US3867767A - Preconditioner for paper stock - Google Patents

Abstract

A pre-conditioning apparatus for paper stock adapted for use with electrographic printers, the apparatus having a substantially closed housing within which the paper in roll form is stored. A heated platen surface forms part of the discharge path for the paper stock, the paper stock being routed across the platen in heat exchange relationship thereto as the paper stock is dispensed from the apparatus. A fan is used to establish circulation of air through the housing, there being suitable air inlets and air baffling provided to direct the air adjacent the platen to carry away moisture given off by the paper stock.

Description

United States Patent Wright 1451 Feb. 25, 1975 PRECONDITIONER FOR PAPER STOCK 3,517,164 6/1970 Huggins et a1... 34/155 3,520,249 7/1970 Miller 219/388 [751 Invent! wnght, FMP0", X- 3,757,081 9/1973 Smith et al 219/388 [73] Assignee: .Xerox Corporation, Stamford, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 277,135 12/1969 Austria 34/155 [22] Filed: June 25, 1973 Primary Examiner-Manuel A. Antonakas [2]] Appl' 373080 Assistant Examiner-Paul Devinsky [52] US. Cl 34/ l55, 34/152 [57] ABSTRACT I [51] Int. Cl. F26b 13/10 A pre conditioning apparatus for paper Stock adapted [58] Field of Search 34/155, 152, 18, for use with electrographic printers, the apparatus 34/23; 219/388 216 having a substantially closed housing within which the paper in roll form is stored. A heated platen'surface [56] C'ted forms part of the discharge path for the paper stock, UNITED STATES PATENTS the paper stock being routed across the platen in heat 1,830,287 11/1931 Ohlm 34/18 exchange relationship thereto as the P p Stock is 2,515,144 7/1950 Trump et al.... 34/152 pensed from the apparatus. A fan is used to establish 2,891,375 6/1959 Vandamme et al. 219/388 circulation of air through the housing, there' being 2,939,222 6/1960 Svavflf 6t 34/13 suitable air inlets and air baffling provided to direct RObmSOn the air adjacent the platen to carry away moisture 3,234,868 2/1966 Appledorn et al..... 219/216 given off by the paper Stock 3,349,222 10/1967 Appeldorn et al 34/152 3,449,547 6/1969 Goodman et al. 219/388 4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PRECONDITIONER FOR PAPER STOCK This invention relates to an apparatus for conditioning paper stock, and more particularly to an apparatus for drying paper stock just prior to use thereof.

In handling paper stock as, for example, that used with electrographic printers, the moisture content of the paper stock constitutes an important factor in both the ability of the printer to image thereon. Printers of this type are normally forced to use paper that has been coated or treated with a dielectric substance; this for the purpose of providing the requisite charge retention capabilities to the paperto permit its use in printers ofthis type. Heretofore, ordinary, that is, untreated or uncoated, paper was not generally acceptable because of the inability of plain paper to retain a charge for a duration sufficient to permit development. In this, the moisture content ofplain papertends to adversely affect the ability of this type of paper to retain a charge.

' It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a new and improved paper conditioning apparatus.

it is dispensed fromhousing 14.Housing 14, which is preferably formed of a suitable non-heat conducting material, is substantially closed, except for paper discharge opening at one side thereof and, as will appear more fully herein, suitable air inlet andair discharge openings 24, 25, respectively.

Supply roll 16 is supported withinhousing 14 by means of a rotatablereel shaft assembly 26.Shaft assembly 26 includes amain shaft 27 which .is suitably supported on oneside 29 ofhousing 14 and projects towards theopposite side 30 ofhousing 14. Shaft 27 is provided with a threadedend 27 on whichlock nut 28 is provided to retainroll 16 onshaft 27.Side 30 of It is an object of the present invention to provide a drying apparatus for paper for use with electrographic type printers in which the paper supply is enclosed within the confines of the drying apparatus, with means to heat and thereby dry the paper'just prior to egress of the paper from the apparatus.

This invention relates to an apparatus for supplying paper, comprising the combination of, a substantially closed housing having at least one discharge opening for the paper, a .roll supply of'paper in the housing, means presenting a platen surface across which the paper is adapted to pass as the paper is withdrawn from the housing through the discharge opening, and means for heating'the platen surface to dry the paper as the paper is withdrawn from the housing.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the ensuing description and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view in section showing the paper stock conditioning apparatus of the present invention, and

FIG. 2 is a top view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown the paper supply conditioning apparatus, designated generally by thenumeral 10, of the present invention. As will appear,conditioning apparatus 10 serves to precondition material, i.e.,paper 12, in the form of a web as the paper is dispensed for use, as for example, to an electrographic printer 50f the type shown and described in US. Pat. No. 3,673,603 to John L. Brock. It is understood that the paper user, i.e., electrographic printer 5, includes suitable apparatus (not shown) for drawing thepaper 12 thereto.

Supply apparatus 10 includes asuitable housing 14 arranged to accommodate therewithin asupply roll 16 ofpaper 12 together with adrying mechanism 18, the latter serving to condition, that is dry, thepaper 12 ashousing 14 is preferably hinged at 31 to provide access to the interior ofhousing 14 as when loading or unloadingsupply roll 16 or servicing theconditioning apparatus 10.

To tension thepaper 12 during unwinding and prevent overspeeding or overrunning of theroll 16, a suitable drag break or tensioning device may be provided to restrain free rotation of thereel shaft 27. In the arrangement shown, asuitable friction washer 32 is interposed betweenshaft 27 andhub 33 onhousing side 29,friction washer 32 serving to provide a drag or restraint on the free rotation ofshaft 27 and thesupply roll 16 carried thereon. To assure rotation ofsupply roll 16 in unison with theshaft 27, the outer dimension of shaft 1 27 and the inner dimension of paper supply roll hub 35 are chosen to provide frictional engagement therebetween.

To provide the desired pre-conditioning ofpaper 12, an elongated, generallyrectangular platen surface 40, which is preferably curved, is disposed betweensides 29, 30 ofhousing 14.Platen 40 extends from a point adjacent thesupply roll 16 to a point just short ofpaper discharge opening 20. As will appear, the surface ofplaten 40 serves as a guide across which thepaper 12 unwinds in its travel toward discharge opening 20.

To guidepaper 12 fromroll 16 onto the surface ofplaten 40, a pair ofguide rollers 44, 45 are provided betweensupply roll 16 and the leading end 40' ofplaten 40.Guide rollers 44, 45 are disposed betweensides 29, 30 ofhousing 14,'rollers 44,45 being supported onrods 46 extending between and held bysides 29, 30 of thehousing 14. Suitable bearing means (not shown) are provided tojournal rollers 44, 45 for rotation onshafts 46.

Platen 40, which is preferably fabricated from stainless steel, has a suitable heating element, i.e.,resistance type heater 50, in intimate heat exchange relationship with the underside thereof. Asuitable cover 52 which is preferably comprised of a suitable insulating material such as asbestos is provided to insulate the underside portion ofplaten 40 from the ambient to reduce heat loss.

A baffle is provided withinhousing 14 to route the air drawn throughair inlet 24 in a predetermined path throughhousing 14, acrossplaten 40, and out to discharge opening 25, baffle 60 serving in cooperation withplaten 40 to provide a channel-like area above theplaten 40 through whichpaper 12 passes. In the arrangement shown,baffle 60 includes acurved segment 61 opposite to and spaced fromplaten 40 and cooperable therewith to form theair space 65, and alower base part 62 cooperable with the adjoiningsides 29, 30,base 63 ofhousing 14, andouter wall 69 to form afan chamber 68. The inlet tofan chamber 68 comprises air inlet opening 24. Thespace 67 between thebaffle segment 61 and theupper wall 69 ofhousing 14 routes air fromfan chamber 68 to thespace 65. Asuitable fan 70 is disposed inchamber 68, the discharge side offan 70 communicating with the air discharge opening 25 viapassages 67, 65 as described.

As can be seen by reference to the exemplary arrows 71 in the. drawing,fan 70 draws air into thehousing 14 through the inlet orinlets 24, the air passing through thespace 67 abovebaffle 60, then through thespace 65 above the portion ofpaper 12 then'incontactwith platen 40, and fromthere through the spaceadjacent supply roll 16 to discharge opening 25 and the atmosphere. It will be understood that the air, when passing throughspace 67 abovebaffle 60, will, through contact withthe warm surface ofbaffle 60, be preheated to some extent.

.Where desired, some or all of the air withinhousing 14. may be recirculated as by the use of one or more thermostatically controlled air dampners. Further, to obtain maximum pre-conditioning of the paper onsupply roll 16, air discharge openings may be provided at opposite sides ofsupply roll 16. Alternately,openings 25 may be provided around the circumference thereof.

A suitable source of electrical energy L1, L2 is provided to energize theresistance heater 50. A suitable control switch, preferably athermostatic switch 81 designed to open and close in response to temperature conditions of theplaten 40 is provided. For this purpose, the sensing element 81' ofswitch 81 is disposed in intimate heat exchange relationship withheater 50. By this construction,heater 50 is controlled in response to temperature conditions ofplaten 40 tomaintian platen 40 within a predetermined operating temperature range.

In operation,heater 50 is energized to heat the surface ofplaten 40 and the portion ofpaper 12 thereon. As the paper is drawn fromsupply roll 16, succeeding portions ofpaper 12 move across the surface ofplaten 40 and are heated thereby. The heating action ofplaten 40 serves, in cooperation with the movement of air throughhousing 14, to dry, i.e., dehumidify, the paper without overheating or damaging the paper as by burning or charting. This facilitates subsequent use of the paper, particularly in electrographic printers, and avoids the previous need to pre-condition the paper by chemical treatments, coatings, and the like prior to use in printers of this type.

While the invention has been described with reference to the structure disclosed, it is not confined to the details set forth, but is intended to cover such modifications or changes as may come within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for supplying paper, the combination of:

a substantially closed housing having at least a discharge opening for said paper; 'a supply of-said paper in said housing;

means presenting a platen surface across which said paper is adapted to move as the paper is withdrawn from said housing through said discharge opening;

means for heating said platen surfaceto dry said paper as the paper is withdrawn from said housing;

means to circulate air through said housing, said air circulating means including at least one air inlet opening, and fan means adapted when energized to circulate said air; and

baffle means for routing said circulating air first into juxtaposition with said platen surface whereby to prevent overheating of said paper while assuring uniform heating thereof and then into juxtaposition with said paper supply whereby to precondition said paper supply preparatory to movement of said paper across said platen, said baffle means include a baffling member disposed opposite to and spaced from said platen surface, said baffling member cooperating with said housing to form a first air.passage paralleling the direction of movement. of said paper and communicating with said fan means through which air from said fan means circulates; said baffling member cooper with said platen surface to form a second air passage between said first air passage and said platen surface, said second air passage paralleling the direction of movement of said paper, said second air passage receiving air from said first passage and circulating said air into juxtaposition with said platen in reverse flow with respect to the movement of said paper, said paper moving through said second passage and across said platen surface as the paper is withdrawn from said housing and means to discharge said air from said housing.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 including means to tension said paper across said platen surface whereby to enhance heat transfer between said platen surface and said .paper as the paper moves thereacross.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 in which said heating means is disposed in intimate heat exchange relationship with said platen surface, and insulating means in operative juxtaposition with said heating means to enhance efficiency of said heating means.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 in which said paper supply comprises a paper supply roll, and means supporting said paper supply roll for rotation within said housing, said tension means including braking means to restrain rotation of said supply roll during unwinding of said paper.

UNITED STATES PA'lENT GFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CQRECTIGN Patent No. 3,867,767 Dated February 25, 1975 Inv nt fls) John s Wright It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 1, column 4,line 27, change "cooper" to cooperate Signed and sealed this 15th day of July 1975.

(SEAL) Attest:

C. MARSHALL DANN RUTH C. MASON Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer and Trademarks

Claims (4)

1. In an apparatus for supplying paper, the combination of: a substantially closed housing having at least a discharge opening for said paper; a supply of said paper in said housing; means presenting a platen surface across which said paper is adapted to move as the paper is withdrawn from said housing through said discharge opening; means for heating said platen surface to dry said paper as the paper is withdrawn from said housing; means to circulate air through said housing, said air circulating means including at least one air inlet opening, and fan means adapted when energized to circulate said air; and baffle means for routing said circulating air first into juxtaposition with said platen surface whereby to prevent overheating of said paper while assuring uniform heating thereof and then into juxtaposition with said paper supply whereby to precondition said paper supply preparatory to movement of said paper across said platen, saiD baffle means include a baffling member disposed opposite to and spaced from said platen surface, said baffling member cooperating with said housing to form a first air passage paralleling the direction of movement of said paper and communicating with said fan means through which air from said fan means circulates; said baffling member cooper with said platen surface to form a second air passage between said first air passage and said platen surface, said second air passage paralleling the direction of movement of said paper, said second air passage receiving air from said first passage and circulating said air into juxtaposition with said platen in reverse flow with respect to the movement of said paper, said paper moving through said second passage and across said platen surface as the paper is withdrawn from said housing and means to discharge said air from said housing.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 including means to tension said paper across said platen surface whereby to enhance heat transfer between said platen surface and said paper as the paper moves thereacross.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 in which said heating means is disposed in intimate heat exchange relationship with said platen surface, and insulating means in operative juxtaposition with said heating means to enhance efficiency of said heating means.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 in which said paper supply comprises a paper supply roll, and means supporting said paper supply roll for rotation within said housing, said tension means including braking means to restrain rotation of said supply roll during unwinding of said paper.

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