Abstract: An imaging device is provided that generates and transfers an image to a print media. A fuser fuses the image to the print media through a process of heat and pressure. The fuser is charged with a voltage to reduce toner particles from being attached to the fuser. When the print media contacts the fuser, its current path is altered causing the voltage of the fuser to change. A fuser sensor circuit measures the voltage of the fuser and based on the measured voltage, the imaging device can determine whether a print media is in the fuser. In the event of a malfunction such as a paper jam, the imaging device can determine the location of the print media at least in part by the measured fuser voltage.

Abstract: An imaging device is provided that generates and transfers an image to a print media. A fuser fuses the image to the print media through a process of heat and pressure. The fuser is charged with a voltage to reduce toner particles from being attached to the fuser. When the print media contacts the fuser, its current path is altered causing the voltage of the fuser to change. A fuser sensor measures the voltage of the fuser and based on the measured voltage, the imaging device can determine whether a print media is in the fuser. In the event of a malfunction such as a paper jam, the device can determine the location of the paper at least in part by the measured fuser voltage.

Abstract: A belt drive module and a corresponding method includes or employs a belt that moves along a path, at least one support roller or other structure that supports the belt as it moves along the path, a drive roller that effects movement of the belt along the path, a tension roller that applies a tension force to the belt in order to maintain engagement of the belt with the drive and/or support rollers, at least one processing station (e.g., an image processing station) disposed along the path that performs a process relative to a predetermined position of the belt, and a torque assist drive that applies a torque assist force Td at a location between the drive roller and the tension roller. Torque assist may be provided by a current limited DC motor or by a constant torque friction clutch applied to a roller, e.g., a stripper roller of an electrophotographic imaging system. Advantageously, the torque assist force Td facilitates accurate positioning of the belt (e.g.

Abstract: A belt drive module and a corresponding method includes or employs a belt that moves along a path, at least one support roller or other structure that supports the belt as it moves along the path, a drive roller that effects movement of the belt along the path, a tension roller that applies a tension force to the belt in order to maintain engagement of the belt with the drive and/or support rollers, at least one processing station (e.g., an image processing station) disposed along the path that performs a process relative to a predetermined position of the belt, and a torque assist drive that applies a torque assist force Td at a location between the drive roller and the tension roller. Torque assist may be provided by a current limited DC motor or by a constant torque friction clutch applied to a roller, e.g., a stripper roller of an electrophotographic imaging system. Advantageously, the torque assist force Td facilitates accurate positioning of the belt (e.g.

Abstract: A method for rendering a raster output level determines an image position of a pixel of interest (POI) within an image. An intended raster output level, which corresponds to the POI, is received into a processing device. A final raster output level is determined as a function of the image position and the intended raster output level. The final output level and the image position are transmitted to an output device. An actual raster output level is rendered, via the output device, at a position on an output medium corresponding to the image position. The actual raster output level substantially matches the intended raster output level.

Abstract: An electrophotography hard copy apparatus uses automated sensing devices to provide current condition signals and operational feedback signals to optimize subsystem operational parameters. Monitoring of ambient environmental conditions, subsystem operational parameters, and a print medium from input through output and the final printed text or image for predetermined characteristics is used to generate signals indicative of conditions that can be altered by commands to the apparatus' subsystems to optimize print quality.

Abstract: In an imaging system including at least one imaging medium transfer surface, an apparatus for detecting defects on the transfer surface is provided. The apparatus includes a scanner mechanism adapted and constructed to generate signals corresponding to a condition of the transfer surface. A processor is also provided. The processor is operatively connected to the scanner mechanism, and is adapted and constructed to receive and interpret signals from the scanner mechanism. In an imaging system including at least one imaging medium transfer surface, a method of detecting defects on an image medium surface is provided. The method includes the following steps. First, a scanning mechanism is provided. The scanning mechanism is adapted and constructed to generate signals corresponding to a condition of the transfer surface within the imaging system. Next, a defect is detected on the transfer surface by analyzing the signals generated by the scanning mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention relates to image forming devices, fusing assemblies and methods of forming an image. According to one aspect of the invention, an image forming device includes a housing including a media path configured to guide media in a downstream direction within the housing; an input device configured to receive an image; a developing assembly adjacent the media path and configured to provide developing material; a sensor adjacent the media path and configured to determine a qualitative characteristic of the media and to generate a signal indicative of the qualitative characteristic; and a fuser adjacent the media path and configured to adjust a fusing parameter responsive to the signal and to fuse the developing material corresponding to the image to the media and according to the fusing parameter.

Abstract: As print media advances through a paper path of an electrophotographic printer, the print media vibrates and a sympathetic response is induced in elements in contact with the print media. Rough print media vibrates more than smooth print media does. The sympathetic response induced by the print media advancing through the paper path is measured. A fuser temperature is selected using the measured sympathetic response. A higher fuser temperature is selected for print media inducing a larger sympathetic response and a lower fuser temperature is selected for print media inducing a smaller sympathetic response.

Abstract: A fixing device control system controls multiple heating elements included in the fuser so that the duty cycle of the power applied to the multiple heating elements results in an optimal temperature profile over the length of the fuser. Multiple thermistors are used in a feedback control circuit to regulate the temperature profile of the fuser. A formatter uses print data from a host to generate data defining the size and location of a printing area on the print media. Using the data defining the size and location of the printing area, the formatter generates a command to send to a controller. The controller applies power to the multiple heating elements in order to generate the fuser temperature profile corresponding to the command. In a first embodiment of the fixing device control system, the formatter generates the command by using the data defining the size and location of the printing area to access information stored in a table.

Abstract: A single pass, multi-color electrophotographic printing machine architecture uses a vertically oriented photoconductive belt. Transfer of the toner powder images occur at the lowermost portion of the photoconductive belt. The photoconductive belt is elliptically shaped, having a major and a minor axis. N image recording stations are positioned adjacent an exterior surface of the photoconductive belt on one side of the major axis thereof. N-1 image recording stations are positioned adjacent the exterior surface of the photoconductive belt on the other side of the major axis thereof. The image recording stations record electrostatic latent images on the photoconductive belt. This architecture optimizes image registration while minimizing the overall height of the printing machine.

Abstract: A floating feedhead having a variable sheetpath for an electrophotographic printing machine. A feeder for feeding sheets from the top of a stack to a processor for a printing machine is disclosed. The feedhead is of a standard retard feed type having either a nudger roll/feed roll or a feed belt in combination with a retard member to separate sheets. The feedhead is connected to the sheet delivery area of the machine by a variable length, variable speed sheetpath. The sheetpath has a drive member such as a drive nip in cooperation with the feedhead. When the sheetpath is at its longest the feedhead and variable drive member operate at a higher speed to deliver the sheets to the sheet intake area at a predetermined time interval. As sheets are fed and the sheetpath becomes shorter, the variable drive and feedhead slow to maintain proper sheet timing. The sheetpath may be of a telescopic baffle configuration or could alternatively be a variable speed vertical transport arrangement.

Abstract: An apparatus for maintaining a uniform temperature along its axis by increasing the heat transfer efficiency. The apparatus uses a sealed chamber containing a substantially pure working fluid in a two phase (liquid and vapor) condition. The vaporization and condensation of the fluid increases the heat transfer efficiency and tends to equalize temperature gradients in a body in contact with the apparatus. The apparatus is utilized in various locations in an electrophotographic printing machine and can be used as a pressure roll for a heat and pressure fuser, a support or drive roll for a photoreceptive member, a support member for a photoreceptor and a heat sink for a developer housing.

Abstract: A digital scanner includes a multipurpose registration member that has a document registration edge locate surface, a carriage horizontal locate surface, a carriage vertical locate surface, and a platen locate surface. The platen locate surface provides registration for a transparent platen and the document registration edge locate surface provides registration for a registration edge member. The carriage horizontal locate surface and the carriage vertical locate surface provides registration for a scanning carriage which abuts the slide pad. Also, the multipurpose registration member includes a document handle locate surface to registration a document handler. The inclusion of these locate surfaces on a single registration member enables efficient assembly, without extraneous manual adjustments, of a digital scanner having proper registration.

Abstract: A sheet feeding and separating apparatus for feeding sheets from a stack by exerting a drive force against the top sheet. The sheet is urged off the stack by a nudger roll toward a retard nip formed where a feed roll contacts a retard roll. The retard roll is movable relative to the feed roll, and thus is capable of producing drive forces of varying magnitude at the retard nip to propel a sheet toward the copying mechanism. A controller signals the nudger roll to urge a sheet off the stack and then monitors a sensor to determine whether the sheet passes through the retard nip. A misfeed condition occurs when the sensor fails to detect a sheet within a predetermined length of time. In response, the controller moves the retard roll toward the feed roll to increase the drive force exerted on the sheet. The retard roll is further adapted to detect the occurrence of a multifeed when multiple sheets contact the retard nip.

Abstract: A document handling system particularly suitable for electronic imaging by sequentially feeding uppermost document sheets stacked in an input tray to be imaged in forward serial order at an imaging station and restacked collated in an output tray, with a short and compact "U" shaped common document feeding path also providing the majority of a duplex document feeding path for returning duplex document sheets imaged on their first sides back to the imaging station for imaging their second sides. The input and output trays are in a space saving closely superposed relationship defining a protective confining inverter chute space therebetween within which the duplex document sheets may be fed out over the output tray by a dual mode reversible output sheet feeder at the "U" shaped path output and then reversed to feed back through a short linear duplex document feeding path into the entrance of the same "U" shaped document sheet feeding path for simplex document sheets to provide a duplex loop path.

Abstract: An automatic recovery apparatus reduces the number of shut downs due to fuser misstrips in an electrophoto-graphic device. A fuser misstrip occurs if the lead edge of a copy sheet does not emerge from the fuser nip. The fuser roller and the photoreceptor drive roller are stopped. These rollers are driven in the reverse direction until the copy sheet is released from the fuser. The rollers are then driven in the forward direction so that the copy sheet is re-fused. This automatic recovery apparatus is used for a photoreceptor misstrip. If the copy sheet remains attached to the photoreceptor belt after passing the stripping zone, it will jam in the cleaner module. If a sensor detects the copy sheet is still attached to the belt after the stripping zone, then the photoreceptor belt is reversed and the stripping procedure is repeated.

Abstract: A device for feeding sheets from a sheet tray which minimizes mis-feeds and multi-feeds. The device includes a device detecting sheet properties such as sheet basis weight and sheet size, a device selecting appropriate air parameters, such as air plenum pressure, plenum flow, and air knife pressure based on the sheet properties detected, and a device adjusting air parameters based on the appropriate air parameters selected.

Abstract: A leveled load is carried by a support on one of the exterior surfaces of a pair of outer wedges maintained in parallel spaced relation to each other by an intermediate activating wedge to which selective horizontal displacement is imparted relative to the outer wedges for vertical adjustment. Such selective displacement is imparted by rotation of a screw bolt threaded through a centering pin held in non-rotatable relation to the intermediate wedge in vertical alignment with the load support.