Xerox Corporation

Tektronix, Inc.

Barry Daniel Reeves

Brent Rodney Jones

Edward Francis Burress

James D Rise

David Lyell Knierim

Richard Guy Chambers

Ernest I Esplin

Joseph Benjamin Gault

Michael Cameron Gordon

Jasper Kent Wong

Timothy L Crawford

Michael Joel Edwards

Devin Richard Bailly

Frank Alexander Weissig

Trevor James Snyder

Frederick T Mattern

Santokh Singh Badesha

Christopher R Gold

David H Pan

William L Emery

Scott J Phillips

Clark W Crawford

Anthony Yeznach

Gerard H Rousseau

David Ruff

Paul J McConville

Pinyen Lin

Donald R Titterington

Donald J Drake

Andrew Wayne Hays

Mark Anthony Cellura

Elias Panides

Kenneth Russell Ossman

Michael E Jones

Loc V Bui

Richard P Germain

Elliott A Eklund

Mark Raymond Parker

Randy C Karambelas

Larry Eugene Hindman

Donald S Stanton

David Alan Vankouwenberg

John Albert Wright

Edward F Burke

Jeffrey Russell Kohne

William Bruce Weaver

Xiaoying (Elizabeth) Yuan

David Douglas Martenson

Jignesh P Sheth

Gustavo J Yusem

James B Jensen

Kelly Anne Kessler

William Y Pong

Mark Steven Taft

Cary Eric Sjolander

Meade M Neal

Robert M Rottman

Nathan E Hult

Lee D Hills

Sean W Harris

Katherine D Weston

Larry Church

Barry E Morgan

William B Weaver

William Loren Emery

A method implemented in an imaging device senses the remaining life of a drum maintenance system in the imaging device. The method includes detecting a buoyant member, which is pivotably coupled to a proboscis extending from an end cap of a reservoir in a reservoir of the DMU, reaching a predetermined position in the reservoir and then updating an estimate of the remaining release agent in the reservoir with reference to a total media area and total inked area.

Method for sensing remaining life in a drum maintenance unit

A drum maintenance system for use in an imaging device includes a reservoir for the storage of release agent used by the drum maintenance unit. The reservoir includes a bottle, an end cap, and a float sensor. The float sensor has a buoyant member that is pivotably coupled to a proboscis extending from the end cap into the bottle and movement of the buoyant member enables detection of the release agent in the bottle reaching a predetermined level.

Oil reservoir with float level sensor

A peristaltic pump mechanism comprises a gear having teeth configured for meshed engagement with a drive source, such as a DC motor and a pair of occlusion members configured to compress a transport tube against an occlusion surface. Each occlusion member is mounted on an axle, with one end of the axle mounted on the first gear and an opposite end of each axle engaged by a support member. Two support ribs are mounted between the gear and the support element. The pair of occlusion members includes a first pair of rollers mounted on the gear 180&#xb0; apart from each other. The two support ribs are mounted on the gear 180&#xb0; apart from each other and offset 90&#xb0; from the pair of rollers. The DC motor drives a worm gear in meshed engagement with the gear of the pump mechanism.

Peristaltic pump

Exemplary embodiments provide an aluminum image drum and method of its formation such that the aluminum image drum can have a surface texture to provide desirable surface oil consumption and high print quality for solid ink jet marking systems.

Materials and methods to produce desired image drum surface topography for solid ink jet

A drum maintenance system for use in an imaging device includes a reservoir for the storage of release agent used by the drum maintenance unit. The reservoir includes a bottle, an end cap, and a float sensor. The float sensor operates to detect the release agent in the bottle reaching a predetermined minimum level.

A method facilitates insertion of a segmented ink stick into an ink feed system of a phase change ink jet printer. The method includes bending of a flexible strand between ink stick segments during insertion of the ink stick segments and then straightening the flexible strand to orient the ink stick segments in the ink feed system.

Segmented ink stick

A printing device comprises a print head, imaging member, and a moveable sensor array. The print head is configured to deliver marking material to the imaging member as it moves in a process direction. The linear sensor array comprises a plurality of photo sensors configured to scan the imaging member. The photo detectors of the linear sensor array define a sensor axis that is substantially perpendicular to the process direction. The linear sensor array is configured to move along the sensor axis between a first position where the sensor array scans one portion of the imaging member and a second position where the sensor array scans another portion of the imaging member. If a fault is detected during calibration of the sensor array, the moveable sensor array may be used to determine whether the source of the fault rests with the imaging member or the sensor array.

Moveable sensor array and method of detecting location of calibration fault

A method of servicing a customer replaceable unit of an imaging device includes providing a customer replaceable unit configured for insertion and removal from an imaging device. The customer replaceable unit includes at least an applicator configured to apply a release agent to a surface of an intermediate transfer drum of the imaging device, a reservoir including a supply of the release agent for the applicator, a delivery pump configured to pump release agent from the reservoir to the applicator, a recirculation pump configured to pump release agent from the applicator to the reservoir, and a memory including operational data for the customer replaceable unit. A maintenance procedure is then performed on the customer replaceable unit.

Method of servicing a drum maintenance unit (DMU) in an image generating system

A drum maintenance system for use in an imaging device includes an applicator configured to apply a release agent to a surface of an intermediate transfer drum of an imaging device at a first flow rate, and a reservoir spaced from the applicator including a supply of the release agent for the applicator. A first fluid path fluidly couples the reservoir to the applicator for delivering release agent to the applicator; and a second fluid path fluidly couples the applicator to the reservoir for recirculating release agent back to the reservoir. A delivery pump is configured to pump release agent from the reservoir to the applicator via the first fluid path at a second flow rate; and a recirculation pump is configured to pump release agent from the applicator to the reservoir at a third flow rate. The second flow rate is greater than the first flow rate, and the third flow rate is greater than the second flow rate.

Open loop oil delivery system

A system for use with a solid ink delivery system of a phase change ink imaging device comprises an insertion opening configured to enable insertion of ink sticks therethrough and into the ink delivery system. An insertion key is movably supported adjacent the insertion opening such that a portion of the insertion key protrudes into the insertion opening. The portion of the insertion key has a shape that is complementary to a key contour on a first ink stick and a second ink stick. A key positioner is operably coupled to the insertion key to move the insertion key between at least two different predetermined positions on the perimeter of the insertion opening. The predetermined positions include a first position that is complementary to a position of the key contour of the first ink stick and a second position that is complementary to a position of the key contour of the second ink stick.

Ink loader with adjustable insertion openings

A solid ink stick comprises an ink stick body formed of a phase change ink material. The ink stick body has a plurality of exterior surfaces arranged in a first ink stick body configuration. At least one simulation surface is formed in the ink stick body. The at least one simulation surface simulates a second ink stick body configuration. The simulation surface is functionally significant though may not extend around the full perimeter of the ink stick body or to the full plurality of exterior surfaces.

Method of reconfiguring ink sticks

A solid ink stick comprises an ink stick body having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of side surfaces extending between the top and bottom surfaces. The plurality of side surfaces defines a perimeter of the ink stick body. At least one key contour is formed in at least one side surface in the plurality of side surfaces extending at least partially between the top surface and the bottom surface. A witness mark is formed along at least a portion of the perimeter of the ink stick body with a portion of the witness mark following the at least one key contour.

Solid ink stick with witness mark

An ink stick for a phase change ink jet printer is provided. The ink stick includes a first ink stick body segment having a proximal portion and a distal portion, a second ink stick body segment having a proximal portion and a distal portion, and one or more flexible strand portions. The strand portion is formed integrally with the first ink stick body segment and the second ink stick body segment, and connects the proximal portion of the first ink stick body segment and the proximal portion of the second ink stick body segment. The strand portion flexes to permit variation in the distance between the distal portion of the first ink stick body segment and the distal portion of the second ink stick body segment.

An ink stick for use in a phase change ink printer includes a first portion of a solid ink stick body, the first portion being formed of a first material of a phase change ink composition. The ink stick also includes a second portion of the solid ink stick body, the second portion being formed of a second material. The first material and the second material combine when the ink stick body is melted.

Solid ink composition with post-melt mixing

An ink stick support for use in an ink loader of a phase change ink imaging device includes an ink stick carrier for receiving and supporting an ink stick. The ink stick carrier includes a loading platform for receiving the ink stick thereon and a substantially vertically oriented back wall extending from a back edge of the base plate. A coupler for removably attaching the ink stick carrier to a drive mechanism of an ink loader.

Ink loader mechanism using an ink stick carrier

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Lake Oswego, OR, United States of America

Barry Daniel Reeves