Lexmark International, Inc.

International Business Machines Corporation

David T Shadwick

Kin-Ming Kwan

Jonathan H Laurer

Audrey Dale Rodgers

Steven Robert Komplin

James Daniel Anderson, Jr

William Freeman

David Emerson Greer

Paul Timothy Spivey

James A Craft

James J Molloy

James P Wang

Matthew Joe Russell

Trevor Daniel Gray

Kin Ming Kwan

Jon Brock Whitney

Timothy Lorn Howard

John Richard Fowler

Gerald Floyd Davis

John William Hutchinson

Ronald Paul Bussiere

Raymond Milton Baker

Sheldon D Roberts

Louann B Samuels

Thomas G Twardeck

Julie A Gordon Whitney

Jeanne M Saldanha

A matrix analyzer for determining the size and location of a conductive item placed thereon. The matrix analyzer includes plural row conductors and column conductors with a corresponding grid of conductive areas exposed on the surface of the matrix analyzer. When a conductive item, such as an ink droplet, is jetted onto the matrix analyzer, the intersection of various row conductors and column conductors exhibit a low resistance. The rows and columns of the matrix analyzer can be sequentially accessed to find those intersections where the low resistance exists. From such data, the size and location of the ink droplets can be determined.

Method of fabricating an analyzer

Device for analyzing size and location of conductive item

Methods for measuring laser light transmissivity of a specific position in a work piece prior to the work piece undergoing laser welding at the specific position with a laser beam having a specific welding wavelength. To obtain a baseline measurement reading, a laser light source projects a laser beam at the welding wavelength directly into a detector. Thereafter, the work piece becomes suspended between the laser light source and detector whereby an output of the detector now corresponds to a work piece measurement reading. Differences between the two readings reveal whether the work piece will yield a satisfactory weld at the specific position when later welded by a laser beam at the welding wavelength. Preferred work pieces include inkjet printhead lids and bodies.

Measuring laser light transmissivity in a to-be-welded region of a work piece

An apparatus for a laser transmission welding process for attaching a synthetic filter material to a filter tower frame in an ink jet printer cartridge. The apparatus includes a laser beam source and a filter clamping fixture containing a base, slide rods attached on first ends thereof to the base, an optics support plate attached to second ends of the slide rods, a movable platform for holding an ink cartridge slidably disposed on the slide rods between the base and the optics support plate, a platform moving device for translating the platform to and from a laser welding position, a laser beam transparent plate suspended by support legs from the optics support plate to a position between the movable platform and the optics support plate. The apparatus greatly improves synthetic filter attachment to a filter tower frame in an ink cartridge.

Method and apparatus for attaching an ink jet filter to an ink cartridge

A regulator adapted to regulate the throughput of an ink between an ink source and a print head includes: (a) a pressurized chamber including an ink inlet in fluid communication with and ink source, an ink outlet in fluid communication with a print head, and at least one flexible wall; and (b) a lever including a flexible arm extending along a portion of the flexible wall and an opposing arm operatively coupled to a seal biased to close the ink inlet when the lever is in a first position and to open the ink inlet to allow fluid communication between the ink inlet and the pressurized chamber when the lever is pivoted to a second position; where a lower pressure differential across the flexible wall causes the flexible wall to actuate the flexible arm, pivoting the lever to the first position (inlet closed), where a higher pressure differential across the flexible wall causes the flexible wall to actuate the flexible arm to pivot the lever to the second position (inlet open), and where a pressure change from the lower pressure differential to the higher pressure differential across the flexible wall causes the flexible wall to actuate and flex the flexible arm without causing the lever to pivot.

Ink source regulator for an inkjet printer

An image forming apparatus having a pair of fuser rollers for fusing toner onto the surface of recording sheets. The apparatus further includes an oil applicator mounted for dispensing oil onto at least one of the fuser rollers. The oil applicator includes a tank for holding oil, a pad disposed adjacent to one of the rollers for applying oil thereto, and an oil reservoir mounted adjacent the pad and connected to the tank for receiving oil therefrom. The oil reservoir includes an ejection port that permits oil within the reservoir to be dispensed to the pad. A flexible diaphragm extends over at least a portion of the oil reservoir, and a seal is secured to the diaphragm. At least one piezo element is secured to the diaphragm for moving the diaphragm and seal between two positions in response to the piezo element being selectively operable between engaged and non-engaged states. In one of the positions the seal effectively closes the oil reservoir ejection port, while in the other position the seal is spaced from the ejection port such that oil may flow from the oil reservoir through the ejection port and to the pad.

Fuser oil dispenser for an image forming apparatus

Cartridge for an electrophotographic printer

A fabric ribbon (13) is stuffed in a cartridge chamber (11). Two pinch rollers (35 and 39) are driven by a third roller (29). The direction for forces from the pinch rollers is toward a wall portion (9a), which is near an opening having a dam (ridge 67) which leads to chamber (74) have an exit slot (71) located near the wall portion (9a). The drive roller (29) is positioned to be located where the drive roller of an existing cartridge was located, making this cartridge interchangeable with a cartridge for a spool-to-spool ribbon.

Stuffed chamber ribbon cartridge

The feeding of typewriter ribbons is improved by utilizing a cartridge carried driving element engaging the periphery of a translatable take-up spool where the driving element is driven by an interface connection with a driving member connected either directly or through a gear reduction train to a stepper motor. The simplified ribbon feed mechanism provides control over the increment of feed electronically as well as each ribbon cartridge carrying the appropriate gear reductions, if necessary, for different types of ribbons.

Ribbon feed cartridge

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Versailles, KY, United States of America

David T Shadwick