Patents by Inventor Billy Carl Chappel

Billy Carl Chappel has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6572105
    Abstract: A diverter to direct media within an image forming apparatus along one of three media paths. A first gate and a second gate are positioned in an overlapping arrangement and each is movable between up and down positions. Each of the gates includes a biasing member to bias the gates towards the down position. An actuator contacts the second gate to move it to the up position. The overlapping arrangement of the first and second gates causes the first gate to also be moved to the up position when the second gate moves to the up position. A second actuator contacts the first gate to move the gate from the down position to the up position independently of the second gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Lee Baker, Bryan Michael Blair, Daniel Lee Carter, Billy Carl Chappel
  • Publication number: 20030057642
    Abstract: A diverter to direct media within an image forming apparatus along one of three media paths. A first gate and a second gate are positioned in an overlapping arrangement and each is movable between up and down positions. Each of the gates includes a biasing member to bias the gates towards the down position. An actuator contacts the second gate to move it to the up position. The overlapping arrangement of the first and second gates causes the first gate to also be moved to the up position when the second gate moves to the up position. A second actuator contacts the first gate to move the gate from the down position to the up position independently of the second gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Inventors: Christopher Lee Baker, Bryan Michael Blair, Daniel Lee Carter, Billy Carl Chappel
  • Patent number: 6535236
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a machine frame, a printhead housing containing a printhead for generating a laser beam, and a position sensing device. The position sensing device includes a position sensing device frame and a position sensor for sensing a position of the laser beam. The position sensing device frame is interposed between the machine frame and the printhead housing. Each of the machine frame, the printhead housing and the position sensing device frame include at least one reference feature that in combination accurately reference the position of the printhead housing to the machine frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Billy Carl Chappel, Christopher Gregory Chee, Gordon Robert Dunning, Paul Douglas Horrall
  • Patent number: 5810353
    Abstract: A printer has one or more stacked sheet output units on top of it for increasing the printer's output capacity. Each unit includes a housing having a diverter as does the printer. The position of each diverter is controlled by a diverter/drive mechanism in the unit stacked on top of it. In its first position, the diverter of the printer or the unit diverts a fed sheet from a substantially vertical path therein to a sheet receiving area. In its second position, the diverter allows the fed sheet to be advanced by driven rolls to the unit thereabove. The feed rolls of a unit are driven only when the diverter in each of the printer and in any unit therebeneath are in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Wesley Baskette, Billy Carl Chappel, Randall Steven Gall, Michael Earl Kennedy, Michael Craig Leemhuis