Fuser and fusing roller useable in a printing process, laser printer, and method of printing
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A fuser for causing malleability of a toner employed in a printing process, the fuser comprising:
- a) a housing having a length dimension;
b) a heater disposed within the housing, the heater comprising at least two separate and separately controllable heating elements each having at least one heating zone wherein each heating zone is disposed along a designated partial length of the housing; and
wherein the heating zones of the heating elements are disposed in tandem relation to each other within the housing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A printer fuser with a plurality of separately powerable heating zones along its length for permitting variably controllable heat application to a medium.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A fuser for causing malleability of a toner employed in a printing process, the fuser comprising:
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a) a housing having a length dimension;
b) a heater disposed within the housing, the heater comprising at least two separate and separately controllable heating elements each having at least one heating zone wherein each heating zone is disposed along a designated partial length of the housing; and
wherein the heating zones of the heating elements are disposed in tandem relation to each other within the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A fusing roller for causing malleability of a toner employed in a printing process, the fusing roller comprising:
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a) a cylindrical roller member having a length dimension;
b) a heater within the roller member, the heater comprising at least two separate and separately controllable heating elements each having at least one heating zone wherein each heating zone is disposed along a designated partial length of the roller member; and
wherein the heating zones of the heating elements are disposed in tandem relation to each other within the roller member. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A laser printer for furnishing printing toner to fibers of a print media and creating a printed product, the printer comprising:
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a) a fusing roller for causing malleability of the toner, the fusing roller comprising;
i) a cylindrical roller member having a length dimension; and
ii) a heater within the roller member, the heater comprising at least two separate and separately controllable heating elements each having at least one heating zone wherein each the heating zone is disposed along a designated partial length of the roller member;
b) a pressure roller for forcing the malleable toner into the fibers of the media; and
wherein in the fusing roller the heating zones of the heating elements are disposed in tandem relation to each other within the roller member. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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- 15. A fuser for a printer, the fuser comprising a length dimension and a plurality of separate heating zones along the length dimension wherein at least two of the heating zones are separately powerable and wherein the plurality of heating zones comprise a heater disposed within the fuser, the heater comprising at least two separate and separately controllable heating elements disposed in tandem relation to each other and each having at least one heating zone.
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18. A method of printing comprising:
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a) determining the width of a medium to be printed;
b) adjusting the heating of a fuser based upon the determined width of the medium;
c) determining the thickness of a medium to be printed; and
d) adjusting the heating of a fuser based upon the determined medium thickness. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification