Lexmark International, Inc.

Calvin Dale Murphy

Hrishikesh Pramod Gogate

John William Kietzman

Jerry Wayne Smith

Jichang Cao

Edward Alan Rush

James Douglas Gilmore

Michael Craig Leemhuis

Gregory Lawrence Ream

Daniel Lee Carter

Jason Paul Hale

Jarrett Clark Gayne

Niko Jay Murrell

Curtis Ray Droege

Mark Duane Foster

Ligia Aura Bejat

Peter Alden Bayerle

Jean Marie Massie

Alexander Johannes Geyling

John Lemaster

Russell Edward Lucas

Marc Cousoulis

Claudia Alexandra Marin

Brian Anthony Reichert

Gerald Lee Fish

Mark Kevin DeMoor

Thad Carlton Switzer

Wesley David McIntire

James Allen Lokovich

Gregory Hardin McClure

William Claiborne Ryle

William Alan Menk, Jr

Travis Alan Riggs

Robert Edward Hackett

Samuel Carter Sipper

Wayne Gerard Fieseler

James Edward Nichols

Lawrence G Teply

An ice maker includes an ice mold having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface of the ice mold is configured to retain water for forming ice cubes in the ice mold. The ice mold includes a plurality of ice lobes each shaped to form a respective ice cube in the ice mold. A heater assembly is positioned on the outer surface of the ice mold. In some embodiments, each of a plurality of heating elements of the heater assembly is aligned with a corresponding lobe of the plurality of lobes for supplying heat to ice cubes formed in the lobes for releasing the ice cubes from the ice mold. In some embodiments, the heater assembly includes a heater having a ceramic substrate and one or more electrically resistive traces and electrically conductive traces thick film printed on the ceramic substrate.

Ice maker heater assemblies

A method and system are disclosed for detecting a fatal error condition in a printing device having an intermediate transfer member for facilitating toner transfer, including sensing a reflectance value of the intermediate transfer member at a first predetermined time; comparing the sensed reflectance value at the first period of time to a predetermined threshold; sensing a reflectance value of the intermediate transfer member at a second predetermined time after the predetermined first time; and comparing the sensed reflectance value of the intermediate transfer member at the second period of time to the predetermined threshold. If each of the sensed reflectance value at the first predetermined time and the sensed reflectance value at the second predetermined time is greater than the predetermined threshold, the method includes selectively suspending further printing operations until the imaging device is serviced.

Imaging device with diagnostic testing for fatal errors

A belt fuser assembly for a color EP printer that quickly warms up the fusing belt before allowing a first sheet of print media to run through the printing stations at the fuser assembly. The warm-up cycle includes: (1) a preheat mode, (2) a first portion of a belt temperature warm-up mode, (3) a second portion of the belt temperature warm-up mode, and (4) a tight belt temperature control mode. The preheat mode operates the fuser's heater at less than full power, and prevents the fuser belt from rotating. The first portion of the belt temperature warm-up mode operates the heater at full power, and the fuser belt begins rotating, but not at its full speed. The second portion of the belt temperature warm-up mode operates the heater at less than full power, and the fuser belt begins rotating at its full speed.

Color belt fuser warm-up time minimization

A method of controlling a fuser assembly within an image forming apparatus having a fuser assembly including a heating member and a backup member cooperating with the heating member to form a nip therebetween for fusing images onto substrates passing through the nip. The method is provided to minimize or avoid a temperature droop condition of the fuser and includes the steps of determining a set point temperature for performing a fusing operation, and determining whether the image forming apparatus has transitioned from a standby mode to a print mode upon receipt of a print job. If a sensed temperature of the fuser is within a temperature range having an upper threshold temperature that is less than the heating temperature and greater than the set point temperature or a lower threshold temperature, a power control for the fuser is switched to operate in a high power region, increasing power to the fuser, to provide heat energy to the heating member.

Method for minimizing temperature droop in a fuser

A power supply control system for a fuser assembly in an electrophotographic apparatus includes a power supply and a fuser assembly. The power supply includes a first electrical path designated for a fuser assembly that operates at a first voltage and a second electrical path designated for a fuser assembly that operates at a second voltage. The fuser assembly is configured to operate at a select one of the first voltage or the second voltage and is connected to the first electrical path if the fuser assembly operates at the first voltage, and the fuser assembly is connected to the second electrical path if the fuser assembly operates at the second voltage. The first and second electrical paths allow different device features including power limiting devices such as fuses, switches, relays, etc., to be placed in each path.

Electrophotographic power supply configuration for supplying power to a fuser

A method of operating a fuser for duplex printing includes equilibrating the fuser roll surface temperatures by rotating the rolls at a speed faster than the process speed between fusing an image on a first side of the media and fusing an image on a second side of the media.

Fuser unit operation for gloss consistency

An apparatus and method for ink-jet printing including an intermediate transfer medium, a transfer medium, and an ink-jet print head to jet ink toward the intermediate transfer medium, to transfer an ink image from the intermediate transfer medium to media with an optimum image transfer and optical density. The optimum image transfer and optical density is accomplished by generating uniform pressure across a nip generated by the intermediate transfer medium and the transfer medium, and control of a release coating thickness resident on the intermediate transfer medium and a time delay between a jetting of ink toward the intermediate transfer medium and transfer of jetted ink resident on a surface of the intermediate transfer medium to the media.

Apparatus and method for printing with an inkjet drum

A method of determining a relative speed between two separately driven members in an image forming apparatus, includes the steps of: transporting a print medium using a print media transport assembly including an exit nip, the print media transport assembly operable at a first transport speed; driving a rotatable member associated with an entrance nip using an electric motor at a second transport speed which is independent from the first transport speed; transferring the print medium from the exit nip to the entrance nip; detecting an electrical characteristic of the motor when the print medium is present in each of the exit nip and the entrance nip; and determining a relative speed between the first transport speed and the second transport speed.

Method of determining a relative speed between independently driven members in an image forming apparatus

A method for controlling power to an electrical load using dual pulse width modulation (PWM) to minimize in-rush current to the electrical load, such as a heater element. An output from a power source, supplying an alternating current, is modulated by a first PWM control signal to provide a first modulated power level to the electrical load. The first modulated power level is modulated by a second PWM control signal to control power supplied to the electrical load at the first modulated power level. The first PWM control signal operates to control the number of half cycles of current in order to provide one-third, two-thirds or full cycle power. The second PWM control signal operates to define a duty cycle and period for providing the power defined by the first PWM control signal to the electrical load.

Method and apparatus for controlling power to a heater element using dual pulse width modulation control

A fuser for fusing an image to print media in a color electrophotographic printer. The fuser includes an endless idling belt defining an inner loop, and a ceramic heater positioned in contact with the belt, within the inner loop. A pressure roller defines a nip with the belt. The belt includes a compliant layer for conforming to variations in toner pile height. The heater is configured to provide a cooler nip exit and a hotter nip entrance.

Belt fuser for a color electrophotographic printer

A fuser for fusing an image to print media in a color electrophotographic printer. The fuser includes an endless idling belt defining an inner loop, and a ceramic heater positioned in contact with the belt, within the inner loop. A pressure roller defines a nip with the belt. The belt includes a compliant layer for conforming to variations in toner pile height. Operating methods improve printer performance by reducing variations in media transport velocity through the fuser.

Method of using a fuser for a color electrophotographic printer

An ink jet aerosol control includes a carrier frame, a carrier, at least one airflow channel and a filter. The carrier is disposed and moveable within the frame and selectively creates a high-pressure zone and a low-pressure zone. The airflow channel joins the high-pressure zone to the low-pressure zone. The filter is disposed in association with the airflow channel.

Ink jet aerosol control using carrier movement as a piston pump

A fuser for fusing an image to a toner side of a print medium in an electrophotographic printer. The fuser includes an endless belt defining an inner loop. A heater is positioned in contact with the belt within the inner loop. A pressure roller defines a nip with the belt and is positioned adjacent the toner side of the print medium.

Fuser for an electrophotographic printer and method of using same

A device and method of supporting a doctor blade within an image forming apparatus. The device has a housing for positioning a doctor blade such that a bottom edge contacts a developer roller. One or more extensions are positioned to support a first side of the doctor blade. The one or more extensions may include dampeners which are constructed of a resilient material. Supports are positioned on a second side of the doctor blade. The doctor blade is sized to fit between the one or more extensions and the supports. A method of supporting the doctor blade includes positioning the doctor blade to dampen vibrations and velocity fluctuations caused by sticking and slipping of the bottom edge of the doctor blade against the developer roller.

Doctor blade support for an image forming apparatus

A calibration rod ( ) with grooved track ( ) and a testing apparatus ( ) for magnetic rolls that produces an accurate homing location and probe-to-probe reference for repeated test verification at many testing locations. The grooved track calibration rod can be transported to different equipment to verify that equipment is performing similarly, has improved accuracy, has temperature compensation, uses a circumferential drive movement from one end of a roll magnet and verifies angular position from the other end, eliminates the possibility of angular inaccuracy from twisting of the part being measured during clamping and provides for improved accuracy of several degrees. A high order polynomial curve fit of the data is used to determine the true value of the Gauss level being measured during 360 degree revolution. The apparatus takes measurements to accurately measure magnetic differences which define differences in probe operation. The value of other probes will be matched (multiplied by a percentage) to a first master reference probe. The apparatus eliminates twist, which can affect pole location accuracy by several degrees.

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Lexington, KY, United States of America

Calvin Dale Murphy