Electrophotographic transfer-printing device

Claim 2

An electrophotographic transfer-printing device for transferring an electrostatic latent image formed on a planar photoconductive material layer of a photoreceptor onto a dielectric material layer of a card material comprising: means for positioning the photoreceptor and the card material against each other with the photoconductive material layer of the photoreceptor facing the dielectric material layer of the card material, a transfer-printing roller, means for moving the transfer-printing roller in rolling motion over the combination of the card material and the photoreceptor to press the card material against the photoreceptor, said transfer roller starting its rolling motion from an initial position at one end of the combination of the card material and the photoreceptor, and a resilient stripper continuously engaging the end of the card material adjacent the initial position of the transfer roller and continuously biasing the last recited end of the card material in a direction away from the photoreceptor to gradually raise the card material from the photoreceptor as the rolling motion of the transfer-printing roller proceeds from the initial position toward an end position, thereby gradually peeling off from the photoreceptor the portions of the card material which have received the transfer-printed latent image from the photoreceptor.

Claim 3

An electrophotographic transfer-printing device as in claim 1 including discharge pawls, a supporter connected to the transfer-printing roller to move in slaved relation therewith, means for pivotally connecting the discharge pawls to the supporter to maintain said pawls out of engagement with the card material as the transfer roller moves away from its initial position and to maintain said pawls in engagement with the card material upon motion of the transfer roller toward its initial position to thereby move the card material away from the photoreceptor when the transfer roller is returned to its initial position.

Claim 4

An electrophographic transfer-printing device as in claim 2 wherein the end portion of the card material adjacent the initial position of the transfer roller is the leading end of the card material, and wherein said pawls engage the trailing end of the card material.

Claim 5

An electrophotographic transfer-printing device as in claim 1 wherein the card material includes a conductive layer backing the dielectric material layer, said device including a sharp-edged conductive member, meanS for moving the conductive member to cause its sharp edge to cut into the card material when the card material is pressed against the photoreceptor by the transfer-printing roller in order to position the transfer-printing sheet at a fixed position with respect to the photoreceptor, said conductive member moving into electrical contact with the conductive layer of the card material when the sharp edge cuts into card material, and means for electrically connecting the conductive member to a selected potential to thereby place the conductive layer backing of the card material at said selected potential.

Claim 6

An electrophotographic transfer-printing device as in claim 1 wherein the photoreceptor includes a supporter and including means for connecting the resilient stripper to said supporter of the photoreceptor.

Claim 7

An electrophotographic transfer-printing device as in claim 5 wherein the resilient stripper comprises an L-shaped resilient plate having one end affixed to the photoreceptor supporter and having its other end abutting the end of the card material adjacent the initial position of the transfer roller.

Claim 8

An electrophotographic transfer-printing device as in claim 6 wherein the photoreceptor supporter comprises a plate, means for securing a photoreceptor sheet to the top side of the plate, and wherein the resilient member has an end section affixed to the underside of the plate.

Claim 9

An electrophotographic transfer-printing device for transferring an electrostatic latent image formed on a planar photoconductive material layer of a photoreceptor onto a dielectric material layer of a card material comprising: means for positioning the photoreceptor and the card material against each other with the photoconductive material layer of the photoreceptor facing the dielectric material layer of the card material, a transfer-printing roller, means for moving the transfer-printing roller in rolling motion over the combination of the card material and the photoreceptor to press the card material against the photoreceptor, said transfer roller starting its rolling motion from an initial position at one end of the combination of the card material and the photoreceptor, a resilient stripper engaging the end of the card material adjacent the initial position of the transfer roller and biasing the last recited end of the card material in a direction away from the photoreceptor to gradually raise the card material from the photoreceptor as the rolling motion of the transfer-printing roller proceeds from the initial position toward an end position, thereby gradually peeling off from the photoreceptor the portions of the card material which have received the transfer-printed latent image from the photoreceptor, discharge pawls, a supporter connected to the transfer-printing roller to move in slaved relation therewith, means for pivotally connecting the discharge pawls to the supporter to maintain said pawls out of engagement with the card material as the transfer roller moves away from its initial position and to maintain said pawls in engagement with the card material upon motion of the transfer roller toward its initial position to thereby move the card material away from the photoreceptor when the transfer roller is returned to its initial position.

Claim 10

An electrophotographic transfer-printing device for transferring an electrostatic latent image formed on a planar photoconductive material layer of a photoreceptor onto a dielectric material layer of a card material comprising: means for positioning the photoreceptor and the card material against each other with the photoconductive material layer of the photoreceptor facing the dielectric material layer of the card material, a transfer-printing roller, means for moving the transfer-printing roller in rolling motion over the combination of the card material and the photoreceptor to press the card material against the photoreceptor, said transfer roller starting its rolling motion from an initial position at one end of the combination of the card material and the photoreceptor, a resilient stripper engaging the end of the card material adjacent the initial position of the transfer roller and biasing the last recited end of the card material in a direction away from the photoreceptor to gradually raise the card material from the photoreceptor as the rolling motion of the transfer-printing roller proceeds from the initial position toward an end position, thereby gradually peeling off from the photoreceptor the portions of the card material which have received the transfer-printed latent image from the photoreceptor, discharge pawls, a supporter connected to the transfer-printing roller to move in slaved relation therewith, means for pivotally connecting the discharge pawls to the supporter to maintain said pawls out of engagement with the card material as the transfer roller moves away from its initial position and to maintain said pawls in engagement with the card material upon motion of the transfer roller toward its initial position to thereby move the card material away from the photoreceptor when the transfer roller is returned to its initial position.

Claim 11

An electrophotographic transfer-printing device as in claim 8 wherein the end portion of the card material adjacent the initial position of the transfer roller is the leading end of the card material, and wherein said pawls engage the trailing end of the card material.

Claim 12

An electrophotographic transfer-printing device for transferring an electrostatic latent image formed on a planar photoconductive material layer of a photoreceptor onto a dielectric material layer of a card material comprising: means for positioning the photoreceptor and the card material against each other with the photoconductive material layer of the photoreceptor facing the dielectric material layer of the card material, a transfer-printing Roller, means for moving the transfer-printing roller in rolling motion over the combination of the card material and the photoreceptor to press the card material against the photoreceptor, said transfer roller starting its rolling motion from an initial position at one end of the combination of the card material and the photoreceptor, a resilient stripper engaging the end of the card material adjacent the initial position of the transfer roller and biasing the last recited end of the card material in a direction away from the photoreceptor to gradually raise the card material from the photoreceptor as the rolling motion of the transfer-printing roller proceeds from the initial position toward an end position, thereby gradually peeling off from the photoreceptor the portions of the card material which have received the transfer-printed latent image from the photoreceptor, wherein the card material includes a conductive layer backing the dielectric material layer, said device including a sharp-edged conductive member, means for moving the conductive member to cause its sharp edge to cut into the card material when the card material is pressed against the photoreceptor by the transfer-printing roller in order to position the transfer-printing sheet at a fixed position with respect to the photoreceptor, said conductive member moving into electrical contact with the conductive layer of the card material when the sharp edge cuts into card material, and means for electrically connecting the conductive member to a selected potential to thereby place the conductive layer backing of the card material at said selected potential.

Claim 13

An electrophotographic transfer-printing device for transferring an electrostatic latent image formed on a planar photoconductive material layer of a photoreceptor onto a dielectric material layer of a card material comprising: means for positioning the photoreceptor and the card material against each other with the photoconductive material layer of the photoreceptor facing the dielectric material layer of the card material, a transfer-printing Roller, means for moving the transfer-printing roller in rolling motion over the combination of the card material and the photoreceptor to press the card material against the photoreceptor, said transfer roller starting its rolling motion from an initial position at one end of the combination of the card material and the photoreceptor, a resilient stripper engaging the end of the card material adjacent the initial position of the transfer roller and biasing the last recited end of the card material in a direction away from the photoreceptor to gradually raise the card material from the photoreceptor as the rolling motion of the transfer-printing roller proceeds from the initial position toward an end position, thereby gradually peeling off from the photoreceptor the portions of the card material which have received the transfer-printed latent image from the photoreceptor, wherein the card material includes a conductive layer backing the dielectric material layer, said device including a sharp-edged conductive member, means for moving the conductive member to cause its sharp edge to cut into the card material when the card material is pressed against the photoreceptor by the transfer-printing roller in order to position the transfer-printing sheet at a fixed position with respect to the photoreceptor, said conductive member moving into electrical contact with the conductive layer of the card material when the sharp edge cuts into card material, and means for electrically connecting the conductive member to a selected potential to thereby place the conductive layer backing of the card material at said selected potential.