Patent ID: 6052553
Filing Date: 2000-04-18
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
A post-fusing sheet conditioning apparatus in an electrostatographic reproduction machine for adding a controlled amount of moisture to a side of a fused toner image carrying copy sheet to control curl, the sheet conditioning apparatus comprising:(a) a moisturizing agent supply and splitting assembly including a supply source containing moisturizing agent, and a plurality of rotatable metering rollers forming at least first and second moisture splitting nips for splitting a layer of supplied moisturizing agent, and forming a thin film of moisture;(b) a rotatable moisture applying roller forming a moisture receiving nip with said moisturizing agent supply and splitting assembly for receiving said thin film of moisture therefrom, and said rotatable moisture applying roller forming a moisture applying nip with a side of the fused toner image carrying copy sheet for applying a desired amount of moisture from said received thin film of moisture thereon onto the fused toner image carrying copy sheet so as to control curl therein;(c) control means, including nip pressure adjustment assemblies and a programmable controller, for adjusting nip pressure in said moisture receiving nip and said moisture applying nip to control said desired amount of moisture being applied onto the fused toner image carrying copy sheet, said programmable controller storing an equilibrium moisture content value (M.sub.f) for copy sheets that are same as the fused toner image carrying copy sheet, and said nip pressure adjustment assemblies being adjusted such that said desired amount of moisture being applied is about 1.5% greater than said equilibrium moisture content value M.sub.f ; and(d) a stepper motor for moving said moisture applying roller towards and away from a path of the fused toner image carrying copy sheet.