US3762812A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Copy machine cooling and drying system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-06-19
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Granted: 1973-10-02
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Expires: 1992-06-19
Abstract
Abstract A copy machine cooling and drying system includes blower means mounted in the scanning chamber of a copy machine and operative to drive air from the chamber into a duct defined along a light tunnel wall and discharging in drying relation onto copy sheets after emergence from liquid developer. A balanced dual blower system is provided. Heretofore wasted tunnel space is utilized in the duct for transferring the air from the blowers to discharge from the duct. Such discharge is through an especially efficient arrangement of distribution ports. At least part of the duct structure provides copy sheet directing means. Start-up booster heating is provided.
Inventors
- 👤 D Wolff
- 👤 R Harke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 04:19
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/06; G03G15/10; G03G15/11; G03D; G03D15/00; G03D15/02; G03D15/027
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
272 words
In a copymaking machine including a chamber providing a document scanning zone and having an illumination lamp therein, an exposure zone, means for transporting copy sheets througH said exposure zone, an optical system for translating a scanned image from the scanning zone to a copy sheet in the exposure zone, and liquid development means for the exposed copy sheets: means for guiding the developed copy sheets from said development means to receiving means; a structure providing a tunnel through which the optical system translates the image between said zones; said tunnel structure including enclosure panel means facing in spaced relation toward said guiding means; air duct panel means located between said enclosure panel means and said guiding means and facing toward said guiding means and with said enclosure panel means defining an air duct system; said air duct system including a shallow plenum duct area with a major portion of said tunnel enclosure panel means; blower means mounted in said scanning chamber; a lead-in passageway along one side of the tunnel; said passageway being of substantial cross sectional flow area at an end near said chamber and at said end communicating with said blower to receive air from within said chamber impelled by said blower into the passageway; said passageway opening along its length into said plenum duct area and delivering the air from the passageway into the plenum duct area; and said duct panel means in said plenum duct area having means for directing air from the plenum duct area toward said guiding means for drying copy sheets after the sheets leave said development means in movement along said guiding means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
272 words
In a copymaking machine including a chamber providing a document scanning zone and having an illumination lamp therein, an exposure zone, means for transporting copy sheets througH said exposure zone, an optical system for translating a scanned image from the scanning zone to a copy sheet in the exposure zone, and liquid development means for the exposed copy sheets: means for guiding the developed copy sheets from said development means to receiving means; a structure providing a tunnel through which the optical system translates the image between said zones; said tunnel structure including enclosure panel means facing in spaced relation toward said guiding means; air duct panel means located between said enclosure panel means and said guiding means and facing toward said guiding means and with said enclosure panel means defining an air duct system; said air duct system including a shallow plenum duct area with a major portion of said tunnel enclosure panel means; blower means mounted in said scanning chamber; a lead-in passageway along one side of the tunnel; said passageway being of substantial cross sectional flow area at an end near said chamber and at said end communicating with said blower to receive air from within said chamber impelled by said blower into the passageway; said passageway opening along its length into said plenum duct area and delivering the air from the passageway into the plenum duct area; and said duct panel means in said plenum duct area having means for directing air from the plenum duct area toward said guiding means for drying copy sheets after the sheets leave said development means in movement along said guiding means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
80 words
A copymaking machine according to claim 1, including a second passageway along an opposite side of said tunnel and also communicating in air delivering relation along its length with said plenum duct area, and another blower in said chamber drawing air from within the chamber and discharging into said another passageway for delivery of the air through said another passageway into the plenum duct chamber in addition to the air from said passageway along said one side of the tunnel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
A copymaking machine according to claim 1, including start-up heating means in said duct system, and means for controlling said heating means to maintain proper heat level in the drying air correlated with the heat generated by said lamp in the air drawn by said blower means from within said scanning zone chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
110 words
A copymaking machine according to claim 1, including a cabinet having said document scanning zone chamber in the forward upper portion thereof, means enabling air circulation into said chamber for cooling said scanning zone by operation of said blower means, said blower means comprising a blower having its intake within said chamber and provided with a discharge nozzle delivering into said passageway said duct panel means underlying said tunnel panel means and including a portion providing closure for the bottom of said chamber spaced above a copy sheet receptacle, and means below said duct panel means providing a developed sheet delivery chute extending from said development means to said receptacle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
A copymaking machine according to claim 4, wherein said duct panel means include a combination duct end closure and copy sheet deflector having perforations therein through which air is discharged initially onto the developed copy sheets on leaving the development means and cooperating with a rear end portion of a main panel to deflect developed copy sheets downwardly therefrom.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
149 words
A copymaking machine according to claim 4, wherein said blower means comprise a pair of blowers which are located at respectively opposite sides in the lower portion of said scanning zone chamber, said optical system including a lens assembly centrally located at the chameber end of said tunnel and with the image path extending centrally through the tunnel to said exposure zone which is located at an opposite end of the tunnel, said tunnel panel means including a central portion underlying said optical image path and respective passage formations upwardly offsEt relative to said central portion and defining with said duct panel means said passageway longitudinally along one side of the tunnel and a second passageway longitudinally along an opposite side of said tunnel communicating with a duct plenum space between said central portion and said duct panel means, said blowers respectively discharging into chamber ends of said passageways.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A copymaking machine according to claim 6, wherein said passage formations progressively diminsh in cross sectional flow area from said chamber ends thereof to adjacent said discharge means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A copymaking machine according to claim 6, including start-up heating means in each of said passages.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A copymaking machine according to claim 8, said heaters comprising electrical resistance heaters mounted in the path of discharge from the blower nozzles and adjacent thereto, and thermal switch means in said duct system for controlling said heaters.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
165 words
In a copymaking machine including a chamber providing a document scanning zone, an exposure zone spaced from said scanning zone, means for transporting a copy sheet through said exposure zone, an optical system for translating scanned images from said scanning zone to copy sheet in said exposure zone, liquid development means for exposed copy sheets, and means for transporting the developed copy sheets from said development means; a tunnel structure through which the optical means translates the iamge between said zones including an enclosure panel; panel means located between and facing toward both said transporting means and said enclosure panel and defining an air duct system with said enclosure panel and including means for directing drying air toward said transporting means onto the developed copy sheets as transported from the development means; said air duct system including passages at each side of said tunnel structure leading to a common plenum between said passages at said air directing means; and respective blowers discharging into said passages.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
165 words
In a copymaking machine including a chamber providing a document scanning zone, an exposure zone spaced from said scanning zone, means for transporting a copy sheet through said exposure zone, an optical system for translating scanned images from said scanning zone to copy sheet in said exposure zone, liquid development means for exposed copy sheets, and means for transporting the developed copy sheets from said development means; a tunnel structure through which the optical means translates the iamge between said zones including an enclosure panel; panel means located between and facing toward both said transporting means and said enclosure panel and defining an air duct system with said enclosure panel and including means for directing drying air toward said transporting means onto the developed copy sheets as transported from the development means; said air duct system including passages at each side of said tunnel structure leading to a common plenum between said passages at said air directing means; and respective blowers discharging into said passages.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
78 words
A copymaking machine according to claim 10, said enclosure panel having side marginal portions thereof partially separated along longitudinal lines, and spacer and closure plate means secured to and between the severed edges and offsetting said marginal portions to define enclosure panel portions of the passages of larger cross sectional flow area at inlet ends into which the blowers discharge, said passages progressively diminshing in cross sectional flow area from said inlet ends to said air directing means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
A copymaking machine according to claim 11, including respective rapid warmup resistance heaters mounted in said passages adjacent to the inlet ends, and thermally responsive means in said passages downstream from said inlet ends for controlling said heaters.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
A copymaking machine according to claim 10, said panel means including respective multi-aperture ported plate areas generally aligned with said passages and providing at least a portion of said air directing means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
A copymaking machine according to claim 13, including additional plate area in downstream relation to said ported areas and having a pattern of air direction apertures supplemental to the ported areas.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
A copymaking machine according to claim 14, said downstream plate area including means for deflecting the copy sheets from said development means past said air directing means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
125 words
In a copymaking machine including document scanning and copy sheet exposing means with a light tunnel structure operatively connecting the scanning and exposure means, liquid development means for exposed copy sheets, and means for transporting the developed copy sheets from said development means; said tunnel structure including an enclosure panel extending therealong and spaced from said transporting means; air motivating means; and panel means located between said enclosure panel and said transporting means and defining with said panel an air duct system inTo which said air motivating means drives air; said panel means including means for directing air toward said transporting means in drying relation to copy sheets leaving said development means; and said air directing means including successive spaced areas of air directing ports.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
125 words
In a copymaking machine including document scanning and copy sheet exposing means with a light tunnel structure operatively connecting the scanning and exposure means, liquid development means for exposed copy sheets, and means for transporting the developed copy sheets from said development means; said tunnel structure including an enclosure panel extending therealong and spaced from said transporting means; air motivating means; and panel means located between said enclosure panel and said transporting means and defining with said panel an air duct system inTo which said air motivating means drives air; said panel means including means for directing air toward said transporting means in drying relation to copy sheets leaving said development means; and said air directing means including successive spaced areas of air directing ports.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
A copymaking machine according to claim 16, wherein the downstream area has ports which are larger than the ports in the upstream area.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
75 words
A copymaking machine according to claim 16, wherein said panel means defining the duct with the tunnel enclosure panel comprise a principal panel having an edge adjacent to said developing means, and a combination duct closing sheet deflecting and air directing means plate attached to said tunnel panel and lappingly engaging said edge, said plate having air directing ports therein and also having spacer ribs between said ports to limit contact of copy sheets therewith.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-01 | 1977-04-02 | 1977-10-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-01 | 1981-04-02 | 1981-10-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-01 | 1985-04-02 | 1985-10-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |