Xerox Corporation

Eastman-kodak Company

Other

Steven Matthew Russel

Erwin Ruiz

Paul Michael Fromm

Jeffrey Nyyssonen Swing

Robert H Shea

Jorge Mario Rodriguez

Melissa Ann Monahan

Stephen Bradley Williams

William Alexander Burton

Timothy Patrick Foley

Lawrence Arnold Clark

Christopher A Jensen

Jeffrey John Bradway

Frank Berkelys Tamarez Gomez

Donald M Bott

Jason Mathew LeFevre

James J Spence

David S Derleth

Frank Hacknauer

Robert W Phelps

Charles T Facchini

Eliud Robles Flores

Gerald A Domoto

Bryan James Roof

Elias Panides

Gregory P Mahoney

Robert Michael Peffer

Brian Clarence Cyr

Brendan H Williamson

Julie Marie Hanfland

Anthony Salvatore Condello

William H Wayman

Eric Scott Hamby

Augusto E Barton

Mark Cameron Zaretsky

David A VanKouwenberg

Alexandra DiLauro Bermel

Paul F Sawicki

Paul S Bonino

Nicholas P Kladias

Faming Li

John R Falvo

John E Derimiggio

Daniel James McVeigh

Ruddy Castillo

Robert Bruce Anderson, Jr

David Alan Vankouwenberg

Dennis James O'Dea

David P Van Bortel

David Charles Irving

Michael H Parsons

Richard C Schenk

James Padula

Alvin D Kromm, Jr

John T Newell

John J Meyers

Dennis J Grabb

James A McGlen

William T Matthias

David P Vanbortel

Charles J Bennett

Kenneth R Kanis

Richard E Eisemann

Dewey H Hauman

James G Amorese

Alicia Schwenk Mruthyunjaya

Charles D Odum

Larry J Mortellaro

Harry A Hilbert

Jeremy Christopher deJong

Mansour Messalti

Erik V Anderson

Robert Joseph Rinefierd, Iii

John T Bricklemyer

A method operates a three-dimensional object printer for production of cylindrical-shaped objects. The method uses a controller to operate an actuator operatively connected to a cylindrical member to rotate the cylindrical member within at least two supports, operate a plurality of ejectors in each of at least two printheads supplied with different materials to form portions of layers on the rotating cylindrical member with the different materials supplied to the at least two printheads, operate a linear actuator operatively connected to the cylindrical member to translate the cylindrical member bidirectionally in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the rotating cylindrical member between the two supports, and operate a curing device to modify the layers formed on the rotating cylindrical member while the cylindrical member is rotating within the at least two supports and translated in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rotating cylindrical member.

Method for building three-dimensional cylindrical objects

A method operates a three-dimensional object printer for production of cylindrical-shaped objects. The method uses a controller to operate an actuator operatively connected to a cylindrical member to rotate the cylindrical member within at least two supports, operate at least two printheads supplied with different materials to form portions of layers on the rotating cylindrical member with the different materials supplied to the at least two printheads, and operate at least one other actuator operatively connected to the at least two printheads and a curing device to move each of the printheads and the curing device independently of one another in a bidirectional radial direction with reference to a center of the rotating cylindrical member. This operation enables the curing device to be positioned to modify the layers formed on the rotating cylindrical member while the cylindrical member is rotating within the at least two supports.

A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and apparatus for forming an image on a three dimensional (3D) object are disclosed. For example, the method includes, detecting the 3D object that is formed from a first material is positioned on a movable bed, providing a bed of a powder of a second material on the movable bed around the 3D object, vibrating the bed of powder to provide a level surface of the powder, sintering a portion of the bed of the powder onto the 3D object, moving the 3D object and repeating the providing, the vibrating, the sintering and the moving to form the image onto the 3D object.

Method and apparatus for forming an image onto an object using selective laser sintering

A three-dimensional object printer enables forming portions of an object with a material having a higher melting temperature and a lower coefficient of friction. The printer includes a member, a printhead, and an applicator. A controller operates the printhead to eject a first material having a first coefficient of friction toward the member and operates the applicator to eject a second material having a second coefficient of friction toward the member. The second material has a higher melting temperature and a lower coefficient of friction than the first material. The printer further includes a curing device. The controller operates the curing device to direct radiation toward the member to cure the first material. The second material is cured into the first material.

Method and device for producing areas in a printed object having different coefficients of friction

A three-dimensional object printer enables production of cylindrically shaped objects. The printer includes a controller operatively connected to at least two printheads, at least one object treating device, and actuator that is operatively connected to a cylindrical member being supported by at least two supports. The controller is configured to operate the actuator to rotate the cylindrical member within the at least two supports, to operate the plurality of ejectors in each of the at least two printheads to form portions of layers on the rotating cylindrical member with the different materials supplied to the at least two printheads, and to operate the at least one object treating device to modify the layers formed on the rotating cylindrical member while the cylindrical member is rotating within the at least two supports.

Method and device for building three-dimensional cylindrical objects

A three dimensional printer is configured to move at least one printhead from an area where the printhead is forming an object to a position opposite a shaft. The at least one printhead is operated to eject material onto the shaft and the shaft is rotated to enable a light sensor to generate signals indicative of a height of material at a plurality of positions on the shaft. The signals are compared to an expected height of material at each position to identify inoperative inkjets in the at least one printhead.

System and method for inoperative inkjet detection in a printer of three-dimensional objects

Printer structures include a controller, a marking engine operatively (meaning directly or indirectly) connected to the controller, and a container connected to the marking engine. The marking engine applies marking material to print media, and the container stores that marking material. The container can include a flexible bladder storing the marking material, and an actuator structure operatively connected to the controller. The actuator structure contacts the flexible bladder and periodically moves portions of the bladder to periodically mix the marking material as controlled by the controller (based on the marking engine being idle for a previously established amount of time). Alternatively, the actuator structure contacts the container can periodically rotate the container to periodically mix the marking material as controlled by the controller.

Method and apparatus for mitigating particulate settling in an ink handling system

A printer is configured to clean material from rails on which a cart rolls. The printer includes an ejector head configured to eject a material in a print zone, a first cylindrical member extending through the print zone, an actuator operatively coupled to the first cylindrical member and configured to axially rotate the first cylindrical member, a platform configured to move in a process direction along a surface of the first cylindrical member and receive material ejected by the ejector head in the print zone, and a first cleaner positioned to engage the surface of the first cylindrical member as the first cylindrical member is rotated by the actuator to remove material accumulated on the surface of the first cylindrical member.

Rotating precision rails in three-dimensional object printing systems

A mobile cart that moves through a three-dimensional object printing system includes a platform, and at least one bearing operatively connected to the platform and configured to engage with a lower surface of a rail of the printing system in order to locate the platform with respect to an ejector head positioned opposite the rail. The cart further includes at least one other bearing operatively connected to the platform and configured to engage with an upper surface of the rail and apply a bias force that urges the at least one bearing against the lower surface of the rail. The rail can be configured to block material ejected by the ejector head from reaching the lower surface thereon.

Direct marking build cart that is robust to rail contamination by under-rail mounting and compliant top wheel

A mobile cart that moves through a three-dimensional object printing system includes a first member having a pair of surface that slide along a pair of tracks, a receiver mounted to the first member that moves the cart along the tracks, and a planar member that has a surface for forming a three-dimensional object, and that is connected to the first member. The planar member and the first member are configured to enable an ejector head positioned opposite the track to pass between the planar member and the first member as the cart moves along the track.

Top drive mobile cart for three dimensional object printing systems

A printer comprises at least one printhead having a plurality of inkjets, a dryer having an array of radiators including a plurality of rows of radiators and a plurality of columns of radiators, a media transport configured to move media past the at least one printhead and the dryer, and a controller operatively connected to the at least one printhead, the dryer, and the media transport. The controller is configured to activate selectively the radiators in the array of radiators to heat the portions of the surface of the media on which ink has been ejected. A method for operating the printer is also disclosed.

System and method for treating surface of media with a digitally addressable dryer array to reduce moisture gradient and media cockle

What is disclosed is an apparatus and method for inhibiting the formation of sediment in an ink sub-tank of a MICR inkjet printer. In one embodiment, the present apparatus comprises an ink sub-tank containing MICR ink substantially comprising a ferrofluid of particles, and an electromagnet. When the MICR inkjet printer is turned OFF, the electromagnet is lowered into a chamber inside the ink sub-tank and an electric current is applied to activate the electromagnet. Activation of the electromagnet causes the particles of the ferrofluid to be attracted to the electromagnet's magnetic field such that the particles are lifted off a bottom of the sub-tank to inhibit sediment formation thereon. The electromagnet is de-activated when the MICR inkjet printer is turned OFF. A sensor is employed to activate the electromagnet when sediment in the ink sub-tank has reached a pre-determined level.

Apparatus for inhibiting sediment formation in a MICR ink sub-tank

A method of printing a half tone image on an image forming apparatus using toner that is fused to a substrate is provided. The method includes generating a dot design that represents the half tone image, the dot design being made up of a plurality of dots; analyzing the dot design using an algorithm; matching the dot design to an equivalent alternate design that represents the half tone image, the matching being based on results of the analyzing, the equivalent alternate design being made up substantially entirely of a plurality of non-dot shapes; forming the half tone image on the substrate using the equivalent alternate design; and fusing the half tone image on the substrate with a fuser device.

System and method for reducing toner contamination on roll pair of an image forming apparatus

An apparatus includes a conveyor that has a planar surface supporting sheets of media. A movable element is positioned adjacent the planar surface at an initial position. The initial position is a first distance from the surface approximately equal to the thickness of a sheet of media. The movable element moves in a first direction away from the surface and in a second direction toward the surface. An actuator is connected to the movable element. The actuator detects when the movable element moves in the first direction from the initial position. In response to the movable element moving in the first direction, the actuator moves the movable element in the second direction to a pushing position. The pushing position is between the initial position and the surface. After moving the movable element to the pushing position, the actuator allows the movable element to return to the initial position.

Sheet height sensor and adjuster

A system for cleaning precision rails of a three-dimensional object printer has been developed. The printer includes a track having a pair of precision rails positioned beneath a printing station having an ejector head configured to eject drops of material onto a substrate of a cart that moves along the rails. An air source with a duct is configured with a slot to direct an air flow onto one of the precision rails to prevent dust or other airborne particles from collecting on the precision rail.

System for air cleaning precision rails in three-dimensional object printing systems

Growing community of inventors

Bloomfield, NY, United States of America

Steven Matthew Russel