US5424813A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for improved blotter roller permeability
Assignee: Xerox Corp
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Filing: 1994-05-23
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Granted: 1995-06-13
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Expires: 2014-05-23
Abstract
Abstract A roller for increasing the rate of permeability of liquid carrier from an image formed from a liquid developer comprised of toner particles and liquid carrier. Perforations formed through the skin covering of the blotter roller provide high quality transfer of an image having maximum toner particles and minimal liquid carrier to a final copy sheet, at an increased process speed.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward L. Schlueter, Jr.
- 👤 Lucille M. Sharf
- 👤 Joseph Mammino
- 👤 Jerome P. Chasko
- 👤 Christine J. Tarnawskyj
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 10:09
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/14; G03G15/16; G03G15/1605; G03G15/161; G03G15/06; G03G15/10; G03G15/11
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
83 words
A roller for conditioning an image formed from a liquid developer including liquid carrier and toner particles, comprising: an absorption material adapted to absorb the liquid carrier; and a covering in contact with a portion of said absorption material, said covering having a smooth surface and being substantially impervious to toner particles and pervious to liquid carrier to inhibit toner particles from departing the image, and having a plurality of perforations therein to permit liquid carrier to pass therethrough to said absorption material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
83 words
A roller for conditioning an image formed from a liquid developer including liquid carrier and toner particles, comprising: an absorption material adapted to absorb the liquid carrier; and a covering in contact with a portion of said absorption material, said covering having a smooth surface and being substantially impervious to toner particles and pervious to liquid carrier to inhibit toner particles from departing the image, and having a plurality of perforations therein to permit liquid carrier to pass therethrough to said absorption material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A roller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said absorption material defines a cavity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A roller as claimed in claim 2, further comprising removal means for removing liquid carrier from said absorption material at substantially the same rate as absorption of the liquid carrier into said absorption material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
A roller as claimed in claim 3, wherein said removal means comprises a vacuum source in communication with the cavity of said absorption material to adjust the pressure wherein so that the rate of absorption of liquid carrier into said absorption material is substantially equal to the rate of removal of liquid carrier therefrom.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A roller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said absorption material comprises: a rigid porous core; and a conformable open cell porous roller mounted around said core.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
A roller as claimed in claim 5, wherein said rigid core is electroconductive, further comprising means for applying an electrical bias to the core to repel the toner particles, so as to further inhibit the toner particles from departing the image and entering said absorption material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
A roller as claimed in claim 6, wherein said conformable open cell porous roller has a resistivity in the range of about 10 -5 ohm-cm to about 10 -11 ohm-cm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
A roller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said covering is microporous.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A roller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said covering includes perforations ranging from about 1 micron to about 15 microns in diameter.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
A roller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said covering includes perforations spaced from center to center of one another an average distance in the range of about 15 microns to about 30 microns.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A roller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said covering includes perforations shaped to maximize the rate of absorption of liquid carrier therethrough in response to the roller being compressed.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A roller as claimed in claim 5, wherein the perforations formed through said covering extend through said conformable roller.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
A roller as claimed in claim 5, wherein said conformable roller includes a plurality of perforations therethrough.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A roller as claimed in claim 13, wherein said conformable roller includes perforations ranging from about 1 micron to about 300 microns in diameter.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
A roller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said roller is in the form of a belt.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
110 words
A printing machine of the type having a surface, with an image developed with a liquid developer comprising liquid carrier and toner particles, and a roller for removing liquid carrier therefrom before transferring the developed image from the surface to a final copy sheet, comprising: an absorption material adapted to absorb the liquid carrier; and a covering in contact with a portion of said absorption material, said covering having a smooth surface and being substantially impervious to toner particles and pervious to liquid carrier to inhibit toner particles from departing the image, and having a plurality of perforations therein to permit liquid carrier to pass therethrough to said absorption material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
110 words
A printing machine of the type having a surface, with an image developed with a liquid developer comprising liquid carrier and toner particles, and a roller for removing liquid carrier therefrom before transferring the developed image from the surface to a final copy sheet, comprising: an absorption material adapted to absorb the liquid carrier; and a covering in contact with a portion of said absorption material, said covering having a smooth surface and being substantially impervious to toner particles and pervious to liquid carrier to inhibit toner particles from departing the image, and having a plurality of perforations therein to permit liquid carrier to pass therethrough to said absorption material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
A printing machine as claimed in claim 16, wherein said absorption material defines a cavity.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
A printing machine as claimed in claim 17, further comprising removal means for removing liquid carrier from said absorption material at substantially the same rate as absorption of the liquid carrier into said absorption material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
55 words
A printing machine as claimed in claim 17, wherein said removal means comprises a vacuum source in communication with the cavity of said absorption material to adjust the pressure therein so that the rate of absorption of liquid carrier into said absorption material is substantially equal to the rate of removal of liquid carrier therefrom.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
A printing machine as claimed in claim 16, wherein said absorption material comprises: a rigid porous core; and a conformable open cell porous roller mounted around said core.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
47 words
A printing machine as claimed in claim 20, wherein said rigid core is electroconductive, further comprising means for applying an electrical bias to the core to repel the toner particles, so as to further inhibit the toner particles from departing the image and entering said absorption material.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
A roller as claimed in claim 21, wherein said conformable open cell porous roller has a resistivity in the range of about 10 5 - ohm-cm to about 10 -11 ohm-cm.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
A printing machine as claimed in claim 16, wherein said covering is microporous.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
A printing machine as claimed in claim 16, wherein said covering includes perforations ranging from about 1 micron to about 15 microns in diameter.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
35 words
A printing machine as claimed in claim 16, wherein said covering includes perforations spaced from center to center of one another an average distance in the range of about 15 microns to about 30 micorns.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
A printing machine as claimed in claim 16, wherein said covering includes perforations shaped to maximize the rate of absorption of liquid carrier therethrough in response to the roller being compressed.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
A printing machine as claimed in claim 20, wherein the perforations formed through said covering extend through said conformable roller.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
A printing machine as claimed in claim 20, wherein said conformable roller includes a plurality of perforations therethrough.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
A printing machine as claimed in claim 28, wherein said conformable roller includes perforations ranging from about 1 micron to about 300 microns in diameter.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of fabricating a roller for conditioning an image formed from a liquid developer including liquid carrier and toner particles, comprising the steps of: selecting a cover having a smooth glossy exterior surface and being substantially impervious to toner particles and pervious to liquid carrier to inhibit toner particles from departing the image; perforating the cover with a plurality of apertures; and placing the cover and a portion of an absorption material in contact with one another.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of fabricating a roller for conditioning an image formed from a liquid developer including liquid carrier and toner particles, comprising the steps of: selecting a cover having a smooth glossy exterior surface and being substantially impervious to toner particles and pervious to liquid carrier to inhibit toner particles from departing the image; perforating the cover with a plurality of apertures; and placing the cover and a portion of an absorption material in contact with one another.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as recited in claim 30, further comprising the step of shaping the absorption material to define a cavity.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of as recited in claim 30, further comprising the step of perforating the absorption material with a plurality of apertures before said placing step.
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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) | 1998-06-12 | 1998-12-12 | 1999-06-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-06-12 | 2002-12-12 | 2003-06-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-06-12 | 2006-12-12 | 2007-06-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |