Abstract: A bar for a web transport system in a printing system can include a first set of pins extending outward from an exterior surface of the bar and a replaceable cover wrapped over at least a portion of an exterior surface of the bar. The replaceable cover includes a plurality of openings at one end of the cover with at least a portion of the openings positioned at the locations of respective pins. Fasteners attached at another end of the cover are adapted to removably attach the cover over the bar.

Abstract: A method for reducing artifacts on a toned sheet caused by buckling during fusing includes providing two compliant rollers that form a fusing nip for fusing the toned sheet. A control drives at least one of the rollers at a nominal speed to cause the rollers to rotate and there after increasing the roller speed to high speed prior to the sheet arriving at the fusing nip and after the sheet is in the nip decreasing the drive speed back to the nominal speed.

Abstract: A method of making a slotted scavenger wherein a rigid sheet is used as a starting material. A slot is formed through the sheet having horizontally angled sidewalls such that an opening of the slot on a first major surface of the sheet is smaller than an opening of the slot in a second major surface of the sheet. Modifications of the method include using a rotating cutting tool for cutting through the sheet to form slots.

Abstract: A method of synchronizing the timing of a plurality of physically coupled print engines wherein the receiving sheet is inverted between a first and a second print engine including determining any change in the speed of the master print engine relative to the speed at original set up and adjusting the timing parameters within the slave print engines based on the speed of the master engine.

Abstract: A printer having a developer station for holding a supply of developer which includes magnetized carrier particles, a magnetized development roller, and an imaging roller proximate the development roller which collects carrier particles during operation of the printer. A scavenger proximate the imaging roller and the development roller removes the carrier particles from the imaging roller during operation of the printer which are then urged through a slot in the scavenger by the magnetized development roller.

Abstract: The adjustment method aligns printing engines in a print assembly that is capable of printing on a receiver to form one or more final prints and includes corrections for cross-track misregistration. These adjustments are made in one embodiment by aligning two or more printing engines in an x and y direction relative to a paper path cross track reference and then aligning each printing engines in a cross track direction (z direction) relative to the paper path cross track reference based on measurements in the cross track direction (z direction) relative to the paper path cross track reference.

Abstract: A method of increasing productivity in a reproduction apparatus wherein a first print engine and a second print engine are coupled by an inverter and synchronized. Each sheet of a plurality of receiver sheets is selectively printed in an invert mode or a non-invert mode. A difference of a travel time of a first receiver sheet in an invert path through the inverter in the invert mode as compared to a travel time of a second receiver sheet in a non-invert path through the inverter in the non-invert mode is adjusted so that the difference is an integral multiple of a period between the receiver sheets. Frames on a dielectric support member in the appropriate print engine are skipped when switching between invert mode and non-invert mode.

Abstract: A print engine synchronization system apparatus enables the movement of a first print engine dielectric support member (DSM) having one or more image frames as well as the movement of a second print engine DSM having one or more image frames by monitoring a first frame signal from the moving first print engine DSM and a second frame signal from the moving second print engine DSM. An offset is determined for each of corresponding pairs of frames from the one or more image frames of the first and second print engine DSM and the determined offset for each corresponding pair of frames is compared to a target offset to maintain synchronization between the first and second print engines on a frame by frame basis by adjusting a second print engine DSM velocity based on the comparison of the determined offset and the target offset.

Abstract: A method for reducing artifacts on a toned sheet caused by buckling during fusing includes providing two compliant rollers that form a fusing nip for fusing the toned sheet. A control drives at least one of the rollers at a nominal speed to cause the rollers to rotate and there after increasing the roller speed to high speed prior to the sheet arriving at the fusing nip and after the sheet is in the nip increasing the drive speed back to the nominal speed.

Abstract: Apparatus for retaining a contaminating substance in a working volume containing a gas includes a movable surface disposed adjacent to the working volume. A barrier is spaced apart from the surface ahead of the working volume in the direction of motion of the surface so that a gap is defined between the barrier and the surface. The gap is selected so that a stream of gas is carried by the moving surface through the gap into the working volume and the contaminating substance in the working volume is urged away from the gap, thereby reducing flow of the contaminating substance through the gap.

Abstract: A print engine synchronization method enables the movement of a first print engine dielectric support member (DSM) having one or more image frames as well as the movement of a second print engine DSM having one or more image frames by monitoring a first frame signal from the moving first print engine DSM and a second frame signal from the moving second print engine DSM. An offset is determined for each of corresponding pairs of frames from the one or more image frames of the first and second print engine DSM and the determined offset for each corresponding pair of frames is compared to a target offset to maintain synchronization between the first and second print engines on a frame by frame basis by adjusting a second print engine DSM velocity based on the comparison of the determined offset and the target offset.

Abstract: A method of making a slotted scavenger wherein a rigid sheet is used as a starting material. A slot is formed through the sheet having horizontally angled sidewalls such that an opening of the slot on a first major surface of the sheet is smaller than an opening of the slot in a second major surface of the sheet. Modifications of the method include using a rotating cutting tool for cutting through the sheet to form slots.

Abstract: A printer having a developer station for holding a supply of developer which includes magnetized carrier particles, a magnetized development roller, and an imaging roller proximate the development roller which collects carrier particles during operation of the printer. A scavenger proximate the imaging roller and the development roller removes the carrier particles from the imaging roller during operation of the printer which are then urged through a slot in the scavenger by the magnetized development roller.

Abstract: The adjustment method aligns printing engines in a print assembly that is capable of printing on a receiver to form one or more final prints and includes corrections for cross-track misregistration. These adjustments are made in one embodiment by aligning two or more printing engines in an x and y direction relative to a receiver reference and then aligning each printing engines in a cross track direction (z direction) relative to the receiver reference based on measurements in the cross track direction (z direction).

Abstract: A productivity module for increasing duplex throughput of a first print engine includes a second print engine, a controller, and an inverter. The controller is configured to receive one or more timing signals from the first print engine and synchronize timing of the second print engine with the first print engine based at least in part on the timing signals received from the first print engine. The inverter has an input paper path having an entrance configured to accept one or more receiver sheets from the first print engine; an output paper path having an exit configured to supply the one or more receiver sheets to the second print engine; and an inversion paper path having an entrance coupled to an exit of the input paper path and an exit coupled to an entrance of the output paper path.

Abstract: A magnetic brush development station for a reproduction apparatus has a housing forming, at least in part, a reservoir for developer material; a developer roller mounted within the housing for delivering developer material to a dielectric support member in a development zone; a transport mechanism for transporting developer material from the reservoir to the developer roller; a metering skive for establishing a developer material metering gap; and a mechanism for selectively moving the metering skive to an operative position relative to the developer roller and to a position remote from the developer roller, wherein a build up of contamination at the metering gap between the metering skive and the developer roller can be substantially prevented. A method of removing a skive blockage from a metering skive in a magnetic brush developer station is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of increasing productivity in a reproduction apparatus includes providing a first print engine and a second print engine. The engines are coupled by an inverter so that each sheet of a plurality of receiver sheets is selectively printed in an invert mode or a non-invert mode. A difference of a travel time of a first receiver sheet in an invert path through the inverter in the invert mode as compared to a travel time of a second receiver sheet in a non-invert path through the inverter in the non-invert mode is adjusted so that the difference is an integral multiple of a period between the receiver sheets.

Abstract: A method for recirculating carrier back into a printer developer station by forming a horizontal slot in the face of the scavenger electrode. The carrier is urged through the slot and into the developer station by magnetic force to prevent the build up of carrier on the scavenger.

Abstract: A magnetic brush development station for a reproduction apparatus has a housing forming, at least in part, a reservoir for developer material; a developer roller mounted within the housing for delivering developer material to a dielectric support member in a development zone; a transport mechanism for transporting developer material from the reservoir to the developer roller; a metering skive for establishing a developer material metering gap; and a mechanism for selectively moving the metering skive to an operative position relative to the developer roller and to a position remote from the developer roller, wherein a build up of contamination at the metering gap between the metering skive and the developer roller can be substantially prevented. A method of removing a skive blockage from a metering skive in a magnetic brush developer station is also disclosed.

Abstract: The adjustment method aligns printing engines in a print assembly that is capable of printing on a receiver to form one or more final prints and includes corrections for cross-track misregistration. These adjustments are made in one embodiment by aligning two or more printing engines in an x and y direction relative to a paper path cross track reference and then aligning each printing engines in a cross track direction (z direction) relative to the paper path cross track reference based on measurements in the cross track direction (z direction) relative to the paper path cross track reference.