Method and apparatus for offset xerographic reproduction

Claim 2

The method of claim 1 wherein said resilient member is comprised of a silicone gum rubber having a hardness ranging from about 15 to about 35 durometers cast on a flexible substrate.

Claim 3

The method of claim 3 wherein the heat-fusible powder image is heated to a temperature below its fusing temperature.

Claim 4

The method of claim 4 having the further step of pressing the support material into contact with sAid member with sufficient force to fix the powder image to the support material.

Claim 5

In the process of xerography wherein an electrostatically charged xerographic plate is exposed to a projected light image to form an electrostatic latent image on the plate corresponding to the projected image and the plate is developed with heat-fusible toner particles attracted to the latent image to form a xerographic powder image corresponding to the projected image, the method of transferring and fixing the powder image to a paper support material comprising pressing a silicone rubber member into intimate contact with the powder bearing xerographic plate with sufficient force to cause the member to deform around said image, releasing the deforming force exerted on said member whereby the recovering resilient member enfolds the powder image therein, removing the image-bearing resilient member from the xerographic plate, heating a paper support material to a temperature sufficient to melt said xerographic powder when brought into contact therewith, and immediately pressing the heated paper support material into intimate contact with the image bearing resilient member with sufficient force to cause the powder image to adhere to the support material and become fixed thereto.

Claim 6

Apparatus for transferring a xerographic powder image of toner particles from a photoconductive plate to a paper support material and fixing the image thereon including a resilient member arranged to be placed in contact with the photoconductive plate, means to exert a bias pressure on the resilient member into pressure contact with the photoconductive plate with sufficient force to cause the member to deform about the powder image for a predetermined time and then to release the deforming pressure exerted on said member whereby the member recovers sufficiently to entrap powder particles therein, means for transporting a paper support material into contact with the member carrying powder particles, and means to raise the temperature of the paper support material sufficiently immediately before contact of the support material with the powder particles such that upon contact said powder particles are transferred from the resilient member to the support material and fixed thereon.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said member comprises silicone gum rubber having a hardness ranging from about 15 to about 35 durometers.

Claim 8

Apparatus for transferring xerographic powder image from a rotating photoconductive drum to a final support material and fixing said powder image to the final support material including a resilient member being arranged to contact the photoconductive drum, drive means for moving said member at the same peripheral speed as the drum, means to place the resilient member into pressure contact with the drum with sufficient force to cause the member to deform about the powder image for a predetermined time and then, to release the deforming pressure exerted on said member whereby the member recovers sufficiently to entrap powder particles therein, means to move a final support material into contact with the powder image enfolded in said member, and means to heat the xerographic powder image while in contact with the final support material whereby the powder image coalesces to the final support material.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said member comprises silicone gum rubber.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said member is supported on a cylindrical drum.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 10 including means to raise the temperature of the final support material to a level whereby the powder image being transferred is fused to said support material.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 11 having further means to force the final support material into contact with the silicone gum rubber member with sufficient pressure to cause the heated toner to bond to the final support material.

Claim 13

The apparatus oF claim 10 wherein the final support material is held in contact with the silicone rubber member by a heated platen arranged to support the nonimage side of the support material in sliding contact.