Patents by Inventor Michael A. Fayette
Michael A. Fayette 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: 10336116Abstract: A fuser includes a fuser roll and a pressure roll that forms a nip between the rolls through which a sheet is conveyed to permanently fuse an image onto the sheet. The fuser roll includes a heater element having a single resistive trace, a common trace tapped to a first side of the resistive trace continuous across the resistive trace, and first and second conductive traces tapped to ends of the resistive trace at a second side of the resistive trace opposite the first side. The first and second conductive traces are physically separated and conductively segmented by a conductive gap between the conductive traces. The resistive trace includes a separation gap extending through the resistive trace continuously from the second side of the resistive trace at the conductive gap towards the first side of the resistive trace to prevent current flow between the segmented conductive traces.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2017Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Tab A. Tress, Brian J. Gills, Allen J. Thompson, Michael A. Fayette
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Publication number: 20180267443Abstract: A fusing apparatus includes a heater that heats a fuser belt at a nip between the fuser belt and a pressure roll through which a sheet is conveyed to permanently fuse an image onto the sheet. The heater has a silicon wafer with a smooth side that contacts and heats the fuser belt at the nip, and circuitry at a second side, with the circuitry generating heat through the silicon wafer to heat the fuser belt. The circuitry may include a plurality of heat producing integrated circuits etched in the silicon wafer, with each heat producing integrated circuit configured to heat the fuser belt. Each integrated circuit may self-control its amount of heat produced to the silicon wafer, for example, by automatically switching back and forth between a heat-on-state and a heat-off-state to maintain a desired temperature within the silicon wafer that heats the fuser belt.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2017Publication date: September 20, 2018Inventors: Tab A. TRESS, Brian J. GILLIS, Donald N. RECHLIN, Allen J. THOMPSON, Michael A. FAYETTE
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Patent number: 10078299Abstract: A fusing apparatus includes a heater that heats a fuser belt at a nip between the fuser belt and a pressure roll through which a sheet is conveyed to permanently fuse an image onto the sheet. The heater has a silicon wafer with a smooth side that contacts and heats the fuser belt at the nip, and circuitry at a second side, with the circuitry generating heat through the silicon wafer to heat the fuser belt. The circuitry may include a plurality of heat producing integrated circuits etched in the silicon wafer, with each heat producing integrated circuit configured to heat the fuser belt. Each integrated circuit may self-control its amount of heat produced to the silicon wafer, for example, by automatically switching back and forth between a heat-on-state and a heat-off-state to maintain a desired temperature within the silicon wafer that heats the fuser belt.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2017Date of Patent: September 18, 2018Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Tab A. Tress, Brian J. Gillis, Donald N. Rechlin, Allen J. Thompson, Michael A. Fayette
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Publication number: 20180032012Abstract: A fuser includes a fuser roll and a pressure roll that forms a nip between the rolls through which a sheet is conveyed to permanently fuse an image onto the sheet. The fuser roll includes a heater element having a single resistive trace, a common trace tapped to a first side of the resistive trace continuous across the resistive trace, and first and second conductive traces tapped to ends of the resistive trace at a second side of the resistive trace opposite the first side. The first and second conductive traces are physically separated and conductively segmented by a conductive gap between the conductive traces. The resistive trace includes a separation gap extending through the resistive trace continuously from the second side of the resistive trace at the conductive gap towards the first side of the resistive trace to prevent current flow between the segmented conductive traces.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2017Publication date: February 1, 2018Inventors: Tab A. TRESS, Brian J. GILLIS, Allen J. THOMPSON, Michael A. FAYETTE
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Patent number: 9798279Abstract: A fuser heater within a printing device includes a substrate with conductive traces and a resistive trace having a first end and a second end. The resistive trace is connected to the conductive traces at each of the first end and the second end and forms an electrical connection between the conductive traces and the resistive trace. A first strip is printed on the substrate using a first metal ink. A second strip is printed on the substrate using a second metal ink. The second strip is in contact with the first strip. The first metal ink is different from the second metal ink. The first strip and the second strip form a thermocouple. The thermocouple is operatively attached to the conductive traces. A controller operatively attached to the thermocouple controls the temperature of the fuser heater.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2015Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Christopher A. Jensen, Brian J. Gillis, Tab A. Tress, Michael A. Fayette
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Patent number: 9727014Abstract: A fuser includes a fuser roll and a pressure roll that forms a nip between the rolls through which a sheet is conveyed to permanently fuse an image onto the sheet. The fuser roll includes a heater element having a single resistive trace, a common trace tapped to a first side of the resistive trace continuous across the resistive trace, and first and second conductive traces tapped to ends of the resistive trace at a second side of the resistive trace opposite the first side. The first and second conductive traces are physically separated and conductively segmented by a conductive gap between the conductive traces. The resistive trace includes a separation gap extending through the resistive trace continuously from the second side of the resistive trace at the conductive gap towards the first side of the resistive trace to prevent current flow between the segmented conductive traces.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2016Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Tab A. Tress, Brian J. Gillis, Allen J. Thompson, Michael A. Fayette
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Publication number: 20170003632Abstract: A fuser heater within a printing device includes a substrate with conductive traces and a resistive trace having a first end and a second end. The resistive trace is connected to the conductive traces at each of the first end and the second end and forms an electrical connection between the conductive traces and the resistive trace. A first strip is printed on the substrate using a first metal ink. A second strip is printed on the substrate using a second metal ink. The second strip is in contact with the first strip. The first metal ink is different from the second metal ink. The first strip and the second strip form a thermocouple. The thermocouple is operatively attached to the conductive traces. A controller operatively attached to the thermocouple controls the temperature of the fuser heater.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2015Publication date: January 5, 2017Inventors: CHRISTOPHER A. JENSEN, BRIAN J. GILLIS, TAB A. TRESS, MICHAEL A. FAYETTE
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Patent number: 9170518Abstract: Disclosed is a closed-loop control method and system to control the nip width and transfer field uniformity associated with an image marking apparatus. According to an exemplary embodiment, a closed-loop control system senses the uniformity of the image transfer field and applies forces to a transfer nip based on the sensed field to provide a more uniform field.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2012Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Christopher A. DiRubio, Charles H. Tabb, Michael A. Fayette, John S. Facci, Paul F. Sawicki, Thomas C. Keyes, Edward W. Schnepf, William R. Klimley
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Publication number: 20130272735Abstract: Disclosed is a closed-loop control method and system to control the nip width and transfer field uniformity associated with an image marking apparatus. According to an exemplary embodiment, a closed-loop control system senses the uniformity of the image transfer field and applies forces to a transfer nip based on the sensed field to provide a more uniform field.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2012Publication date: October 17, 2013Applicant: Xerox CorporationInventors: Christopher A. DiRubio, Charles H. Tabb, Michael A. Fayette, John S. Facci, Paul F. Sawicki, Thomas C. Keyes, Edward W. Schnepf, William R. Klimley
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Publication number: 20120121276Abstract: A method and apparatus can, while operating a printing device in a test mode, supply a changed transfer field to a marking material transfer device. The changed transfer field is less than or more than the standard transfer field. The method and apparatus disable operations of other marking material transfer devices of the printing device to isolate the marking material transfer device. Further, the method and apparatus compare the actual amount and/or spatial distribution of marking material transferred to a recipient surface (to which the first marking material transfer device transfers the marking material) against a predetermined standard. Then, if the actual amount of marking material transferred to the recipient surface is different than the predetermined standard, the method and apparatus can identify the first marking material transfer device as being a potential source of printing defects.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2010Publication date: May 17, 2012Applicant: XEROX CORPORATIONInventors: Christopher A. DiRubio, Charles H. Tabb, Michael A. Fayette, John S. Facci
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Patent number: 8180231Abstract: A method and apparatus can, while operating a printing device in a test mode, supply a changed transfer field to a marking material transfer device. The changed transfer field is less than or more than the standard transfer field. The method and apparatus disable operations of other marking material transfer devices of the printing device to isolate the marking material transfer device. Further, the method and apparatus compare the actual amount and/or spatial distribution of marking material transferred to a recipient surface (to which the first marking material transfer device transfers the marking material) against a predetermined standard. Then, if the actual amount of marking material transferred to the recipient surface is different than the predetermined standard, the method and apparatus can identify the first marking material transfer device as being a potential source of printing defects.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2010Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Christopher A. DiRubio, Charles H. Tabb, Michael A. Fayette, John S. Facci
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Publication number: 20090080956Abstract: A method and printing device positions a conductive film applicator adjacent a printing media transport within a printing device. The conductive film applicator is positioned between the printing media input and the marking station. As the printing media moves by the conductive film applicator, the conductive film applicator applies a conductive film to the printing media. After the conductive film has been applied to the printing media, the printing media is moved to the marking station and printing operations are performed on the printing media. After printing is complete, the printing media can be output from the printing device.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2007Publication date: March 26, 2009Inventors: David B. Montfort, Michael A. Fayette, William G. Osbourne
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Patent number: 6606478Abstract: A transfer assist blade for an electrophotograhic printing machine that provides the necessary stiffness to allow complete transfer of a toner image while avoiding excessive bending stress in the blade. The blade is made up of a semiconductive polyester layer bonded to a non-semiconductive polyester layer. A third and fourth layer of high molecular weight polyethylene are bonded o the second layer. These third and fourth layers do not extend the full length of the blade to provide supplemental stiffness while avoiding excess bending stress.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2002Date of Patent: August 12, 2003Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Michael A. Fayette, Andrew J. Bonacci, Bruce J. Parks
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Publication number: 20030039488Abstract: A transfer assist blade for an electrophotograhic printing machine that provides the necessary stiffness to allow complete transfer of a toner image while avoiding excessive bending stress in the blade. The blade is made up of a semiconductive polyester layer bonded to a non-semiconductive polyester layer. A third and fourth layer of high molecular weight polyethylene are bonded o the second layer. These third and fourth layers do not extend the full length of the blade to provide supplemental stiffness while avoiding excess bending stress.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2002Publication date: February 27, 2003Applicant: Xerox Corporation.Inventors: Michael A. Fayette, Andrew J. Bonacci, Bruce J. Parks