Abstract: A FreeTherm thermal energy storage system includes an ice-water shallow pool used for storing and extracting thermal energy cyclically, by thawing the ice and freezing water intra-seasonally. A series of heat extractors positioned within the shallow pool are adapted to extract heat during the formation of ice. Bladders are connected to the heat extractors and also connected to a conventional heat pump and have an anti-freeze mix that is maintained at sub-freezing temperatures flowing through their interiors to remove heat from the heat extractors. The extractors have concave-downward surfaces for extracting heat from water to produce ice. The heat extractors are made of flexible material that can be expanded to release ice from their surfaces, and are adapted to pivot up and out of the way to allow the released ice to float to the top of the reservoir.

Abstract: A process for creating an image with improved quality and durability by depositing an ink image onto a toner composition residing on a substrate.

Abstract: In one corona charging arrangement described in the specification, a coronode supplied with AC voltage is contacted by an insulating member in the form of a mesh of insulating filaments or an imperforate dielectric insulating member or filaments wound around an insulating member and retaining the coronode in fixed position with respect to the insulating member. In another embodiment, the insulating member is a layer of dielectric material coated on a coronode in the form of a corona wire and a capacitor is connected between the AC voltage source and the coronode. By providing an insulating structure for a coronode and applying a DC biased AC voltage to the coronode, improved charging efficiency with respect to prior art arrangements is obtained while reducing generation of ozone and nitrates and increased charging currents are obtained to provide high charging rates without arcing.

Abstract: A process including:

Abstract: A process including: depositing a colorless toner onto a substrate; depositing at least one ink image onto the colorless toner and substrate; and fixing the resulting ink image onto the substrate.

Abstract: An AC corona charging arrangement includes a corona generating device connected through a capacitive connection to an AC voltage source and partially surrounded by a conductive shield connected to DC voltage source. In one embodiment the corona generating device is a wire having a diameter of about 50 microns and in another embodiment the corona generating device is a row of pins connected through corresponding capacitance to the AC voltage source. The presence of a capacitance between the AC voltage source and the corona generating device provides a curve representing the relationship between the current between the charging device and an adjacent conductive plate and the shield voltage which is concave downwardly, resulting in a high charging rate and greater uniformity of charging of a photoreceptor surface.

Abstract: Electrorheological based acoustic droplet ejectors and their applications in acoustic print heads are described. The droplet ejectors include an acoustic transducer which generates acoustic energy into a fluid well holding an electrorheological fluid such that the fluid's free surface is adjacent electric field electrodes. The acoustic energy is such that droplets are ejected from the fluid as long as a lower voltage is applied to the electrodes. However, when a higher voltage is applied to the field electrodes, the electrodes produce an electric field through the fluid which causes the viscosity of the fluid to increase sufficiently that droplet ejection is prevented. When used in a print head, the electrorheological fluid is an ink. Further, many (perhaps thousands) of individual droplet ejectors are formed in the print head. By controlling droplet ejection from the individual print heads, an image can be produced on a recording medium.

Abstract: A migration imaging member includes a support substrate, a relatively thick dielectric spacer layer situated on the support substrate, and a softenable layer situated on the dielectric spacer layer, with the softenable layer including a softenable material, and a migration marking material situated at or near the surface of the softenable layer farthest spaced from the support substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reproducing color images using a non-interactive pyroelectric imaging process is disclosed. More specifically, the present invention is used to generate multiple layers of toner on the top surface of a pyroelectric imaging member without physical contact to the imaging member top surface. The ability to generate a composite image with different materials in this manner enables printing machines to use a pyroelectric imaging process to generate color images in the image on image (I-O-I) mode.

Abstract: A single piece, planar, integral corona generating device that applies a uniform charge to a charge retentive surface, including a dielectric layer, corona producing element formed on one side of the dielectric layer, reference electrode positioned on the other side of the dielectric layer, for controlling the charge level placed on the charge retentive surface by the corona producing element, for applying a low DC voltage to the reference electrode; and AC high voltage connected to the corona producing element for applying sufficient voltage to the corona producing elements so that ions are emitted from the reference electrode.

Abstract: A charging apparatus that prevents fogging due to light generated by a corona source. The charging apparatus includes two offset reference electrodes lying in separate horizontal planes or a light eclipsing element positioned between a corona source and an electrode member.

Abstract: An ionographic printer directs a stream of ions from a source to a charge receptor to create an electrostatic latent image thereon. The ion stream passes through a relatively large aperture having associated therewith a focusing pinch electrode for narrowing the ion stream to a preselected width, displacing electrodes for positioning the narrowed ion stream within the aperture, and focus electrodes. Varying the biases of the displacing electrodes causes the ion stream to scan across the aperture to deposit multiple spots of charged areas at desired locations on the receptor. Varying the biases of the focus electrodes cures positional and ion-stream cross-section anomalies.

Abstract: A multi-color printer using a stretch toner release development system to provide either partial or full color copies with minimal degradation of developed toner patterns by subsequent over-development with additional colors and minimal back contamination of developer materials. Multiple scanning beams, each modulated in accordance with distinct color image signals, are scanned across the printer's photoreceptor at relatively widely separated points, there being a buffer provided to control timing of the different color image signals to assure registration of the color images with one another. Each color image is developed prior to scanning of the photoreceptor by the next succeeding beam. After developing of the last color image, the composite color image is transferred to a copy sheet. Development is accomplished by stretching the surface of a toner carrying member and thereby reducing the net force of adhesion of toner to the surface of the toner carrying member.

Abstract: A printing machine adapted to print an image on a plurality of different predefined sized sheets, including an imaging member adapted to receive the image on a plurality of predefined image areas on the surface of the imaging member. A selector is provided for selecting one of the plurality of different predefined sized sheets to be printed on. And, a corona generating device is provided for charging only one of the plurality of different predefined image areas associated with the one of the plurality of different predefined sized sheets selected.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for printing using an intermediate member acting as a receptor for marking particles representing an image. The marking particles may be deposited directly or indirectly on the member, after which time the member is exposed, via an internal heat source, to an elevated temperature sufficient to cause the melting and coalescing of the marking particles. Subsequently, the intermediate member is advanced so as to place the tackified marking particles present on the outer surface thereof into intimate contact with the surface of a recording sheet.

Abstract: An ionographic printer directs a stream of ions from a source to a charge receptor to create an electrostatic latent image thereon. The ion stream passes through a relatively large aperture having associated therewith a pinch electrode for narrowing the ion stream to a preselected width, and displacing electrodes for positioning the narrowed ion stream within the aperture. Varying the biases of the displacing electrodes causes the ion stream to scan across the aperture to deposit multiple spots of charged areas at desired locations on the receptor. The electrodes can be designed to compensate for spot placement skew and anomalies in the cross-sectional shape of the displaced ion stream.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for printing using an intermediate member acting as a receptor for marking particles representing an image. The marking particles may be deposited directly or indirectly on the member, after which time the member is exposed, via an internal heat source, to an elevated temperature sufficient to cause the melting and coalescing of the marking particles. Subsequently, the intermediate member is advanced so as to place the tackified marking particles present on the outer surface thereof into intimate contact with the surface of a recording sheet.

Abstract: An ionographic printer directs a stream of ions from a source to a charge receptor to create an electrostatic latent image thereon. The ion stream passes through a relatively large aperture having associated therewith a focusing pinch electrode for narrowing the ion stream to a preselected width, and displacing electrodes for positioning the narrowed ion stream within the aperture. Varying the biases of the displacing electrodes causes the ion stream to scan across the aperture to deposit multiple spots of charged areas at desired locations on the receptor.

Abstract: There is disclosed a heat pump comprising a vapor-compression refrigeration system wherein the heat pump evaporator extracts heat from a low temperature heat exchanger in the form of a water-immiscible fluid, and delivers the extracted heat to another location by means of a condenser. The water-immiscible fluid is maintained at a temperature of virtually 0.degree. C. by the injection of many small droplets of water that freeze to form beads of ice as they settle in the fluid. The beads can then be separated and delivered to a combined ice-water reservoir. The heat extracted from the water-immiscible fluid and the injected water droplets is replaced in the ice-water reservoir from natural heat sources, such as a ground loop, a solar panel or an air-water heat exchanger. The heat provided by the ice-water reservoir includes its latent heat of fusion, which acts as a buffer when heat demand exceeds the rate of heat available from natural sources.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for forming images which comprises (a) incorporating into a thermal transfer printing apparatus a multi-use thermal transfer element comprising a substrate upon which is situated a porous sponge layer filled with ink; (b) applying heat imagewise to a portion of the substrate to heat the ink contained in the porous sponge layer, thereby enabling transfer of the ink in imagewise fashion from the porous sponge layer to a receiver sheet in contact with the porous sponge layer; (c) thereafter separating the receiver sheet of step (b) from the transfer element, (d) subsequently contacting the porous layer situated on the portion of the substrate heated in step (b) with a receiver sheet; and (e) thereafter applying heat imagewise to the portion of the substrate previously heated in step (b) to heat the ink contained in the porous sponge layer, thereby enabling transfer of the ink in imagewise fashion from the porous sponge layer to the receiver sheet of step (d).