Free floating pressure biasing apparatus for cleaning roll fuser

Claim 2

In a fusing system for fusing toner images in an electrostatic copying machine in which a heated roll surface is used to fix the toner images to copy sheet material and cleaning rollers contact the heated roll surface for cleaning toner offset onto the heated roll surface, an improved pressure biasing apparatus acting on the cleaning rollers, comprising carriage means supporting at least one cleaning roller in contact with the heated roll surface to be cleaned, pressure biasing means for urging said carriage means towards the heated roll surface at a predetermined pressure, said pressure biasing means including slidable shaft means movable from a first position in which said cleaning roller is in a free floating condition low pressure contact with the heated roll surface to a second position in which the cleaning roller is maintained in relatively high pressure contact against the heated roll surface, and actuating means for moving said shaft means from the first position to the second position during the fusing operation.

Claim 3

Apparatus to claim 1 wherein said slidable shaft means is acted on by a relatively light spring means when in said first position and by relatively heavy spring means when in said second position.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said shaft means is carried in a housing displaceable upon actuation by said actuating means for locking said slidable shaft means into relatively high pressure contact against said heated fuser roll.

Claim 5

In a fusing system for fusing toner images in an electrostatic copying machine in which a heated roll surface is used to fix the toner images to copy sheet material and cleaning rollers contact the heated roll surface for cleaning toner offset onto the heated roll surface, an improved pressure biasing apparatus acting on the cleaning rollers, comprising carriage means supporting at least one cleaning roller in contact with the heated roll surface to be cleaned, pressure biasing means for urging said carriage means towards the heated roll surface at a predetermined pressure, said pressure biasing means including slidable shaft means movable from a first position in which said shaft means is in a free floating condition to a second position in which the shaft means is maintained in pressure contact against the heated roll surface, actuating means for moving said shaft means from the first position to the second position during the fusing operation, wherein said slidable shaft means is acted on by a relatively light spring means when in said first position and by relatively heavy spring means when in said second position, wherein said shaft means is carried in a housing displaceable upon actuation by said actuating means for locking said slidable shaft means into relatively high pressure contact against said heated fuser roll, and wherein said housing includes a friction member engaging ball members carried on said slidable shaft means.

Claim 6

In a fusing system for fusing toner images in an electrostatic copying machine in which a heated roll surface is used to fix the toner images to copy sheet material and cleaning rollers contact the heated roll surface for cleaning toner offset onto the heated roll surface, an improved pressure biasing apparatus acting on the cleaning rollers, comprising carriage means supporting at least one cleaning roller in contact with the heated roll surface to be cleaned, pressure biasing means for urging said carriage means towards the heated roll surface at a predetermined pressure, said pressure biasing means including slidable shaft means movable from a first position in which said shaft means is in a free floating condition to a second position in which the shaft means is maintained in pressure contact against the heated roll surface, actuating means for moving said shaft means from the first position to the second position during the fusing operation, wherein said slidable shaft means is acted on by a relatively light spring means when in said first position and by relatively heavy spring means when in said second position, wherein said shaft means is carried in a housing displaceable upon actuation by said actuating means for locking said slidable shaft means into relatively high pressure contact against said heated fuser roll, and wherein said housing includes a friction member engaging ball members carried on said slidable shaft means.

Claim 7

In a fusing system for fusing toner images in an electrostatic copying machine in which a heated roll surface is used to fix the toner images to copy sheet material and cleaning rollers contact the heated roll surface for cleaning toner offset onto the heated roll surface, an improved pressure biasing apparatus acting on the cleaning rollers, comprising carriage means supporting at least one cleaning roller member in contact with the heated roll surface to be cleaned, pressure biasing means for urging said carriage means towards the heated roll surface at a predetermined pressure, said pressure biasing means including slidable shaft means movable from a first position in which said shaft means is in a free floating condition to a second position in which the shaft means is maintained in pressure contact against the heated roll surface, actuating means for moving said shaft means from the first position to the second position during the fusing operation wherein said slidable shaft means is acted on by a relatively light spring means when in said first position and by relatively heavy spring means when in said second position, wherein said shaft means is carried in a housing displaceable upon actuation by said actuating means for locking said slidable shaft means into relatively high pressure contact against said heated fuser roll, and wherein said housing is further acted on by additional spring means normally urging said housing in a direction away from said heated roll surface during the non-fusing operation.

Claim 8

In a fusing system for fusing toner images in an electrostatic copying machine in which a heated roll surface is used to fix the toner images to copy sheet material and cleaning rollers contact the heated roll surface for cleaning toner offset onto the heated roll surface, an improved pressure biasing apparatus acting on the cleaning rollers, comprising carriage means supporting at least one cleaning roller member in contact with the heated roll surface to be cleaned, pressure biasing means for urging said carriage means towards the heated roll surface at a predetermined pressure, said pressure biasing means including slidable shaft means movable from a first position in which said shaft means is in a free floating condition to a second position in which the shaft means is maintained in pressure contact against the heated roll surface, actuating means for moving said shaft means from the first position to the second position during the fusing operation wherein said slidable shaft means is acted on by a relatively light spring means when in said first position and by relatively heavy spring means when in said second position, wherein said shaft means is carried in a housing displaceable upon actuation by said actuating means for locking said slidable shaft means into relatively high pressure contact against said heated fuser roll, and wherein said housing is further acted on by additional spring means normally urging said housing in a direction away from said heated roll surface during the non-fusing operation.