US5481339A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Air conditioning device for a printer
Assignee: Xeikon Manufacturing NV
•
Filing: 1994-06-08
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Granted: 1996-01-02
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Expires: 2014-06-08
Abstract
Abstract An electrostatographic printer is described for forming an image onto a moving web or sheet. The printer includes a number of toner image-producing electrostatographic stations having rotatable drums onto which a toner image can be formed. A development station forms a toner image on the drums. Drive rollers convey the web past the image-producing stations. Corona discharge devices transfer the toner image on the drum surface onto the moving web. The printer also has an air-conditioning device which has filters for removing dust and ozone from air leaving the environment of the image-producing station, a heat exchanger and a humidifier for adjusting the temperature and humidity of air leaving the environment of the image-producing station, and an inlet manifold for introducing a stream of the conditioned clean air into the environment of the image-producing stations.
Inventors
- 👤 Etienne M. De Cock
- 👤 Lucien A. De Schamphelaere
- 👤 Johan D. G. Elsermans
- 👤 Ludo Verluyten
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 05:45
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G21/00; G03G21/20; G03G21/206; G03G15/00; G03G15/06; G03G15/08; G03G15/0822; G03G15/0887; G03G21/203
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
An electrostatographic printer for forming an image onto a moving receptor element, which printer comprises: (i) a plurality of toner image-producing electrostatographic stations; (ii) means for conveying the moving receptor element past said image-producing stations, each of said image producing stations having rotatable endless surface means onto which a toner image can be formed, a development station for forming a toner image on said rotatable endless surface means and means for transferring said toner image on said rotatable endless surface means onto said moving receptor element; and (iii) an air-conditioning device comprising means for adjusting the temperature and humidity of air to produce conditioned air, and means for introducing a stream of said conditioned air into the environment of said image-producing stations, wherein air leaving the environment of said image-producing stations is recycled to, and reconditioned by, said air-conditioning device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
An electrostatographic printer for forming an image onto a moving receptor element, which printer comprises: (i) a plurality of toner image-producing electrostatographic stations; (ii) means for conveying the moving receptor element past said image-producing stations, each of said image producing stations having rotatable endless surface means onto which a toner image can be formed, a development station for forming a toner image on said rotatable endless surface means and means for transferring said toner image on said rotatable endless surface means onto said moving receptor element; and (iii) an air-conditioning device comprising means for adjusting the temperature and humidity of air to produce conditioned air, and means for introducing a stream of said conditioned air into the environment of said image-producing stations, wherein air leaving the environment of said image-producing stations is recycled to, and reconditioned by, said air-conditioning device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A printer according to claim 1, wherein said moving receptor element is a paper web.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A printer according to claim 1, wherein said air-conditioning device further comprises means for removing dust and ozone from air leaving the environment of said image-producing stations.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A printer according to claim 3, wherein said means for removing dust from air leaving the environment of said image-producing stations comprises a dust-retaining filter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A printer according to claim 3, wherein said means for removing ozone from air leaving the environment of said image-producing stations is a device selected from an ozone-sorption and an ozone-decomposing device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A printer according to claim 3, wherein said means for removing dust and ozone from air leaving the environment of each of said image-producing stations is so constructed and positioned to remove said air from the vicinity of said development station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A printer according to claim 6, wherein each of said development stations comprises a development station box, said box having an outlet for the removal of said air therefrom.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A printer according to claim 7, wherein said development station box further comprises an inlet for introducing a stream of separately conditioned air.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
78 words
A printer according to claim 8, wherein said plurality of image-producing stations are housed in a cabinet, said air-conditioning device including a common inlet for introducing a stream of said conditioned air into said cabinet, and wherein said air-conditioning device further comprises means for introducing a stream of air of a first condition directly to each development station and means for introducing air of a second condition simultaneously via a common inlet into said cabinet of said printer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
A printer according to claim 1, wherein said image-producing stations are housed in a cabinet having at least one inlet for said conditioned air and at least one outlet for air containing dust and ozone.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
A printer according to claim 1, wherein said air-conditioning device further comprises sensing means for providing signals indicative of the temperature and humidity of air leaving the environment of said image-producing stations.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A printer according to claim 1, wherein said means for adjusting the temperature and humidity of air comprises a cooling unit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
A printer according to claim 12, wherein said cooling unit contains, as a cooling medium, water which is kept at a reference temperature by means of a refrigeration device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
A printer according to claim 1, wherein said air-conditioning device includes an outlet manifold for introducing a separate stream of said conditioned air into the environment of each of said image-producing stations.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
A printer according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of image-producing stations are housed in a cabinet, said air-conditioning device including a common inlet for introducing a common stream of said conditioned air into said cabinet.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
A printer according to claim 1, wherein said air-conditioning device includes an outlet manifold for removing air from the environment of each of said image-producing stations.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
47 words
A printer according to claim 1, wherein said means for introducing a stream of said conditioned air into the environment of said image-producing stations is so constructed and positioned to direct said conditioned air towards said rotatable endless surface means at a position adjacent said development station.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
A printer according to claim 1, wherein each said development station has a double-walled construction.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
129 words
A method for forming an image onto a moving receptor element in an electrostatographic printer which includes a plurality of toner image-producing electrostatographic stations, each of said image-producing stations having rotatable endless surface means onto which a toner image can be formed, the method comprising: forming a toner image on each of said rotatable endless surface means; conveying said moving receptor element past said image-producing stations; transferring said toner image on each of said rotatable endless surface means onto said moving receptor element; adjusting the temperature and humidity of air to produce conditioned air, introducing a stream of said conditioned air into the environment of said image-producing stations, recycling air leaving the environment of said image-producing stations, and re-conditioning the air recycled from the environment of said image-producing stations.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
129 words
A method for forming an image onto a moving receptor element in an electrostatographic printer which includes a plurality of toner image-producing electrostatographic stations, each of said image-producing stations having rotatable endless surface means onto which a toner image can be formed, the method comprising: forming a toner image on each of said rotatable endless surface means; conveying said moving receptor element past said image-producing stations; transferring said toner image on each of said rotatable endless surface means onto said moving receptor element; adjusting the temperature and humidity of air to produce conditioned air, introducing a stream of said conditioned air into the environment of said image-producing stations, recycling air leaving the environment of said image-producing stations, and re-conditioning the air recycled from the environment of said image-producing stations.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 19, wherein said moving receptor element is a paper web.
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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) | 1999-01-01 | 1999-07-03 | 2000-01-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-01-01 | 2003-07-03 | 2004-01-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-01-01 | 2007-07-03 | 2008-01-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |