Patents by Inventor Richard P. Germain
Richard P. Germain 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: 9114609Abstract: An inkjet printer includes an electrode in either a printhead or an image receiving member that is operatively connected to a waveform generator. During operation, a controller operates the waveform generator to generate an electrostatic field between the printhead and the image receiving member during operation of inkjets in the printhead to eject ink drops. The controller operates the waveform generator to reduce an amplitude of the electrostatic field while the ink drops travel toward the image receiving member during a time when satellite ink drops can be formed from the ejected ink drops. The controller subsequently operates the waveform generator to generate the electrostatic field while the ink drops are in flight after formation of the satellite to accelerate the ink drops and satellites towards the image receiving member.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2014Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Jeffrey J. Folkins, Jing Zhou, Richard P. Germain
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Patent number: 8746848Abstract: Systems and methods of ejecting ink drops from an inkjet printer are disclosed. The systems and methods can include a printhead with one or more actuators with associated nozzles and membranes. A voltage waveform can be applied to the actuators to fill the actuators with a volume of ink and eject the ink through the nozzles as ink drops. The voltage waveform can have associated pre-fill voltage to fill the actuator with ink and a firing voltage to eject the ink. The actuator membranes can have multi-height dimples to protect the membranes from contacting electrodes and reduce the electric field.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2013Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Andrew W Hays, Richard P Germain, Joseph A Degroot, Peter J Nystrom, Jun Ma
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Patent number: 8393713Abstract: Systems and methods of ejecting ink drops from an inkjet printer are disclosed. The systems and methods can include a printhead with one or more actuators with associated nozzles and membranes. A voltage waveform can be applied to the actuators to fill the actuators with a volume of ink and eject the ink through the nozzles as ink drops. The voltage waveform can have associated pre-fill voltage to fill the actuator with ink and a firing voltage to eject the ink. The actuator membranes can have multi-height dimples to protect the membranes from contacting electrodes and reduce the electric field.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2009Date of Patent: March 12, 2013Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Andrew W. Hays, Richard P. Germain, Joseph A. Degroot, Peter J. Nystrom, Jun Ma
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Patent number: 8147055Abstract: A baffle for use in a printer to protect a printhead from particulates associated with a printing medium. The baffle including a member, incorporated within the printer, that is positioned below the printing medium and above the printhead. The member having a top surface that is angled and extends a width of the printing medium and an adhesive material disposed on the angled top surface, the adhesive material. The angled top surface being positioned to generally face toward the printing medium to trap the printing medium particulates on the adhesive material of the angled top surface.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2009Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Mark A. Cellura, Antonio St. C. L. Williams, Richard P. Germain
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Publication number: 20100321432Abstract: Systems and methods of ejecting ink drops from an inkjet printer are disclosed. The systems and methods can include a printhead with one or more actuators with associated nozzles and membranes A voltage waveform can be applied to the actuators to fill the actuators with a volume of ink and eject the ink through the nozzles as ink drops. The voltage waveform can have associated pre-fill voltage to fill the actuator with ink and a firing voltage to eject the ink. The actuator membranes can have multi-height dimples to protect the membranes from contacting electrodes and reduce the electric field.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2009Publication date: December 23, 2010Applicant: XEROX CORPORATIONInventors: Andrew W. HAYS, Richard P. Germain, Joseph A. Degroot, Peter J. Nystrom, Jun Ma
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Publication number: 20090135225Abstract: A printing medium baffle for protecting printheads printing on an image transfer member from particulates associated with the printing medium. The baffle may have one or more adhesive surfaces.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2009Publication date: May 28, 2009Applicant: XEROX CORPORATIONInventors: Mark A. CELLURA, Antonio St. C. L. WILLIAMS, Richard P. GERMAIN
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Patent number: 7512357Abstract: An image forming device includes marking material dispensers for disposing an image on an imaging drum surface. The image forming device further includes plural particle removal devices comprising first and second particle removal devices coupled to a vacuum source. The first particle removal device includes a first vacuum port positioned as close as possible to an included image transfer site. The second particle removal device includes a second vacuum port positioned as close as possible to the marking material dispensers. The first and second vacuum ports are positioned proximate to the imaging drum surface to provide respective first and second air flows.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2005Date of Patent: March 31, 2009Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Mark A. Cellura, Donald J. Drake, Elliott A. Eklund, Richard P. Germain, Scott J. Phillips, Robert M. Rottman, Elias Panides, Barry D. Reeves
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Patent number: 7506975Abstract: A printing medium baffle for protecting printheads printing on an image transfer member from particulates associated with the printing medium. The baffle may have one or more adhesive surfaces.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2005Date of Patent: March 24, 2009Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Mark A. Cellura, Antonio St. C.L. Williams, Richard P. Germain
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Publication number: 20070040886Abstract: An image forming device includes marking material dispensers for disposing an image on an imaging drum surface. The image forming device further includes plural particle removal devices comprising first and second particle removal devices coupled to a vacuum source. The first particle removal device includes a first vacuum port positioned as close as possible to an included image transfer site. The second particle removal device includes a second vacuum port positioned as close as possible to the marking material dispensers. The first and second vacuum ports are positioned proximate to the imaging drum surface to provide respective first and second air flows.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2005Publication date: February 22, 2007Inventors: Mark A. Cellura, Donald J. Drake, Elliott Eklund, Richard P. Germain, Scott Phillips, Robert M. Rottman, Elias Panides, Barry Reeves
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Patent number: 6088562Abstract: An apparatus for developing in a development zone a latent image recorded on a surface, including; a housing defining a chamber storing at least a supply of toner therein. A donor roll disposed of at least partially in the chamber of said housing and spaced from the surface. The donor roll is adapted to rotate about a longitudinal axis to transport toner to the development zone in a region opposed from the surface. An elongated electrode member is mounted stationarily in the development zone and extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis. The electrode member includes a flexible thin sheet having a plurality of elongated wires with adjacent wires which are spaced from and substantially parallel to one another. The electrode member is positioned in the development zone and spaced between the surface and said donor roll.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 1998Date of Patent: July 11, 2000Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Lotfi Belkhir, Richard P. Germain
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Patent number: 5742884Abstract: An apparatus for developing a latent image recorded on a surface, the apparatus includes a housing defining a chamber storing a supply of developer material including toner; a toner donor member spaced from the surface and being adapted to transport toner to a region opposed from the surface; a magnetic brush for conveying the developer material in the chamber of the housing onto the donor member; and a rigid planar porous electrode member spaced near the surface of a donor roll, the electrode member being electrically biased to detach toner from the donor member as to form a toner cloud for developing the latent image.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 1996Date of Patent: April 21, 1998Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Richard P. Germain, Mark J. Hirsch, Steven C. Hart
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Patent number: 5583629Abstract: A color electrophotographic printing machine in which latent images having a resolution of at least 1.44 million pixels per square inch are recorded on a photoconductive member. Different color toner powder images are developed in superimposed registration with one another to form a composite multicolor image. The composite multicolor image is transferred from the photoconductive member to a receiving member. Toner particles which have a selected pigmentation and small volume average diameters are used to minimize curl of the receiving member.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 1995Date of Patent: December 10, 1996Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Grace T. Brewington, Richard P. Germain, Paul C. Julien, Ronald J. Koch
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Patent number: 5557393Abstract: An electrostatographic imaging process includes forming an electrostatic latent image on an image forming device, developing the electrostatic latent image on the image forming device with at least one developer containing carrier particles and a blend of two or more compatible toner compositions, and transferring the toner image to a receiving substrate and fixing it thereto. Among the compatible toner compositions that may be selected are toner compositions having blend compatibility components coated on an external surface of the toner particles and particulate toner compositions containing therein blend compatibility components or passivated pigments. Electrostatographic imaging devices, including a tri-level imaging device and a hybrid scavengeless development imaging device, are also provided for carrying out the described process.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 1994Date of Patent: September 17, 1996Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Nancy B. Goodman, Richard P. Germain, Paul C. Julien, Susan J. Kremer, Robert J. Gruber
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Patent number: 5521677Abstract: A solid area process control for scavengeless development using a transport roll-to-donor roll DC bias as a control parameter in an electrophotographic printing machine is disclosed. The process develops a latent image of a solid area toner patch on a photoconductive belt. Once the patch is developed, the patch is measured with an infrared reflectance type sensor. The measured development mass is compared to a target value stored in the machine memory. A test of the comparison is performed by the process. If the result of the test is less than the target value, the transport roll-to-donor roll bias is increased and the process ends. If the result is more than the target value, the transport roll-to-donor roll bias is decreased and the process ends, otherwise the process stops because the measured development is acceptable. The process is run at predetermined intervals to maintain constant output from the electrophotographic printing machine.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 1995Date of Patent: May 28, 1996Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Grace T. Brewington, Richard P. Germain
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Patent number: 5480751Abstract: Deposition of background toner particles during tri-level image transfer from an imaging member to a final substrate is minimized. A front erase step is used prior to pretransfer corona treatment in order to reduce the background voltage level to substantially the residual voltage level of the photoreceptor imaging member used in the imaging process. When the image is subjected to pretransfer corona positively charged black and color background toner particles become negative and wrong sign black toner becomes more negative. Using negative transfer corona effects transfer of toner forming the black and color images and inhibits transfer of background toner.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 1994Date of Patent: January 2, 1996Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: James E. Williams, Richard P. Germain
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Patent number: 5420672Abstract: A scavengeless/non-interactive development system using wire electrodes in a development nip between a donor member and a charge retentive surface. The wire electrodes are electrically biased for causing toner particles to form powder clouds in the development nip. Uniform powder clouds are ensured by effecting rubbing contact between the toner particles on a donor roll and a conductive surface.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 1994Date of Patent: May 30, 1995Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Grace T. Brewington, Norman W. Czubaj, Jr., Richard P. Germain, William H. Wayman
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Patent number: 5311258Abstract: An apparatus in which contaminants are on-the-fly removed from an electrode wire positioned between a donor roller and a photoconductive surface. A magnetic roller is adapted to transport developer material to the donor roller. The electrode wire is electrostatically biased with respect to the donor roller to remove contaminants therefrom. The electrostatic wire bias polarity corresponds with the contaminant charge polarity to repel the contaminants from the wire.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 1993Date of Patent: May 10, 1994Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Grace T. Brewington, John Buranicz, Richard P. Germain
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Patent number: 5308732Abstract: A process for extending the life of magnetic brush cleaners comprising carrier particles, a magnetic roll, and biased detone roll with a scraper by treating said carrier particles with a metal oxide.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 1993Date of Patent: May 3, 1994Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Richard W. Bigelow, Grace T. Brewington, Kristen M. Natale, Richard P. Germain
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Patent number: 5241358Abstract: The operating latitude of the tri-level xerographic process is improved by replacing the standard DC bias that is applied to one or both of the developer housings in conventional tri-level imaging with a chopped DC (CDC) developer bias. Chopped DC biasing is the alternate application of two discrete bias voltages to a developer strucrute in a periodic fashion at a given frequency, with the period of each cycle divided up between the two bias levels at a duty cycle of from 5-10% or 90-95% depending upon which of the two developer structures is being biased. In the case of the DAD developer structure the duty cycle of higher of the two biases is 5-10% and in the case of a CAD developer structure the duty cycle of higher of the two biases is 90-95%.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 1991Date of Patent: August 31, 1993Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Richard P. Germain, James E. Williams
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Patent number: 5238769Abstract: A process for extending the life of magnetic brush cleaners comprising carrier particles, a magnetic roll, and biased detone roll with a scraper by treating said carrier particles with a metal oxide.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 1991Date of Patent: August 24, 1993Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Richard W. Bigelow, Grace T. Brewington, Kristen M. Natale, Richard P. Germain