so that toner is removed from the selected area of the member by the blade and, after the selected area passes the engaged blade, the blade is disengaged from the member.

Abstract: Carrier particles are removed from a rotatable photoreceptor in an electrophotographic printer. A development member is rotated to selectively supply toner from a developer supply to the photoreceptor, the developer including toner particles and carrier particles, and at least one carrier particle from the developer is drawn into contact with the photoreceptor while the development member supplies toner to the photoreceptor. A skive is moved into proximity with the surface of the photoreceptor and energized so that it provides an electric or magnetic field when in proximity with the surface of the photoreceptor. Carrier particles on the photoreceptor are thus transported into proximity with the skive.

Abstract: Printers are provided. In one aspect, a printer has a printer controller cooperating with a print engine, receiver transport system, overlap positioning system, and fuser to cause a first toner image to be formed on the first side of the first receiver with toner at least in an overlap area proximate to a first edge of the first receiver; to overlap the first edge of the first receiver with a second edge of the second receiver having a second thickness at a second end and to fuse the overlapped first receiver and second receiver to cause the toner in the overlap area to bond the first receiver to the second receiver. The first toner image includes an edge concealment toner pattern positioned confronting the second edge with the edge concealment toner pattern having toner that reduces the visual impact of image artifacts created by the overlapping second edge.

Abstract: The present invention provides an article of manufacture using an electrophotographic printer to produce printed electronic circuits by printing a second conductive powder layer and a first thermoplastic layer in registration. The second conductive powder layer is permanently fixed to the first layer before removing conductive powder from portions of the substrate other than that coated with the thermoplastic patterned image.

Abstract: A method of controlling the amount of developer entering a toning zone in an electrophotographic printer for printing an image on a moving receiver includes providing a rotatable development member for selectively supplying developer from a developer supply to the photoreceptor, the developer including toner particles and carrier particles. A photoreceptor is arranged with respect to the rotatable development member to receive toner and apply the received toner to the moving receiver to print the image. A skive is brought into proximity with the surface of the development member using an electromagnetic actuator.

Abstract: A cleaning blade member including a polymer substrate and a fluorinated polyurethane ceramer coating surface layer. The polymer substrate may comprise polyurethane. The fluorinated polyurethane ceramer coating may comprise a fluorinated polyurethane silicate hybrid organic-inorganic network formed as a reaction product of a fluorinated polyurethane having terminal reactive alkoxysilane groups with a tetraalkoxysilane compound. The fluorinated polyurethane ceramer coating may be coated on the polymer substrate of the cleaning blade without any primer layer therebetween. Also described is an electrostatographic apparatus comprising a toner-contacting member and such a fluorinated ceramer coated cleaning blade for the toner-contacting member. The toner-contacting member may comprise an endless transport web. The fluorinated ceramer enhances the ability of particles to be released from the surface therefore reducing contamination generated due to particles attached to the surface.

Abstract: Printed articles are provided. In one aspect a printed article has a first toner image with a first toner particles having a median volume weighted diameter between about 3 um and 9 um and having a first charge-to-mass ratio, a second toner image with second toner particles having a median volume weighted diameter greater than about 20 um and having a charge-to-mass ratio that is between ? to ½ of the first charge-to-mass ratio times the ratio of the volume weighted average diameter of the first toner to the volume weighted average diameter of the second toner, and a receiver on which the first toner image and the second toner image are formed.

Abstract: Printing methods are provided. In accordance with one aspect, a first toner image is formed with a first toner particles having a median volume weighted diameter between about 3 um and 9 um and having a first charge-to-mass ratio and, a second toner image is formed with second toner particles having a median volume weighted diameter greater than about 20 um and having a charge-to-mass ratio that is between ? to ½ of the first charge-to-mass ratio times the ratio of the volume weighted average diameter of the first toner to the volume weighted average diameter of the second toner. The first toner image is transferred to a receiver using a first electrostatic field and the second toner image is transferred the receiver using a second electrostatic field.

Abstract: Printers are provided for printing using large particle toner. One printer has a printer controller causing a first imaging module to form first toner image using a first toner particle having a first charge-to-mass ratio and a median volume weighted diameter between 3 um and 9 um and having a first charge-to-mass ratio and, a second imaging module to form a second toner image using second toner particles having a median volume weighted diameter that is greater than 20 um and a charge-to-mass ratio that is between ? to ½ of the first charge to mass ratio of the first toner times the ratio of the median volume weighted diameter of the first toner to the median volume weighted diameter of the second toner. The first toner image is transferred to a receiver using a first electrostatic field and the second toner image is transferred using a second electrostatic field.