US5177877A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dryer-fuser apparatus and method for high speed electrophotographic printing device
Assignee: ADVANCED IMAGING PRODUCTS Corp
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Filing: 1991-08-26
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Granted: 1993-01-12
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Expires: 2011-08-26
Abstract
Abstract A dryer-fuser apparatus and method are provided to evaporate volatile, flammable carrier liquid from and to fuse solids color-imparting particles to a travelling web of paper in a high speed electrophotographic printing process. Volatiles from the dryer are vented to a catalytic converter, with heat recovered from the catalytic converter being recycled to supply heat to the dryer-fuser. An electric resistance heater may be used to supply heat during system start up and during such times when auxiliary heat is required. Regulation of the amount of venting is provided and is dependent upon the concentration of flammable volatiles present in the dryer.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark F. Duchesne
- 👤 Richard A. Gaspar
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 13:41
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/06; G03G15/10; G03G15/11; G03G15/20; G03G15/2003; G03G15/2014; G03G15/2017; G03G15/2025; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/00362; G03G2215/00443; G03G2215/00451; G03G2215/00455; G03G2215/20; G03G2215/207; G03G2215/2083
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
In an electrostatic printing process of the type wherein a color imparting liquid toner dispersion comprising a volatile, flammable carrier liquid and solid color imparting toner particles is applied to a traveling web of paper or the like to form the desired image, a method of drying the web in a hot air dryer by evaporating the carrier liquid from the web and mixing the volatilized carrier with the hot air, comprising: directing the web through the dryer; supplying a stream of hot air into the dryer; suspending the traveling web in a cushion of the hot air while passing the web through the dryer; withdrawing the combined volatilized carrier and hot air from the dryer with a variable speed exhaust fan; and measuring the content of the variable speed exhaust fan in response to such measured content of carrier volatiles to control the amount of venting.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
147 words
In an electrostatic printing process of the type wherein a color imparting liquid toner dispersion comprising a volatile, flammable carrier liquid and solid color imparting toner particles is applied to a traveling web of paper or the like to form the desired image, a method of drying the web in a hot air dryer by evaporating the carrier liquid from the web and mixing the volatilized carrier with the hot air, comprising: directing the web through the dryer; supplying a stream of hot air into the dryer; suspending the traveling web in a cushion of the hot air while passing the web through the dryer; withdrawing the combined volatilized carrier and hot air from the dryer with a variable speed exhaust fan; and measuring the content of the variable speed exhaust fan in response to such measured content of carrier volatiles to control the amount of venting.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
The process defined in claim 1 further comprising passing the mixed vented carrier volatiles and hot air withdrawn from the dryer through a catalytic converter to exothermically degrade the volatiles, and recycling at least a portion of heated effluent air exiting the catalytic converter by adding such effluent air to the hot air streams supplied to the dryer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
69 words
The process defined in claim 2 further comprising directing another portion of the heated effluent air exiting the catalytic converter through a heat exchanger; and directing the combined vented carrier volatiles and hot air from the dryer through the heat exchanger to add heat from the heated effluent air to the mixed volatiles and hot air before passing the preheated mixed volatiles and hot air through the catalytic converter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
The process as defined in claim 2 further comprising directing the portion of effluent hot recycled to an exhaust vent, controlling the exhaust flow of effluent with a bypass damper to adjust the proportion of effluent air from said catalytic converter which is exhausted and which is recycled.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
64 words
The process defined in claim 2 further comprising, admitting fresh make-up air to the stream of hot air supplied to the dryer, sensing the air pressure within the dryer, and regulating the ratio of fresh make-up air to the volume of recycled heated effluent air from the catalytic converter in accordance with dryer pressure changes as a result of changes in exhaust fan speed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process defined in claim 5 comprising regulating the ratio to ensure that the lower flammability level of the volatiles is not exceeded.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process defined in claim 5 further comprising regulating said ratio to ensure that a lower flammability level of 25% or less is attained.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The process defined in claim 2 further comprising measuring the temperature of the web in the dryer, and controlling the amount of heated effluent air from the catalytic converter recycled through the dryer in response to variations in the web temperature.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
199 words
Apparatus for drying a web of paper or the like that has been wetted with a liquid toner dispersion comprising a volatile, flammable carrier liquid and solids toner particles, said apparatus comprising: a dryer including a hot air supply manifold and means defining a dryer chamber around said manifold; a supply conduit connected to said supply manifold for supplying hot air to said dryer; conveyer means for moving the web along a path through said dryer chamber past said manifold whereby substantially all carrier liquid on the web is volatilized to mix in said dryer chamber with the hot air from said manifold; means for suspending the web in an air cushion while the web is moved through said dryer chamber; vent means connected to said dryer chamber for venting the mixture of hot air and volatilized carrier from said dryer chamber; a variable speed exhaust fan connected to withdraw the mixture of air and volatilized carrier through said vent means; means for measuring the content of volatilized carrier in said dryer chamber; and means responsive to said measuring means for regulating the speed of said exhaust fan to control the amount of mixture flowing through said vent means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
199 words
Apparatus for drying a web of paper or the like that has been wetted with a liquid toner dispersion comprising a volatile, flammable carrier liquid and solids toner particles, said apparatus comprising: a dryer including a hot air supply manifold and means defining a dryer chamber around said manifold; a supply conduit connected to said supply manifold for supplying hot air to said dryer; conveyer means for moving the web along a path through said dryer chamber past said manifold whereby substantially all carrier liquid on the web is volatilized to mix in said dryer chamber with the hot air from said manifold; means for suspending the web in an air cushion while the web is moved through said dryer chamber; vent means connected to said dryer chamber for venting the mixture of hot air and volatilized carrier from said dryer chamber; a variable speed exhaust fan connected to withdraw the mixture of air and volatilized carrier through said vent means; means for measuring the content of volatilized carrier in said dryer chamber; and means responsive to said measuring means for regulating the speed of said exhaust fan to control the amount of mixture flowing through said vent means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
86 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said manifold includes a pair of air supply tubes connected to said conduit means and disposed in said dryer, the web path extending between said air supply tubes, said tubes each having a plurality of apertures therein aimed toward the web path, the hot air supplied to said air supply tubes exiting through said apertures to blow hot air onto opposite sides of the web to suspend the portion of the web passing between said tubes in said dryer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
59 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9 further comprising catalytic converter means connected to receive the mixture from said fan for exothermically degrading the volatilized carrier, and recycle conduit means connecting the effluent from said catalytic converter means to said supply conduit for recycling at least a portion of hot effluent from said catalytic converter means to said supply manifold.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
97 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 11 further comprising heat exchange means connected to said recycle conduit means whereby a portion of the effluent emanating from said catalytic converter means is passed to said heat exchange means, the flow of mixture from said fan being connected to said heat exchange means whereby the mixture of volatilized carrier and hot air from said dryer is brought into heat exchange relation with the hot effluent from said catalytic converter means thereby to preheat the mixture of hot air and volatilized carrier prior to passage thereof into said catalytic converter means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 12 further including an auxiliary heater connected between said fan and said recycle conduit means to preheat the mixture flowing from said fan during startup of the apparatus when said catalytic converter means is not fully operative.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9 further comprising a make-up air supply conduit connected to said manifold for supplying fresh air thereto, and damper means controlling the flow through said make-up air supply conduit for adjusting the amount of fresh air supplied to said manifold.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9 further comprising means for measuring the air pressure in said dryer chamber, and means for regulating the amount of make-up air admitted to said dryer in response to variations in chamber pressure sensed by said pressure measuring means as a result of changes in exhaust fan speed.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 11 further comprising recycle damper means controlling the flow through said recycle conduit means for adjusting the amount of hot effluent from said catalytic converter means that is recycled to said air supply manifold.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 16 further comprising means for measuring the temperature of the portion of the web in said dryer chamber, and means for controlling the amount of hot effluent recycled from said heat exchanger means to said supply mainfold in response to said temperature measuring means.
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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) | 1996-01-12 | 1996-07-13 | 1997-01-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-01-12 | 2000-07-13 | 2001-01-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-01-12 | 2004-07-13 | 2005-01-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |