Abstract: The present disclosure provides apparatus and method for supplying uninterrupted flow of solid-ink pellets to an image-forming device. The apparatus includes a container for retaining solid-ink pellets, and a selectably-inflatable bladder disposed within the container. Further, the apparatus includes a tube communicating the bladder with a pressure supply.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides apparatus and method for supplying uninterrupted flow of solid-ink pellets to an image-forming device. The apparatus includes a container for retaining solid-ink pellets, and a selectably-inflatable bladder disposed within the container. Further, the apparatus includes a tube communicating the bladder with a pressure supply.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides apparatus and method for supplying uninterrupted flow of solid-ink pellets to an image-forming device. The apparatus includes a container for retaining solid-ink pellets, and a selectably-inflatable bladder disposed within the container. Further, the apparatus includes a tube communicating the bladder with a pressure supply.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides apparatus and method for supplying uninterrupted flow of solid-ink pellets to an image-forming device. The apparatus includes a container for retaining solid-ink pellets, and a selectably-inflatable bladder disposed within the container. Further, the apparatus includes a tube communicating the bladder with a pressure supply.

Abstract: A drip bib has been configured for use with a printhead of an imaging device that facilitates removal of purged ink from a printhead. The drip bib includes a plate having a front face, a rear face, an upper edge, and a lower edge, and at least one elongated recess on the rear face of the plate and positioned along the upper edge of the plate, the at least one elongated recess enabling the front face of the plate to be recessed with respect to the faceplate of the printhead to which the drip bib is mounted.

Abstract: A drip bib has been configured for use with a printhead of an imaging device that facilitates removal of purged ink from a printhead. The drip bib includes a plate having a front face, a rear face, an upper edge, and a lower edge, and at least one elongated recess on the rear face of the plate and positioned along the upper edge of the plate, the at least one elongated recess enabling the front face of the plate to be recessed with respect to the faceplate of the printhead to which the drip bib is mounted.

Abstract: This is a cleaning blade useful in an electrophotographic marking system. Under certain conditions, cleaning blades will tuck when the blade continuously contacts a photoconductive surface of this marking system. This tucking causes abrading and damage to the moving photoconductive surface. To prevent or minimize tucking, a blade stiffener is used in this invention in either an add-on or as a part of the originally-manufactured elastomeric blade.

Abstract: This is a cleaning blade useful in an electrophotographic marking system. Under certain conditions, cleaning blades will tuck when the blade continuously contacts a photoconductive surface of this marking system. This tucking causes abrading and damage to the moving photoconductive surface. To prevent or minimize tucking, a blade stiffener is used in this invention in either an add-on or as a part of the originally-manufactured elastomeric blade.

Abstract: A method for operating a cleaning device having a preclean charging device for improved cleaning latitude on an imageable surface, including: moving imageable surface in a process direction through a cleaning zone, selecting a portion of the imageable surface moving through the cleaning zone; providing an initial pre-clean current to the selected portion of the imageable surface; and during the moving step, changing, the preclean current to the selected portion of the imageable surface.

Abstract: A cleaning and spots blade lubricating apparatus and method, the apparatus for the method includes (a) a pre-clean charging device including a first bias having a first polarity; (b) a cleaning device having (1) a cleaning mode including a second bias having a second polarity opposite the first polarity, and (ii) a non cleaning mode including a third bias having a third polarity; (c) a spots blade for removing random spots from a moving photoreceptor surface being cleaned; and (d) a programmable controller connected to the pre-clean charging device and to the cleaning device for forming a lubricating residual toner stripe on a portion of the moving photoreceptor surface, the programmable controller intermittently and momentarily switching the cleaning device from the cleaning mode to the non-cleaning mode for forming the lubricating residual toner stripe.

Abstract: A surface-treating apparatus has a dual-purpose surface-treating blade assembly that includes a blade holder for holding and loading a blade member, and a one-piece blade member having a first edge mounted to the blade holder and a second edge for contacting and treating a surface. The one-piece blade member has a mid-portion for applying a first edge-loading force to lightly contact and remove random spots from a central imaging region of the surface, a first end portion, and a second end portion. The dual-purpose blade assembly also includes a first shim device and a second shim device assembled respectively to the first end portion and to the second end portion of the blade member for stiffening such end portions and increasing a magnitude of each of a second and a third different edge-loading forces at such end portions relative to the first edge-loading force.