Fuser oil contamination prevention and clean-up method
View Patent ↗In order to prevent an imaging forming process of an electrostatographic reproduction apparatus from becoming contaminated with fuser release oil, a substantially uniform layer of pigmented marking particles from a development subsystem of the image forming process is deposited onto a photoconductive member of the image forming process during any non-imaging cycles of the process, including cycle down, non-imaging skip frames, or recovery from a receiver jam. The substantially uniform layer of pigmented marking particles acts as a barrier to block fuser release oil from the photoconductive member and as a vehicle to carry away contaminating fuser release oil.
1. A method for controlling fuser release oil contamination in an electrostatographic reproduction apparatus comprising the steps of:
a. identifying events wherein a photoconductive member will operatively contact an electrically biased transfer member;
b. depositing a substantially uniform layer of charged pigmented marking particles onto said photoconductive member in the areas that will operatively contact said electrically biased transfer member; and
c. removing said layer of charged pigmented marking particles, thereby removing fuser release oil.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein in said removing step, the charged pigmented marking particles are removed directly from said photoconductive member.
3. A method for controlling fuser release oil contamination in an electrostatographic reproduction apparatus comprising the steps of:
a. identifying events wherein a photoconductive member will operatively contact an electrically biased transfer member;
b. depositing a substantially uniform layer of charged pigmented marking particles onto said photoconductive member in the areas that will operatively contact said electrically biased transfer member;
c. transferring said layer of charged pigmented marking particles from said photoconductive member directly to said electrically biased transfer member; and
d. removing said layer of charged pigmented marking particles from said electrically biased transfer member with a cleaning mechanism, thereby removing fuser release oil from said electrically biased transfer member.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said electrically biased transfer member is a roller.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein said electrically biased transfer member is a receiver transport belt.
6. The method of claim 3 , wherein said substantially uniform layer of charged pigmented marking particles comprises at least a complete monolayer of said charged pigmented marking particles.
7. The method of claim 3 , wherein said steps a-d are executed only during duplex printing runs of said electrostatographic reproduction apparatus.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said steps a-d are executed only during duplex printing runs longer than a predetermined minimum run length.
9. In an electrostatographic reproduction apparatus having an intermediate transfer member and a final transfer member, a method of controlling fuser release oil contamination comprising the steps of:
a. identifying events wherein said intermediate transfer member will operatively contact said final transfer member;
b. depositing a substantially uniform layer of charged pigmented marking particles onto said intermediate transfer member in the areas that will operatively contact said final transfer member; and
c. removing said layer of charged pigmented marking particles with a cleaning mechanism, thereby removing fuser release oil.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein in said removing step, the charged pigmented marking particles are removed directly from said intermediate transfer member.
11. In an electrostatographic reproduction apparatus having an intermediate transfer member and a final transfer member, a method of controlling fuser release oil contamination comprising the steps of:
a. identifying events wherein said intermediate transfer member will operatively contact said final transfer member;
b. depositing a substantially uniform layer of charged pigmented marking particles onto said intermediate transfer member in the areas that will operatively contact said final transfer member;
c. transferring said layer of charged pigmented marking particles from said intermediate transfer member to said final transfer member; and
d. removing said layer of charged pigmented marking particles from said final transfer member with a cleaning mechanism, thereby removing fuser release oil from said final transfer member.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said final transfer member is a roller.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein said final transfer member is a receiver transport belt.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein said substantially uniform layer of charged pigmented marking particles comprises at least a complete monolayer of said charged pigmented marking particles.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein said steps a-d are executed only during duplex printing runs of said electrostatographic reproduction apparatus.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said steps a-d are executed only during duplex printing runs longer than a predetermined minimum run length.
17. A method for removing fuser release oil contamination from an electrostatographic reproduction apparatus comprising the steps of:
a. for a predetermined number of cycles, depositing a substantially uniform layer of charged pigmented marking particles onto a photoconductive member; and
b. removing said layer of charged pigmented marking particles with a cleaning mechanism, thereby removing fuser release oil.
18. A method of claim 17 , wherein in said removing step, the charged pigmented marking particles are removed directly from said photoconductive member.
19. A method for removing fuser release oil contamination from an electrostatographic reproduction apparatus comprising the steps of:
a. for a predetermined number of cycles, depositing a substantially uniform layer of charged pigmented marking particles onto a photoconductive member;
b. transferring said layer of charged pigmented marking particles from said photoconductive member operatively to an electrically biased transfer member; and
c. removing said layer of charged pigmented marking particles from said electrically biased transfer member with a cleaning mechanism, thereby removing fuser release oil from said electrically biased transfer member.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein said electrically biased transfer member is a roller.
21. The method of claim 19 , wherein said electrically biased transfer member is a receiver transport belt.
22. The method of claim 19 , wherein said substantially uniform layer of charged pigmented marking particles comprises at least a complete monolayer of said charged pigmented marking particles.
23. The method of claim 19 , wherein said steps a-c are executed only during duplex printing runs of said electrostatographic reproduction apparatus.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein said steps a-c are executed only during duplex printing runs longer than a predetermined minimum run length.
25. In an electrostatographic reproduction apparatus having an intermediate transfer member and a final transfer member, a method of removing fuser release oil contamination comprising the steps of:
a. for a predetermined number of cycles, depositing a substantially uniform layer of charged pigmented marking particles onto said intermediate transfer member in the areas that will operatively contact said final transfer member; and
b. removing said layer of charged pigmented marking particles with a cleaning mechanism, thereby removing fuser release oil.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein in said removing step, the charged pigmented marking particles are removed directly from said intermediate transfer member.
27. In an electrostatographic reproduction apparatus having an intermediate transfer member and a final transfer member, a method of removing fuser release oil contamination comprising the steps of:
a. for a predetermined number of cycles, depositing a substantially uniform layer of charged pigmented marking particles onto said intermediate transfer member;
b. transferring said layer of charged pigmented marking particles from said intermediate transfer member to said final transfer member; and
c. removing said layer of charged pigmented marking particles from said final transfer member with a cleaning mechanism, thereby removing fuser release oil from said final transfer member.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein said final transfer member is a roller.
29. The method of claim 27 , wherein said final transfer member is a receiver transport belt.
30. The method of claim 27 , wherein said substantially uniform layer of charged pigmented marking particles comprises at least a complete monolayer of said charged pigmented marking particles.
31. The method of claim 27 , wherein said steps a-c are executed only during duplex printing runs of said electrostatographic reproduction apparatus.
32. The method of claim 31 , wherein said steps a-c are executed only during duplex printing runs longer than a predetermined minimum run length.