Xerographic fusing apparatus

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR AFFIXING A RESINOUS POWDER IMAGE ON TO THE SURFACE OF A SUPPORT BASE ON WHICH THE IMAGE HAS BEEN FORMED, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) SUPPORT MEANS TO SUPPORT A WEB BASE CONTAINING A LOOSELY ADHERING RESINOUS POWDER IMAGES ON ITS SURFACE; (B) A HOUSING SUPPORTED CLOSELY ADJACENT SAID SUPPORT MEANS, SAID HOUSING BEING CONSTRUCTED SUBSTANTIALLY ENCLOSED BUT HAVING SEPARATE AIR DISCHARGE AND RETURN OPENINGS DEFINED TOWARD OPPOSITE ENDS IN A SUBSTANTIALLY PLANAR BOTTOM WALL ARRANGED OPPOSITE THE AREA OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS ON WHICH A POWDER-BEARING WEB BASE IS TO BE SUPPORTED; (C) A PLURALITY OF ELECTRICALLY ENERGIZABLE HEATING ELEMENTS DISPOSED INTEROR OF SAID HOUSING; (D) BLOWER MEANS ADAPTED TO CAUSE A CONTINUOUS AIR RECIRCULATION PASSING OVER SAID HEATING ELEMENTS THROUGH THE DISCHARGE OF SAID HOUSING OPENINGS TO BETWEEN SAID BOTTOM WALL AND ALONG THE RESINOUS IMAGE ON THE WEB BASE IN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE SURFACE OF THE WEB BASE AND HENCE INTO THE RETURN OF SAID HOUSING OPENINGS; AND, (E) AIR FLOW GUIDE MEANS SUPPORTED AT THE DISCHARGE OF SAID OPENINGS FOR GUIDING AIR PASSING THERETHROUGH TO DISCHARGE IN A DIRECTION GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE SURFACE OF A WEB BASE ON ITS SUPPORT.