Unibody printing system and process

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The foregoing goals and objectives can be achieved by the design of a unibody housing which will align and integrate the light source and modulation unit, and accommodate the consumable components, the printing drum, the toner, the fuser and the developer.
A heavy gauge, unitary plastic housing has been designed to accommodate the entire system such that the DMD modulator can be "flown" into position with test sensors replacing the xerographic drum.
The light modulator can then be precisely imaged onto the position of the drum, the test sensors removed and the actual drum positioned in place, and replaced over the life of the printer without incurring misalignment to the optical exposure system.
The fly into place concept has been disclosed in copending patent application entitled "Printing System Exposure Module Alignment Method and Apparatus of Manufacture," Ser.
No.
07/454,657 filed Dec.
21, 1989, which patent is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Using this unitary housing allows the modulator optics to be installed directly into the housing, thereby eliminating the need for separate parts and alignment difficulties.
In addition, changes in physical size from time to time caused by heat, age, or other factors will tend to be uniform over the unitary housing and thus not affect the optical path or other mating relationships.
Accordingly, it is a technical advantage of this invention that a single unitary housing is designed to accept and registrate all components of xerographic process; the DMD modulator, the toner and developer removable subassemblies as well as the printer drum (or belt), and the fuser and related paper path mechanisms.
It is a further technical advantage of this invention that the single unitary housing of the printing system is made from molded plastic.