Lexmark International, Inc.

Louann Behymer Samuels

Curtis Duane Woodson

Chad Michael Piening

Daniel Paul Cahill

Kevin Dean Schoedinger

Edmund Hulin James, Iii

Brian Allen Blair

Douglas Anthony Able

Thomas Campbell Wade

Donald Eugene Proffitt

Stacey Vaughan Mitchell

Dell T Rosa

Todd Allison Quinn

Angel Macuha Alagos

William Keith Richardson

Gregory Scott Tigges

Patrick Oscar Bischel

Rickey Carter Brown

Thomas Paul Maddux

Clark Edwin Jarnagin

Brian Patrick Weaver

Philip Michael Cullen

Thomas Neal Barnes

Chad Michael Plening

In a copier, printer, or similar device, paper is loaded in large quantities. To separate a top sheet of a stack of sheets from the next adjacent sheet, a dam is used, which is an element having an inclined surface in the path of the top sheet. This invention addresses devices with variably compliant separation strips, preferably a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer such as Pellethane&#xae;, that are part of the dam, so that the leading edge of a media sheet will strike the inclined surface of the separation strip. By adjusting the compliance of the separation strip, different weights of media may be accommodated while minimizing the multi-feeds that may cause jamming of the device.

Adjustable compliance of separation strips in a media dam

Separation strips in a dam aid in the separation of adjacent sheets of media being fed from a stack of sheets so that only one sheet is fed to a process station and, more particularly, to separating the uppermost or top sheet of a stack of sheets from the next adjacent sheet during feeding of the top sheet from the stack of sheets of media. When a lift plate is present that adjusts the height of the media stack, rotation of the separation strips to maintain a constant separation angle improves media feed reliability. Curvature of the separation strips may also maintain the separation angle as the lift plate raises the position of the top media sheet.

Variable separation pads based on lift height, and methods to rotate or curve the pads

An imaging system for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a movable latch positioned to selectively couple a replaceable toner cartridge and a replaceable imaging unit together such that the toner cartridge and the imaging unit are removable from the image forming device as a single unit and to selectively decouple the toner cartridge and the imaging unit such that the toner cartridge and the imaging unit are separately removable from the image forming device. A controller is configured to actuate the latch to couple the toner cartridge and the imaging unit together in response to the controller detecting an error condition requiring removal of both the toner cartridge and the imaging unit from the image forming device in order to permit removal of the toner cartridge and the imaging unit from the image forming device as a single unit.

Automatic latching of a toner cartridge to an imaging unit of an electrophotographic image forming device in response to detection of an error condition

A method for adjusting a pick height of a pick mechanism includes determining a media type for a media stack. When the media type is a first media type, the lift plate is raised to raise the media stack and pick mechanism until a first light blocking region of a flag extending from the pick mechanism blocks an optical path of a sensor indicating that the pick mechanism has reached a first pick height. When the media type is a second media type, the lift plate is raised to raise the media stack and pick mechanism such that the first light blocking region first blocks the optical path, a first light passing region of the flag subsequently unblocks the optical path, and then a second light blocking region of the flag subsequently blocks the optical path indicating that the pick mechanism has reached a second pick height.

System and method for adjusting a pick height of a pick mechanism in an image forming device

A removable media dam for a media input tray. The removable media dam is mountable in a front wall of the media tray and may contain one or more rollers for feeding media from the media input tray. The removable media dam includes a separator roll positioner for angularly rotating a separator roll between a retracted position and an extended position to adjust the height of the separator roll with respect to a media contact surface thereby varying the media sheet separation force applied by the separator roll to media sheets being fed from the media tray. In one form, the removable media dam is mountable by a user without the use of tools.

Removable media dam with separator roll positioner for a media tray

A method of using a separator roll positioner and separator roll rotational speed to correct media feed errors by angularly rotating a separator roll between a retracted position and an extended position to adjust the height of the separator roll with respect to a media contact surface or by varying separator roll rotational speed thereby varying the media sheet separation force.

Method of using separator roll positioner in a removable media dam and separator roll speed to correct feed errors

An image forming device includes an image formation path extending from an entrance end adjacent to a source of supply of media sheets, past an image forming station, to an exit end adjacent to a top collection site adapted to receive media sheets, a duplex path extending from an inlet end adjacent the top collection site to an outlet end adjacent a lower front opening in the device, a media sheet directing mechanism disposed between the exit end of the image formation path, top collection site and inlet end of the duplex path and selectively operable to deliver printed media sheets to the top collection site or the inlet end of the duplex path, and a deflector mechanism between the lower front opening and the outlet end of the duplex path and operable to divert printed media sheets from the duplex path through the lower front opening to exterior of the device.

Kiosk-installable printer with duplex path utilized to deliver printed media sheets to lower front exterior of printer

An electronic locking system to secure consumable items in an image forming device and a method therefore. In one embodiment of the invention, an electronic locking system to secure media sheets includes a media tray to hold media sheets, a tray receiving member for receiving the media tray, and a controller. The tray receiving member includes a drive device and a plunger. The plunger is moved by the drive device between a locked and an unlocked position. The controller is configured to control the drive device to move the plunger to engage a portion of the media tray in the locked position and to move the plunger to disengage from the portion of the media tray in the unlocked position. The electronic locking system, incorporating the controller, provides an effective and efficient way to lock/unlock the media tray and eliminates the use of mechanical keys.

Electronic locking system to secure consumable item in an image forming device and a method therefor

A system and drive arrangement for using fuser temperature cycling to change rotational position of a fuser roller wiper includes a frame, a hot roll, a fuser roller, and a drive arrangement. The frame of the fuser unit has side panels spaced apart from one another and positioned alongside a media path through the fuser unit. The hot roll on the fuser unit is rotatably mounted to the side panels of the frame and extends between the side panels across the media path. The fuser roller wiper is rotatably mounted between the side panels of the frame and performs a wiping action on the hot roll to remove foreign matter therefrom and supply of lubricant thereto. The drive arrangement is coupled to the fuser roller wiper and is operable in response to decrease in temperature of the fuser unit to rotate the fuser roller wiper.

System and drive arrangement for using fuser temperature cycling to change rotational position of a fuser roller wiper

The present invention relates to chromogenic material that may respond and shift in color due to environmental conditions such as heat, light or humidity. The light may include both visible and non-visible light, such as ultraviolet light. The chromogenic material may therefore provide a method to independently develop a latent image on a given substrate, and in particular, to a substrate that includes conventional thermosensitive image forming media.

Chromogenic media responsive to environmental conditions

A printing device () such as a laser printer includes a fuser assembly () with a fuser wiper () that can be removed and replaced by a user during normal maintenance to extend the useful life of the fuser assembly (). Indicators (b, b) stored in a memory device () can be read by a print engine () of a printer () either when a print cartridge () is first inserted into the printer () or at specified times thereafter. Depending on the contents of the memory device (), the print engine () may send a notification message to the printer's raster image processor () to cause a message to be displayed on the printer's operational/display panel () that informs a user the fuser wiper () should be replaced.

System, method and print cartridge for signaling user replacement of fuser wiper

A label support for an integrated label, which includes a label portion and a thinner paper portion, includes a base having a support surface with its rear end higher than its front. When the label support is supported by a support surface of a media support tray, its front end is closest to an inclined dam of the media support tray. The label support has at least its rear end spaced from the support surface of the media support tray. In one embodiment, the base of the label support has a first substantially horizontal portion connected by an inclined portion to a second substantially horizontal portion, which rests on the support surface of the media support tray. This embodiment extends for less than the length of the support surface of the media support tray for sliding along the support surface of the media support tray to accommodate varying lengths of the integrated label. In another embodiment, the base has a portion of its support surface closest to its front inclined toward its front with its entire support surface spaced from the support surface of the media support tray. In each of the embodiments, the trailing edges of the integrated labels engage two rear restraints, which extend from the rear of the base and are at an acute angle less than the complement of the obtuse angle of the dam of the media support tray, to enable the uppermost of the integrated labels, which are stacked on the support surface of the base, to be advanced into engagement with the dam for feeding to a processing station of a printer or copier.

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Georgetown, KY, United States of America

Louann Behymer Samuels