Lexmark International, Inc.

Alexander Lloyd Chapman

Michael Anthony Marra, Iii

Barry Baxter Stout

Patrick Laurence Kroger

Christopher Alan Adkins

Adam Jude Ahne

Scott Daniel Reeves

Daniel Lee Thomas

Neilson Gutay Navarrete

David Michael Cseledy

Michael Todd Phillips

Clare Cabahug Maxino

Keith Bryan Hardin

Randall David Mayo

Edmund Hulin James, Iii

David Golman King

Scott Richard Castle

Darell Dean Cronch

Jay William Vessels

Dariush Aboonasry

A system for sensing material within a container includes a container having a reservoir for storing material and an impact member configured to selectively impart an impulse force on the container to cause vibration of the container. A sensor is configured to sense the vibration of the container upon the impact member imparting the impulse force on the container. Processing circuitry in communication with the sensor is configured to determine an estimate of an amount of the material in the container based on the sensed vibration of the container.

Material sensing using container vibration

A system for an electrophotographic image forming device includes a toner container having a reservoir for storing toner and an impact member configured to selectively impart an impulse force on the toner container to cause vibration of the toner container. A sensor is configured to sense the vibration of the toner container upon the impact member imparting the impulse force on the toner container. Processing circuitry in communication with the sensor is configured to determine an estimate of an amount of toner in the reservoir based on the sensed vibration of the toner container.

Toner level sensing using toner container vibration

The present invention is a diverse acoustical object containing a range of particles that have acoustical wave impedances that are substantially different from the binder. The particles create a substantially different reflection as an acoustic wave is scattered by the particles. A negative reflection is created when the scattered wave is from a particle that has a wave impedance that is substantially less than the binder impedance. Practically, it may be necessary to encase this material in a thin material that will withstand the fabrication process (e.g., air or silicone elastomer could be encased in glass). If the wavelength is large compared to the encasing material thickness, then the reflection will be more dependent on the interior material. A mixture of materials that generate positive as well as negative reflections within the binder would add to the complexity of the PUF.

Acoustical physically unclonable function (puf) and system

Methods and systems for calibrating media indexing errors in a printing device are provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises feeding a calibration media through a printing device, sensing the position of the media as it moves through the printing device, sensing positions of a media indexing component as the media moves through the printing device, determining media indexing position errors based upon the sensed positions, and calculating a compensation factor to be applied based upon the errors. In some embodiments, parameters of a line and/or other function are determined from the error data and the parameters are utilized to calculate a compensation factor. Moreover, in some embodiments, it is determined what range the data fits within, and a predetermined compensation factor is determined based upon the range.

Methods and systems to calibrate media indexing errors in a printing device

An encoder and related methods for use in a printing device indexing system are provided. In some embodiments, the system comprises a feedroller or other component configured to index media through a printing device, and an encoder disk is coupled to the feedroller. In these embodiments, the system includes a reflective optical detector having a transmitter and a receiver provided adjacent a first surface of the encoder disk, the reflective optical detector being configured to detect the passage of the home position mark as the encoder disk rotates by the reflection of radiation off of the first surface. Also provided in some embodiments are methods for setting a counter to correspond with the home position of a rotatable element by utilizing threshold signal levels.

Methods and apparatuses for sensing rotational position of a component in a printing device

An encoder including a light source for emitting light, a photodetector for detecting at least part of the light emitted by the light source, and an encoder film including a plurality of alternating bars and windows and being located between the light source and the photodetector. The encoder includes a mask including a plurality of alternating bars and windows, the mask being located between the light source and the photodetector. The encoder further includes a spacer located between the mask and the encoder film, the encoder film contacting the spacer to maintain a predetermined spacing between the mask and the encoder film.

Encoder with mask spacer contacting the encoder film

An optical encoder assembly for an optical encoder for determining rotation of a rotatable shaft. An encoder housing is non-engageable with the shaft. A receiver plate is attached to the encoder housing, has a first side and a substantially opposing second side, and has a through hole and a window both extending from the first side to the second side, wherein the through hole is engageable with the shaft. An encoder mask is attached to the first side of the receiver plate, has a shaft hole engageable with the shaft, and has a mask grating positioned over the window. A light emitter is aligned to face the first side of the receiver plate and is positioned over the mask grating. A light detector is attached to the second side of the receiver plate and is positioned over the window.

Optical encoder assembly with non-engageable encoder housing and receiver plate comprising a through hole and window

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Lexington, KY, United States of America

Alexander Lloyd Chapman