Pressure fixing of toners

{
  "publication_number": "US3854975A",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A",
  "title": "Pressure fixing of toners",
  "abstract": "A method of fixing toners to a surface without the use of heat employs pressure which is applied by two somewhat compliant rolls, or one somewhat compliant roll and one relatively rigid roll. The use of such an arrangement makes it possible to apply a substantially uniform pressure to the toned areas to secure a uniform fixing action throughout.",
  "claims": [
    "1. THE METHOD OF PROVIDING A PERMANENT IMAGE ON A SUBSTRATE OF SUBSTANTIAL WIDTH, WHEREIN THE IMAGE IS A FIXED POWDER IMAGE OF ELECTROSCOPIC TONER POWDER HAVING A PREDETERMINED THRESHOLD PRESSURE, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF CREATING AN ELECTROSTATIC CHARGE PATTERN IN IMAGE CONFIGURATE: DEPOSITING ELECTROSCOPIC TONER POWDER UPON SAID SUBSTRATE TO FORM AN IMAGE PATTER CONFIGURATION UNDER THE ELECTRICAL CONTROL OF SAID CHARGE PATTERN TO CREATE A WORKPIECE HAVING THICKNESS VARIATIONS; AND FIXING THE TONER POWDER IMAGE TO SAID SUBSTRATE, WHEREIN THE LST MENTIONED STEP INCLUDED PROVIDING TWO UNHEATED ELASTIC PRESSURE MEMBERS WHICH PROGRESSIVELY CONTACT EACH OTHER ALONG A NARROW BAND DEFINING A NIP, SAID MEMBERS POSSESSING MODULI OF ELASTICITY COKPRESSION PERMITTING, WHEN SAID MEMBERS ARE LOADED SUFFICIENTLY TO PROVIDE A CALCULATED PEAK NIP PRESSURE IN EXCESS OF THE THRESHOLD PRES-",
    "2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said pressure members has a modulus of elasticity in compression within the range of about 100,000 to about 2,000,000 p.s.i.",
    "3. The method defined in claim 1 wherein each of said pressure members has a modulus of elasticity in compression within the range of about 100,000 to about 2,000,000 p.s.i.",
    "4. The method defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said pressure members has a surface formed of nylon.",
    "5. The method defined in claim 1 wherein one of said pressure members has a surface formed of steel which is disposed to contact said powder toner image when said workpiece is passed between said pressure members.",
    "6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein both of said pressure members have surfaces formed of nylon.",
    "7. The method defined in claim 1 wherein one of said pressure members has a surface formed of textile material.",
    "8. The method defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said pressure members is a roller.",
    "9. The method defined in claim 1 wherein both of said pressure members are rollers.",
    "10. The method of fixing a toner image to a substrate which comprises passing the substrate with a powder toner image thereon under ambient temperature conditions between a pair of unheated pressure members progressively contacting each other along a narrow band, at least one of said members being of a somewhat compliant material having a modulus of elasticity in compression within the range of about 100,000 to about 2,000,000 p.s.i., and applying to the pressure members a loading sufficient to provide a calculated peak nip pressure in excess of the toner threshold pressure and averaging at a value within the range of about 2,000 to about 10,000 p.s.i., for as long as the toner bearing portions of the substrate are in contact with a pressure member during the passage.",
    "11. The method defined in claim 10 wherein at least one of said pressure members has a surface formed of nylon.",
    "12. The method defined in claim 10 wherein each of said pressure members has a surface formed of nylon.",
    "13. The method defined in claim 10 wherein one of said pressure members has a surface formed of textile material.",
    "14. The method defined in claim 10 wherein one of said pressure members has a chrome-plated steel surface which is disposed to contact said powder toner image when said substrate is passed between said pressure members.",
    "15. The method defined in claim 10 wherein at least one of said pressure members is a roller.",
    "16. The method defined in claim 10 wherein both of said pressure members are rollers.",
    "17. Apparatus for providing a permanent image on a substrate of substantial width, wherein the image is a fixed powder image of electroscopic toner powder having a predetermined threshold pressure, comprising means for creating an electrostatic charge pattern in image configuration; means for depositing electroscopic toner powder upon said substrate to form an image pattern configuration under the electrical control of said charge pattern to create a workpiece having thickness variations; and means for fixing the toner powder image to said substrate, wherein the last mentioned means includes two unheated elastic pressure members which progressively contact each other along a narrow band defining a nip and thereby advance a workpiece therebetween, said members possessing moduli of elasticity in compression permitting, when said members are loaded sufficiently to provide a calculated peak nip pressure in excess of the threshold pressure for the toner, deformation at said nip in an amount corresponding to a substantial multiple of the thickness variation of said workpiece; and means for loading said pressure members to an extent providing a calculated peak nip pressure in excess of said threshold pressure for the toner when said workpiece is disposed between said members.",
    "18. Apparatus for providing a permanent image on a substrate of substantial width wherein the image is a fixed powder image of electroscopic toner powder, comprising means for creating an electrostatic charge pattern in image configuration; means for dEspositing electroscopic toner powder upon said substrate to form an image pattern configuration under the electrical control of said charge pattern; and means for fixing the toner powder image to said substrate, wherein the last mentioned means includes a pair of unheated pressure members arranged for progressively contacting each other along a narrow band with rolling pressure contact, at least one of said members having a modulus of elasticity in compression within the range of from about 100,000 to about 2,000,000 p.s.i.; and means providing a load on said pressure members of such magnitude that there is exerted on the substrate passing therebetween a calculated pressure on the imaged substrate at the peak pressure point on its passage through the machine having an average value within the range of from about 2,000 to about 10,000 p.s.i.",
    "19. The apparatus defined in claim 18 wherein both of said pressure members are rollers.",
    "20. The apparatus defined in claim 19 wherein at least one of said rollers has a surface formed of nylon.",
    "21. The apparatus defined in claim 19 wherein one of said rollers has a surface formed of a textile material."
  ],
  "cpc": [
    "G03G 15/2092"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "ADDRESSOGRAPH MULTIGRAPH"
  ],
  "filing_date": "1973-03-12",
  "publication_date": "1974-12-17",
  "grant_date": "1974-12-17",
  "priority_date": "1971-06-30",
  "application_number": "US-34060073-A",
  "family_id": "26729044",
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}