Xerographic vapor fusing apparatus

Claim 1

A VAPOR FUSING APPARATUS FOR FIXING A POWDER IMAGE HAVING A SOLVENT SOLUBLE COMPONENT TO THE SURFACE OF A MOVING WEB COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) WALLS ARRANGED CONTIGUOUSLY FORMING A GENERALLY ENCLOSED FUSING CHAMBER HAVING AN ENTRANCE AND EXIT OPENING ALONG AN UPPER SURFACE THROUGH WHICH A WEB SUPPORTING A POWDER IMAGE PASSES INTO AND OUT OF SAID CHAMBER; (B) VAPOR GENERATING WITHIN SAID FUSING CHAMBER MEANS TO GENERATE A VAPOR HEAVIER THAN AIR OF A SOLVENT OF THE SOLVENT SOLUBLE COMPOENENT OF THE POWDER IMAGE ON THE WEB; AND, (C) CONTROL MEANS TO CONTROL VAPOR DRAGOUT TO THE AMBIENT ATMOSPHER BY THE MOVING WEB OF VAPORS ACCELERATED ALONG THE SURFACEOF THE MOVING WEB, SAID CONTROL MEANS COMPRISING PLATE MEANS SUPPORTED JUXTAPOSED TO THE IMAGE SURFACE ON THE WEB EXITING FROM SAID FUSING CHAMBER TO INTERCEPT THE ACCELERATED VAPORS AND WALLS ARRANGED CONTIGUOUSLY FORMING A SECOND CHAMBER EXTENDING AT LEST PARTIALLY SURROUNDING SAID FUSING CHAMBER TO PROVICE A CIRCULATION DUCT FOR VAPOR INTERCEPTED BY SAID PLATE MEANS TO RECIRCULATE VAPORS TO SAID FUSING CHAMBER WHEREBY DRAGOUT OF THE ACCELERATED VAPORS TO THE AMBIENT ATMOSPHERE IS SUBSTANTIALLY AVOIDED.