Abstract: A device to aid in establishing intravenous access by means of a sequential trapping and displacing of the venous blood in a top to bottom action down an extremity, resulting in a localized increase in the diameter of the veins, due to increased, trapped blood volume. The resulting distention of the vessels produces a stabilizing effect, thereby decreasing vascular mobility and rolling. The combination of vessel distention and stabilization greatly facilitates the obtaining of a patent I.V. The sequential trapping and milking of venous blood toward the extremity is accomplished via a specialized inflatable bladder.

Abstract: Heat rolls and fuser belts utilized in the fusing step of the electrophotographic process are disclosed. These belts and rollers eliminate toner offset while still maintaining excellent release characteristics of the printed page from the fuser. The heat rolls comprise a core member having coated thereon a plurality of concentric layers, wherein at least one of said layers (preferably the top layer) does not contain electrically conductive materials and wherein the roll exhibits electrical breakdown at about 250 volts or less. The fuser belts comprise a heat resistant resin substrate (such as a polyimide belt) carrying thereon a plurality of layers coating the outer surface of said belt, wherein at least one of said layers (preferably the top layer) does not contain electrically conductive materials and wherein the belt exhibits electrical breakdown at about 250 volts or less.

Abstract: Heat rolls and fuser belts utilized in the fusing step of the electrophotographic process are disclosed. These belts and rollers eliminate toner offset while still maintaining excellent release characteristics of the printed page from the fuser. The heat rolls comprise a core member having coated thereon a plurality of concentric layers, wherein at least one of said layers (preferably the top layer) does not contain electrically conductive materials and wherein the roll exhibits electrical breakdown at about 250 volts or less. The fuser belts comprise a heat resistant resin substrate (such as a polyimide belt) carrying thereon a plurality of layers coating the outer surface of said belt, wherein at least one of said layers (preferably the top layer) does not contain electrically conductive materials and wherein the belt exhibits electrical breakdown at about 250 volts or less.

Abstract: The present invention involves a network polling protocol which treats the network as a logical ring or linear sequence of nodes linked together so that a polling request is simply propagated down or around the network one node at a time until a complete inventory of active nodes is achieved. The protocols also includes procedures for curing or repairing breaks in the linking protocol and for adding new nodes to the linking protocol. The linking protocol can also be used to establish hierarchal linked networks where top level hierarchies includes addresses to a permanent member of a linked network and bottom level hierarchies are a given linked network.

Abstract: Heat rolls and fuser belts utilized in the fusing step of the electrophotographic process are disclosed. These belts and rollers eliminate toner offset while still maintaining excellent release characteristics of the printed page from the fuser. The heat rolls comprise a core member having coated thereon a plurality of concentric layers, wherein at least one of said layers (preferably the top layer) does not contain electrically conductive materials and wherein the roll exhibits electrical breakdown at about 250 volts or less. The fuser belts comprise a heat resistant resin substrate (such as a polyimide belt) carrying thereon a plurality of layers coating the outer surface of said belt, wherein at least one of said layers (preferably the top layer) does not contain electrically conductive materials and wherein the belt exhibits electrical breakdown at about 250 volts or less.

Abstract: Heat rolls and fuser belts utilized in the fusing step of the electrophotographic process are disclosed. These belts and rollers eliminate toner offset while still maintaining excellent release characteristics of the printed page from the fuser. The heat rolls comprise a core member having coated thereon a plurality of concentric layers, wherein at least one of said layers (preferably the top layer) does not contain electrically conductive materials and wherein the roll exhibits electrical breakdown at about 250 volts or less. The fuser belts comprise a heat resistant resin substrate (such as a polyimide belt) carrying thereon a plurality of layers coating the outer surface of said belt, wherein at least one of said layers (preferably the top layer) does not contain electrically conductive materials and wherein the belt exhibits electrical breakdown at about 250 volts or less.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printing apparatus utilizing a belt fuser mechanism which minimizes or eliminates the wrinkling or “treeing” of printed pages through the fuser is disclosed. In this device, the belt fuser apparatus is configured such that, as the printed page moves through the fusing nip, it is subjected to a lateral force from the center of the nip toward the ends of the nip, which is normal to its direction of travel through the nip. One way of achieving this is to utilize a concave heater frame and a substantially cylindrical backup roller such that the nip formed when these two components are pressed together, is essentially saddled-shaped. In such a nip, the velocity of the printed page through the nip is greater at the ends of the nip than in the middle of the nip, thereby providing the force which acts to stretch the page from the center of the page out towards its edges, thereby minimizing wrinkling or “treeing”.

Abstract: An image-fixing device for use in an electrophotographic process which includes an electrode (discharge member) on the exit side of a fuser mechanism is disclosed. This mechanism eliminates toner offset without requiring reformulation of the fuser or pressure rollers or restructuring of the fuser, and without compromising the release properties of those rollers. The preferred electrode has a saw-tooth configuration and is placed close to, but not contacting, the pressure roller and the back side of the printed page. A voltage, typically from about 200 to about 1,000 volts is applied to that electrode; the voltage has a polarity which is opposite the charge of the toner on the printed page.

Abstract: A silicone copolymer for use in an electrophotographic process is disclosed. This composition includes a specifically-defined heat-stable silicone oil-silicone wax copolymer. The copolymer has a melting point such that it is liquid on the hot fuser roll, but solidifies at room temperature on the printed page. A random silicone copolymer, in the form of a paste or pliable caulk, which is useful for sealing leaks in toner cartridges is also disclosed. Finally, the method for preparing these copolymers is disclosed.

Abstract: A fuser hot roll for use in an electrophotographic process is disclosed. This roll is constructed such that the center portion of the roll's length has a greater thermal mass per unit length than each of the end portions of the roll's length. This can be accomplished either by constructing the center portion from a material which has a higher thermal capacity than the materials used for constructing the end portions, or constructing the center portion such that it is thicker than the end portions of the roll. The rolls of the present invention provide a simple way for regulating the fuser temperature such that it is uniform across the length of the hot roll, is uniform between the transitory (heat up) state and the steady state, and minimizes hot roll temperature overshoot during the transitory phase. The image fixing apparatus which incorporates this hot roll is also disclosed.

Abstract: A silicone copolymer for use in an electrophotographic process is disclosed. This composition includes a specifically-defined heat-stable silicone oil-silicone wax copolymer. The copolymer has a melting point such that it is liquid on the hot fuser roll, but solidifies at room temperature on the printed page. A random silicone copolymer, in the form of a paste or pliable caulk, which is useful for sealing leaks in toner cartridges is also disclosed. Finally, the method for preparing these copolymers is disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cartridge having an encoder wheel thereon for encoding EP supply cartridge characteristic information for an electrophotographic machine, the cartridge comprising, a sump for carrying an initial amount of toner. A shaft is mounted for rotation in said sump, and an agitator or paddle is mounted thereon in such a manner that when the shaft rotates, the paddle rotates into, through and out of engagement with toner carried by the sump. A single encoder wheel is mounted on the shaft, external of the sump, the encoder wheel positioned for proximate mating coaction with a coded wheel reader when the cartridge is mounted in position in the electrophotographic machine. A drive means, and a variable torque flexible coupling connects the drive means to the shaft to effect rotation thereof.

Abstract: An improvement to the shuttle selection control system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,397 is described where a biasing spring is urgingly engaged with the rack of a rack and pinion arrangement used to rotate the type element, and thereby place a spring load on the system such that the force between the slider blocks of the selection system and the stop member engaged by the slider block will be reliably increased, while at the same time, preventing an increase in the drive requirements of the drive motor for the system. This spring biasing has a secondary benefit in that it tends to uniformly cause consolidation of all tolerances and relative movement in the system due to wear and thus stabilize the system for improved detenting of the typehead.