Patents by Inventor Kenneth J. West
Kenneth J. West 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).
-
Publication number: 20100089001Abstract: A door member comprising a frame having a first side and a second side, opposite the first side, a core positioned within the frame, and a molded skin attached to the first side of the frame. The skin is prepared from a molding compound which, when molded, has a shrinkage of between about ?0.0003 to about +0.0015. The molding compound comprises a resin system comprising a curable polyester resin, a co-curable unsaturated monomer, and at least two low profile additives. The molding compound also comprises at least about 30 percent by weight, based on the weight of the molding compound, of filler material, and fibrous reinforcement in an amount of less than about 35 weight percent, based on the weight of the molding compound.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2009Publication date: April 15, 2010Applicant: Therma-Tru Corp.Inventors: Kenneth J. West, G. Daniel Templeton
-
Patent number: 7055931Abstract: An automatic start-up for a continuous ink jet printer provides a dyeless flush fluid to the printhead to remove any particles or ink residue from the printhead and to wet the orifice plate before jets form. The pressure of the flush fluid is then raised to cause the flush fluid to begin jetting from the drop generator. Once jets are established, ink is supplied to the drop generator at the pressure of the jetting flush fluid. The flow of flush fluid is stopped. Since the printhead is being supplied with ink, ink replaces the flush fluid as the fluid being jetted from the drop generator. An ink heater is then turned on, increasing evaporation of solvent from the ink jetted from the drop generator. The solvent vapors condense on the relatively cool charge plate and catcher face. The condensate forming on these surfaces provides one final rinse of these surfaces to remove conductive ink from the charge leads and catcher face.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2004Date of Patent: June 6, 2006Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Kenneth J. West, Meagan A. Wimmers, Jay D. Frazier
-
Patent number: 7052108Abstract: A shutdown procedure is provided for removing all solvent ink from the printhead of an ink jet printer system that uses volatile ink for printing a shutdown method is provided for an inkjet printer that uses volatile inks for printing. Initially, a colorless flush fluid is provided which readily dissolves the ink. The flush fluid is crossflushed through the drop generator and caused to weep out of the orifices in the drop generator to dissolve and rinse away ink residues from the charge plate and the exterior of the orifice plate. The flush fluid is used to rinse off charging electrodes of the charge plate, the catcher face, and the catcher return line. Fluid crossflushed through the drop generator cleans the interior of the drop generator and cleans the crossflush valve.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2004Date of Patent: May 30, 2006Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Kenneth J. West, Meagan A. Wimmers, Jay D. Frazier, David A. Huliba
-
Patent number: 6962411Abstract: A catcher design is provided wherein vacuum channels are added to both sides of the catcher to remove ink from the face of the catcher and from the eyelid seal. An additional fluid port on the catcher allows the additional vacuum channels to maintain an increased level of vacuum. A restriction on the catcher line balances the fluid flow between the catcher and the additional vacuum channels. A scoop can be machined into the catch pan to remove fluid from below the catcher face. A manifold can be used to maintain a vacuum source for the catcher throat and the additional channels, while pulling the unprinted ink back to the fluid system. Finally, a wider eyelid seal can allow purge fluid used during shutdown to clear the channels.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2003Date of Patent: November 8, 2005Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Kenneth J. West, Jay D. Frazier, David A. Huliba, Bruce A. Bowling, Charles D. Rike
-
Patent number: 6952903Abstract: A door member comprising a frame having a first side and a second side, opposite the first side, a core positioned within the frame, and a molded skin attached to the first side of the frame. The skin is prepared from a molding compound which, when molded, has a shrinkage of between about ?0.0003 to about +0.0015. The molding compound comprises a resin system comprising a curable polyester resin, a co-curable unsaturated monomer, and at least two low profile additives. The molding compound also comprises at least about 30 percent by weight, based on the weight of the molding compound, of filler material, and fibrous reinforcement in an amount of less than about 35 weight percent, based on the weight of the molding compound.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2003Date of Patent: October 11, 2005Assignee: TT Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth J. West, G. Daniel Templeton
-
Patent number: 6890054Abstract: An automatic start-up sequence is provided for an inkjet printer that uses volatile inks for printing. At startup, colorless flush fluid is employed to remove in the drop generator and from the exterior of the orifice plate and from the charge plate. Jets of the flush fluid are established. Stimulation is applied to the jets and charge voltage is applied to the associated charging electrodes to deflect the jets toward the catcher. Concurrent with the jets being so deflected, the jetting fluid is changed from flush fluid for cleaning to the ink for printing. The ability to control the jets of fluid with charge voltage prevents splattering of fluid on the charge leads during the transition from make-up fluid to ink.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2003Date of Patent: May 10, 2005Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventor: Kenneth J. West
-
Patent number: 6869160Abstract: A shutdown procedure is provided for removing all solvent ink from the printhead of an ink jet printer system that uses volatile ink for printing. A shutdown method is provided for an inkjet printer that uses volatile inks for printing. Initially, a colorless flush fluid is provided which readily dissolves the ink. The flush fluid is crossflushed through the drop generator and caused to weep out of the orifices in the drop generator to dissolve and rinse away ink residues from the charge plate and the exterior of the orifice plate. The flush fluid is used to rinse off charging electrodes of the charge plate, the catcher face, and the catcher return line. Fluid crossflushed through the drop generator cleans the interior of the drop generator and cleans the crossflush valve.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2002Date of Patent: March 22, 2005Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Kenneth J. West, Meagan A. Wimmers, Jay D. Frazier
-
Patent number: 6848767Abstract: An automatic start-up for a continuous ink jet printer provides a dyeless flush fluid to the printhead to remove any particles or ink residue from the printhead and to wet the orifice plate before jets form. The pressure of the flush fluid is then raised to cause the flush fluid to begin jetting from the drop generator. Once jets are established, ink is supplied to the drop generator at the pressure of the jetting flush fluid. The flow of flush fluid is stopped. Since the printhead is being supplied with ink, ink replaces the flush fluid as the fluid being jetted from the drop generator. An ink heater is then turned on, increasing evaporation of solvent from the ink jetted from the drop generator. The solvent vapors condense on the relatively cool charge plate and catcher face. The condensate forming on these surfaces provides one final rinse of these surfaces to remove conductive ink from the charge leads and catcher face.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2002Date of Patent: February 1, 2005Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Kenneth J. West, Meagan A. Wimmers, Jay D. Frazier
-
Publication number: 20040130605Abstract: An automatic start-up sequence is provided for an inkjet printer that uses volatile inks for printing. At startup, colorless flush fluid is employed to remove in the drop generator and from the exterior of the orifice plate and from the charge plate. Jets of the flush fluid are established. Stimulation is applied to the jets and charge voltage is applied to the associated charging electrodes to deflect the jets toward the catcher. Concurrent with the jets being so deflected, the jetting fluid is changed from flush fluid for cleaning to the ink for printing. The ability to control the jets of fluid with charge voltage prevents splattering of fluid on the charge leads during the transition from make-up fluid to ink.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 2, 2003Publication date: July 8, 2004Applicant: Scitex Digital Printing, Inc.Inventor: Kenneth J. West
-
Publication number: 20040130590Abstract: A catcher design is provided wherein vacuum channels are added to both sides of the catcher to remove ink from the face of the catcher and from the eyelid seal. An additional fluid port on the catcher allows the additional vacuum channels to maintain an increased level of vacuum. A restriction on the catcher line balances the fluid flow between the catcher and the additional vacuum channels. A scoop can be machined into the catch pan to remove fluid from below the catcher face. A manifold can be used to maintain a vacuum source for the catcher throat and the additional channels, while pulling the unprinted ink back to the fluid system. Finally, a wider eyelid seal can allow purge fluid used during shutdown to clear the channels.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 2, 2003Publication date: July 8, 2004Applicant: Scitex Digital Printing, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth J. West, Jay D. Frazier, David A. Huliba, Bruce A. Bowling, Charles D. Rike
-
Patent number: 6740279Abstract: Compression molded pigmented door skins fabricated by compression molding a pigmented, curable, unsaturated polyester sheet molding compound containing a co-curable unsaturated monomer, a low profile additive, and a microvoid-reducing thermoplastic polymer, exhibit uniform stainability while maintaining a low linear thermal coefficient of expansion. Such door skins are suitable for preparing wood grain textured exterior insulated doors which exhibit minimal thermal deflection when exposed to interior/exterior temperature differentials, even at eight foot door heights. The doors may be stained without first applying a seal coat.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2001Date of Patent: May 25, 2004Assignee: TT Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth J. West, Greg W. Scheffel, G. Daniel Templeton, Eugene R. Davis, III
-
Publication number: 20040066428Abstract: A shutdown procedure is provided for removing all solvent ink from the printhead of an ink jet printer system that uses volatile ink for printing a shutdown method is provided for an inkjet printer that uses volatile inks for printing. Initially, a colorless flush fluid is provided which readily dissolves the ink. The flush fluid is crossflushed through the drop generator and caused to weep out of the orifices in the drop generator to dissolve and rinse away ink residues from the charge plate and the exterior of the orifice plate. The flush fluid is used to rinse off charging electrodes of the charge plate, the catcher face, and the catcher return line. Fluid crossflushed through the drop generator cleans the interior of the drop generator and cleans the crossflush valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2002Publication date: April 8, 2004Applicant: Scitex Digital Printing, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth J. West, Meagan A. Wimmers, Jay D. Frazier
-
Publication number: 20040066427Abstract: An automatic start-up for a continuous ink jet printer provides a dyeless flush fluid to the printhead to remove any particles or ink residue from the printhead and to wet the orifice plate before jets form. The pressure of the flush fluid is then raised to cause the flush fluid to begin jetting from the drop generator. Once jets are established, ink is supplied to the drop generator at the pressure of the jetting flush fluid. The flow of flush fluid is stopped. Since the printhead is being supplied with ink, ink replaces the flush fluid as the fluid being jetted from the drop generator. An ink heater is then turned on, increasing evaporation of solvent from the ink jetted from the drop generator. The solvent vapors condense on the relatively cool charge plate and catcher face. The condensate forming on these surfaces provides one final rinse of these surfaces to remove conductive ink from the charge leads and catcher face.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2002Publication date: April 8, 2004Applicant: Scitex Digital Printing, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth J. West, Meagan A. Wimmers, Jay D. Frazier
-
Publication number: 20030226328Abstract: A door member comprising a frame having a first side and a second side, opposite the first side, a core positioned within the frame, and a molded skin attached to the first side of the frame. The skin is prepared from a molding compound which, when molded, has a shrinkage of between about −0.0003 to about +0.0015. The molding compound comprises a resin system comprising a curable polyester resin, a co-curable unsaturated monomer, and at least two low profile additives. The molding compound also comprises at least about 30 percent by weight, based on the weight of the molding compound, of filler material, and fibrous reinforcement in an amount of less than about 35 weight percent, based on the weight of the molding compound.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2003Publication date: December 11, 2003Applicant: TT Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth J. West, G. Daniel Templeton
-
Publication number: 20030200714Abstract: A high performance door comprising a door shell having a generally planar construction with marginal edges and at least one door skin helping to define an interior door cavity and a door member disposed within the interior door cavity is disclosed. The door member is preferably constructed of a gas-entrained cementitious material and has a compressive strength of at least about 30 lbf/in2 when measured using ASTM C-39. A method for forming a door member for use in construction with the door generally comprising: providing a door shell, placing the door shell in a fixture, filling the interior door cavity with a gas-entrained cementitious material, green-strength curing the gas-entrained cementitious material, and removing the door shell from the fixture is disclosed. The cured gas-entrained cementitious material provides a gas-entrained cementitious core for use in conjunction with a door.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2002Publication date: October 30, 2003Inventors: Ronald C. Minke, David R. Redding, G. Daniel Templeton, William V. Pagryzinski, David A. Sentel, Kenneth J. West, W. Kip Barker, Steven P. Kepler
-
Patent number: 6589660Abstract: Weatherable building materials particularly well suited for entry door skins and other exterior building components are prepared by compression molding lignocellulosic fibers digested under conditions such that partial breakdown of hemicellulosic and other components produces an in situ binder, together with a secondary phenol/formaldehyde binder resin, followed by impregnating the product with a non-fugitive tertiary binder.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 1999Date of Patent: July 8, 2003Assignee: TT Technologies, Inc.Inventors: G. Daniel Templeton, Ronald C. Minke, Cem A. Porter, Kenneth J. West
-
Patent number: 6487824Abstract: A door member comprising a frame having a first side and a second side, opposite the first side, a core positioned within the frame, and a molded skin attached to the first side of the frame. The skin is prepared from a molding compound which, when molded, has a shrinkage of between about −0.0003 to about +0.0015. The molding compound comprises a resin system comprising a curable polyester resin, a co-curable unsaturated monomer, and at least two low profile additives. The molding compound also comprises at least about 30 percent by weight, based on the weight of the molding compound, of filler material, and fibrous reinforcement in an amount of less than about 35 weight percent, based on the weight of the molding compound.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2000Date of Patent: December 3, 2002Assignee: TT Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth J. West, G. Daniel Templeton
-
Patent number: 6383652Abstract: The present invention relates to a weatherable building product comprising a wood member. The wood member has at least a portion which is coated with a coating composition comprising an interpenetrating polymer network of an acrylic latex and a vinylidene chloride polymer. The wood member comprises solid wood or fiber-based materials.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 1999Date of Patent: May 7, 2002Assignee: TT Technologies, Inc.Inventors: G. Daniel Templeton, Kenneth J. West, Ronald C. Minke, Cem A. Porter, S. Hunter W. Brooks
-
Publication number: 20010001356Abstract: Compression molded pigmented door skins fabricated by compression molding a pigmented, curable, unsaturated polyester sheet molding compound containing a co-curable unsaturated monomer, a low profile additive, and a microvoid-reducing thermoplastic polymer, exhibit uniform stainability while maintaining a low linear thermal coefficient of expansion. Such door skins are suitable for preparing wood grain textured exterior insulated doors which exhibit minimal thermal deflection when exposed to interior/exterior temperature differentials, even at eight foot door heights. The doors may be stained without first applying a seal coat.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2001Publication date: May 24, 2001Applicant: Therma-Tru CorporationInventors: Kenneth J. West, Greg W. Scheffel, G. Daniel Templeton, Eugene R. Davis
-
Patent number: 6226958Abstract: Compression molded pigmented door skins fabricated by compression molding a pigmented, curable, unsaturated polyester sheet molding compound containing a co-curable unsaturated monomer, a low profile additive, and a microvoid-reducing thermoplastic polymer, exhibit uniform stainability while maintaining a low linear thermal coefficient of expansion. Such door skins are suitable for preparing wood grain textured exterior insulated doors which exhibit minimal thermal deflection when exposed to interior/exterior temperature differentials, even at eight foot door heights. The doors may be stained without first applying a seal coat.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 1999Date of Patent: May 8, 2001Assignee: Therma-Tru CorporationInventors: Kenneth J. West, Greg W. Scheffel, G. Daniel Templeton, Eugene R. Davis, III