Apparatus and method for release agent application and cleaning of a fuser surface using a release agent impregnated web

摘要

An apparatus and method to condition the fuser surface of a fusing or transfusing apparatus for a toner based printing system is described. The apparatus and method integrate the functions of cleaning paper debris and residual toner from the fuser (or transfuse) surface on one hand and the application of a release agent such as silicone oil on the other hand using a single release agent impregnated web. The inventive device comprises an release agent application roller (24) and a cleaning roller (23) where the outer surfaces (54) and (53) are selected in preferred embodiments for their respective wetting properties with respect to the release agent used. The fuser surface conditioning device increases the useful life for a fusing or transfusing roll or belt even when low amounts of release agent are applied to the fusing surface such that the amount of release agent that is transferred to the print media is in the range of ,5 to 5 mg/A4 sheet.