Abstract: Methods and systems of ejecting ink drops from an inkjet printer are disclosed. The methods and systems can include a printhead with one or more tapered nozzles each with an associated taper angle and exit diameter. Ink can be received into the printhead and formed into ink drops in the tapered nozzles. The ink drops can each have an associated drop mass and drop speed. The tapered nozzles can be provided such that the exit diameter can independently dictate the drop mass and the taper angle can independently dictate the drop speed. As such, the complexity of jet design optimization is reduced.

Abstract: An embodiment is a method and apparatus to meter ink for electrographic printing. An ink loading mechanism having an anilox roller fills ink from an ink supply into cells in the anilox roller having a plurality of valleys and lands that form the cells. The ink loading mechanism causes the valleys to be full or nearly full with the ink. The anilox roller rotates in a first direction. A blanket roller rotationally engaged with the anilox roller pulls the ink out of the cells and causes the valleys to be partially filled. The blanket roller rotates in a second direction. A first cleaning blade cleans tops of the lands of the cells. Another embodiment is a method and apparatus to meter ink for electrographic printing. An ink loading mechanism having an anilox roller fills ink from an ink supply into cells in the anilox roller having a plurality of valleys and lands forming the cells. The ink loading mechanism causes the valleys to be full or nearly full with the ink.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to meter ink for electrographic printing is disclosed. An ink loading mechanism having an anilox roller fills ink from an ink supply into cells in the anilox roller having a plurality of valleys and lands that form the cells. The ink loading mechanism causes the valleys to be full or nearly full with the ink. The anilox roller rotates in a first direction. In one embodiment, a soft blade positioned slightly below surface of the lands removes ink from the cells and causes the valleys to be partially filled as the anilox roller rotates. A hard blade positioned at the surface of the lands to clean residue of ink on the surface of the lands as the anilox roller rotates. In another embodiment, a blanket roller rotationally engaged with the anilox roller pulls ink out of the cells and causes the valleys to be partially filled. The blanket roller rotates in a second direction. A first cleaning blade cleans tops of the lands of the cells.

Abstract: Methods and systems of ejecting ink drops from an inkjet printer are disclosed. The methods and systems can include a printhead with one or more stepped nozzles each with an associated entrance diameter and exit diameter. Ink can be received into the printhead and formed into ink drops in the stepped nozzles. The ink drops can each have an associated drop mass and drop speed. The stepped nozzles can be provided such that the exit diameter can independently dictate the drop mass and the entrance diameter can independently dictate the drop speed. As such, the complexity of jet design optimization is reduced.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide an induction heating member including a substrate and a heating layer disposed on the substrate. The heating layer includes carbon nanotubes and metal. An outer layer is disposed on the heating layer and includes a fluoropolymer.

Abstract: Apparatuses useful for printing and methods of fixing marking materials onto media are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment of the apparatuses useful in printing includes a first member including a first surface; a second member comprising at least one ferromagnetic material having a relative magnetic permeability greater than 1, a susceptor over the at least one ferromagnetic material, the susceptor comprising at least one electrically resistive metal, and a second surface over the at least one ferromagnetic material and the susceptor, the second surface forming a nip with the first surface at which media are received; and a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field to inductively heat the second member.

Abstract: Systems and methods of inductively heating a fuser member in an electrophotographic device are disclosed. The systems and methods can include a heating component with a susceptor layer comprising carbon nanotubes (CNTs). An excitation unit with an electrical coil can be positioned a proximate distance from the heating component. Current through the electrical coil can inductively heat the susceptor layer and the heating component. The heat from the susceptor layer and the heating component can be used to fuse toner onto an image-receiving substrate. The CNTs can reduce electronic hardware costs in the electrophotographic device in relation to the costs associated with conventional materials.

Abstract: A print head for a printer includes a jet stack for passage of ink to media to form an image on the media. The jet stack includes a substrate having a micro actuator. The substrate has an opening through the substrate that is proximate to the micro actuator and a diaphragm bonded to the substrate. The diaphragm has an opening through the diaphragm that is configured for fluid communication with the opening through the substrate. The diaphragm opening has a width that is larger than a width of the opening in the substrate.

Abstract: In a tonerless imaging process, an inked image layer jetted on an image receptor is simultaneously transferred and fused to a recording medium. A radiation-curable material is incorporated in the image layer such that irradiation of the image layer cures the radiation-curable material therein. An ink jet printing apparatus for performing the above process is also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods of leveling ink on substrates and apparatuses useful in printing are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the methods includes irradiating ink disposed on a first surface of a porous substrate with radiation emitted by at least one flash lamp. The radiation flash heats the ink to at least a viscosity threshold temperature of the ink to allow the ink to flow laterally on the first surface to produce leveling of the ink. The ink is heated sufficiently rapidly that heat transfer from the ink to the substrate is sufficiently small during the leveling that ink at the substrate interface is cooled to a temperature below the viscosity threshold temperature thereby preventing any significant ink permeation into the substrate from the first surface.

Abstract: An inkjet ejector has been developed that enables the ejector to be operated at a frequency greater than 80 kHz. The inkjet ejector includes a body layer in which a pressure chamber is configured with an outlet having a volume that is less than a predetermined volumetric threshold, a flexible diaphragm plate disposed on the pressure chamber to form a wall of the pressure chamber, a piezoelectric transducer having a bottom surface attached to the diaphragm plate, and an inlet layer in which an inlet channel is configured to connect the pressure chamber to a source of liquid ink, a cross-sectional area of the inlet channel at the pressure chamber divided by a length of the inlet channel being greater than a predetermined linear threshold.

Abstract: Apparatuses useful for printing and methods for controlling the temperature of media in apparatuses useful for printing are disclosed. An embodiment of the apparatuses includes a heated first roll including a first outer surface; a heated second roll including a second outer surface; a third roll including a third outer surface; a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the third outer surface; a belt supported on the first roll and the second roll and disposed between the first outer surface and the third outer surface, the belt including an inner surface and an outer surface; a nip between the third outer surface and the outer surface of the belt at which the belt heats media which include a surface, marking material on the surface and an interface between the surface and marking material; and a positioning device coupled to the second roll.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide an induction heating member including a substrate and a heating layer disposed on the substrate. The heating layer includes carbon nanotubes and metal. An outer layer is disposed on the heating layer and includes a fluoropolymer.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) and method (700) that can control fuser temperature is disclosed. The apparatus can include an image fuser member (110) rotatably supported in the apparatus, where the image fuser member can be configured to fuse an image on media (170). The apparatus can include a heater (120) coupled to the image fuser member, where the heater can be configured to heat the image fuser member. The apparatus can include a pressure assembly (130) rotatably supported in the apparatus and coupled to the image fuser member, where the pressure assembly can be configured to exert pressure against the image fuser member. The apparatus can include a temperature sensor (140) coupled to the pressure assembly, where the temperature sensor can be configured to sense a temperature of the pressure assembly.

Abstract: A printing system and method combine conventional print and reusable print media functionality in a shared stand-alone system to allow a user flexibility in deciding whether to print a temporary document or an archival permanent document. The system integrates and shares functionality to reduce manufacturing and operating costs, as well as to reduce the device's footprint. Commonality may include a common printhead shuttling mechanism (traversing carriage) and portions of the mechanism for moving paper. Pre-conditioning and printzone conditioning stations may also be shared to achieve precondition heating and/or erasing of media sheets prior to printing and maintaining of an elevated temperature during printing. In embodiments, separate feed trays are provided for each media sheet type.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide an induction heating member including a substrate and a heating layer disposed on the substrate. The heating layer includes carbon nanotubes and metal. An outer layer is disposed on the heating layer and includes a fluoropolymer.

Abstract: An enhanced sheet stripping method and apparatus for stripping toner image carrying copy sheets from a surface of a moving heated fusing member forming a fusing nip. The apparatus includes (a) a moving assembly for moving a cut sheet towards the fusing nip; (b) a sheet curling device positioned upstream of the fusing nip relative to movement of the cut sheet for inducing a desired pre-curl in the cut sheet before the cut sheet enters the fusing nip; and (c) a sheet stripping device positioned downstream of the fusing nip for stripping the cut sheet from contact with the surface of the moving heated fusing member as the cut sheet exits the fusing nip. The method includes inducing a desired curl in the cut sheet before the cut sheet enters the fusing nip and enhanced stripping the cut sheet from contact with the surface of the fuser roll as the cut sheet exits the fusing nip.

Abstract: A print head pump assembly has a piezo element plate having an array of piezoelectric elements, a channel plate having an array of channel regions corresponding to the array of piezoelectric elements, and a valve plate having an array of reed valve pairs corresponding to the array of channel regions. A print head assembly has at least one ink reservoir, an upper routing plate to receive ink from the ink reservoir, a lower routing plate to direct ink out of the print head, and a pump assembly to draw ink from the upper routing plate and deliver ink to the lower routing plate using piezoelectric diaphragms. A method of delivering ink to a print substrate includes providing ink to a low-pressure reservoir of a print head, drawing ink out of the low-pressure reservoir through an upper routing plate using a pump assembly internal to the print head, and pumping ink out of the print head through a lower routing plate using the pump assembly, such that the drawing and pumping processes continuously alternate.

Abstract: A method of reusing a sheet includes receiving a sheet having a printed image, scanning a new image, determining whether the sheet is acceptable for reuse, covering at least one portion of the printed image on the sheet with a white-out toner via a white-out unit, fusing the white-out toner to the at least one portion of the sheet, printing a new image onto the sheet, and performing the receiving, scanning, determining, covering, fusing and printing operations on the sheet a plurality of times. A printing device for covering and printing over a printed image includes a receiving subsystem configured to receive a sheet, a processing module configured to determine whether the sheet is acceptable for reuse, and a fuser module configured to fuse a white-out toner.

Abstract: Methods of leveling ink on substrates and apparatuses useful in printing are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the methods includes irradiating ink disposed on a first surface of a porous substrate with radiation emitted by at least one flash lamp. The radiation flash heats the ink to at least a viscosity threshold temperature of the ink to allow the ink to flow laterally on the first surface to produce leveling of the ink. The ink is heated sufficiently rapidly that heat transfer from the ink to the substrate is sufficiently small during the leveling that ink at the substrate interface is cooled to a temperature below the viscosity threshold temperature thereby preventing any significant ink permeation into the substrate from the first surface.