Duplex transfer apparatus and processes

Details Duplex transfer apparatus and processes Duplex transfer apparatus and processes

2000-11-14

2002-10-15

Lee, Susan S. Y. (Department: 2852)

Electrophotography

Image formation

Transfer

C399S307000, C399S384000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06466761

ABSTRACT:

REFERENCE TO COPENDING AND ISSUED PATENTS
Attention is directed to commonly owned and assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,878,320, issued Mar. 2, 1999, and 5,875,383, issued Feb. 23, 1999, to Stemmle et al., respectively entitled “CONTINUOUS IMAGING OF A CONTINUOUS WEB SUBSTRATE WITH A SINGLE PRINT ENGINE WITH A PHOTORECEPTOR BELT SEAM” and “DUAL MODE INTERCHANGEABLE MODULES CUT SHEET OR WEB PRINTING SYSTEM WITH A SINGLE XEROGRAPHIC CUT SHEET PRINT ENGINE.” The U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,320 patent discloses a continuous web substrate printing system which can utilize a single otherwise conventional or existing xerographic print engine (normally printing conventional cut sheet print substrates) having an endless photoreceptor belt with a belt seam requiring a section of that belt to be un-imaged in each belt rotation, yet provide continuous directly abutting images on the printed web, to avoid paper scrap. A special simplex or duplex continuous web printing substrate supply module may be docked with the cut sheet print engine to form an integral web printing system. It has a web feeding and image transfer system for appropriately feeding the continuous web printing substrate uncut into the print engine for image transfers to one or both sides of the web from the imaging surface of the print engine. For duplex printing a controlled expandable/contractible web loop may be provided in between two alternately engaged transfer stations, for alternately transferring batches of page print images onto opposite sides of the web in the proper sequence and positions, with interruption of the web feeding in the web segments in those areas. This is desirably coordinated with skipping and compensating for the un-imaged belt seam areas to avoid creating blank paper areas between any images on the web which would otherwise have to be cut off and wasted. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,320 patent discloses a plural mode printing system utilizing a cut sheet print engine for printing conventional cut sheet print substrates, in which page print images are generated and transferred to the cut sheets at an image transfer station. This plural mode printing system selectively provides printing onto either the cut sheets or onto an uncut continuous web printing substrate, in the same cut sheet print engine. An independently moveable continuous web printing substrate supply module is selectively operatively docked with the cut sheet print engine. That web printing module has a web feeding and image transfer assistance system for feeding the continuous web uncut into the cut sheet printing engine for transferring the page print images onto the web instead of onto cut sheets when the print engine is operatively docked with the web printing substrate module. The web printing module does not itself need to print. Rather, it can feed an extended loop of the continuous web into the cut sheet print engine image transfer station. The web module may provide either simplex printing or duplex printing onto both sides of the web with a duplexing system for feeding the web into the print engine for image transfer twice, with web inversion in between. The web modules are also preferably interchangeable with an optional cut sheet supply module.
The disclosure of the above mentioned patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The appropriate components and processes of those patent applications may be selected for the products and processes of the present invention in embodiments thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a duplex printing apparatus and printing method thereof. More specifically the present invention is directed to a printing apparatus and to a duplex image simultaneous-transfer station subsystem used therein or a duplex image simultaneous-transfer station which can be attached thereto. Even more specifically the present invention is directed to an duplex image transfer station subsystem or accessory which is adapted to receive a continuous duplex web feed, that is a donor web feed where both sides of the continuous web bear transferable paired printed images, and the transfer station is further adapted to thereafter simultaneously transfer the paired printed images from the continuous donor web to respective receivers, for example, receiver webs or suitable printed image substrates.
Duplex printing systems generally are well known in the art, reference for example, the aforementioned commonly owned U.S. Patent Nos. and those U.S. Patent Nos. that follow, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in there entirety.
PRIOR ART
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,302, issued Apr. 18, 1995, to Manzer et al., there is disclosed a printing or copying machine has a photoconductor (10) with associated recording and developing station (EY, EM, EC, EB) for producing single-color or multi-color toner images on the intermediate image-carrier (10). The toner images are transferred electrostatically, in a transfer zone (T) onto a belt-type transfer element (16) and then, in transfer and fusing zones (U1, U2), printed from the underneath from the transfer element onto the recording carriers (24). In order to facilitate the fusing of the transfer image in the transfer and fusing stations (U1, U2), heating units (23, 31) for heating the toner images on the transfer element (16) and/or for heating the recording carrier (24) are provided. Between the first and the second transfer and fusing station (U1, U2), a turning station (W) is arranged. The printing or copying machine can be operated in the simplex and duplex printing mode of operation to produce single-color or multi-color copies.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,470, issued Oct. 24, 1995, to De Cock et al., there is disclosed an electrostatographic single-pass multiple station (e.g. multi-color) duplex printer is described for forming an image onto a web. The printer has at least three toner image-producing electrostatographic stations. Each station has a rotatable endless surface in the form of a photoconductive drum onto which a toner image can be formed. The printer also includes drive rollers for conveying the web in succession past the stations. Corona discharge devices transfer the toner image on each rotatable surface onto the web. The image-producing stations are arranged in two sub-groups, the drum of one sub-group forming a backing roller for the other sub-group, and viceversa, thereby to enable simultaneous duplex printing.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,018, issued Apr. 6, 1999, to De Bock et al., there is disclosed a single pass, multi-color electrostatographic printer which includes a transfer member which is driven along a continuous path. Several toner images of different colors are electrostatically deposited in powder form in registration with each other on the transfer member to form a multiple toner image thereon. A substrate is fed into contact with the transfer member. The multiple toner image is thereby transferred to at least one face of the substrate. The printer includes heaters for heating the multiple toner image on the transfer member in advance of the transfer of the image to the substrate and cooling devices for cooling the transfer member following the transfer of the multiple toner image therefrom to the substrate to a temperature below the glass transition temperature Tg of the toner, prior to the deposition of further toner images on the transfer member.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,455,668, issued Oct. 3, 1995, to De Bock et al., there is disclosed an electrostatographic single-pass multiple station multi-color printer for forming an image onto a web, for example of paper. A plurality of toner image-producing electrostatographic printing stations each have a rotatable endless surface such as the photoconductive surface of a cylindrical drum onto which a toner image can be formed. The paper web is conveyed in succession past the printing stations. The speed and tension of the web is controlled while it is running past the printing stations. Guiding rollers which determine for the web wrapping angles of about 15° about th

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