Independently-controlled print heat sources

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022314644-A1
Application number	US-201917630682-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 9, 2019
Priority date	Aug 9, 2019
Publication date	Oct 6, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a print system is described. The print system includes a drive roller Print System and a heated transfer belt forming a nip with the drive roller. The heated transfer belt transmits thermal energy to print media passing through the nip. The print system also includes multiple independently-controlled heat sources disposed within the heated transfer belt to transfer thermal energy to the heated transfer belt.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A print system, comprising;
a drive roller; a heated transfer belt forming a nip with the drive roller, the heated transfer belt to transmit thermal energy to print media passing through the nip; and multiple independently-controlled heat sources disposed within the heated transfer belt to transfer thermal energy to the heated transfer belt.

2 . The print system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller to:
determine an amount of thermal energy to apply to the print media based on characteristics of the print media; and determine what combination of the multiple independently-controlled heat sources to activate to supply the determined amount of thermal energy.

3 . The print system of claim 2 , wherein the characteristics of the print media are selected from the group consisting of:
print media type; print compound type; an amount of print compound deposited; and a location on the print media where the print compound is deposited.

4 . The print system of claim 1 , wherein at least one independently-controlled heat source extends a width of the heated transfer belt in a direction perpendicular to a media path.

5 . The print system of claim 1 , wherein a combined length of at least two independently-controlled heat sources is to extend a width of the heated transfer belt in a direction perpendicular to a media path.

6 . The print system of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the independently-controlled heat sources have different emitting energy values.

7 . The print system of claim 6 , wherein an independently-controlled heat source with a largest emitting energy value is farthest away from the nip relative to other independently-controlled heat sources.

8 . The print system of claim 1 further comprising a temperature sensor to measure an applied thermal energy.

9 . A method, comprising:
determining characteristics of print media passing through a nip between a drive roller and a heated transfer belt; determining an amount of thermal energy to apply to the print media based on determined characteristics; and activating a combination of multiple independently-controlled heat sources to supply a determined amount of thermal energy.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein determining characteristics of print media, determining an amount of thermal energy to apply to the print media, and activating a combination of the multiple independently-controlled heat sources is performed for each section of multiple sections of a sheet of print media.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
measuring an actual amount of thermal energy applied to the print media; and adjusting activation characteristics for the multiple independently-controlled heat sources based on a difference between a determined amount of thermal energy and a measured actual amount of thermal energy.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one characteristic of the print media is determined based on user input.

13 . A print media conditioning system, comprising:
a drive roller; a heated transfer belt forming a nip with the drive roller, the heated transfer belt to transmit thermal energy to print media passing through the nip to dry liquid print compound on the print media; multiple independently-controlled heat sources of varying emitting energy values disposed within the heated transfer belt to transfer thermal energy to the heated transfer belt; a support member disposed within the heated transfer belt onto which the multiple independently-controlled heat sources are mounted; a lookup table to map characteristics of the print media to amounts of thermal energy to apply to the print media; and a controller to:
determine an amount of thermal energy to apply to the print media based on characteristics of the print media; and
determine what combination of the multiple independently-controlled heat sources to activate to supply the determined amount of thermal energy.

14 . The print media conditioning system of claim 13 , wherein the lookup table is based on:
environmental conditions of the print media conditioning system; and a time delay between when the print media is printed on and when the print media passes through the nip.

15 . The print media conditioning system of claim 13 , wherein the heated transfer belt comprises a metallic tube:
coated on an outside diameter with a material with a low coefficient of friction; and lined on an inside diameter with a rubber material.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Brinkly Richard Lee
• Koehler Duane A

Classifications

• G03G15/10

  using a liquid developer · CPC title

• G03G21/20

  Humidity or temperature control {also ozone evacuation; Internal apparatus environment control} · CPC title

• B41J11/002 Primary

  Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating · CPC title

• G03G15/2042

  specially for the axial heat partition · CPC title

• G03G15/2053 Primary

  Structural details of heat elements, e.g. structure of roller or belt, eddy current, induction heating · CPC title