Drying unit for liquid electrophotographic printing apparatus and liquid carrier drying method using the same
First Claim
1. A drying unit for a liquid electrophotographic printing apparatus equipped in the printing apparatus comprising a developing unit that develops an image on a photosensitive medium using a liquid carrier as a mediator and a transfer unit that transcribes the developed image on a printing paper, so that the liquid carrier remaining on the photosensitive medium can be dried, and a drying unit comprising:
- a manifold having at least one inlet which is positioned near the photosensitive medium with a face opposite to the photosensitive medium open and through which hot air flows in, and at least one outlet through which a carrier evaporated from the photosensitive medium by the hot air flowing in is discharged;
an inlet-outlet channel connecting the inlet to the outlet;
a gas flowing means by which a gas in the manifold is discharged through the outlet and by which gas flows in the manifold through the inlet;
a condenser that is positioned on the inlet-outlet channel and that condenses the evaporated carrier discharged through the outlet; and
a heater that is located on the inlet-outlet channel and that heats the gas flowing in the manifold through the inlet.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A drying unit and method of drying for a liquid electrophotographic printing apparatus, the drying unit that is equipped in the printing apparatus comprising a developing unit that develops an image on an photosensitive medium using a liquid carrier as a mediator and a transfer unit that transcribes the developed image on a printing paper, so that the liquid carrier remaining on the photosensitive medium can be dried. The drying unit for the liquid electrophotographic printing apparatus is positioned near the photosensitive medium and includes a manifold having an inlet and an outlet; an inlet-outlet channel being between the inlet and the outlet and connecting them; a gas flowing unit by which the gas in the manifold is discharged through the outlet and gas flows in the manifold through the inlet; a condenser that condenses the evaporated carrier discharged through the outlet; and a heater that heats the gases flowing in the manifold through the inlet. Also, the liquid carrier drying method includes determining the injection condition; heating injection air according to the determined gas injection condition and evaporating the carrier on the photosensitive medium by injecting the heated gas at a predetermined speed in the manifold; discharging out of the manifold the carrier evaporated from the photosensitive medium and the air flowing in; and condensing the evaporated carrier at the manifold, of reheating the gas that is not condensed, injecting the gas at a predetermined speed into the manifold.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A drying unit for a liquid electrophotographic printing apparatus equipped in the printing apparatus comprising a developing unit that develops an image on a photosensitive medium using a liquid carrier as a mediator and a transfer unit that transcribes the developed image on a printing paper, so that the liquid carrier remaining on the photosensitive medium can be dried, and a drying unit comprising:
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a manifold having at least one inlet which is positioned near the photosensitive medium with a face opposite to the photosensitive medium open and through which hot air flows in, and at least one outlet through which a carrier evaporated from the photosensitive medium by the hot air flowing in is discharged;
an inlet-outlet channel connecting the inlet to the outlet;
a gas flowing means by which a gas in the manifold is discharged through the outlet and by which gas flows in the manifold through the inlet;
a condenser that is positioned on the inlet-outlet channel and that condenses the evaporated carrier discharged through the outlet; and
a heater that is located on the inlet-outlet channel and that heats the gas flowing in the manifold through the inlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A drying unit for a liquid electrophotographic printing apparatus, the unit comprising:
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a heating means that is installed in parallel to the running direction of a photosensitive belt out of contact with the photosensitive belt and that generates heat in order to dry and evaporate a liquid carrier;
a manifold that surrounds the heating means and collects a gas carrier evaporated by the heating means;
an inlet-outlet channel that forms a path for circular movement of the gas carrier collected in the manifold by forming a closed loop in communication with the manifold;
at least one gas flowing means which is installed on the inlet-outlet channel and by which the gas carrier is circulated along the inlet-outlet channel;
an inlet duct which is installed in the manifold and through which the gas carrier evaporated by the heating means flows in communication with the inlet-outlet channel; and
a ventilation duct which is installed in communication with the inlet-outlet channel so that air flows in the manifold. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A liquid carrier drying method using a drying unit for a liquid electrophotographic printing apparatus provided in the printing apparatus comprising a developing unit that develops an image on a photosensitive medium using a liquid carrier as a mediator and a transfer unit that transcribes the developed image on a printing paper, so that the liquid carrier remaining on the photosensitive medium can be dried, the drying method comprising the steps of:
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calculating the amount of the liquid carrier on the photosensitive medium and determining an air injection condition according to the calculated amount of the liquid carrier;
heating injection air according to the determined condition and evaporating the carrier on the photosensitive medium by injecting the heated gas at a predetermined speed in a manifold positioned near the photosensitive medium a the surface facing the photosensitive medium open;
discharging out of the manifold the carrier evaporated from the photosensitive medium and the gas flowing in through the inlet-outlet channel; and
condensing the evaporated carrier at the manifold, reheating the gas that is not heated and injecting the reheated gas at a predetermined speed into the manifold. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A method of drying a liquid carrier used in a liquid electrophotographic printing apparatus, comprising the steps of:
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developing an image on a photosensitive medium using a liquid carrier as a mediator;
transcribing the developed image on a printing paper so that the liquid carrier remaining on the photosensitive medium can be dried;
injecting hot air at least one inlet in an end of a manifold that runs parallel to the printing medium without contacting said photosensitive medium. evaporating said liquid carrier using a flow of hot air injected into said manifold;
discharging the evaporated liquid carrier and hot air from the manifold using at least one outlet in an end of said manifold;
condensing said evaporated liquid carrier discharged from said outlet;
heating the air discharged from said manifold; and
re-injecting said heated air back to said manifold for further drying.
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Specification