Patent · US Active

Black print quality enhancement for high humidity environment

US7496302B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by

4References

24Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Lexmark International, Inc. · US

Inventors

David Lane · Georgetown, US
Julie Ann Gordon Whitney · Georgetown, US

Key dates

Filing date	Dec 13, 2006
Grant date	Feb 24, 2009
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Dec 13, 2026

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG03G2215/1623
WIPO fieldOptics
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An improved color EP (laser) printer is provided for use in high humidity conditions. A humidity sensing circuit determines if the print quality might be degraded due to environmental conditions, using a resistivity sensing circuit, or a humidity sensor. If the print quality would likely be degraded, the invention is able to enhance toner transfer by printing supplemental process black toner dots underlaying standard black toner dots at predetermined pixel locations in the bitmap of a print job. This assumes that the black printing station is the “last” station along the travel of the intermediate transfer member. Other colors could be used for the supplemental toner dots.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.