Abstract: An energy transfer device may include a fuser roll, a pressure roll, the pressure roller and the fuser roll being part of a marking system, and a heat pipe, the heat pipe being in contact with at least one of the fuser roll and the pressure roll. A method of using an energy transfer device that includes a fuser roll, a pressure roll, the pressure roll and the fuser roll being part of a marking system, and a heat pipe may include contacting the heat pipe with at least one of the fuser roll and the pressure roll, absorbing heat from a relatively hot region of the at least one of the fuser roll and the pressure roll using a working fluid, and dissipating the absorbed heat by evaporating the working fluid.

Abstract: An apparatus in an ink jet printer reduces the risk of clogged nozzles in ink jet printing machines by providing a negative pressure area in the vicinity of a localized high shear stress region that is located about a print head perimeter.

Abstract: A fusing member is formed from an evacuable inner tube with a cylindrical wall. The evacuable inner tube is inserted into an outer tube and the inner tube is pressurized to expand the inner tube such that the wall is in contact with the outer tube. An amount of a working fluid is then sealed within the inner tube at a below atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: The present application is directed to piezoelectric actuator devices. One embodiment of a piezoelectric actuator comprises a chamber diaphragm having a major surface. A piezoelectric transducer is positioned on the major surface of the chamber diaphragm. The piezoelectric transducer has a major surface having a first dimension which is smaller than a corresponding second dimension of the major surface of the chamber diaphragm, so that the piezoelectric transducer underlaps the chamber diaphragm. The underlap ratio of the first dimension to the second dimension ranges from about 0.70 to about 0.99.

Abstract: A high precision-heat fusing device is provided for heating unfused toner images in an electrostatographic reproducing machine. The high precision-heat fusing device includes (a) an endless rotatable shell defining an interior and having an exterior surface, a first end, a second end, and an axis for rotation; (b) a plural number of heating elements each having an end-to-end length and being selectively activatable, and arranged end-to-end in series and parallel to the axis of rotation; (c) a plural number of temperature sensors for sensing a temperature of the exterior surface at axially spaced apart points; and (d) a controller connected to the plural number of heating elements and to the plural number of temperature sensors for precisely sensing and controlling the temperature of the exterior surface at each of the axially spaced apart points.

Abstract: A fusing station (100) for fusing toner to an image receiving medium (102) includes: a fuser roller (120) configured as a heat pipe including a sealed hollow cavity (124) containing a working fluid; a pressure roller (140) that forms a nip with the fuser roller (120) through which the image receiving medium (102) passes; and, an electrical coil (128) inductively coupled to the fuser roller (120) to inductively heat the fuser roller (120) upon energizing the electrical coil (128) with electrical power.

Abstract: An apparatus is used with an ink jet print head in an ink jet printer. The apparatus includes a print head protector that surrounds a print head. A substantially continuous slot is provided along a perimeter of the bracket and a filter is located in the substantially continuous slot. An inlet in fluid communication with the substantially continuous slot enables a positive pressure air supply to be coupled to the inlet. The air entering the inlet flows through the filter in the slot and the filtered air flows outwardly away from the print head.

Abstract: A fusing assembly includes (a) a first member having a first edge, a second edge and an end-to-end axis; (b) a second member having a fusing surface forming a fusing nip with the first member, and the fusing nip being located between the first edge and the second edge of each of the first member and the second member; (c) a heating member extending along the end-to-end axis for heating at least one of the first member and the second member to an image marking material fusing temperature; and (d) a temperature equalizing device for equalizing a temperature of the at least one of the first member and the second member, the temperature equalizing device including plural heat conductors, each heat conductor of the plural heat conductors including a first end and a second end, a body portion between the first end and the second end, the body portion being spaced from and out of contact with the fusing surface of the second member with only the first end and the second end discretely contacting the fusing surface,

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: A coated member includes a substrate and a coating layer over the substrate where the coating layer includes at least one of ferromagnetic and magnetic particles dispersed in a binder. The member, which is suitable for use in an electrostatographic printing process, can be in the form of a fuser member, a fixing member, a pressure roller, or a release agent donor member.

Abstract: Embodiments use an apparatus comprising a media path that is adapted to transport media sheets within the printing apparatus. Fuser rolls are positioned along the media path, and the fuser rolls are adapted to fuse marking material on the media sheets as the media sheets pass the fuser rolls. A heating belt is positioned to pass a first location between the fuser rolls and to pass a second location separate from the fuser rolls. A heater is positioned in the second location, and the heater is adapted to heat the heating belt. In addition, an iso-thermalizing roller is in contact with the heating belt. In some embodiments, the elements can be positioned in any order. In other embodiments, the elements are positioned such that the heating belt passes the elements in the following order: the heater, the fuser rolls, and then the iso-thermalizing roller.

Abstract: A fluidic micro-electromechanical device includes a pressure compensating subsystem that enables the device to operate consistently in changing environmental pressure conditions. Such a fluidic micro-electromechanical device includes an actuator having an actuator cavity underneath an actuator membrane, the actuator membrane moving in response to a driving signal applied to an actuator electrode, and a pressure compensating chamber coupled to the actuator cavity.

Abstract: A fusing member is formed from an evacuable inner tube with a cylindrical wall. The evacuable inner tube is inserted into an outer tube and the inner tube is pressurized to expand the inner tube such that the wall is in contact with the outer tube. An amount of a working fluid is then sealed within the inner tube at a below atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: An energy transfer device may include a fuser roll, a pressure roll, the pressure roller and the fuser roll being part of a marking system, and a heat pipe, the heat pipe being in contact with at least one of the fuser roll and the pressure roll. A method of using an energy transfer device that includes a fuser roll, a pressure roll, the pressure roll and the fuser roll being part of a marking system, and a heat pipe may include contacting the heat pipe with at least one of the fuser roll and the pressure roll, absorbing heat from a relatively hot region of the at least one of the fuser roll and the pressure roll using a working fluid, and dissipating the absorbed heat by evaporating the working fluid.

Abstract: A coated member includes a substrate and a coating layer over the substrate where the coating layer includes at least one of ferromagnetic and magnetic particles dispersed in a binder. The member, which is suitable for use in an electrostatographic printing process, can be in the form of a fuser member, a fixing member, a pressure roller, or a release agent donor member.

Abstract: In a sheet transport system for a reproduction machine, the transport system defining a transport channel through which the sheet travels in a transport direction, an improvement comprises one or more plenums associated with the transport channel, each plenum connectable to an air flow supply, and one or more openings between each plenum and the transport channel. At least one of the one or more openings is arranged to direct air flowing through the plenum into the transport channel in the transport direction.

Abstract: An energy transfer device includes a heat pipe and at least one spiral feature on an interior surface along a portion of the heat pipe, wherein a pitch of the spiral feature may be such that a liquid is pumped in the heat pipe, and a thermal mass of the heat pipe is reduced by about 50%. The interiro spiral feature may be one of a spiral groove and a spiral fin. A method of manufacturing an energy transfer device may include providing a heat pipe, and providing at least one spiral feature via rotating extrusion on an interior surface along at least a portion of the heat pipe, wherein a pitch of the at least one spiral feature is such that a liquid is pumped in the heat pipe, and a thermal mass of the heat pipe is reduced by about 50%.

Abstract: An energy transfer device and system includes a heat pipe and an interior coating to at least a portion of an interior surface of the heat pipe, the interior coating comprises at least one of the properties selected from chemically inert, liquid phobic, stable at high temperature, of low porosity and of low surface energy. Moreover, a manufacturing method of an energy transfer device that includes providing a heat pipe and providing an interior coating to an interior surface of at least a portion of the heat pipe, the interior coating comprising at least one of the properties selected from chemically inert, liquid phobic, stable at high temperature, of low porosity and of low surface energy.

Abstract: A fast acting fusing method and apparatus are provided for (a.) first moving a certain quantity of working liquid within a fusing heat pipe device from a heat transferring region of the fusing heat pipe device to an induction heating region of the fusing heat pipe device for maximizing liquid-to-device wall contact area within the induction heating region; (b.) using inductor heating coils to apply heat to the induction heating region of the fusing heat pipe device for heating the working liquid within the induction heating region; (c.) allowing heated vapors from the working liquid being heated within the induction heating region to move into the heat transferring region of the fusing heat pipe device for heating the heat transferring region; (d.) using a controller to compare heating of the heat transferring region of the fusing heat pipe device to a given heating value; and (e.

Abstract: A fusing assembly includes (a) a first member having a first edge, a second edge and an end-to-end axis; (b) a second member forming a fusing nip with the first member, and the fusing nip being located between the first edge and the second edge of each of the first member and the second member; (c) a heating member extending along the end-to-end axis for heating at least one of the first member and the second member to an image marking material fusing temperature; and (d) a temperature equalizing device for equalizing a temperature of the at least one of the first member and the second member, the temperature equalizing device including plural heat conductors, each heat conductor of the plural heat conductors including a first end and a second end, arranged in an overlapping manner, for contacting the at least one of the first member and the second member at a first contact point and at a second contact point respectively for conducting heat from one of the first contact point and the second contact point to