The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 07, 2025
Filed:
Jun. 12, 2024
Lexmark International, Inc., Lexington, KY (US);
Richard Louis Goin, Lexington, KY (US);
Bartley Charles Gould, Ii, Lexington, KY (US);
Virgil Johnson, Jr., Versailles, KY (US);
Leah Kaitlin Pettit, Berea, KY (US);
Lexmark International, Inc., Lexington, KY (US);
Abstract
A nip separator for use in an image forming device includes a retainer configured to retain the nip separator on a first rotatable component with the nip separator being manually installable on the first rotatable component and rotatable about a rotational axis of the first rotatable component independent of the first rotatable component. An arm extends from the retainer to contact a second rotatable component to maintain separation between surfaces of the first and second rotatable components when the nip separator is in an engaged position. The nip separator is rotatable about the rotational axis from the engaged position to a disengaged position by contact between the arm and the second rotatable component upon rotation of the second rotatable component in an operative rotational direction thereof to permit continued operative contact between the surfaces of the first and second rotatable components when the nip separator is in the disengaged position.