Hewlett-packard Company

Coulter Corporation

Coulter Systems Corporation

Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.P.

Kenneth A Lindblom

Kenneth D Fraser

Manfred R Kuehnle

Harold J Weber

Peter Taylor

W Scott Fraser

Kenneth Kay Smith

Paul L Jeran

David J Arcaro

Sean Daniel Fitzgerald

Wayne E Foote

Anthony Peter Holden

Thomas Camis

Victor D Loewen

Allen L Frazier

James C Compton

Michael J Szymanski

Stephen C Kranz

John N Poulakis

Donald S Cleveland

A system for adding value to a host device via a mobile communication device is described. The system includes: a host device configured for providing additional value to be utilized, wherein the additional value includes at least one printing device function and is provided in response to receiving an authentication code; a central system configured for providing the authentication code for inputting into the host device to authorize the at least one printing device function to be utilized; and a mobile communication device configured for negotiating the additional value to be applied to the host device.

Mobile authentication for enabling host device functions

In a device including a replaceable cartridge containing a consumable material, the cartridge having at least one moving part, a system for estimating the use of consumable material from the cartridge is disclosed. The system includes an information storage medium secured to the moving part of the cartridge. A read-write head is mounted in the device in proximity with the information storage medium, and is adapted and constructed to write information on and read information from the information storage medium. The storage medium can be provided as a magnetic storage medium, which may be configured as an annular disc. The moving part can be provided as a generally cylindrical roller assembly including a drive gear. The drive gear can include an end surface to which the storage medium may be secured. The device itself can be any suitable printing device, such as a laser printer. The cartridge may be provided as a toner cartridge, in which instance the consumable material would be toner. In an embodiment, the storage medium may be secured to an Organic Photo Conductor ('OPC') roller. A method for estimating the use of consumable material from the cartridge is also disclosed, in which the read/write head is actuated to write cartridge use information on and read cartridge use information from the information storage medium in response to operation of the device.

Method and apparatus for toner level monitoring and motion sensing

A single pass EP color printer includes a photoreceptor web having multiple layers and including a charge transport layer and a charge generation layer. Four exposure devices (e.g. either laser-based or thin film electroluminescent edge emitting (TFEL) devices) are serially arrayed along the photoreceptor web and act to expose the photoreceptor web in accordance with cyan, magenta, yellow and black color image pixel data. A liquid toner developer module is associated with each exposure device and includes a liquid toner reservoir, a developer roll for carrying the liquid toner to a transfer point and a squeegee roll. Each developer module is fixed so as to position its developer roll at a constant prescribed distance from the photoreceptor web at the toner transfer point and to create a fluid interfacial layer between its developer roll and the photoreceptor web. In addition, each squeegee roll is maintained in constant contact with the photoreceptor web. Erasure devices and corona charging devices are positioned between the respective developer modules to enable preparation of the photoreceptor web for a subsequent exposure/development operation. A drying roll is positioned after a last developer module for fixing the imaged toner on the photoreceptor web. The exposure devices operate from either the lower side of the photoreceptor web or from the upper side; however, in the latter instance, the photoreceptor web is comprised of a transparent support and ground plane layer. Additional embodiments of the invention are disclosed which employ a dielectric powder toner and a liquid toner four pass system.

Single pass, in-line color electrophotographic printer with interspersed

A power cam drive assembly for generating and delivering two different degrees of force serially to a body, the second force being greater than the first force. A main drive gear is coupled to a driven cam gear which is coupled to an outer cam shell. A cam core is nested within the cam shell for rotation along an eccentric path therewithin. The cam core has an axial extension also coupled to the driven cam gear. A windable clock spring located between the cam core and cam shell has one end secured to the cam core and the other end locked to the cam shell. A cam roller is disposed within the cam core. The clock spring has a greater rotational torque than required to rotate the cam core. The driven cam gear rotates, causing the cam shell to rotate, through the clock spring interconnection, causing rotaton of the cam core with attendant rotation of the cam roller which impacts on a cam stop in its path preventing further rotation of roller and cam core, causing the first force to be transmitted via a lever arranged to transmit the first force to the body. Further rotation of the cam shell causes the cam roller to move in a downward direction, winding the clock spring, resulting in further rotation of the cam core producing the second downward force for transmission to the body via the lever.

Power drive cam assembly

A microfilm camera/processor including an electrophotographic medium mounted for successive translation step by step over plural functional stations for performing functional operations successively on portions thereof, the stations being an electrostatic spin charging station, an exposure station including a shutter mechanism forming an latent charge image, a toning station including a planar development electrode, a liquid toner depositing feed and a mechanism for bringing the electrode surface into and out from close proximity to the latent charge image, a cleaning and drying station forming a dried toner image and a dry transfer station to force the dry toner image below the surface of a softened coating carried by a strip film receptor and a preprogrammed control .

Electrophotographic microfilm camera/processor apparatus

Apparatus and method for producing color proofs electrophotographically. A platen carrying an electrophotographic member is translated sequentially past functional stations including a charging station, an exposure station, a toning station, a transfer station and a cleaning station. Once toning is completed, the platen carrying the toner image is translated to the transfer station. An intermediate transfer medium is disposed at the transfer station as the sole receptor of the toner image from the electrophotographic member. A roller effects transfer engagement between the intermediate transfer medium and the toner image carrier. Direct transfer mode or offset transfer mode electively is provided at the transfer station. For offset mode, the toner image on the photoconductive layer involves first transfer to the intermediate transfer medium and from the latter to the transfer medium. The direct transfer mode is effected by employing, as an intermediate transfer medium, the same material as the transfer medium. Successive color separation transparencies are substituted in sequence respectively to form the finished color proof.

Electrophotographic imaging apparatus, particularly for color proofing

Electrophotographic imaging apparatus, particularly for color proofing, is provided for normal daylight operation including a light-tight housing having a framework mounting plural spaced functional processing stations for charging, imaging, toning, transfer and, optionally, cleaning, all interior of the housing. A platen assembly mounting an electrophotographic member is translated along a linear path, the assembly being guided by a rail and a track secured along the entire length of the framework. A copyboard is disposed below the carriage within the imaging station and carries a transparency. The electrophotographic member is translated past the charging station for charging same and brought to the imaging station where the copyboard is raised, to establish an intimate engagement with the member established and exposed to an interior disposed radiant energy source. After exposure, the copyboard is lowered and the member translated to the toning station where one of plural available toning modules has been raised to intercept the platen whereby to establish a toning gap for toning with liquid toner carried by said one module during passage past said module. The member next is translated to the transfer station for transfer to a pre-wet sheet of transfer medium. A registration system is provided at both imaging and transfer stations to assure registration between the member and the transparency on the one hand and the member and the transfer medium on the other hand at the respective station whereby all functional tolerance relationships being maintained independent of the framework.

Electrophotographic imaging apparatus and method particularly for color

Growing community of inventors

Boise, ID, United States of America

Kenneth A Lindblom