Xerox Corporation

Rosen Products LLC

Darrell Ray Finneman

Brent Rodney Jones

Brian Walter Aznoe

James Michael Bonicatto

Charles Firkins

Daniel Clark Park

Richard Guy Chambers

Timothy L Crawford

Donald B Maclane

William Y Pong

Kelvin Kwong

Michael P O'Dierno

Joseph E Alves

Curtis C Kucera

Stephen Ray Ricketts

Samuel John Geser

Gregory A Mouchka

Charles R Firkins

An ink stick for use in a phase change ink imaging device has a protrusion with a predetermined height that is configured to enable a sensor in an ink loader of the imaging device to detect the height of the protrusion. The predetermined height of the protrusion corresponds to a control parameter for the imaging device.

Solid ink stick with interface element

A fluid transport apparatus facilitates flow of fluid from a source to a receptacle. The fluid transport apparatus includes a fluid transport conduit for transport of fluid through the conduit, the conduit being coupled between a fluid supply and a fluid receptacle, a compressor conduit proximate the fluid transport conduit along a portion of the fluid transport conduit between the fluid supply and the fluid receptacle, and a pump coupled to the compressor conduit for injecting fluid into the compressor conduit, and a vent that is operated to selectively enable pressurization and venting of the compressor conduit to compress and decompress the portion of the fluid transport conduit proximate the compressor conduit to pump fluid through the fluid transport conduit.

System and method for transporting fluid through a conduit

A fluid transport apparatus maintains temperature of a fluid transported through a conduit. The fluid transport apparatus includes a fluid transport conduit that is selectively deformed by a pressure within a compressor conduit and allowed to return to its original shape by venting the pressure through a venting valve. The alternating pressurization and release of pressure from the compressor conduit moves fluid through the fluid transport conduit. A thermal conductor is associated with the fluid transport conduit to maintain the temperature of the fluid in the fluid transport conduit within a predetermined range.

System for maintaining temperature of a fluid in a conduit

An image transfer mechanism includes a pressure element and a lever system. The lever system has a load attachment point with a range of position that depends on the thickness of a print medium positioned between the imaging element and the pressure element. A load mechanism includes a load connector with a distal end attached to the lever system load attachment point so that displacement of the lever system attachment point causes longitudinal movement of the load connector. The load mechanism applies a load that is substantially constant throughout the range of position of the lever system load attachment point. The load mechanism includes a spring and a crank attached to the spring and to the proximal end of the load connector. The crank is configured so that a change in the spring force produces a lesser change in the load force at the distal end of the load connector.

Image transfer element with balanced constant force load

A heater for preheating media in an imaging device including a substantially planar polymeric carrier having an exterior surface. A channel is recessed into the exterior surface of the carrier. A resistance heating element is disposed in the channel, the resistance heating element having a first and second end for coupling to a power source. The heater includes an over molded polymeric layer disposed in the channel such that the resistance heating element is substantially encapsulated in the channel and such that an exterior surface of the over molded layer is substantially flush with the exterior surface of the carrier.

Media preheater

An ink stick for use in a phase change ink imaging device is provided, the phase change ink imaging device having an ink stick feed system comprising at least one ink stick feed channel for receiving the ink stick and for moving the ink stick through the ink stick feed channel. The ink stick comprises a three dimensional ink stick body configured to fit within a feed channel of a phase change ink imaging device. The ink stick has an exterior surface with an interface element formed in the exterior surface of the ink stick body. The interface element interfaces with an appropriately equipped ink loader to provide a reference signal to a control system. The controller receives the reference signal and then may translate the reference signal into control information pertaining to the ink stick.

A plurality of ink sticks for use in phase change ink imaging devices includes a first ink stick configured for insertion through an insertion opening of an ink loader for a first phase change ink imaging device and configured for insertion through an insertion opening of an ink loader for a second phase change ink imaging device. The plurality of ink sticks also includes a second ink stick configured for insertion through the insertion opening of the ink loader for the second phase change ink imaging device and configured to be excluded from insertion through the insertion opening of the ink loader for the first phase change ink imaging device.

One way compatibility keying for solid ink sticks

A fluid transport apparatus maintains temperature of a fluid transported through a conduit. The fluid transport apparatus includes a fluid transport conduit for transporting fluid, the fluid transport conduit having an inlet end that is coupled to a fluid supply and an outlet end that is coupled to a receiving port, a compressor conduit configured to pump fluid through the fluid transport conduit by pressurizing and venting the compressor conduit, and a thermal conductor configured to achieve a non-ambient temperature for the fluid within the fluid transport conduit as the compressor conduit is operated to move the fluid through the fluid transport conduit.

An ink stick cooperates with structure in a feed channel of a phase change ink printer to reduce steering effects from pushing the ink sticks along the longitudinal axis of the feed channel. The ink stick includes an ink stick body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a lateral dimension between two partial sides of the ink stick, and a lateral center of gravity within the lateral dimension, a support in a bottom surface of the ink stick body, the support being located at a position that is laterally offset from the lateral center of gravity within the lateral dimension, and a skew limiter in a side of the ink stick body that is opposite the lateral offset position of the support, the skew limiter being in the side of the ink stick body intermediate the bottom surface and the top surface of the ink stick body.

Intermediate side slot vertical ink constraint with offset support

An ink stick for use in a phase change ink imaging device is provided. The ink stick comprises a three dimensional ink stick body having an exterior surface. Two or more interface tracks are formed in the exterior surface of the ink stick parallel to a feed direction of an ink loader. Each interface track includes one or more actuation portions for actuating one or more sensors in the feed channel. The ink mass of the ink stick body may be substantially the same between actuation portions of a first interface track. A second interface track includes at lease one predetermined characteristic corresponding to a distance between an actuation portion of the second interface track and another feature of the ink stick, the predetermined characteristic being sized to correspond to variable control information pertaining to an ink stick.

Solid ink stick with enhanced differentiation

Image transfer element with balanced constant load force

An ink jet printer includes an ink supply system and a printhead with nozzles for ejecting ink drops. The printer determines the average size of the ejected ink drops by comparing the number of ink drops ejected in a predetermined time with the quantity of ink delivered through the printers ink supply system during that time. If the determined average ink drop size does not match predetermined ink drop size criteria, the printer adjusts the activation signals for the ink jet nozzles to alter the ink drop size. A solid ink printer determines the quantity of ink delivered through the ink supply system by counting the number of whole or partial ink sticks that pass a predetermined point in the ink supply system. The counter detects a sensing element formed on an external surface of the ink stick. Exemplary detectors include a mechanical arm, or a thermistor to detect a change in the printer melt plate temperature due to a change in the cross sectional area of an ink stick being melted.

Ink consumption determination

A support member includes a support panel and a retention element for use in mounting an associated component to the support panel. The retention element defines a bore for receiving an associated threaded fixing element which mounts the component to the support panel. A protrusion extends into the bore from a sidewall thereof. The protrusion assists in positioning the fixing member on reinsertion of the fixing member into the bore, such that the frequency of stripping of a thread of the bore is reduced.

Anti-strip screw boss

A stowable support system having an arm and an attachment member pivotal through a plurality of angular positions relative to the arm. The arm includes a follower assembly with a surface portion of a first contour, with the attachment member including a surface portion of a second contour that is cooperative to the first contour. A rest position is defined by at least one of the plurality of angular positions, in which the surface portions of the follower assembly and attachment member are in mating contact. The follower assembly and attachment member are biased toward engagement with each other, with at least one of the attachment member and the follower assembly being configured to be resiliently deformed when the attachment member is pivoted out of the rest position.

Stowable support system

The invention provides a ceiling-mountable display monitor system with an improved monitor retention system. The display monitor system includes a display monitor that is mounted on the ceiling portion of a vehicle by a mounting assembly. The monitor system includes a display surface and a retention system adapted to selectively engage a catch on the display monitor to retain the monitor in a stowed configuration proximate the ceiling portion of the vehicle. Upon actuation by the user, the retention system releases the monitor for pivotal or other movement away from the ceiling portion of the vehicle to a viewing configuration. In the viewing configuration, the viewing surface is oriented to viewing by passengers of the vehicle. The retention system includes a retainer pivotally mounted about a pivot axis and an actuator with a user-manipulable element adapted to selectively pivot the retainer relative to its pivot axis. The retainer includes a contact surface adapted to engage a corresponding surface on the catch of the display monitor. The contact surface is oriented to prevent unintentional release of the display monitor.

Growing community of inventors

Albany, OR, United States of America

Darrell Ray Finneman