US3811765A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Contact-transfer electrostatic printing system
Assignee: Markem Imaje Corp
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Filing: 1972-01-21
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Granted: 1974-05-21
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Expires: 1992-01-21
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for electrostatic printing in which an electrostatic latent image charge configuration is established on the non-conducting surface of a transfer medium and developed with a liquid toner suspension in the form of toner marking particles suspended in a fluid. The liquid from the liquid toner suspension applied to the transfer medium is removed leaving toner particles electrostatically retained against the surface of the transfer medium in accordance with the electrostatic latent image charge configuration. A print receiving medium is compressed or pressure biased by means of a roller or other means having a surface preferably resilient against the transfer medium and the compressed print receiving medium and deposited toner particles are contact heated by the pressure roller or means in the transfer area so that toner particles are melted and fixed to the print receiving medium in the configuration of the electrostatic latent image.
Inventors
- 👤 David Edward Blake
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 13:37
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/14; G03G15/16; G03G15/1665; G03G15/167; G03G15/22; G03G15/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said means for drying the toner on the medium comprises an air knife and means for supplying said air knife with air substantially saturated with vapors of the liquid toner vehicle.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
114 words
A system for electrostatic printing comprising: a transfer plate formed with an insulative surface; means for establishing a charge configuration on the insulative surface of the transfer plate; means for applying to the charge configuration on the transfer plate a Liquid toner marking material comprising toner particles suspended in a non-conductive liquid; means for removing the liquid leaving toner particles retained against the transfer medium in the charge configuration; means for applying a print receiving medium under pressure against the transfer plate; and means for heating the print receiving medium and deposited toner particles during pressure contact whereby the toner particles are melted and fixed to the print receiving medium in the charge configuration.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said means for removing the liquid comprises a jet of air substantially saturated with vapors of the liquid toner vehicle.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
182 words
A system for electrostatic printing comprising: a transfer drum formed with an insulative outer surface and means for rotating said drum; an imaging station for establishing on the surface of the drum an electrostatic latent image during rotation of the drum; a developing station for applying to an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the drum a liquid toner suspension marking material comprising toner marking particles suspended in a non-conductive carrier liquid; means for removing carrier liquid from liquid toner suspension marking material deposited on the transfer drum surface thereby leaving toner particles on the drum surface in the charge configuration of the electrosatic latent image; a roller formed with a surface of elastomeric material positioned adjacent the transfer drum; means for feeding a print receiving medium between the roller and transfer drum during rotation of the transfer drum; means for compressing the roller against the surface of the drum and means for heating the roller, whereby the deposited toner on the transfer drum is melted and fixed to the transfer medium in the configuration of the electrostatic latent image.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 5 wherein said means for removing carrier liquid comprises an air knife.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 5 wherein said means for removing carrier liquid comprises means for physically separating said carrier liquid from said toner particles.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 5 wherein said means for removing carrier liquid comprises a substance which is substantially non-absorptive relative to said carrier liquid and means for thrusting said non-absorptive substance against said carrier liquid on said transfer drum.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 8 wherein said non-absorptive substance is air substantially saturated with vapors of the liquid toner vehicle and wherein said means for thrusting said non-absorptive substance against said carrier liquid is an air knife.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
A system for electrostatic printing as set forth in claim 5, wherein the means for removing the liquid from liquid toner suspension applied to the transfer drum surface comprises an air knife for blowing off the liquid while the suspended toner particles are electrostatically retained against the surface of the drum.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system for electrostatic printing as set forth in claim 5, wherein the means for removing the liquid from liquid toner suspension applied to the transfer drum surface comprises an absorbent roller.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
61 words
A system of electrostatic printing as set forth in claim 5, wherein is provided means for cleaning the drum after transfer of a developed image from the drum surface to a print receiving medium and means for removing any latent charge remaining on the insulative drum surface whereby the drum surface is prepared for receiving and developing another electrostatic latent image.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
184 words
A system for electrostatic printing as set forth in claim 5, wherein the imaging station for establishing on the surface of the transfer drum an electrostatic latent image comprises: a multilayered apertured screen including at least an insulative layer and a conductive layer; means for establishing across the face of the screen a double layer charge electrostatic latent image providing internal fringing fields witHin the apertures of the screen of selected orientations and strengths for selectively blocking and enhancing a flow of charge particles directed through the apertures and for selectively controlling the flow of charge particles over a continuous range in accordance with the electrostatic latent image; means for transporting said screen in synchronism with the transfer surface; and means for directing a line stream of charged particles through the screen in the direction of the transfer drum surface whereby the cross-section flow density of the charged particle stream is modulated in accordance with the configuration of charges on the screen and whereby the particle flow is deposited on the transfer drum surface to form an electrostatic latent image of the desired configuration.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
214 words
The system for electrostatic printing as set forth in claim 5, wherein the imaging station for establishing on the surface of the transfer drum an electrostatic latent image comprises: a multilayered aperture modulator comprising a layer of insulative material having a continuous conductive layer formed on one side thereof and a segmented conductive layer formed on the other side, with at least one row of apertures formed through the bar so that each segment of the segmented conductive layer substantially surrounds one of the apertures and so that each aperture is separately electrically addressable through the conductive segments, said multilayered apertured modulator positioned adjacent the surface of the drum and parallel with the drum rotation axis; means for applying separate selected electrical potential signals to the segments of the segmented conductive layer and means for applying a selected fixed potential to the continuous conductive layer; and means for directing a line stream of charged particles through the modulator in the direction of the transfer drum surface whereby the cross-sectional flow density of the charged particle stream is modulated in accordance with the potentials applied to the segments of the segmented conductive layer so that the particle flow is deposited on the transfer drum surface to form an electrostatic charged image of the desired configuration.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
325 words
A system for electrostatic printing comprising: a transfer medium formed with an insulative outer surface; an imaging station for establishing on the surface of the transfer medium, an electrostatic latent image, said imaging station comprising a multilayered apertured element including at least an insulative layer and a conductive layer, means for establishing across the apertures of the element double layer charges providing internal fringing fields within the aperture of the screen of selected orientations and strengths for selectively blocking and enhancing a flow of charged particles directed through the apertures and for selectively controlling the flow of charge particles over a continuous range in accordance with the charge potentials, means for placing said element in juxtaposition with the transfer medium surface, and means for directing a stream of charged particles through the apertures of the element in the direction of the transfer medium surface whereby the cross-sectional flow density of the charged particle stream is modulated in accordance with the configuration of charges across the apertures of the element whereby the particle flow is deposited on the transfer medium surface to form an electrostatic latent image of the desired configuration; a developing station for applying to an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the transfer medium a liquid toner suspension marking material comprising toner marking particles suspended in a liquid; means for removing liquid from liquid toner suspension deposited on the transfer medium surface thereby leaving toner particles on the transfer medium surface in the charge configuration of the electrostatic latent image; a roller formed with a surface of elastomeric material positioned adjacEnt the transfer medium; means for feeding a print receiving medium between the roller and transfer medium; means for compressing the roller against the surface of the transfer medium and means for heating the roller, whereby the deposited toner on the transfer medium surface is melted and fixed to a print receiving medium in the configuration of the electrostatic latent image.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
84 words
A system for electrostatic printing as set forth in claim 15, wherein the multilayered aperture element comprises a screen including a conductive layer and a photoconductive insulative layer, and wherein is provided means for establishing across the face of the screen a double layered charge electrostatic latent image comprising means for depositing a substantially uniform charge across the photoconductive insulative layers, means for applying voltage biases to the conductive layer, and means for projecting an image to be reproduced onto the photoconductive insulating layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
105 words
In a system for electrostatic printing, the combination comprising: a transfer medium formed with a hard durable photo-inert insulative outer surface; imaging means for establishing an electrostatic latent image on the surface of said transfer medium; developing means for applying toner marking particles to said electrostatic latent image on said transfer medium to develop such image; printing means for contact applying a sheet of paper or the like to the developed image on said transfer medium; and fusing means for simultaneously applying heat and pressure to paper at said printing station while said paper is contact applied to said developed image on said transfer medium.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
172 words
In a system for electrostatic printing, the combination comprising: a transfer medium formed with a hard, durable, photoinert insulative outer surface; imaging means including a multi-layered apertured element having at least an insulative layer and a conductive layer, means for providing layers of charge on opposed surfaces of said insulative layer for establishing fringing fields of selected strengths within the apertures of said element, and means for directing a stream of ions through said apertures in the direction of said transfer medium whereby said ion stream is modulated by said fringing fields to form an electrostatic latent image on said outer surface of said transfer medium; developing means for applying toner marking particles to said electrostatic latent image on said transfer medium to develop such image; printing means for contact applying a sheet of paper or the like to the developed image on said transfer medium; and fusing means for simultaneously applying heat and pressure to paper at said printing station while contact applied to said developed image on said transfer medium.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The combination recited in claim 18 wherein said developing means includes means for applying toner fluid to said electrostatic latent image.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The combination recited in claim 19 wherein said toner fluid is comprised of solid toner marking particles in a carrier fluid.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
The combination recited in claim 19 wherein said carrier fluid consists of a non-conductive liquid.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination recited in claim 21 further comprising means for removing said liquid carrier fluid from said developed image before paper is applied thereto by said printing means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
47 words
The combination recited in claim 22 wherein said liquid removing means comprises a substance which is substantially non-absorptive relative to said liquid carrier fluid and means for thrusting said non-absorptive substance against said carrier liquid on said transfer medium to separate said liquid from said toner particles.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination recited in claim 23 wherein said non-absorptive substance is a gaseous substance substantially saturated with vapors of the liquid toner vehicle and wherein said thrusting means is a jet.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The combination recited in claim 23 wherein said non-absorPtive substance is substantially saturated air and wherein said thrusting means is an air knife.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination recited in claim 22 wherein said liquid removal means removes said carrier liquid from said developed image without appreciable evaporation.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
13 words
The combination recited in claim 22 wherein said carrier liquid is substantially non-volatile.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination recited in claim 18 wherein said fusing means includes a heated roller having a deformable surface and means for biasing said roller against paper on said transfer medium.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination recited in claim 18 wherein said fusing means includes a heated roller having a deformable surface and means for biasing said roller against paper on said transfer medium.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination recited in claim 19 wherein said fusing means includes a heated roller having a deformable surface and means for biasing said roller against paper on said transfer medium.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination recited in claim 20 wherein said fusing means includes a heated roller having a deformable surface and means for biasing said roller against paper on said transfer medium.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination recited in claim 21 wherein said fusing means includes a heated roller having a deformable surface and means for biasing said roller against paper on said transfer medium.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination recited in claim 22 wherein said fusing means includes a heated roller having a deformable surface and means for biasing said roller against paper on said transfer medium.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination recited in claim 23 wherein said fusing means includes a heated roller having a deformable surface and means for biasing said roller against paper on said transfer medium.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination recited in claim 24 wherein said fusing means includes a heated roller having a deformable surface and means for biasing said roller against paper on said transfer medium.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination recited in claim 25 wherein said fusing means includes a heated roller having a deformable surface and means for biasing said roller against paper on said transfer medium.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination recited in claim 26 wherein said fusing means includes a heated roller having a deformable surface and means for biasing said roller against paper on said transfer medium.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination recited in claim 27 wherein said fusing means includes a heated roller having a deformable surface and means for biasing said roller against paper on said transfer medium.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-05-20 | 1977-11-19 | 1978-05-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-05-20 | 1981-11-19 | 1982-05-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-05-20 | 1985-11-19 | 1986-05-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |