Patent ID: 8897683
Filing Date: 2014-11-25
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A fixing system for fixing marking material to a substrate, comprising: a non-contact pre-heating device for pre-heating a substrate and marking material disposed on a surface of the substrate; a heated fixing device disposed downstream from the non-contact pre-heating device, the heated fixing device comprising: at least one non-heated conditioning device positioned between the non-contact pre-heating device and the heated fixing device comprising a pair of non-heated conditioning members which oppose each other to apply pressure to level the marking material disposed on the surface of the substrate, wherein, when received by the at least one non-heated conditioning device, the substrate and the marking material disposed on the substrate are at a temperature condition that satisfies a relationship: Tamb<Tint<Tm, where Tamb is ambient temperature, Tint is a temperature at an interface between the marking material and the surface of the substrate on which the marking material is disposed, and Tm is a melting temperature of the marking material, and the temperature Tint is increased to at least Tm when the substrate and the marking material disposed on the substrate are passed through the fixing nip.