US5319426A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image forming apparatus having improved fusing consistency
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
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Filing: 1992-12-02
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Granted: 1994-06-07
•
Expires: 2012-12-02
Abstract
Abstract Image forming apparatus includes a logic and control which receives an input indicative of the compliance of a fusing roller and adjusts the temperature of the fuser in response to that input. The apparatus also can receive an input indicative of the melt viscosity of one or more toners making up an image to be fused to similarly adjust the fusing temperature. Alternatively, the pressure in a fusing nip can be adjusted in response to either or both inputs. The inputs can be received in the logic and control from a fusing roller cartridge having machine readable indicating device, indicative of the compliance of the fusing roller. Similarly, the melt viscosity of the toner can be input from a machine readable indicia or the like on a toner bottle.
Inventors
- 👤 Susan C. Baruch
- 👤 William J. Staudenmayer
- 👤 Steven M. Gern
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 05:04
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/20; G03G15/2003; G03G15/2014; G03G15/2064; G03G15/2039; G03G2221/00; G03G2221/16; G03G2221/1639; G03G2221/18; G03G2221/1823
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
Image forming apparatus comprising: means for forming a toner image on a receiving sheet, means for fusing the toner image to the receiving sheet, said fusing means including, first and second pressure members positioned to form a pressure nip, at least one of said pressure members being a replaceable roller having an amount of compliance which varies, from roller to roller, within a tolerance range, to cause some variance in the size of the nip, controllable means for heating at least one of said pressure members, and adjustable means for controlling the controllable means to control the temperature in the nip, and logic and control means including means for receiving an input indicative of the compliance of the replaceable roller and means for adjusting the means in response to said input.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
131 words
Image forming apparatus comprising: means for forming a toner image on a receiving sheet, means for fusing the toner image to the receiving sheet, said fusing means including, first and second pressure members positioned to form a pressure nip, at least one of said pressure members being a replaceable roller having an amount of compliance which varies, from roller to roller, within a tolerance range, to cause some variance in the size of the nip, controllable means for heating at least one of said pressure members, and adjustable means for controlling the controllable means to control the temperature in the nip, and logic and control means including means for receiving an input indicative of the compliance of the replaceable roller and means for adjusting the means in response to said input.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
Image forming apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said roller is a fusing roller which directly contacts the toner image side of the receiving sheet and the other pressure member is a pressure roller which contacts the side of the receiving sheet opposite the toner image.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
Image forming apparatus according to claim 2 further including a fusing roller cartridge containing said fusing roller, said cartridge including indicating means containing a machine sensible indication of the compliance of the fusing roller and said apparatus further includes means for sensing said indicating means and providing said input to said logic and control means in response thereto.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
105 words
Image forming apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said fusing roller cartridge includes a fusing roller having an axis of rotation and said fusing roller cartridge is insertable in said image forming apparatus by movement parallel to the axis of rotation during which movement the cartridge has a leading end, said cartridge further including electrical connecting means on said leading end positioned to create electrical connection with a receiving electrical connecting means in the image forming apparatus in response to said movement and said sensible indicating means is an electrically sensible indicating means which is connected to said logic and control through said electrical connections.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
115 words
Image forming apparatus comprising: means for forming a toner image on a receiving sheet, means for fusing the toner image to the receiving sheet, said fusing means including, a pressure roller, a fusing roller having an amount of compliance which varies, from roller to roller, within tolerances, means for heating at least one of said rollers, and means for applying a force urging the rollers together to form a heated pressure nip for receiving the receiving sheet, logic and control means including, means for receiving an input indicative of the compliance of the fusing roller, and means for controlling the total heat imparted to a receiving sheet in said nip in response to said input.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
115 words
Image forming apparatus comprising: means for forming a toner image on a receiving sheet, means for fusing the toner image to the receiving sheet, said fusing means including, a pressure roller, a fusing roller having an amount of compliance which varies, from roller to roller, within tolerances, means for heating at least one of said rollers, and means for applying a force urging the rollers together to form a heated pressure nip for receiving the receiving sheet, logic and control means including, means for receiving an input indicative of the compliance of the fusing roller, and means for controlling the total heat imparted to a receiving sheet in said nip in response to said input.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
Image forming apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said means for controlling includes means for adjusting the force applied, urging said rollers together to form said nip.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
Image forming apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said means for controlling, includes means for adjusting the temperature of said nip.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
194 words
Image forming apparatus comprising: means for forming a toner image on a receiving sheet, said means including means for holding or receiving a supply of dry toner having a nominal melt viscosity at a given temperature, which melt viscosity can vary within tolerances from batch to batch, means for fusing the toner image to the receiving sheet, said fusing means including, first and second pressure members positioned to form a pressure nip, at least one of said pressure members being a roller having an amount of compliance which varies, from roller to roller, within tolerances, to cause some variance in the width of said nip, means for heating at least one of said pressure members to heat said pressure nip, and adjustable means for controlling the heat imparted in said nip to a toner image on a receiving sheet, logic and control means including, means for receiving a first input indicative of the melt viscosity of toner in the toner receiving or holding means, means for receiving a second input indicative of the compliance of the roller, and means for adjusting the controlling means in response to both of said first and second inputs.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
194 words
Image forming apparatus comprising: means for forming a toner image on a receiving sheet, said means including means for holding or receiving a supply of dry toner having a nominal melt viscosity at a given temperature, which melt viscosity can vary within tolerances from batch to batch, means for fusing the toner image to the receiving sheet, said fusing means including, first and second pressure members positioned to form a pressure nip, at least one of said pressure members being a roller having an amount of compliance which varies, from roller to roller, within tolerances, to cause some variance in the width of said nip, means for heating at least one of said pressure members to heat said pressure nip, and adjustable means for controlling the heat imparted in said nip to a toner image on a receiving sheet, logic and control means including, means for receiving a first input indicative of the melt viscosity of toner in the toner receiving or holding means, means for receiving a second input indicative of the compliance of the roller, and means for adjusting the controlling means in response to both of said first and second inputs.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
Image forming appafratus according to claim 8 wherein said means for controlling includes means for adjusting the heating means to maintain the pressure members at a predetermined temperature which temperature is controlled according to said inputs.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
154 words
Image forming apparatus comprising: means for forming a toner image on a receiving sheet, said means including means for holding or receiving a supply of dry toner having a nominal melt viscosity at a given temperature, which melt viscosity can vary within tolerances from batch to batch, means for fusing the toner image to the receiving sheet, said fusing means including, first and second pressure members positioned to form a pressure nip, controllable means for heating at least one of said pressure members to heat said pressure nip, and adjustable means for controlling the controllable means to control the temperature in said nip, logic and control means including means for receiving an input indicative of the melt viscosity of toner in the toner receiving or holding means, and means for adjusting the adjustable means in response to said inputs to vary the temperature in the nip according to the melt viscosity of the toner.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
154 words
Image forming apparatus comprising: means for forming a toner image on a receiving sheet, said means including means for holding or receiving a supply of dry toner having a nominal melt viscosity at a given temperature, which melt viscosity can vary within tolerances from batch to batch, means for fusing the toner image to the receiving sheet, said fusing means including, first and second pressure members positioned to form a pressure nip, controllable means for heating at least one of said pressure members to heat said pressure nip, and adjustable means for controlling the controllable means to control the temperature in said nip, logic and control means including means for receiving an input indicative of the melt viscosity of toner in the toner receiving or holding means, and means for adjusting the adjustable means in response to said inputs to vary the temperature in the nip according to the melt viscosity of the toner.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
70 words
Image forming apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said means for forming a toner image includes means for forming a multicolor image and said holding or receiving means includes means for holding or receiving ong or more containerw containing at least two toners of different melt viscosities and said logic and control includes means for receiving inputs indicative of the melt viscosity of each of the at least two toners.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
Image forming apoparatus according to claim 11 wherein said logic and control includes means for algorithmically combining said inputs to derive an output indicative of the desired temperature in the nip.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
Image forming apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said logic control includes means for receiving input indicative of a relative color makeup of said multicolor image and said temperature is controlled according to each of said inputs of melt viscosity and each of said inputs of color makeup.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
70 words
A fusing roller unit comprising: a fusing roller which has been manufactured in a process that produces rollers having a compliance which varies from roller to roller within tolerances, support means for holding the fusing roller for insertion in an image forming apparatus as a unit, and automatically sensible means coupled to said support means and coupleable with a receiving image forming apparatus for indicating the compliance of said roller.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
70 words
A fusing roller unit comprising: a fusing roller which has been manufactured in a process that produces rollers having a compliance which varies from roller to roller within tolerances, support means for holding the fusing roller for insertion in an image forming apparatus as a unit, and automatically sensible means coupled to said support means and coupleable with a receiving image forming apparatus for indicating the compliance of said roller.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
92 words
A fusing roller cartridge comprising: a housing, a fusing rollerr mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation within said housing, means defining an access opining for access to said fusing roller, said fusing roller being mountable in a receiving apparatus by movement generally parallel to said axis of rotation, during which movement said fusing roller cartridge has a leading end, electrical connecting means associated with the leading end of said cartridge, and electrically sensible means contactable through said electrical connecting means for indicating compliance of the fusing roller in said cartrideg.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
92 words
A fusing roller cartridge comprising: a housing, a fusing rollerr mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation within said housing, means defining an access opining for access to said fusing roller, said fusing roller being mountable in a receiving apparatus by movement generally parallel to said axis of rotation, during which movement said fusing roller cartridge has a leading end, electrical connecting means associated with the leading end of said cartridge, and electrically sensible means contactable through said electrical connecting means for indicating compliance of the fusing roller in said cartrideg.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
A fusing roller cartridge according to claim 15 wherein said electrically sensible means is a resistance having a value indicative of the compliance of the fusing roller.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-06-06 | 1997-12-06 | 1998-06-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-06-06 | 2001-12-06 | 2002-06-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-06-06 | 2005-12-06 | 2006-06-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |