Patent ID: 7025123

Claim:
A thermal transfer roller, comprising: an outer shell and an inner shell coaxially positioned within the outer shell to define a continuous annulus between an inner surface of the outer shell and an outer surface of the inner shell; a first end chamber and a second end chamber in fluid communication with the annulus, the first end chamber directing fluid to the annulus, the second end chamber directing fluid away from the annulus; a passage in communication with the first end chamber, the passage extending the entire distance between the first end chamber and the second end chamber through a center of the thermal transfer roller a plurality of inlet channels in the first end chamber, each inlet channel having a first end closer to the passage and a second end closer to the annulus; wherein each inlet channel becomes progressively wider from the first end of the inlet channel to the second end of the inlet channel a plurality of outlet channels in the second end chamber, each outlet channel having a first end closer to the annulus and a second end; wherein the first end of each outlet channel is wider than the second end of the outlet channel.