Self-pumping heat-pipe fuser roll

Abstract

An energy transfer device includes a heat pipe and at least one spiral feature on an interior surface along a portion of the heat pipe, wherein a pitch of the spiral feature may be such that a liquid is pumped in the heat pipe, and a thermal mass of the heat pipe is reduced by about 50%. The interiro spiral feature may be one of a spiral groove and a spiral fin. A method of manufacturing an energy transfer device may include providing a heat pipe, and providing at least one spiral feature via rotating extrusion on an interior surface along at least a portion of the heat pipe, wherein a pitch of the at least one spiral feature is such that a liquid is pumped in the heat pipe, and a thermal mass of the heat pipe is reduced by about 50%.

1 . An energy transfer device, comprising: 
 a heat pipe; and    at least one spiral feature on an interior surface along at least a portion of the heat pipe, wherein a pitch of the at least one spiral feature is such that a liquid is pumped in the heat pipe during rotation of the heat pipe when liquid is present in the energy transfer device, and a thermal mass of the heat pipe is reduced by about 50%.    
     
     
         2 . The energy transfer device of  claim 1 , wherein the energy transfer device comprises at least one of a fuser roll, a photoreceptor, and a paper transport device.  
     
     
         3 . The energy transfer device of  claim 2 , wherein the interior spiral feature comprises a spiral groove.  
     
     
         4 . The energy transfer device of  claim 2 , further comprising an inductive heater to heat the heat pipe.  
     
     
         5 . The energy transfer device of  claim 4 , wherein the inductive heater comprises induction coils located at least at one of one end of the heat pipe, along a length of the heat pipe, both ends of the heat pipe and inside the heat pipe.  
     
     
         6 . The energy transfer device of  claim 1 , wherein the spiral fins are about 3 mm high.  
     
     
         7 . The energy transfer device of  claim 1 , wherein the heat pipe is at least one of about 31.5 mm and about 35 mm in diameter.  
     
     
         8 . The energy transfer device of  claim 3 , wherein the spiral fins have a pitch of at least one of about 3 times a diameter of the heat pipe and about 100 mm.  
     
     
         9 . A method of using the energy transfer device of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 providing the heat pipe including the at least one spiral feature; and    rotating the heat pipe to pump a liquid at a rate of about 0.5 cc/sec.    
     
     
         10 . A method of using the energy transfer device of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 providing the heat pipe including the at least one spiral feature; and    providing a volume of liquid of at least one of about 1.39 cc and about 3.22 cc into the energy transfer device.    
     
     
         11 . A method of using the energy transfer device of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 providing the heat pipe including the at least one spiral feature; and    rotating the heat pipe to pump a liquid at a rate of about 4.17 cc per revolution.    
     
     
         12 . A method of using the energy transfer device of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 providing the heat pipe including the at least one spiral feature; and    rotating the heat pipe at a speed of at least one of about 7.2 rpm and about 140 rpm.    
     
     
         13 . A method of using the energy transfer device of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 providing the heat pipe including the at least one spiral feature; and    supplying about 1000 W to 1500 W of power to the heat pipe.    
     
     
         14 . A method of manufacturing an energy transfer device, comprising: 
 providing a heat pipe; and    providing at least one spiral feature via rotating extrusion on an interior surface along at least a portion of the heat pipe, wherein a pitch of the at least one spiral feature is such that a liquid is pumped in the heat pipe during rotation of the heat pipe when liquid is present into the energy transfer device, and a thermal mass of the heat pipe is reduced by about 50%.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one spiral feature comprises a spiral groove.  
     
     
         16 . A xerographic device comprising the energy transfer device of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         17 . A xerographic system comprising: 
 a heat pipe fuser roll including at least one spiral feature on an interior surface along at least a portion of the heat pipe; and    a controller that controls an operation of the heat pipe fuser roll in the xerographic system, wherein a pitch of the at least one spiral feature is such that a liquid is pumped in the heat pipe during operation of the heat pipe by the controller.    
     
     
         18 . The energy transfer device of  claim 1 , further comprising more than one evaporator section, and wherein the heat pipe comprises two sets of spiral features, each set of spiral features pumping liquid outward from the center of the heat pipe to ends of the heat pipe, and heating provided at each one of the ends of the heat pipe.  
     
     
         19 . The energy transfer device of  claim 2 , wherein the interior spiral feature comprises a spiral fin.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one spiral feature comprises a spiral fin.