US4758862A — Electrographic printer/copier with duplex printing

Claim 1

Independent Claim 193 words

An electrographic printing apparatus for producing hard copies of information to be recorded on two sides of a sheet of paper or the like, comprising a housing, a source of paper and an output receptacle for receiving said paper after it is imprinted, a first paper path along which said paper travels between said source and said output receptacle, said first paper path being substantially planar and located near a top of said housing, a photoconductive member for storing a latent electrostatic image of the information to be imprinted, said photoconductive member being located below said first paper path and coming into contact with a first side of said paper from below in a transfer zone located in said first paper path to imprint said first side of said paper, and a second paper path operative to receive said paper from said first paper path, to turn said paper over, and to return said paper to said first paper path at a location prior to said transfer zone so that a second side of said paper is imprinted from below, said second paper path also being located near the top of said housing.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 193 words

An electrographic printing apparatus for producing hard copies of information to be recorded on two sides of a sheet of paper or the like, comprising a housing, a source of paper and an output receptacle for receiving said paper after it is imprinted, a first paper path along which said paper travels between said source and said output receptacle, said first paper path being substantially planar and located near a top of said housing, a photoconductive member for storing a latent electrostatic image of the information to be imprinted, said photoconductive member being located below said first paper path and coming into contact with a first side of said paper from below in a transfer zone located in said first paper path to imprint said first side of said paper, and a second paper path operative to receive said paper from said first paper path, to turn said paper over, and to return said paper to said first paper path at a location prior to said transfer zone so that a second side of said paper is imprinted from below, said second paper path also being located near the top of said housing.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 47 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second paper path is operative to receive said paper from said first paper path after said paper has passed through said transfer zone and said latent electrostatic image has been transferred to said first side of said paper.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 25 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second paper path is located above said first paper path adjacent the top of said housing.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 32 words

The electrographic printing apparpatus of claim 1 further comprising an openable lid at the top of said housing, said first and second paper paths being accessible from above upon opening said lid.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 23 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said paper is in contact with said photoconductive member sustantially only in said transfer zone.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 18 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising alignment correction means located along said second paper path.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 26 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a discharging unit for selectively discharging portions of said photoconductive member to form said latent electrostatic image.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 16 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 7 wherein said discharging unit comprises an optical print head.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 24 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 7 further comprising controller means for formatting the information to be imprinted on both sides of said paper.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 24 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising vacuum transport means located above said first paper path for transporting said paper from above.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 34 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 10 further comprising fusing means for fusing said information into said paper, said fusing means being located along said first paper path subsequent to said vacuum transport means.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 23 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 11 wherein said vacuum transport means and fusing means are located prior to said second paper path.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 40 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a charging unit, a discharging unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit, a cleaning unit, and an erasing unit, each of said units being arranged in sequence about said photoconductive member.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 15 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said photoconductive member comprises a photoconductive belt.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 17 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said photoconductive member comprises a vertically mounted photoconductive belt.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 24 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said photoconductive member comprises a vertically mounted photoconductive belt in the form of a disposable cassette.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 160 words

An electrographic printing apparatus for imprinting two sides of a sheet of paper or the like, comprising a source of paper and an output receptacle for receiving said paper after it is imprinted, a photoconductive member for storing an electrostatic image and for imprinting said paper, a paper path along which said paper travels between said source and said output receptacle, said paper path comprising a loop and a branch extending therefrom, said loop being of small curvature and being entirely located near a top of said housing and above said photoconductive member, and paper transport means for receiving said paper from said source, for passing said paper along said loop wherein said photoconductive member imprints a first side of said paper from below, for turning said paper over, for passing said paper into said branch, and for returning said paper to said loop a second time wherein said photoconductive member imprints a second side of said paper from below.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 160 words

An electrographic printing apparatus for imprinting two sides of a sheet of paper or the like, comprising a source of paper and an output receptacle for receiving said paper after it is imprinted, a photoconductive member for storing an electrostatic image and for imprinting said paper, a paper path along which said paper travels between said source and said output receptacle, said paper path comprising a loop and a branch extending therefrom, said loop being of small curvature and being entirely located near a top of said housing and above said photoconductive member, and paper transport means for receiving said paper from said source, for passing said paper along said loop wherein said photoconductive member imprints a first side of said paper from below, for turning said paper over, for passing said paper into said branch, and for returning said paper to said loop a second time wherein said photoconductive member imprints a second side of said paper from below.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 49 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 17, wherein said loop receives said paper from said source with a leading edge in front and a trailing edge in back, and said loop receives said paper from said branch with said trailing edge in front and said leading edge in back.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 22 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 17, further comprisng a housing, said paper path being located near the top of said housing.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 16 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 17, further comprising alignment correction means located along said branch.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 18 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 17, wherein said branch is located near the top of said housing.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 40 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 17 further comprising an openable lid at the top of said housing, said branch being located near the top of said housing, said loop and branch being accessible from above upon opening said lid.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 174 words

An electrographic printing apparatus for producing hard copies of information to be recorded on two sides of a sheet of paper or the like, comprising a housing, a source of paper and an output receptacle for receiving said paper after it is imprinted, a first paper path along which said paper travels between said source and said output receptacle, a photoconductive member for storing a latent electrostatic image of the information to be imprinted, said photoconductive member being located below said first paper path and coming into contact with a first side of said paper from below in a transfer zone located in said first paper path to imprint said first side of said paper, a second paper path operative to receive said paper from said first paper path, to turn said paper over, and to return said paper to said first paper path at a location prior to said transfer zone so that a second side of said paper is imprinted from below, and alignment correction means located along said second paper path.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 174 words

An electrographic printing apparatus for producing hard copies of information to be recorded on two sides of a sheet of paper or the like, comprising a housing, a source of paper and an output receptacle for receiving said paper after it is imprinted, a first paper path along which said paper travels between said source and said output receptacle, a photoconductive member for storing a latent electrostatic image of the information to be imprinted, said photoconductive member being located below said first paper path and coming into contact with a first side of said paper from below in a transfer zone located in said first paper path to imprint said first side of said paper, a second paper path operative to receive said paper from said first paper path, to turn said paper over, and to return said paper to said first paper path at a location prior to said transfer zone so that a second side of said paper is imprinted from below, and alignment correction means located along said second paper path.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 179 words

An electrographic printing apparatus for producing hard copies of information to be recorded on two sides of a sheet of paper or the like, comprising a housing, a source of paper and an output receptacle for receiving said paper after it is imprinted, a first paper path along which said paper travels between said source and said output receptacle, a photoconductive member for storing a latent electrostatic image of the information to be imprinted, said photoconductive member being located below said first paper path and coming into contact with a first side of said paper from below in a transfer zone located in said first paper path to imprint said first side of said paper, a second paper path operative to receive said paper from said first paper path, to turn said paper over, and to return said paper to said first paper at a location prior to said transfer zone so that a second side of said paper is printed from below, and controller means for formatting the information to be imprinted on both sides of said paper.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 179 words

An electrographic printing apparatus for producing hard copies of information to be recorded on two sides of a sheet of paper or the like, comprising a housing, a source of paper and an output receptacle for receiving said paper after it is imprinted, a first paper path along which said paper travels between said source and said output receptacle, a photoconductive member for storing a latent electrostatic image of the information to be imprinted, said photoconductive member being located below said first paper path and coming into contact with a first side of said paper from below in a transfer zone located in said first paper path to imprint said first side of said paper, a second paper path operative to receive said paper from said first paper path, to turn said paper over, and to return said paper to said first paper at a location prior to said transfer zone so that a second side of said paper is printed from below, and controller means for formatting the information to be imprinted on both sides of said paper.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 180 words

An electrographic printing apparatus for producing hard copies of information to be recorded on two sides of a sheet of paper or the like, comprising a housing, a source of paper and an output receptacle for receiving said paper after it is imprinted, a first paper path along which said paper travels between said source and said output receptacle, a photoconductive member for storing a latent electrostatic image of the information to be imprinted, said photoconductive member being located below said first paper path and coming into contact with a first side of said paper from below in a transfer zone located in said first paper path to imprint said first side of said paper, a second paper path operative to receive said paper from said first paper path, to turn said paper over, and to return said paper to said first paper path at a location prior to said transfer zone so that a second side of said paper is imprinted from below, and vacuum transport means located above said first paper path for transporting said paper from above.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 180 words

An electrographic printing apparatus for producing hard copies of information to be recorded on two sides of a sheet of paper or the like, comprising a housing, a source of paper and an output receptacle for receiving said paper after it is imprinted, a first paper path along which said paper travels between said source and said output receptacle, a photoconductive member for storing a latent electrostatic image of the information to be imprinted, said photoconductive member being located below said first paper path and coming into contact with a first side of said paper from below in a transfer zone located in said first paper path to imprint said first side of said paper, a second paper path operative to receive said paper from said first paper path, to turn said paper over, and to return said paper to said first paper path at a location prior to said transfer zone so that a second side of said paper is imprinted from below, and vacuum transport means located above said first paper path for transporting said paper from above.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 34 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 25, further comprising fusing means for fusing said information into said paper, said fusing means being located along said first paper path subsequent to said vacuum transport means.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 23 words

The electrographic printing apparatus of claim 26, wherein said vacuum transport means and fusing means are located prior to said second paper path.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1991-07-19	1992-01-18	1992-07-19	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1995-07-19	1996-01-18	1996-07-19	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1999-07-19	2000-01-18	2000-07-19	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Electrographic printer/copier with duplex printing

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