Lexmark International, Inc.

Daniel Paul Cahill

Curtis Duane Woodson

Louann Behymer Samuels

William Paul Cook

Jason Lee Rowe

Douglas Andagan Baena, Jr

David Anthony Schneider

David Lee Merrifield

Scott Stephen Williams

Chad Michael Piening

Jake Tia Pia

Thomas Paul Maddux

Kim Limpahan Balahan

Stacey Edward Balch

Robert Ryan Fresnoza Cruz

Irvin Langit Libres

Edward Lynn Triplett

Michael Craig Leemhuis

Edward Alan Rush

Cary Patterson Ravitz

Franklin Joseph Palumbo

Mark Andrew Omelchenko

Thomas Campbell Wade

Steven A Silverstein

Benjamin Charles Devore

Edward William Yohon, Jr

Daniel Joseph Westhoff

Gordon Robert Dunning

Philip David Jones

Brian Patrick Weaver

Clark Edwin Jarnagin

William Frank Brown, Jr

Robert Andrew Kosieniak

Rodney Lee Jensen

Adam Gordon Price

Sishuang Li

Robert Joseph Feldman

Chad Michael Plening

Richard Gayle Snapp

Daniel Eugene Armstrong

Adam Daniel Cahill

Moneleo De Castro Cedeno

An image forming device includes an image formation path extending from an entrance end adjacent to a source of supply of media sheets, past an image forming station, to an exit end adjacent to a top collection site adapted to receive media sheets, a duplex path extending from an inlet end adjacent the top collection site to an outlet end adjacent a lower front opening in the device, a media sheet directing mechanism disposed between the exit end of the image formation path, top collection site and inlet end of the duplex path and selectively operable to deliver printed media sheets to the top collection site or the inlet end of the duplex path, and a deflector mechanism between the lower front opening and the outlet end of the duplex path and operable to divert printed media sheets from the duplex path through the lower front opening to exterior of the device.

Kiosk-installable printer with duplex path utilized to deliver printed media sheets to lower front exterior of printer

An electronic locking system to secure consumable items in an image forming device and a method therefore. In one embodiment of the invention, an electronic locking system to secure media sheets includes a media tray to hold media sheets, a tray receiving member for receiving the media tray, and a controller. The tray receiving member includes a drive device and a plunger. The plunger is moved by the drive device between a locked and an unlocked position. The controller is configured to control the drive device to move the plunger to engage a portion of the media tray in the locked position and to move the plunger to disengage from the portion of the media tray in the unlocked position. The electronic locking system, incorporating the controller, provides an effective and efficient way to lock/unlock the media tray and eliminates the use of mechanical keys.

Electronic locking system to secure consumable item in an image forming device and a method therefor

A method and system for carrying out an image-to-paper printer registration setup includes: using a printer undergoing registration setup, printing a test pattern on a sheet having reference targets within a printable region of the sheet; using a scanner, scanning the printed sheet to generate an image bitmap of the test pattern-bearing sheet larger than the sheet itself so that the image bitmap contains the sheet edges and measuring in numbers of pixels the distances between the reference targets and/or sheet edges using multiple swaths of the image bitmap itself as the measuring tool; and, using a processor and based on the measured distances, calculating error-associated adjustment values in millimeters to use to correct errors in the registration setup of the image-to-paper in the printer and transferring the error-associated adjustment values to the printer to perform adjustment of its setup actuators.

Method, system and test sheet image bitmap for carrying out a scanner-and-processor based image-to-paper registration setup

A sheet feeding method includes supporting a media stack on an elevator, initiating operation of a pick roll in conjunction with a top most sheet, sensing whether or not the pick roll is operating in conjunction with the top most sheet, and moving the elevator, in response to the pick roll not operating in conjunction with the top most sheet, to overcome occurrence of a media handling failure mode between the pick roll and the top most sheet. The elevator is lowered, in response to the pick roll rotating but the top most sheet not arriving at a sheet arrival sensor, to increase a normal force imposed on the top most sheet to overcome the occurrence of a 'fails to feed' failure mode. The elevator is raised, in response to the pick roll not rotating, to decrease the normal force imposed on the top most sheet to overcome the occurrence of a 'pick roll stall' failure mode.

Media sheet feeding method for overcoming at least one media handling failure mode

The present application is directed to sensors and methods of use to determine a width of a media sheet moving along a media path. In one embodiment, the sensor includes a shaft that extends at least partially across the media path. First and second paddles may extend outward from the shaft and into the media path. The paddles may be axially spaced apart along a length of the shaft, and the first paddle may be positioned upstream along the media path from the second paddle. A flag may extend outward from the shaft. A detector may be positioned in proximity to the shaft. In use, the shaft may rotate during contact between the media sheets and the paddles to move the flag. The detector may be able to differentiate between a first amount of rotation due to contact with a wide media sheet and a second amount of rotation with a narrow media sheet to determine a width of the media sheets.

Media width sensors containing axially spaced paddles and method of using the media width sensor

A system and drive arrangement for using fuser temperature cycling to change rotational position of a fuser roller wiper includes a frame, a hot roll, a fuser roller, and a drive arrangement. The frame of the fuser unit has side panels spaced apart from one another and positioned alongside a media path through the fuser unit. The hot roll on the fuser unit is rotatably mounted to the side panels of the frame and extends between the side panels across the media path. The fuser roller wiper is rotatably mounted between the side panels of the frame and performs a wiping action on the hot roll to remove foreign matter therefrom and supply of lubricant thereto. The drive arrangement is coupled to the fuser roller wiper and is operable in response to decrease in temperature of the fuser unit to rotate the fuser roller wiper.

System and drive arrangement for using fuser temperature cycling to change rotational position of a fuser roller wiper

A method for dynamically lifting an elevator includes picking a sheet from a stack to feed to a media process where the stack is on a platform that can be lifted by an elevator, performing the media process, sensing a top of the stack to detect presence or absence of the stack at a media home position, sensing the top of the stack to detect presence or absence of the stack on the platform, sensing the platform to detect its presence or absence at a maximum elevator level, and indexing the stack at least once by lifting the platform through a given distance, during the media process and not during picking a sheet, unless presence of the top of the stack at the media home position is sensed or absence of media sheets on the elevator platform is sensed or presence of the elevator platform at the maximum elevator level is sensed.

Method for dynamically lifting elevator platform of media input tray during ongoing media process

A media handling system for an image forming machine includes a stationary frame, a platform supporting a stack of media sheets thereon, a bin supporting the platform and in turn supported on the stationary frame for undergoing movement relative thereto between a first position in which the bin locates the platform below and aligned with a pick mechanism and movable relative to the bin toward and away from the pick mechanism and a second position in which the bin displaces the platform away from and out of alignment with the pick mechanism, and a motion transmitting assembly coupled between the stationary frame, platform and bin and operable to convert movement of the bin between first and second positions relative to the stationary frame into movement of the platform relative to the bin toward and away from the pick mechanism.

Media handling system for lowering and raising stack platform responsive to moving bin between external and internal positions

A media handling system includes a platform, a bin supporting the platform below and for undergoing movement toward and away from a sheet feeding position, a first motion transmitting assembly coupled between the platform and bin and tailored to counterbalance the weight of the platform and any stack such that as the weight decreases the platform is lifted toward the sheet feeding position to maintain the stack top below a lower limit position thereof, a control mechanism to sense the position of the stack top relative to a given range between the lower limit position to an upper home position, and a second motion transmitting assembly drivingly coupled to the platform via the first motion transmitting assembly and responsive to the control mechanism sensing to cause the first motion transmitting assembly to further lift the platform to and maintain the stack top position within the given range.

Media handling system for maintaining stack top within given range of pick positions during feeding sheets from stack top

An improved sheet printer is provided capable of simultaneously printing both on a 'main' surface of a sheet of print media and along edges of that same sheet of print media, such that when the sheets are stacked after being printed, a predetermined image will appear along one or more of the sides of the stack. The 'side image' is formed by the dots that have been printed along the edges of the individual sheets. The side image is generated during image processing of the print job, not by a post-processing step of marking or printing against the side of a stack that has already been printed. The printer can form the side images by printing along all four edges of a single piece of the sheet media, and also on one of that sheet's main surfaces, during a single pass through a printing station.

Six-sided printing method

A device and method for applying images to continuous media stock, such as rolls of paper, blank labels, etc., using a cut-sheet image forming device. While the continuous media stock moves along a media path in the cut-sheet image forming device, one or more sensors in the cut-sheet image forming device detect inter-sheet holes disposed along the continuous media stock. Based on the detected inter-sheet holes, the cut-sheet image forming device tracks the position of the continuous media stock. By tracking the position of the continuous media stock, the cut-sheet image forming device can identify specific sections of the continuous media stock as image areas appropriate for image transfer.

Method and apparatus for using continuous media stock in a cut-sheet image forming device

An improved electrophotographic printer is provided for printing on sheet media, and for joining two or more sheets of sheet media together within the print engine. A first sheet can be imaged with 'standard' information and/or indicia, and can also have one or more strips of toner applied at predetermined locations. The first sheet is then run back to the print engine while a second (virgin) sheet of print media is picked from an input tray at a time that will cause both sheets to run through the print engine simultaneously, either exactly at the same time, or with some offset spacing. The two sheets will become joined or affixed to one another at locations in which the toner strips are of sufficient size and density, and will be output together as if stapled, or sealed, together.

Method and apparatus for adhering sheets of print media together by use of toner in an electrophotographic printer

Toner is conserved in an image forming apparatus, such as an electrophotographic printer (e.g., laser printer), by varying the interpage gap when approaching an exhaustion of the recording media supply (&ldquo;paper out&rdquo;). A supply level sensor is used to determine whether the supply of discrete recording media (e.g., paper sheets) is above or below a predetermined level. A smaller value interpage gap is used when the supply level is above the predetermined level. The interpage gap is automatically lengthened to a second larger value when the sensed media supply level drops below the predetermined level. The longer second interpage gap allows for &ldquo;paper out condition&rdquo; that may result from printing of sheet N&minus;1 to be determined prior to image formation beginning for sheet N. The interpage gap may be reset to the smaller value when the supply has been refilled to above the pre-determined level.

Image forming apparatus with variable gap size based on recording media supply level

A label support for an integrated label, which includes a label portion and a thinner paper portion, includes a base having a support surface with its rear end higher than its front. When the label support is supported by a support surface of a media support tray, its front end is closest to an inclined dam of the media support tray. The label support has at least its rear end spaced from the support surface of the media support tray. In one embodiment, the base of the label support has a first substantially horizontal portion connected by an inclined portion to a second substantially horizontal portion, which rests on the support surface of the media support tray. This embodiment extends for less than the length of the support surface of the media support tray for sliding along the support surface of the media support tray to accommodate varying lengths of the integrated label. In another embodiment, the base has a portion of its support surface closest to its front inclined toward its front with its entire support surface spaced from the support surface of the media support tray. In each of the embodiments, the trailing edges of the integrated labels engage two rear restraints, which extend from the rear of the base and are at an acute angle less than the complement of the obtuse angle of the dam of the media support tray, to enable the uppermost of the integrated labels, which are stacked on the support surface of the base, to be advanced into engagement with the dam for feeding to a processing station of a printer or copier.

Label support

A dam has a slat disposed therein with protrusions along its sheet-engaging surface. If more than one sheet is fed from a stack to the dam, the sheets strike the slat surface and protrusions, causing the sheets to buckle and then separate from each other.

Growing community of inventors

Verona, KY, United States of America

Daniel Paul Cahill