Xerox Corporation

Tektronix, Inc.

Xxerox Corporation

Ernest I Esplin

Christopher R Gold

Frederick T Mattern

William L Emery

Troy A Gomm

Michael Alan Fairchild

Brent Rodney Jones

David Lyell Knierim

Edward Francis Burress

Richard Guy Chambers

Jasper Kent Wong

Barry Daniel Reeves

John Albert Wright

Bhaskar T Ramakrishnan

Andrew S Yeh

Mike C Gordon

Terry A Smith

Trevor James Snyder

Chad David Freitag

Jeffrey J Anderson

James Bruce Campbell

Susan June Zoltner

Brent Edward Fleming

Kelly Anne Kessler

Raul Krivoy

Jeffery J Clark

Mary Lynne Morrow

Frederck T Mattern

Pieter John Ganzer

James Harvey Gottsch

Howard A Mizes

Donald R Titterington

Roger Gaylord Leighton

Joseph Benjamin Gault

Yeqing Zhang

Abu Saeed Islam

Scott J Phillips

Michael Cameron Gordon

John A Durbin

Alexander J Fioravanti

Randy C Karambelas

Larry Eugene Hindman

Gerard H Rousseau

Darryl I Jensen

David Douglas Martenson

David Brian Schaefer

Steven Van Cleve Korol

George Laurens Taylor

Bruce K Baur

Joel Chan

Conor D Kelly

Gustavo J Yusem

Lisa Marie Schmidt

Brian Edward Williams

Ngoc-Diep Nguyen

Russell J Watt

Terry Alan Smith

Marcia Dawn Haney

Matthew Hudson Dixon

Kenneth Ralph Chamberlain

Luo Cheng

Stephen H Skidmore

Katie Maria Teslow

Timothy Rob Golik

Kelly D Sims

John A Wright

A method and apparatus for analyzing images deposited on an image receiving member of a printer, and more particularly analyzing images deposited on a surface of an imaging drum in an inkjet printer. A photoelectric sensor supported by a sled in contact with the surface of the imaging drum can be used to detect missing jets in the printhead, to align the printhead, to reduce the amount of purged ink, and to determine run out of the imaging drum.

System and method for analyzing images deposited on an image receiving member of a printer

A solid ink printer includes a solid ink measurement system that helps ensure an adequate supply of solid ink is in the feed channels delivering solid ink to a melting device within a printer. The solid ink measurement system includes a driving electrode mounted along a substantial length of a first structure of a first solid ink feed channel, a sensing electrode mounted along a substantial length of a second structure of the first solid ink feed channel, the sensing electrode being opposite and generally parallel to the driving electrode, an AC voltage source coupled to the driving electrode to generate an electrical field emitted from the driving electrode, and a capacitance measurement circuit coupled to the sensing electrode to receive an electrical signal induced in the sensing electrode by the electrical field generated by the driving electrode, the capacitance measurement circuit being configured to identify an amount of solid ink in the first feed channel that corresponds to the electrical signal received from the sensing electrode.

System and method for measuring a supply of solid ink in a solid ink printer

A system evaluates image quality in an image generating system. The system includes a test pattern generator configured to generate an image with an image generating system, an image capture device configured to generate a digital signal corresponding to the generated test pattern, an image evaluator configured to process the digital signal to detect and correct anomalies detected in the generated test pattern, a plurality of calibration tools, each calibration tool being comprised of at least one test pattern, at least one set of detection criteria, and at least one set of anomaly correction parameters, and a controller configured to select the calibration tools for operation of the test pattern generator and the image evaluator in accordance with a predetermined sequence that attenuates changes arising from application of correction parameters of one calibration tool upon a later selected calibration tool.

System and method for evaluating and correcting image quality in an image generating device

A melt plate for use in a solid ink printer is formed with a drip plate to provide controlled flow of melted ink from the melt plate to a drip point. The melt plate includes a first portion having a perimeter, a second portion having a perimeter, the second planar portion angling from the first portion along a transition boundary at a first angle, a first rim extending around the perimeter of the first portion except along the transition boundary, the first rim angling from the first portion at a second angle, and a second rim extending around the perimeter of the second portion except along the transition boundary and a drip point, the second rim angling from the second portion at a third angle, the third angle being different than the second angle.

Melt plate for use in a solid ink jet printer

A method evaluates image quality in an ink printing system and generates data values for altering the operation of the ink printing system. The method includes generating an ink image on an ink image receiving member that corresponds to a digital image stored in the ink printing system, generating a scanned image signal corresponding to the ink image, generating firing signal waveform adjustments and image data adjustments with reference to the scanned image signal corresponding to the ink image, and operating a printhead in an ink imaging system with reference to the firing signal waveform adjustments and the image data adjustments.

System and method for adjusting operation of printheads in an ink printing device

An ink status conveyance system comprises a maximum monitored ink level sensor operable with respect to an ink source for holding a supply of ink and delivering the ink to a printhead. The ink level sensor is configured to detect when an available amount of ink in the ink source corresponds to an ample ink level. A notification controller is configured to track the available amount of ink in the ink source between an ample ink level and an ink out level. The notification controller is configured to compare the user designated low ink notification set point to the available ink volume value to generate a low ink notification when the available ink volume value corresponds to the user designated low ink notification set point.

User adaptable ink status conveyance system

A system evaluates image quality in an image generating system in a manner that accounts for the interaction of the calibration tools used to evaluate and correct image quality in the image generating system. The system includes a test pattern generator configured to generate an image with an image generating system, an image capture device configured to generate a digital signal corresponding to the generated test pattern, an image evaluator configured to process the digital signal to detect and correct anomalies detected in the generated test pattern, a plurality of calibration tools, each calibration tool being comprised of at least one test pattern, at least one set of detection criteria, and at least one set of anomaly correction parameters, and a controller configured to select the calibration tools for operation of the test pattern generator and the image evaluator in accordance with a predetermined sequence that attenuates changes arising from application of correction parameters of one calibration tool upon a later selected calibration tool.

An ink status conveyance system comprises a maximum monitored ink level sensor operable with respect to an ink source for holding a supply of ink and delivering the ink to a printhead. The ink level sensor is configured to detect when an available amount of ink in the ink source corresponds to an ample ink level. A notification controller is configured to track the available amount of ink in the ink source between an ample ink level and an ink out level. A user interface is configured to enable a user to designate a low ink notification set point for the ink source at any ink level between the ample ink level and the ink out level. The notification controller is configured to compare the user designated low ink notification set point to the available ink volume value to generate a low ink notification when the available ink volume value corresponds to the user designated low ink notification set point.

A method of operating a printhead of an imaging device includes actuating a plurality of ink jets of the printhead to emit drops of ink onto an image receiving surface in accordance with a test pattern. The test pattern includes full pixel density areas and half pixel density areas that alternate in a process direction. Distances in a process direction between drops of the full pixel density areas and drops of the half pixel density areas in transition regions of the test pattern are then measured. The measured process direction distances are then correlated to a graininess level for the printhead.

Method for calibration

A method facilitates insertion of a segmented ink stick into an ink feed system of a phase change ink jet printer. The method includes bending of a flexible strand between ink stick segments during insertion of the ink stick segments and then straightening the flexible strand to orient the ink stick segments in the ink feed system.

Segmented ink stick

A solid ink delivery system provides solid ink sticks to a melting device in a printer. The delivery system includes a guide for guiding the stick in a prescribed path. The guide defines an inlet for receiving the stick. The inlet provides unobstructed passage of the stick through the inlet. The guide also defines a channel having a first end and a second end. The first end extends from the inlet. The channel provides unobstructed passage of the stick through the channel. The channel is adapted to contain a plurality of sticks in the channel. The guide further defines an outlet extending from the second end of the channel. The outlet provides unobstructed passage of the stick through the channel. The outlet is positioned below the inlet whereby only gravity is used to advance the sticks from the inlet to the outlet.

System and method for delivering solid ink sticks to a melting device through a non-linear guide

Ink stick for phase change ink jet printer

Growing community of inventors

Sheridan, OR, United States of America

Ernest I Esplin