Abstract: An apparatus for producing pieces of mail includes mail handling assemblies; and a printing module connected to the mail handling assemblies and having a first printing position, a second printing position, a moveable carriage for moving to and from the first printing position and the second printing position, and a first printhead cartridge mounted at a first location on the moveable carriage and including a first printhead having a first path of movement with the moveable carriage at and through the first printing position and the second printing position. The printing module also includes a second printhead cartridge mounted at a second location on the moveable carriage for increasing a width of a swath printed by the first printhead cartridge and the second printhead cartridge. The second printhead cartridge includes a second printhead having a second path of movement with the moveable carriage at and through the first printing position and the second printing position.

Abstract: A media transport system for transporting a media sheet in a marking device includes an entrance drive assembly, an exit drive assembly and a vacuum generator that applies a vacuum force to the media sheet to form a wide, flat printing zone. The entrance drive assembly receives and transports the media sheet in a process direction by contacting top and bottom surfaces of the media sheet, thereby exerting an entrance drive force on the media sheet. The exit drive assembly receives and transports the media sheet by contacting the top and bottom surfaces of the media sheet, thereby exerting an exit drive force on the media sheet. The vacuum force is applied to the media sheet in an area of the media sheet between the entrance drive assembly and the exit drive assembly. The vacuum force on the media sheet acts in a vacuum force direction substantially normal to the process direction.

Abstract: A printing machine for printing on regular-stock type substrates and on card-stock type substrates includes a rotatable drum member having an outer surface for contacting regular-stock and card-stock type substrates; a first path for moving and printing on regular-stock type substrates, the first path including a curved portion defined by the outer surface of the rotatable drum member, and a first printing station; and a second path for moving and printing on card-stock type substrates, the second path being substantially straight and including a second printing station separate from the first printing station.

Abstract: In a liquid ink printer transport belt located between a liquid ink printhead and a vacuum holddown device includes apertures for applying a vacuum to the recording medium and for enabling the liquid ink printhead to purge ink through the apertures in the absence of the recording medium without slowing or stopping the belt. The vacuum holddown device includes a platen located beneath the belt for applying a vacuum through the apertures and gutters or slots for collecting ink from the liquid ink printheads during printing. The combination of belt and platen or apertures and gutters or slots provides continuous communication of the vacuum to the recording media as the belt moves across the platen and through a dryer. The transport belt enables the use of a single transport for both imaging and drying.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for degassing a liquid, comprising: a liquid supply and an outlet communicating with the liquid supply via a flow path; a degassing tank, disposed in the flow path between the liquid supply and the outlet, the degassing tank incorporating a gas-permeable vent; a means for moving the liquid along the flow path; and a heater, disposed in the flow path between the degassing tank and the outlet, for heating the liquid and thereby removing gas therefrom. The apparatus is particularly suited to the ink supply system of a thermal ink jet printer where the removal of gases dissolved in the ink improves print quality.

Abstract: A reproduction machine adapted for producing copies of an original on both sides of a copy sheet and forwarding the finished copy to a collator. An inverter-reverser is employed which allows single-sided copy to a waiting station for subsequent processing to allow copying on the reverse side of the sheet to produce duplex copies, and for inverting duplex copies prior to delivery to the collator to provide the required sheet orientation in the collator. A sheet buckle control device cooperates with the inverter-reverser to insure that papers of widely different paper sizes, weights and stiffness will be inverted during the inverting stage of delivery of duplex copies.

Abstract: A liquid drop (i.e. ink jet) printing system is disclosed of the type wherein many parallel drop streams are continuously generated. Selected drops from each stream are deflected laterally to address the multiple pixels of a segment of a raster image scan line. The scan line segments addressed by each stream collectively compose a full scan line of a raster image. The drops are deflected by electrostatic fields tilted relative to the scan line to compensate for drop placement errors due to the relative motion between a target and the drop generator. The tilted fields are created in the spaces between interleaved teeth of two electrode members resembling garden rakes. The teeth are triangular, in cross-section at least partially, to tilt the fields. In addition, a drop collection gutter is positioned adjacent each tooth of one of the rake members. The gutter collects drops from adjacent streams not intended for marking a target. The drops within adjacent streams are swept in opposite directions.

Abstract: A multiple drop stream ink jet or fluid drop recording method and apparatus is described in which at least every other deflection electrode includes a gutter or drop collection device inside the electrode. The recording system for which the gutter deflection electrode is intended is one wherein each of the multiple drop streams has a a pair of deflection electrodes associated with it thereby leaving minimal lateral and forward space for a gutter device. The gutter is hidden. That is, the mouth to the gutter faces downstream and is not accessable by drops in flight. Rather, drops first impact collision surfaces on the sides of a gutter deflection electrode. The resultant fluid surface stream flows around a curved end surface of the gutter deflection electrode and enters the gutter through the downstream facing mouth.

Abstract: A photoelectrophoretic imaging machine for producing, in a preferred embodiment, full color copies from opaque originals or, alternatively, copies from transparencies.In a preferred embodiment, the formation of photoelectrophoretic images occurs between two thin injecting and blocking webs at least one of which is partially transparent and the image formed is transferred to a paper web. The injecting and blocking webs may be disposable, thus, cleaning systems are not required. The injecting web is provided with a conductive surface and is driven in a path to the inking station where a layer of photoelectrophoretic ink is applied to the conductive web surface. The inked injecting web is driven in a path passing in close proximity to a deposition scorotron at the precharge station and into contact with the blocking web to form the ink-web sandwich at the imaging roller in the imaging zone.

Abstract: Photoelectrophoretic apparatus for accomplishing transfer and fixing in one step by application of heat and pressure. In an alternative embodiment, an electric field is provided simultaneously with the application of heat and pressure.

Abstract: A system employing at least one separation roller continuously contacting the outside surface of a web and tracked to move in a fixed approximately elliptical path, for compensating for web motion during separation of the web from another surface to enable a bead of accumulated material built up at the line of contact between the web and the other surface to pass therebetween without changing the web velocity. During the separation period, the advancing velocity of at least one surface is reduced so that at least one surface is advanced at a slower rate than its rate prior to separation, or stopped. In a preferred embodiment, the system is employed in photoelectrophoretic imaging to bypass a bead of imaging suspension built up at the imaging nip during separation of two webs immediately after completion of imaging to thereby permit dissipation or passage of the liquid bead without changing the advancing web velocity by reason of the separation operation.

Abstract: A system for compensating for motion during separation of a web from another surface to enable a bead of accumulated material built up at the line of contact between the web and the other surface to pass therebetween without changing the web velocity. In a preferred embodiment, the system is employed in photoelectrophoretic imaging to bypass a bead of imaging suspension built up at the imaging nip during separation of two webs immediately after completion of imaging to thereby permit dissipation or passage of the liquid bead without changing the advancing web velocity.

Abstract: A photoelectrophoretic imaging machine for producing, in a preferred embodiment, full color copies from opaque originals or, alternatively, copies from transparencies.In a preferred embodiment, the formation of photoelectrophoretic images occur between two thin injecting and blocking webs at least one of which is partially transparent and the image formed is transferred to a paper web. The injecting and blocking webs may be disposable, thus, cleaning systems are not required. The injecting web is provided with a conductive surface and is driven in a path to the inking station where a layer of photoelectrophoretic ink is applied to the conductive web surface. The inked injecting web is driven in a path passing the deposition scorotron at the precharge station and into contact with the blocking web to form the inkweb sandwich at the imaging roller in the imaging zone.

Abstract: A system for separating one surface, preferably a web, from another surface to enable a bead of accumulated material built up at the line of contact between the two surfaces to pass therebetween. During the separation period, the advancing velocity of at least one surface is reduced so that at least one surface is advanced at a slower rate than its rate prior to separation, or stopped. In a preferred embodiment, the system is employed in photoelectrophoretic imaging to bypass a bead of imaging suspension built up at the imaging nip during separation of two webs immediately after completion of imaging to thereby permit dissipation or passage of the liquid bead. During the separation period, the surface, preferably a web, which does not carry the desired image, is advanced at a slower rate than its prior rate and slower than the other surface, or stopped.

Abstract: A photoelectrophoretic imaging machine for producing, in a preferred embodiment, full color copies from opaque originals, or alternatively, copies from transparencies.In a preferred embodiment, the formation of photoelectrophoretic images occurs between two thin injecting and blocking webs at least one of which is partially transparent and the image formed is transferred to a paper web. The injecting and blocking webs may be disposable, thus, cleaning systems are not required. The injecting web is provided with a conductive surface and is driven in a path to the inking station where a layer of photoelectrophoretic ink is applied to the conductive web surface. The inked injecting web is driven in a path passing in close proximity to a deposition scorotron at the precharge station and into contact with the blocking web to form the ink-web sandwich at the imaging roller in the imaging zone.

Abstract: A photoelectrophoretic imaging apparatus web tension system for providing, in a preferred embodiment, constant tension to at least two webs. The drive rolls for each web are driven by a common drive motor through a gear box. In one embodiment a first web supply roll is connected to a hysteresis type brake which torque is controlled by a radius sensor riding on the supply roll. The radius sensor maintains constant tension in the web coming off the supply roll. From the supply roll, the web is transported around a friction capstan roller which is connected to another hysteresis brake set at a constant torque level. A takeup capstan roller and rewind roll supply tension to the web being rewound onto the rewind roll through hysteresis type clutches which are overdriven by an A.C. motor and gear box. The clutch at the takeup capstan roller is set at a constant torque level.

Abstract: A photoelctrophoretic imaging apparatus for controlling tension of a transported conductive web. In a preferred embodiment, the web tension is controlled by an electrostatic capstan roller driven by an A.C. motor and gear box through an overdriven clutch. Tension is supplied to the web from the electrostatic capstan roller through electrostatic tacking force between the roller and the web. The electrostatic tacking force is obtained by grounding the conductive side of the web and applying a pulsed D.C. voltage to the rolls.

Abstract: A system employing at least one separation roller continuously contacting the outside surface of a web and tracked to move in a fixed approximately elliptical path, for compensating for web motion during separation of the web from another surface to enable a bead of accumulated material built up at the line of contact between the web and the other surface to pass therebetween without changing the web velocity. During the separation period, the advancing velocity of at least one surface is reduced so that at least one surface is advanced at a slower rate than its rate prior to separation, or stopped. In a preferred embodiment, the system is employed in photoelectrophoretic imaging to bypass a bead of imaging suspension built up at the imaging nip during separation of two webs immediately after completion of imaging to thereby permit dissipation or passage of the liquid bead without changing the advancing web velocity by reason of the separation operation.