Lexmark International, Inc.

Funai Electric Company Ltd.

John Thomas Writt

Michael Anthony Marra, Iii

Jose Paul Sacoto Aguilar

Mark Joseph Edwards

Barry Baxter Stout

Christopher Alan Adkins

Randall David Mayo

Jay William Vessels

Adam Jude Ahne

Michael William Lawrence

Brian Keith Owens

Robert Warren Rumford

Daniel Robert Gagnon

Rebecca Beth Silveston-Keith

Brian Dale Cook

Ricky Earl Robbins

James Lesesne Bush, Iii

Michael Ray Wedding

Kenneth W Linville

Daniel Aaron Leverett

Robert A Bailey

A page-wide inkjet printer for determining a drying time of a print swath of ink deposited on a sheet of media by a fixed printhead spanning a width of a printing zone in a subscan direction. The printer has a controller communicatively coupled to each of the printhead and a moveable gloss sensor or a scan bar for processing a respective output response for the determining the drying time of the print swath.

Sensor for determining ink drying time in a page-wide inkjet printer

A system implementing a method for determining smear tendency of a sheet of print media to reduce smearing on future media sheets of a similar type. The method includes creating an image on the sheet of print media. The sheet of print media is reversed to allow at least one upstream roller to contact and smear the image and create smear marks on the sheet of print media. Reference marks are created over the smear marks and at unsmeared areas of the sheet of print media. To determine the smear tendency, the reference marks over the smear marks are compared to the reference marks at the unsmeared areas. The smear tendency indicates future corrections to an imaging device to reduce smearing on the future media sheets when used by the imaging device.

Ink smear measurement in an imaging apparatus

An inkjet printer for determining drying time of a print swath of ink deposited on a sheet of media by use of a dual function alignment sensor operable in a first mode to provide an output response corresponding to an amount of bi-directional misalignment of dot placement by the plurality of nozzles sensed from scanning a printed alignment test pattern, and in a second mode to provide an output response corresponding to an amount of specular reflection received from the print swath of the printed image with the output response in the second mode being used to determine if the printed image is sufficiently dry to be moved.

Inkjet printer with dual function alignment sensor for determining ink drying time

A method for determining drying time of a print swath of ink deposited on a media sheet by an inkjet printer. The method comprises performing a predetermined number of sequential scans of a print swath with a gloss sensor; processing output responses thereof to determine and store gloss values; calculating percent differences between the gloss values; and, based on the calculated percent differences, selecting one of a long dry time and a short dry time before moving the media sheet.

Sequential scan method for determining ink drying time in an inkjet printer

A method for determining drying time of a print swath of ink deposited on a media sheet by an inkjet printer having a controller communicatively coupled to each of a printhead and a gloss sensor. The method comprises forming the print swath on the media sheet; scanning the print swath with the gloss sensor; processing an output response thereof to determine and store a gloss value; starting a predetermined scan interval and waiting scan interval to elapse; performing a next scan of the print swath with the gloss sensor; processing a next gloss sensor output response to determine and store a next gloss value; and, if the gloss value and next gloss value are within a predetermined range moving the media sheet for further processing including duplexing.

Scan and pause method for determining ink drying time in an inkjet printer

Disclosed is a method for performing printing on a plurality of media sheets in an imaging device. The method includes receiving a change-mode command while printing on a media sheet of the plurality of media sheets. Specifically, the printing is being performed by utilizing a first print mode. Also, the change-mode command comprises a request for changing the first print mode to a second print mode. The method further includes performing printing on subsequent media sheets of the plurality of media sheets by utilizing the second print mode. The imaging device for performing printing on the plurality of media sheets is also described.

Method for receiving a change-mode command while printing on a plurality of media sheets

A toy mailbox for children includes a storage unit and a media processing mechanism. The storage unit includes a door member for closeably opening the storage unit and an ejection slot configured on a portion of the storage unit. The media processing mechanism is coupled to the storage unit, such that the media processing mechanism is capable of dispensing a media sheet having data content printed thereon, into the storage unit through the ejection slot. Opening the storage unit enables children to access the media sheet from within the storage unit. The media processing mechanism is also capable of printing the data content on the media sheet prior to dispensing the media sheet into the storage unit.

Toy mailbox

A method of calibrating stack height sensing in a media stack height monitoring system in an image forming machine includes sensing the angular position of a pick mechanism arm, generating electrical signals having levels correlated to the pick mechanism arm angular positions that correspond to different stack height levels, measuring and storing at least one value corresponding to the level of the electrical signal at least at one of two calibration points: 'full load' and 'stack out' conditions of the media stack, estimating either the amount or percent of media sheets remaining in the media stack corresponding to measured and stored value of the electrical signal level at the at least one calibration point, and indicating either of the amount or percent of media sheets remaining in the media stack.

Method for calibrating stack height sensing in a media stack height monitoring system in an image forming machine

A system and method for monitoring media stack height utilizes a pick mechanism and stack height sensing mechanism. The pick mechanism has a pick arm and a pick roller, the arm rotatably mounted at one end to pivot about an axis and change its angular position relative thereto. The roller rotatably mounted to an opposite end of the arm contacts a media stack top and is rotatably driven to feed sheets one at a time from the stack top changing the stack height. The angular position of the arm relative to the stack changes as the stack height changes. The stack height sensing mechanism arranged on and adjacent to the arm senses arm angular displacement as the stack height changes to provide an indication of the sheet quantity remaining in the stack. A method for calibrating stack height sensing of the monitoring system provides one or more calibration points such as at 'full stack' and 'stack out' conditions.

System and method for monitoring image forming machine media stack height and method of calibrating stack height sensing in the monitoring system

An imaging apparatus includes an image capturing system. A controller is communicatively coupled to the image capturing system. A scanner body has a scanner opening. The image capturing system is located adjacent the scanner opening. A document planar member is positioned across the scanner opening. The document planar member is communicatively coupled to the controller. The document planar member has an input operating state wherein the document planar member receives at least one input from a user input object and supplies the at least one input to the controller for further processing.

Imaging apparatus having a document planar member with an input operating state

An imaging apparatus includes an image capturing system, and a controller communicatively coupled to the image capturing system. A scanner body has a scanner opening. The image capturing system is located adjacent the scanner opening. An LCD document glass is adjacent to the scanner opening. The LCD document glass is communicatively coupled to the controller. The LCD document glass is controlled to be in a transparent state wherein the LCD document glass is clear and a translucent state wherein the LCD document glass is darkened.

Imaging apparatus having an LCD document glass

A printing system including a substrate and a dual-mode printing device, the dual-mode printing device including a permanent writing source and a transient writing source, wherein the permanent writing source is adapted to deposit an imaging material onto the substrate and the transient writing source is adapted to develop an image on the substrate by applying a stimulus to the substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Lexington, KY, United States of America

John Thomas Writt