DEVELOPER ROLLER FOR LIQUID ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING

• US 20190332037A1
• Filed: 01/20/2017
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HP Indigo B.V. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: HP Indigo B.V. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Sabo, David, Li, Guang Jin, Kozmiski, Stanley J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,838,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 13/10 using a liquid developer , e.g. liquid suspension
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0808 characterised by the developer supplying means, e.g. structure of developer supply roller
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/101 for wetting the recording material
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/104 Preparing, mixing, transporting or dispensing developer

Abstract

In one example, a developer roller for liquid electrophotographic printing includes a cylindrical metal inner core, a rigid conductive plastic outer core surrounding the inner core, and a compliant exterior surrounding the outer core.

Claims

1. A developer roller for liquid electrophotographic printing, comprising:

a conductive cylinder;

a compliant exterior around the cylinder to present a film of liquid electrophotographic ink to a photoconductor during printing; and

rigid conductive plastic sandwiched between the cylinder and the exterior.

2. The roller of claim 1, where the plastic has a resistivity below 1000-cm.

3. The roller of claim 2, where the exterior comprises a resistive exterior having a resistivity of at least 0.5 MΩ

-cm.

4. The roller of claim 1, where the plastic comprises a carbon filled plastic.

5. The roller of claim 4, where the carbon fill includes carbon fibers.

6. The roller of claim 5, where the plastic covers each end of the cylinder.

7. The roller of claim 6, where the exterior covers each end of the plastic covering each end of the cylinder.

8. The roller of claim 7, comprising a shaft extending axially from each end of the cylinder through the plastic such that there is plastic between each shaft and the exterior.

9. A developer roller for liquid electrophotographic printing, comprising:

a multi-part rigid conductive core that includes a cylindrical metal inner core and a rigid conductive plastic outer core surrounding the inner core; and

a resistive compliant exterior surrounding the outer core.

10. The roller of claim 9, where:

the outer core is formed directly on the inner core; and

the exterior is formed directly on the outer core.

11. The roller of claim 10, where:

the outer core is a layer of carbon filled plastic on the inner core; and

the exterior is a layer of polyurethane on the layer of carbon filled plastic.

12. The roller of claim 11, where:

the layer of carbon filled plastic covers each end of the inner core; and

the polyurethane exterior wraps around each end of the layer of carbon filled plastic.

13. The roller of claim 12, comprising a shaft extending axially from each end of the inner core through the layer of carbon filled plastic such that there is carbon filled plastic between each shaft and the polyurethane exterior.

14. A developer unit for a liquid electrophotographic printer, comprising:

a developer roller to present LEP ink to a photoconductor; and

a squeegee roller to squeegee ink on the developer roller;

the developer roller including a multi-part rigid conductive core that includes;

a cylindrical metal inner core and a rigid conductive plastic outer core surrounding the inner core; and

a compliant exterior surrounding the outer core.

15. The developer unit of claim 14, where:

the outer core is a carbon filled plastic on the inner core; and

the exterior is a polyurethane on the outer core.