Patents by Inventor Douglas McKeown
Douglas McKeown 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).
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Patent number: 8170440Abstract: A method and apparatus for corotron cleaning management in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include receiving an input from the corotron cleaning counter, determining if the corotron cleaning counter exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein if it is determined that the corotron cleaning counter exceeds the predetermined threshold, notifying a maintainer that the corotron requires cleaning, determining if corotron cleaning has been performed, wherein if it is determined that corotron cleaning has been performed, resetting the corotron cleaning counter.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2008Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: David Sekovski, Evan Kastner, Robert Arnold Gross, David Kenneth Ahl, Alfred Claflin, Douglas McKeown, John Chinnici
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Publication number: 20100086316Abstract: A method and apparatus for corotron cleaning management in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include receiving an input from the corotron cleaning counter, determining if the corotron cleaning counter exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein if it is determined that the corotron cleaning counter exceeds the predetermined threshold, notifying a maintainer that the corotron requires cleaning, determining if corotron cleaning has been performed, wherein if it is determined that corotron cleaning has been performed, resetting the corotron cleaning counter.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2008Publication date: April 8, 2010Applicant: XEROX CORPORATIONInventors: David SEKOVSKI, Evan Kastner, Robert Arnold Gross, David Kenneth AHL, Alfred Claflin, Douglas McKeown, John Chinnici
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Patent number: 7567770Abstract: An electrophotographic printing apparatus includes a housing, a photoreceptor module located inside the housing that includes a photoreceptor, a raster output system located inside the housing for projecting an electrostatic image onto the photoreceptor, a charging station, a developer station, a transfer station, a pre-fuser transport, and a fusing station. The module may be removed from an operating position inside the housing. The transfer station is connected to the pre-fuser transport so that they are constrained to move as one unit when the photoreceptor module is in its operating position inside the housing but are disconnected when the photoreceptor module is removed from its operating position inside the housing. The transfer module may be mounted so as to be constrained by a pre-fuser transport.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2006Date of Patent: July 28, 2009Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: David K. Ahl, Douglas A. McKeown, Robert A. Gross, Michael G. Petranto, Youti Kuo, Mark Stevens
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Patent number: 7493060Abstract: In a xerographic printing apparatus, a charge device is used to apply a charge to a photoreceptor. The charge device includes a wire. A shuttle moves along the charge device, and includes a brush wherein the sides of the bristles contact the wire. When the brush moves along the wire, an accumulation of stray particles on the wire is made relatively smooth.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2005Date of Patent: February 17, 2009Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: David Sekovski, Robert A. Gross, John D. McCaffrey, Michael N. Soures, David K. Ahl, Douglas A. McKeown, Michael G. Petranto
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Patent number: 7418224Abstract: An improved coronode assembly includes pin guards that are positioned closely spaced from and extending above a coronode in order to provide protection for a user reaching past the coronode to remove a sheet jam, and prevent coronode damage when the coronode is handled during servicing by a field service technician. The closeness of the pin guards to the coronode also serves to produce a more uniform field.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2005Date of Patent: August 26, 2008Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Robert A. Gross, David Sekovski, Douglas A. McKeown, David K. Ahl, Michael N. Soures
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Patent number: 7418222Abstract: A photoreceptor module located within a housing. The photoreceptor module includes a photoreceptor belt, a belt support to maintain the belt in a desired configuration, and a transfer assembly. The transfer assembly is operably positioned in close proximity to the belt, and may be moved away from the belt while both are within the housing to ease clearance of paper jams.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2004Date of Patent: August 26, 2008Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: David K. Ahl, Douglas A. McKeown, Robert A. Gross, Michael G. Petranto, Youti Kuo, Mark Stevens
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Patent number: 7412186Abstract: In a xerographic printing apparatus, a charge device is used to apply a charge to a photoreceptor. The shuttle includes a wiper that cleans a sidewall of the charge device. A tab is disposed adjacent the sidewall to retain toner or dirt accumulated by the scraper. The tab is electrically insulative, and effectively covers the accumulated toner or dirt, to lower the possibility of arcing within the charge device.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2005Date of Patent: August 12, 2008Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: David Sekovski, Robert A. Gross, John D. McCaffrey, Michael N. Soures, David K. Ahl, Douglas A. McKeown, Michael G. Petranto
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Publication number: 20070217835Abstract: An improved detack corotron reduces the likelihood of a paper jam arising from a curled paper edge getting caught in the corotron. The detack corotron includes an electrically conductive coronode having a plurality of field emitters, each field emitter having a terminating end, the terminating ends of the field emitters being spatially separated from one another, and a paper edge guide having a plurality of generally planar members, the generally planar members being perpendicular to the conductive coronode and the generally planar members having a height that extends above the terminating ends of the field emitters.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2006Publication date: September 20, 2007Inventors: Robert Gross, David Sekovski, Douglas McKeown, David Ahl, Michael Soures
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Patent number: 7242894Abstract: An electrostatographic printing apparatus comprises a charge receptor, and a transfer station for transferring a toner image from the charge receptor to a sheet. The sheet passes through a nip formed between the charge receptor and a moving transfer belt. Upstream of the nip, the belt forms a shallow angle relative to the charge receptor; downstream of the nip, the belt forms a steep angle relative to the charge receptor. This configuration enables self-stripping of the sheet from the transfer belt at the exit of the nip.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2004Date of Patent: July 10, 2007Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Youti Kuo, Robert A. Gross, David K. Ahl, Douglas A. McKeown, Mark Stevens, Gerald M. Fletcher, Christopher A. DiRubio
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Publication number: 20070098446Abstract: An improved coronode assembly includes pin guards that are positioned closely spaced from and extending above a coronode in order to provide protection for a user reaching past the coronode to remove a sheet jam, and prevent coronode damage when the coronode is handled during servicing by a field service technician. The closeness of the pin guards to the coronode also serves to produce a more uniform field.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2005Publication date: May 3, 2007Inventors: Robert Gross, David Sekovski, Douglas McKeown, David Ahl, Michael Soures
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Publication number: 20070065173Abstract: In a xerographic printing apparatus, a charge device is used to apply a charge to a photoreceptor. The shuttle includes a wiper that cleans a sidewall of the charge device. A tab is disposed adjacent the sidewall to retain toner or dirt accumulated by the scraper. The tab is electrically insulative, and effectively covers the accumulated toner or dirt, to lower the possibility of arcing within the charge device.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2005Publication date: March 22, 2007Inventors: David Sekovski, Robert Gross, John McCaffrey, Michael Soures, David Ahl, Douglas McKeown, Michael Petranto
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Publication number: 20070065172Abstract: In a xerographic printing apparatus, a charge device is used to apply a charge to a photoreceptor. The charge device includes a wire. A shuttle moves along the charge device, and includes a brush wherein the sides of the bristles contact the wire. When the brush moves along the wire, an accumulation of stray particles on the wire is made relatively smooth.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2005Publication date: March 22, 2007Inventors: David Sekovski, Robert Gross, John McCaffrey, Michael Soures, David Ahl, Douglas McKeown, Michael Petranto
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Publication number: 20060285881Abstract: A photoreceptor module located within a housing. The photoreceptor module includes a photoreceptor belt, a belt support to maintain the belt in a desired configuration, and a transfer assembly. The transfer assembly is operably positioned in close proximity to the belt, and may be moved away from the belt while both are within the housing to ease clearance of paper jams.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2006Publication date: December 21, 2006Inventors: David Ahl, Douglas McKeown, Robert Gross, Michael Petranto, Youti Kuo, Mark Stevens
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Publication number: 20060104678Abstract: An electrostatographic printing apparatus comprises a charge receptor, and a transfer station for transferring a toner image from the charge receptor to a sheet. The sheet passes through a nip formed between the charge receptor and a moving transfer belt. Upstream of the nip, the belt forms a shallow angle relative to the charge receptor; downstream of the nip, the belt forms a steep angle relative to the charge receptor. This configuration enables self-stripping of the sheet from the transfer belt at the exit of the nip.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2004Publication date: May 18, 2006Inventors: Youti Kuo, Robert Gross, David Ahl, Douglas McKeown, Mark Stevens, Gerald Fletcher, Christopher DiRubio
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Publication number: 20060024087Abstract: A photoreceptor module located within a housing. The photoreceptor module includes a photoreceptor belt, a belt support to maintain the belt in a desired configuration, and a transfer assembly. The transfer assembly is operably positioned in close proximity to the belt, and may be moved away from the belt while both are within the housing to ease clearance of paper jams.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2004Publication date: February 2, 2006Inventors: David Ahl, Douglas McKeown, Robert Gross, Michael Petranto, Youti Kuo, Mark Stevens
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Patent number: 6650866Abstract: An apparatus which transfers a developed image from a photoconductive member to a sheet. A sheet baffle guides an advancing sheet to the photoconductive member at the transfer station. A sheet guide having an elongated axis extending in a transverse direction to the planar surface of the imaging member; said sheet guide including a roller assembly on a sheet exit portion of said sheet guide.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2002Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: David K. Ahl, Douglas A. McKeown, Robert A. Gross, Michael G. Petranto, Youti Kuo
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Publication number: 20030108369Abstract: A sequential transfer-assist blade assembly includes (a) a first cam and blade assembly including a first blade segment having a first length (A1) and being movable for first contacting a first size image receiving sheet having a first center location and a first width (A2); (b) a second cam and blade assembly including a second blade segment and a third blade segment each having a second length (B1), and each being located adjacent a first end and a second end respectively of the first blade segment, the first, the second and the third blade segments being moveable for contacting a second size image receiving sheet such that the second and the third blade segments contact the second size image receiving sheet after the first blade segment, the second image receiving sheet having a center location coincident with the first center location, and having a second width (A2+2×B2); and (c) a third cam and blade assembly including a fourth blade segment and a fifth blade segment each having a third lengthType: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2001Publication date: June 12, 2003Applicant: Xerox CorporationInventors: Youti Kuo, Douglas A. McKeown, David K. Ahl, Robert A. Gross
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Patent number: 6556805Abstract: A dual cam set transfer assist blade system comprising (a) a first set of cam and blade assemblies mounted on a rotatable shaft and each including a cam having a single lobe for rotation in a first direction to cause engagement of a first set of transfer assist blade segments corresponding to a first set of sheet widths, and (b) a second set of cam and blade also assemblies mounted on the rotatable shaft and each including a cam having a first lobe for rotation in a first direction to cause engagement of a second set of transfer assist blade segments corresponding to said first set of sheet widths, and a second lobe for rotation in a second direction to cause engagement of said second set of transfer assist blade segments corresponding to a second set of sheet widths.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2001Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Youti Kuo, Douglas A. McKeown, David K. Ahl, Robert A. Gross
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Patent number: 6330418Abstract: A device and method of enhancing contact between a photoconductive member of a electrophotographic printing machine and the paper to which an electrostatic latent image is to be transferred uses an array of wiper blade segments mounted on a common shaft. Each segment is attached to the shaft for limited rotational movement on the shaft in opposition to a torsion spring. The torsion spring biases the blade segment towards the paper. Some of the blade segments are operatively associated with a stop mechanism to control the length of the wiper blade array in accordance with the size of the paper being processed. The stop mechanism prevents movement of the blade segment into engagement with the paper by restraining movement of the segment against its torsion spring.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2000Date of Patent: December 11, 2001Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: David K. Ahl, Douglas Mckeown, Robert A. Gross, Youti Kuo
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Patent number: 6183681Abstract: A multi-stage method of insert molding is described including the steps of: providing a vertically movable first mold member with a cavity formed therein; providing a second mold member having a substantially flat upper molding surface; providing a third mold member having an upper end with a cavity formed therein; positioning an insert directly on the flat upper molding surface of the second mold member; positioning the first mold member with respect to the second mold member so that the cavity of the first mold member receives the insert; injecting a first flowable plastic material into the cavity in the first mold member to partially encapsulate the insert; allowing the first flowable plastic material to cool and solidify, thereby creating a first stage molding; removing the first mold member and the second stage molding from the second mold member; positioning the first mold member with respect to the third mold member so that the first stage molding registers with the cavity of the third mold member; injType: GrantFiled: December 7, 1998Date of Patent: February 6, 2001Assignee: Centurion International, Inc.Inventors: Jonathan L. Sullivan, Douglas McKeown