Claims
- 1. An improved method of operation of a fuser for fixing toner images to a receiving sheet, the fuser having a run condition and an idle condition, wherein the fuser has a fuser roller, a fuser roller heater, and a fuser temperature sensor which inputs to a logic and control system which controls the heating of the fuser roller heater, the improvement comprising:
cooling the fuser roller during or after the idle condition, prior to the first receiving sheet entering the fuser; and said fuser roller having end portions and a middle portion, and comprising cooling said fuser roller middle portion relative to said end portions.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said fuser roller middle portion is greater than the width of the receiving sheet.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said fuser roller middle portion is equal to the width of the receiving sheet.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said fuser roller middle portion is less than the width of the receiving sheet.
- 5. The method of claim 1 further comprising cooling said fuser roller for a predetermined amount of time.
- 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising cooling said fuser roller until said fuser roller achieves a predetermined temperature profile.
- 7. The method of claim 6 further comprising said logic and control system delaying the feeding of a first receiving sheet until said fuser roller achieves a predetermined temperature profile.
- 8. The method of claim 5 wherein said receiver sheet has a weight, further comprising said logic and control system adjusting said predetermined amount of time according to said receiver sheet weight.
- 9. The method of claim 8 further comprising said logic and control system delaying the feeding of a first receiving sheet until said predetermined amount of time has passed.
- 10. The method of claim 5 wherein said receiver sheet has at least one property, and further comprising said logic and control system adjusting said predetermined amount of time according to said at least one property.
- 11. The method of claim 10 further comprising said logic and control system delaying the feeding of a first receiving sheet until said predetermined amount of time has passed.
- 12. The method of claim 1 wherein said cooling is accomplished by blowing gas onto the fuser roller.
- 13. The method of claim 1 wherein said cooling is accomplished by a heat sink roller in contact with said fuser roller.
- 14. The method of claim 1 comprising cooling the end portions during the run condition relative a beginning of the run condition.
- 15. The method of claim 1 comprising cooling the fuser roller after the run condition.
- 16. A fuser for fixing toner images to a receiving sheet, the fuser comprising:
a fuser roller, wherein said fuser roller has opposing end portions, and a middle portion; a fuser roller heater; a logic and control; a fuser roller temperature sensor; and, a cooling device for cooling said fuser roller, wherein said cooling device cools said fuser roller middle portion relative to the end portions.
- 17. The fuser of claim 16 wherein said cooling device further comprises a separate cooling device for cooling said end portions, such that cooling device can cool either said middle portion or said end portions.
- 18. The fuser of claim 16 wherein said middle portion is approximately equal to the width of the receiving sheet.
- 19. The fuser claim 18 wherein said cooling device is adjustable such that as the receiver sheet width changes, the cooling device adjusts to cool the corresponding fuser middle portion.
- 20. The fuser of claim 16 wherein said cooling device is a fluid directing device for directing fluid at said fuser roller.
- 21. The fuser of claim 16 wherein said cooling device is a heat sink roller in contact with said fuser roller.
- 22. A method of creating a desired tentering force on a receiving sheet in a fuser for fixing toner images to a receiving sheet, the fuser having a run condition and an idle condition, wherein the fuser has a fuser roller having a middle portion and opposing end portions, a fuser roller heater, and a fuser temperature sensor which inputs to a logic and control system which controls the heating of the fuser roller heater, comprising the steps:
cooling the middle portion of the fuser roller prior to the run condition, such that the end portions are hotter than the middle portion.
- 23. The method of claim 22 wherein the middle portion is greater than the receiver sheet width.
- 24. The method of claim 22 wherein the middle portion is equal to the receiver sheet width.
- 25. The method of claim 22 wherein the middle portion is less than the receiver sheet width.
- 26. The method of claim 22 wherein said cooling is accomplished by directing fluid onto said fuser roller.
- 27. The method of claim 22 wherein said cooling is accomplished by a heat sink roller contacting said fuser roller.
- 28. The method of claim 22 wherein said fuser roller is shaped such that the end portions have a slightly larger diameter than the middle portion.
- 29. The method of claim 22 comprising cooling the end portions during the run condition relative to a beginning of the run condition.
- 30. The method of claim 22 comprising cooling the fuser roller after the run condition.
- 31. The method of claim 22 comprising cooling only the middle portion after the run condition.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of prior provisional application Ser. No. 60/459,110 filed Mar. 31, 2003.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60459110 |
Mar 2003 |
US |