Xerox Corporation

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Todd Kenneth Preston

James J Spence

Richard A Kalb

Robert A Pictor

Palghat Srinivas Ramesh

John F Knapp

James Edward Williams

Michael D Thompson

Daniel M Bray

Sergio E Garcia

Lawrence Floyd, Jr

Derek R Lebzelter

John P Nolan

Paul J McConville

William H Wayman

Michael John Martin

Manish Sinha

Ali Rafic Dergham

Donald H Keskula

Wayne D Drinkwater

Joseph Mussro

Edward George Himes

Joe C Machuca

Loren Devries

Armando J Rivera

Francesco Zirilli

Lisa D Mantilla

A system and method for operating a fuel cell stack of a fuel cell system in a vehicle when an error in cathode air flow rate is detected. The system and method include estimating a cathode air flow rate and detecting an error in the estimated cathode air flow rate. The system and method also include utilizing high frequency resistance measurements from a high frequency resistance sensor to control a relative humidity of the fuel cell stack when the error in the estimated cathode air flow rate has been detected.

Remedial actions for air flow errors in a fuel cell system

An apparatus and method to determine the relative humidity of a fuel cell system. A controller is cooperative with a first device and a second device to receive a valve signal and a high frequency resistance value. The controller controls the relative humidity of a fuel cell stack based on the estimation of the relative humidity of the fuel cell stack based on one or more algorithms. The controller modifies the relative humidity of the fuel cell stack through changes in the position of a valve based on at least one of the valve signal and the high frequency resistance value. In one form, the relative humidity of the fuel cell system is determined without the need of a humidity sensor.

Transient inlet relative humidity estimation via adaptive cathode humidification unit model and high frequency resistance

A system and method for determining if an RH sensor that measures the relative humidity of cathode inlet air provided to a fuel cell stack or an HFR circuit that measures stack water content is operating properly. The method provides the cathode inlet air through a WVT unit that increases the water content of the cathode inlet air. The method uses a water buffer model for determining the water content of the fuel cell stack based on inputs from a plurality of system components and revises a water transfer model using the HFR humidification signal or the RH signal to correct for WVT unit degradation. The method determines whether the RH sensor or the HFR circuit is operating properly, such as by determining if the HFR humidification signal is increasing at a rate that is faster than what the stack water content is able to increase.

Method to diagnose fuel cell humidification problems

A system and method for determining whether there is a cross-over leak, or other failure, in a WVT unit that humidifies the cathode inlet airflow to a fuel cell stack in a fuel cell system. The fuel cell system includes an HFR circuit that determines the humidity level of the membranes in the fuel cell stack and an RH sensor that measures the relative humidity of the airflow to the cathode side of the fuel cell stack. The HFR humidity calculation is compared to RH measurements from the RH sensor, and if the difference between the two RH values is greater than a predetermined calibration value, then the system may determine that the WVT unit is failing and needs to be serviced or replaced.

Utilization of HFR-based cathode inlet RH model in comparison to sensor feedback to determine failed water vapor transfer unit and utilize for a diagnostic code and message

An apparatus for loading one or more donor rolls of a developer unit, comprising a developer housing having a reservoir for a developer material, a rotatable first donor roll that delivers the toner onto a moving photoconductive member, a trim roll that receives developer material from the reservoir and delivers the developer material to a first magnetic brush roller that delivers toner to the first donor roll, and a rotatable second magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the first magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the first donor roll. The apparatus may further comprise a rotatable second donor roll that receives the toner from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner onto the photoconductive member, and a rotatable third magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the second donor roll. The apparatus may further comprise a trim blade for trimming excess developer material from the trim roll.

Apparatus and methods for loading a donor roll utilizing a slow speed trim roll

An apparatus for loading one or more donor rolls of a developer unit, comprising a developer housing having a reservoir for a developer material, a rotatable first donor roll that delivers the toner onto a moving photoconductive member, a rotatable first magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the reservoir and delivers the toner to the first donor roll, and a rotatable second magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the first magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the first donor roll. The apparatus may further comprise a rotatable second donor roll that receives the toner from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner onto the photoconductive member, and a rotatable third magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the second donor roll.

Apparatus and methods for loading a donor roll

Systems and methods of a multiple dispensing system may include an image carrier, and may include a plurality of substantially aligned developing units positioned to develop image information on the image carrier. Each developing unit may include only one ink container and only one developer housing. The systems and method may also include a first dispensing system positioned upstream in a sheet feed direction of the plurality of substantially aligned developing units. The first dispensing system may include a first ink container and a first developer housing. The first developer housing may be configured to receive first imaging media from the first ink container and second imaging media from at least one other ink supply source.

Multiple imaging media dispensing systems and methods

A transportable device, such as a cart, for transporting and elevating an imaging media cartridge into a press printer may include a base platform, first and second elevation members disposed thereon, a panel disposed between the first and second elevation members, and first and second elevator platforms. The panel may include a pair of opposite vertical faces along which the elevator platforms slide to mutually exchange elevations by vertically sliding the platforms in opposite directions. The device may be used for a method of transporting and elevating an imaging media cartridge into a press printer at an installation height above a floor. Additionally, the device may be used for a method of removing and storing an imaging media cartridge from a press printer at an installation height above the floor.

Cart for loading, transporting and storing an imaging media cartridge

A printing system that receives an imaging media cartridge includes a rail and a dock to install the imaging media cartridge. The imaging media cartridge includes a housing that has pivots along an alignment axis substantially parallel to the rail. The imaging media cartridge further includes a roller that slides along the rail, the roller being disposed on the housing. The imaging media cartridge also includes a bracket disposed on the housing. To insert the bracket into the dock, the housing rotates on the pivots. To further adjust the position of the imaging media cartridge in the xerographic system, the housing rotates along at least one axis substantially orthogonal to the alignment axis. The rail includes a support beam and a flange. The roller includes at least a pair of wheel housings, each wheel housing having a pair of tandem wheels that glide along the rail. The tandem wheels face each other and glide along the flange and between the support beam. The imaging media cartridge includes a pair of magazines that contains the pivots, with the pair of magazines being disposed in the pair of wheel housings. The bracket includes at least one wheel to glide into the dock.

Methods and systems for mounting an imaging media cartridge to a printer

A trickle collection system including a trickle port formed in a developer housing and communicating with the interior of the developer housing, and a trickle port housing communicating the trickle port with an external vacuum collection source. The trickle port may include an aperture having a variable cross-section, for controlling an amount of flow of trickle through the trickle port. The trickle collection system also may include an air infusion port communicating the interior of the trickle port housing with external air and providing infusion of an amount of external air into the trickle port housing sufficient to facilitate flow of trickle from the trickle port to the external vacuum collection system. An aperture of the air infusion port may be variable, such that the amount of air infusion may be varied in accordance with internal and/or external conditions. The trickle collection system further may include a toner emission manifold disposed below the developer housing, where the toner emission manifold includes a toner collection port that collects toner adjacent a developer transfer region of the developer housing, and where the trickle port housing communicates with the toner emission manifold at a location remote from the developer transfer region. The trickle collection system may include the vacuum collection system and/or the toner emission manifold. An electrophotographic system of the present disclosure includes a developer housing, a vacuum collection source, and a trickle collection system including a trickle port and a trickle port housing, where the trickle port communicates the interior of the developer housing with the trickle port housing, and the trickle port housing communicates the trickle port with the vacuum collection source.

Trickle collection system and method, and electrophotographic system using the same

An apparatus for developing a latent image recorded on a movable imaging surface, including: a reservoir for storing a supply of developer material including toner particles, said reservoir including a developer material mixing and transport area; a donor member being arranged to receive toner particles from said reservoir and to deliver toner particles to the image surface at locations spaced apart from each other in the direction of movement of the imaging surface thereby to develop the latent image thereon; and a climate system, associated with said reservoir, for maintaining said supply of developer material at a predefined temperature, said climate system includes a cooling element for supplying air to said developer material mixing and transport area, and a heating element positioned in said developer material mixing and transport area, said heating element includes a first heat unit associated with heating an inboard area of said developer material mixing and transport area and a second heat unit associated with heating an outboard area of said developer material mixing and transport area.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, NY, United States of America

Todd Kenneth Preston