Abstract: A catcher includes a housing and a drop contact structure. The housing defines a liquid removal conduit. The drop contact structure includes a moveable surface that delivers collected liquid drops to the liquid removal conduit of the housing.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for arranging the spacing of magnets in an electrostatogaphic printer to eliminate steaks due to the magnetic carrier that does not move uniformly across the photoconductor surface.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for printing an image-wise ink pattern on a receiver. A primary imaging member includes a series of substantially equal-sized cells located over the substrate surface thereof. The primary imaging member has an electrically conductive layer. An ink jet printhead selectively ejects drops of ink into the primary imaging member cells in a desired image-wise ink pattern. The image-wise ink on the primary imaging member is fractionated to separate the liquid in the ink. A receiver is transported into operative association with the primary imaging member, and a transfer mechanism applies a pressure between the receiver and the primary imaging member, and establishes an electrostatic field to transfer the image-wise ink pattern to the receiver.

Abstract: In an apparatus for printing images on a moving primary imaging member by jetting ink, containing a fluid and marking particles, in an image-wise fashion onto the primary imaging member, a device for concentrating the ink prior to transferring a marking particle image to a receiver member. The ink concentrating device includes a fractionating unit for separating fluid of the ink from the marking particles. The fractionating unit is located a predetermined spaced distance from the primary image bearing member. An electrostatic field is established between the primary image bearing member and the fractionating unit for concentrating the marking particles in the liquid of the ink.

Abstract: A high speed digital printing apparatus having an imaging member, an ink jet head capable of image-wise jetting ink onto the imaging member, a mechanism for fractionating such image-wise ink on the imaging member to remove liquid therefrom, an intermediate transfer member onto which such image-wise ink is transferred from the imaging member, and a transfer member forming a nip with the intermediate transfer member for transferring a liquid-depleted image-wise ink to a receiver. An ink suitable for use in the printing press apparatus is formed by dispersing an ink concentrate with a suitable solvent.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for printing an image-wise ink pattern on a receiver. A primary imaging member includes a series of substantially equal-sized cells located over the substrate surface thereof. The primary imaging member has an electrically conductive layer. An ink jet printhead selectively ejects drops of ink into the primary imaging member cells in a desired image-wise ink pattern. The image-wise ink on the primary imaging member is fractionated to separate the liquid in the ink. A receiver is transported into operative association with the primary imaging member, and a transfer mechanism applies a pressure between the receiver and the primary imaging member, and establishes an electrostatic field to transfer the image-wise ink pattern to the receiver.

Abstract: In an apparatus for printing images on a moving primary imaging member by jetting ink, containing a fluid and marking particles, in an image-wise fashion onto the primary imaging member, a device for concentrating the ink prior to transferring a marking particle image to a receiver member. The ink concentrating device includes a fractionating unit for separating fluid of the ink from the marking particles. The fractionating unit is located a predetermined spaced distance from the primary image bearing member. An electrostatic field is established between the primary image bearing member and the fractionating unit for concentrating the marking particles in the liquid of the ink.

Abstract: A high speed digital printing apparatus having an imaging member, an ink jet head capable of image-wise jetting ink onto the imaging member, a mechanism for fractionating such image-wise ink on the imaging member to remove liquid therefrom, an intermediate transfer member onto which such image-wise ink is transferred from the imaging member, and a transfer member forming a nip with the intermediate transfer member for transferring a liquid-depleted image-wise ink to a receiver. An ink suitable for use in the printing press apparatus is formed by dispersing an ink concentrate with a suitable solvent.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for printing an image on a sheet that is to be subsequently cut from the sheet to a desired dimension or border. Digital image data is provided representing a pictorial image to be printed on the sheet as a hard copy. Information for cutting the sheet with the printed pictorial image is also provided such as by an operator input at a workstation. The image data and the instructions for cutting the sheet are used to print the pictorial image on the sheet with invisible cutting instructions being printed so as to be embedded in the printed pictorial image. The invisible cutting instructions are dispersed within the pictorial image and not necessarily located at locations where cutting is to be made according to the cutting instructions.

Abstract: Method of providing an image on a receiver, so that the image has reduced graininess. The method comprises providing a print head having a plurality of segments. A first one of the segments is capable of applying a spreading agent onto the receiver at specified locations. The spreading agent disperses (i.e., migrates) only over a predetermined area of the receiver. The remaining segments are capable of applying ink to the receiver after the spreading agent is applied to the receiver. The ink overlays the spreading agent. As the ink overlays the spreading agent, the ink is dispersed therein by action of the spreading agent. In this manner, graininess, which otherwise appears in a conventionally generated ink jet image, is reduced while sharpness of the image is maintained.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a desired image on a receiver are disclosed. The method comprises transferring marking toner particles from an intermediate transfer member to a receiver in the presence of an electric field which urges the marking toner particles toward the receiver. When transferring the marking toner particles to the intermediate transfer member, the surface of the intermediate transfer member contacts non-marking toner particles in some areas which receive marking toner particles. The intermediate transfer member comprises a blanket layer having a Young's modulus of about 10.sup.8 Newtons/m.sup.2 or less.

Abstract: A mechanism for facilitating removal of a receiver member from intimate contact with an intermediate image transfer member of a reproduction apparatus having a primary image forming member, an intermediate image transfer member including a compliant outer surface, and a mechanism for electrostatically transferring a marking particle image formed on the primary image forming member from the primary image forming member to the intermediate image transfer member and, thereafter, to a receiver member brought into intimate contact with the intermediate image transfer member. The removal facilitating mechanism includes a member, downstream of the transfer means, in substantial pressure contact with the intermediate image transfer member to compress the outer surface of the intermediate image transfer member, and pinch a receiver member off the intermediate image transfer member.

Abstract: A transfer member includes separately addressable electrodes separated from the surface of the member by a compliant layer. Preferably, the member is an intermediate transfer member having a thin, hard outer layer usable to receive toner images from an image member and to transfer them to a receiving sheet.

Abstract: A toner image is transferred to a heat softened thermoplastic outer layer of a receiving sheet. The toner is transferred from an image member predominantly by heating the receiving sheet to a temperature which both softens the thermoplastic layer and, when the thermoplastic layer contacts the toner, sinters the toner sufficiently to cause toner to adhere both to the thermoplastic layer and to other particles of toner. To prevent blistering, the temperature to which the thermoplastic layer must be raised can be lowered, for example, to 100 degrees C. by also heating the image member to a temperature, above ambient, but less than the temperature that would either do damage to the image member or cause the toner to stick to it.

Abstract: This invention provides the method of centrifugal casting consisting of the steps of: adding a polymeric material to a centrifugal apparatus; centrifuging said polymeric material until said polymeric material is cast; removing said cast polymeric material from said centrifugal apparatus; and mounting said cast polymeric material to an outside surface of a support, whereby the air interface side of said cast polymeric material is furthest from the outside surface of the support.

Abstract: In an electronic color printing process in which an array of images from respective frames of a filmstrip or the like is provided on print receiver sheets or alternative storage media from information signals representing image information, producing prints from the array of images. The prints are produced by prescanning, at low resolution, an array of images contained on respective frames of a filmstrip or the like. Information data, obtained during low resolution prescanning, of at least the scene content of the respective images, are stored and operating parameters based on the stored information data are calculated to determine required process functions of the electronic printing process. Based on the determined required process functions, optimum process functions for the electronic printing process are set.

Abstract: The level of charge on toner in a developer is sensed or otherwise determined in an image forming apparatus. In response to such determination, a charge control member is adjusted between positions in which it triboelectrically charges the toner more or less because of greater or lesser contact with the toner.

Abstract: Disclosed is an interdispersed two-phase ferrite composite which comprises, as a ferromagnetic phase, a magnetically hard ferrite material having a hexagonal crystalline structure of the general formula R.sub.x P.sub.(1-x) Fe.sub.12 O.sub.19 where R is selected from rare earth elements, P is selected from the group consisting of strontium, barium, lead, calcium and mixtures thereof and x has a value of from about 0.1 to about 0.4 exhibiting a coercivity of at least 300 Oersteds when magnetically saturated and an induced magnetic moment of at least 20 EMU/g when in an applied magnetic field of 1000 Oersteds and, as a ferroelectric phase, a ferroelectric material comprised of at least one of the double oxides of titanium, zirconium, tin, hafnium or germanium and either an alkaline earth or lead or cadmium, in which the mole ratio of the ferromagnetic phase to the ferroelectric phase is from about 1:1 to about 1:4.

Abstract: Disclosed is an interdispersed two-phase ferrite composite which comprises, as a ferromagnetic phase, a magnetically hard ferrite material having a hexagonal crystalline structure of the general formula MO.6Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 in which M is selected from the group consisting of strontium, barium, lead and mixtures thereof exhibiting a coercivity of at least 300 Oersteds when magnetically saturated and an induced magnetic moment of at least 20 EMU/g when in an applied magnetic field of 1000 Oersteds and, as a ferroelectric phase, a ferroelectric material comprised of at least one of the double oxides of titanium, zirconium, tin, hafnium or germanium and either an alkaline earth or lead or cadmium, in which the mole ratio of the ferromagnetic phase to the ferroelectric phase is from about 1:1 to about 1:4.

Abstract: Disclosed is an interdispersed two-phase ferrite composite which comprises about 0.1 mole to about 1.0 mole of a spinel phase having the general formula MFe.sub.2 O.sub.4 where M is at least one element that forms a spinel ferrite and is selected from the group consisting of cobalt, manganese, iron and mixtures thereof, to about 2.5 moles of a magnetoplumbite phase having the general formula PO.6Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, where P is selected from the group consisting of stontium, barium, calcium, lead and mixtures thereof.Also disclosed are carrier particles formed from magnetized particles of the composite which optionally can be polymerically coated, an electrostatic two-component dry developer composition comprising charged toner particles mixed with oppositely charged carrier particles formed from magnetized, and optionally polymerically coated, particles of the composite, and a method of developing an electrostastic image by contacting the image with a two-component dry developer composition described above.