Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Medium and processing means
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-24
2004-01-20
Meier, Stephen D. (Department: 2853)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Medium and processing means
C399S330000, C399S331000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06679600
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention claimed and disclosed herein pertains to methods and apparatus for producing images, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for selectively producing images having increased gloss levels.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Imaging devices are in widespread use and are well known in the art. The term “imaging device” includes any device that is configured to produce a visual image on an image media. Specific examples of imaging devices are printers, copiers, facsimile machines, and the like. Specific examples of image media are paper sheet, plastic film and the like.
Prior art imaging devices produce images by employing any of a number of various processes such as those known as inkjet, bubble jet, laser scanning, and the like. Each of these imaging processes is well known in the art and generally involves the deposition of an imaging substance on an image media to produce a visible image. Image substances include any substance that is configured to make up the image when deposited on the image media.
Specific examples of image substances are ink, powdered toner, and the like. An image that is produced by an imaging device is visible because of the contrast in light-reflecting characteristics between the image media and the image substance. A black image substance can be deposited on a white image media, for example, to create readable text.
Presently, one of the more popular imaging processes is that of laser scanning which is mentioned above. Imaging devices that employ the laser scanning imaging process are generally referred to as “laser printers,” although the laser scanning process is employed in many types of imaging devices in addition to printers. The laser scanning imaging process (laser printing) generally involves selectively scanning at least one laser beam, or other light source, across an electrically charged photosensitive surface, which is generally referred to as an optical photo-conductor.
The laser is selectively scanned across the optical photo-conductor in accordance with a predetermined image which is to be produced. That is, the laser is selectively scanned across the optical photo-conductor so as to alter the relative electrical potential of respective portions thereof. The image, as a result of such scanning, is latently produced on the surface of the optical photo-conductor and is characterized by electro-statically charged portions of the optical photo-conductor as created by the selective scanning of the laser.
An imaging substance in the form of powdered toner is then applied to the surface of the optical photo-conductor. The toner generally adheres only to the selected portions of the optical photo-conductor, as created by the process of selectively scanning the laser beam across the surface of the photo-conductor. The toner that remains on the optical photo-conductor in the form of the predetermined image is ultimately transferred to an image media. The image media, along with the toner that makes up the image, is then heated in a fusing device in order to fuse the powdered toner into a plastic state. The toner then is allowed to cool, thereby becoming bonded to the media to produce the final image-product.
In addition to the above-mentioned processes, various other known processes can be employed to produce multi-color image-products such as multi-colored graphics and the like. Specifically, several toners of various colors can be employed to produce multi-colored image-products of varying quality, including near photo-quality image-products. Indeed, in some present markets, color laser printers, in combination with digital cameras and high-quality image media, are replacing traditional film processing and developing means in the photography industry.
Turning now to
FIG. 1
, a side-elevation schematic diagram is shown which depicts a prior art imaging apparatus
10
. The prior art imaging apparatus
10
is configured to produce image-products in any of the manners generally described above. The prior art imaging device
10
comprises an in-feed tray
21
that is configured to support a stack of sheets of image media “M.” A pick roller
23
is positioned as shown and is configured to pick single sheets of media “M” from the in-feed tray
21
, and to feed each sheet of media into the imaging apparatus
10
. The rotational direction of the pick roller
23
, as well as those of other rotating components discussed below, are indicated by the respective arrows
29
.
The imaging device
10
has a print path “PP” which can be defined by various components of the imaging device such as feed rollers
25
. The print path “PP” can be defined by other various components such as guides, tracks (neither shown) and the like. It is understood that the means of moving the media “M” through the imaging apparatus
10
and along the print path “PP” is well understood in the art and will not be discussed in further detail herein. The media “M” is generally moved through the imaging apparatus
10
in the directions indicated by the arrows
30
.
The print path “PP” proceeds from the in-feed tray
21
and pick roller
23
through various feed rollers
25
to a deposition device
40
. The deposition device
40
is configured to deposit image substance (not shown), such as toner, onto the image media “M” by way of any of the various imaging processes that are discussed above. For example, the deposition device
40
can be configured to employ the above-discussed laser scanning process of depositing toner onto the image media “M.”
If the laser scanning process is employed in conjunction with the deposition device
40
, then a fusing device
50
is generally included in the apparatus
10
. The fusing device
50
typically comprises a hot roller
51
and a pressure roller
52
. The hot roller
51
is typically configured to convert electrical energy to heat energy. That is, the hot roller
51
typically includes a heating element or the like to produce heat.
Image media “M” is passed between the hot roller
51
and the pressure roller
52
during the fusing process. The pressure roller
52
is configured to press the media “M” against the hot roller
51
in order to optimize the amount of heat energy transferred from the hot roller
51
to the media “M.” The pressure roller
52
is typically not heated. However, it is understood that the pressure roller
52
can comprise a heating element so as to be heated in the manner of the hot roller
51
.
Thus, at the fusing device
50
, the image media “M,” along with the toner deposited thereon, are heated so as to fuse the toner together and bond the toner to the respective sheet of media to create a finished image-product. The image, and thus the toner, is typically directly exposed to a heat source such as the hot roller
51
during passage of the image media “M” through the fusing device
50
.
Thus, the references made herein to the image media “M” and/or the image as being “exposed to the fusing device” mean that the image is exposed directly to a heated object, which is usually the hot roller
51
, but can be a heated pressure roller
52
. The print path “PP” proceeds from the deposition device
40
to the fusing device
50
and on through various feed rollers
25
to an out-feed tray
22
in which the media “M” are deposited.
As further seen, the prior art imaging apparatus
10
can comprise an optional duplex circuit
60
. The duplex circuit
60
is essentially an optional auxiliary media path that can be incorporated into an imaging apparatus and employed for duplex imaging (printing images on both sides of a given sheet of image media “M”). Various feed rollers
25
, as well as other components such as guides, tracks (neither shown) and the like, can be included in the prior art imaging apparatus
10
for the purpose of moving sheets of media “M” along the duplex circuit
60
in the directions indicated by the arrows
30
.
One of the primary functions of the duplex circuit
60
is to remove a given sheet of media “M” from the print path “PP” downstream of the fusing device
50
and b
Do An H.
Hewlett--Packard Development Company, L.P.
Meier Stephen D.
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