Xerox Corporation

Donald E Thresh

Michael Nicholas Soures

Bruce H Smith

Jonathan Ross Ireland

James D Vanbortel

James D Van Bortel

Richard B Gruszewski

Chu-Heng Liu

Paul J McConville

Douglas K Herrmann

Jason Mathew LeFevre

Linn C Hoover

Paul Michael Fromm

Seemit Praharaj

Erwin Ruiz

Martin Edward Hoover

David A VanKouwenberg

Jeffrey John Bradway

An optical light reflectance measurement system above an imaging member surface measures fountain solution surface light reflectance interference on reflective substrate portions of the imaging member surface in real-time during a printing operation. The measured light reflectance interference corresponds to a thickness of the fountain solution layer and may be used in a feedback loop to actively control fountain solution layer thickness by adjusting the volumetric feed rate of fountain solution added onto the imaging member surface during a printing operation to reach a desired uniform thickness for the printing. This fountain solution monitoring system may be fully automated.

Fountain solution thickness measurement system and method using ellipsometry

What is disclosed is an object holder for securely retaining an object while it is being printed in a direct-to-object print system and a direct-to-object print system configured to use various embodiments of the object holder of the present invention. In one embodiment, the object holder comprises a metallic shuttle mount configured to slideably traverse a support member positioned parallel to a plane formed by at least one printhead configured to eject marking material on to a surface of an object. A plurality of magnetic retainers are each shaped to physically secure the object to the metallic shuttle mount while the object is being moved.

Object holder for a direct-to-object printer

What is disclosed is an object holder for retaining an object in a direct-to-object print system and a direct-to-object print system configured to use various embodiments of the object holder of the present invention. In one embodiment, the object holder comprises a shuttle mount configured to slideably traverse a support member positioned parallel to a plane formed by at least one printhead configured to eject marking material on to a surface of an object. A plurality of threads, at least partially comprising a flexible synthetic elastomer, are connected to the shuttle mount. The threads are joined together to form an elastic netting which can be manually expanded around the object to retain the object to the shuttle mount while the object is being printed in the direct-to-object print system.

Printing devices include a media supply storing print media, a luminescent belt positioned adjacent the media supply in a location to move sheets of the print media from the media supply, a print engine positioned adjacent the luminescent belt in a location to receive the sheets from the luminescent belt, an optical sensor positioned adjacent the belt in a location to receive belt-emitted light from the luminescent belt, and a processor electrically connected to the optical sensor. The processor receives the image from the optical sensor and identifies locations of the sheets on the belt based on where the sheets block the belt-emitted light from the luminescent belt.

Leading/trailing edge detection system having phosphorescent belt

What is disclosed is an object holder for securely retaining an object while it is being printed in a direct-to-object print system and a direct-to-object print system configured to use various embodiments of the object holder of the present invention. In one embodiment, the object holder comprises a shuttle mount configured to slideably traverse a support member positioned parallel to a plane formed by at least one printhead configured to eject in onto a surface of an object. The mount has a plurality of receptacles, each has a shape for receiving a retainer in one of a plurality of orientations. A head of each retainer is shaped to retain an edge of the object on the mount. A base of each retainer is shaped such that, when the base is pressed into a receptacle, the head assumes a desired orientation. The removable retainers retain the object on the shuttle mount.

A three-dimensional object printing system improves the collection of waste materials during object printing. The printing system includes an ejector head configured to eject material, a platform configured to move in a process direction to a position opposite the ejector head to enable the ejector head to eject material onto the platform, and first and second planarizers configured to remove a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of the material ejected onto the platform. The printing system further includes a first housing defining a first chamber in which at least one of the first planarizer and the second planarizer is positioned, and a first vacuum source connected to the first housing, the first vacuum source being configured to produce a first vacuum in the first chamber to pull material removed by the at least one of the first planarizer and the second planarizer from the first chamber.

System for planarizing objects in three-dimensional object printing systems with reduced debris

A three-dimensional object printer generates image data of an object being formed in the printer with a plurality of light sources and a plurality of optical sensor arrays. A controller receives the image data and identifies measurements of the object and of the features of the object. The controller compares the measurements to expected measurements and adds material or removes material from the object in response to the identified measurements being outside a predetermined range about the expected measurements.

Method for using multiple optical sensor arrays to measure features on objects produced in a three-dimensional object printer

3-D printing system include development stations positioned to electrostatically transfer build and support materials to an intermediate transfer surface, a transfer station adjacent the intermediate transfer surface, guides adjacent the transfer station, and platens moving on the guides. The guides are shaped to direct the platens to repeatedly pass the transfer station and come in contact with the intermediate transfer surface at the transfer station. The intermediate transfer surface transfers a layer of the build and support materials to the platens each time the platens contact the intermediate transfer surface at the transfer station to successively form layers of the build and support materials on the platens. The platens and the intermediate transfer surface include alignment features. The alignment features temporarily join at the transfer station, as the platens pass the transfer station, to align the platens with the intermediate transfer surface as the platens contact the intermediate transfer surface.

3-D electrostatic printer using track bound platens and registration system

System for using multiple optical sensor arrays to measure features on objects produced in a three-dimensional object printer

What is disclosed is an object holder for retaining an object while it is being printed in a direct-to-object print system and a direct-to-object print system configured to use various embodiments of the object holder of the present invention. In one embodiment, the object holder comprises a base plate configured to slideably traverse a support member positioned parallel to a plane formed by at least one printhead configured to eject marking material on to a surface of an object. A shaft passes through the base plate. A back support is fixed to an end of the base plate. A side plate is slideably attached to the base plate. The back support and side plate collectively provide support to the shaft. A suction cup is connected to one end of the shaft for holding an object to the shaft while the object is being moved.

A printing system includes a first member and a second member. The second member is positioned parallel to the first member. The system further includes a first extensible member and a second extensible member. The system further includes a first gripper and a second gripper. One end of the first extensible member is mounted to the first member and the other end of the first extensible member is mounted to the first gripper. One end of the second extensible member is mounted to the second member and the other end is mounted to the second gripper. A controller operates a first actuator operatively connected to the first and second extensible members.

System and method for printing on a three-dimensional (3D) curved object

An embodiment generally relates to a method of software support. The method includes receiving a request for assistance for a selected device and analyzing an associated fault log for the selected device, where the associated fault log logging at least one fault. The method also includes determining at least one software release for the at least one fault.

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Fairport, NY, United States of America

Donald E Thresh