Belt transfer and fusing system

Claim 1

In an electrostatographic copying system in which an image of fusable imaging material is formed on an imaging surface and electrostatically transferred at a transfer station to copy sheets and then fused to the copy sheets at a fusing station, wherein the copy sheets are feedable into said copying system from a sheet feeding station and removable at an output station with an image fused thereon, the improvement comprising: a single endless transporting and supporting belt for transporting said copy sheets in said copying system through both said transfer station and said fusing station, retaining means for retaining said copy sheets on said belt fully supported by said belt from only one side of said copy sheets, said belt extending through said transfer station closely adjacent said imaging surface for said transfer of said fusable imaging material to said copy sheets while said copy sheets are so retained on said belt, said same belt being extended on through said fusing station for fusing of said imaging material on said copy sheets while said copy sheets are so retained on said belt, wherein said retaining means comprises a multiplicity of electrically discrete closely spaced adjacent conductors on said belt forming an extensive pattern over said belt, and biased electrode means for differentially electrically charging adjacent conductors of said supporting belt for generating over said supporting belt a fine charge pattern of alternating closely adjacent differentially charged areas providing copy sheet retaining electrical fringe fields, the spacing of said conductors being sufficiently close so that said image transfer at said transfer station is unaffected by said charge pattern of said electrical fringe fields.