Patents by Inventor Thad Carlton Switzer

Thad Carlton Switzer 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: 9563162
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming device according to one embodiment includes a controller configured to provide a page countdown for a replaceable toner cartridge of the image forming device on a display screen. The controller, upon detecting an installation of an imaging unit previously mated with a first toner cartridge that was out of usable toner and detecting a presence of a second toner cartridge, is configured to determine whether the second toner cartridge is out of usable toner. The controller is configured to determine a number of pages remaining for a page countdown associated with the life of the second toner cartridge and whether the toner sump of the imaging unit contains sufficient toner to print the number of pages remaining for the page countdown associated with the life of the second toner cartridge if the second toner cartridge is out of usable toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Thad Carlton Switzer, Jason Carl True
  • Publication number: 20160223973
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming device according to one embodiment includes a controller configured to provide a page countdown for a replaceable toner cartridge of the image forming device on a display screen. The controller, upon detecting an installation of an imaging unit previously mated with a first toner cartridge that was out of usable toner and detecting a presence of a second toner cartridge, is configured to determine whether the second toner cartridge is out of usable toner. The controller is configured to determine a number of pages remaining for a page countdown associated with the life of the second toner cartridge and whether the toner sump of the imaging unit contains sufficient toner to print the number of pages remaining for the page countdown associated with the life of the second toner cartridge if the second toner cartridge is out of usable toner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: THAD CARLTON SWITZER, JASON CARL TRUE
  • Patent number: 9335698
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming device according to one embodiment includes a controller configured to provide a page countdown for a replaceable toner cartridge of the image forming device on a display screen. The controller, upon detecting a toner cartridge that is out of usable toner, is configured to determine a number of pages remaining for a page countdown associated with the toner cartridge. The controller is configured to determine whether a toner sump of an imaging unit positioned in the image forming device to receive toner from the toner cartridge contains sufficient toner to print the number of pages remaining for the page countdown associated with the life of the toner cartridge. The controller is configured to continue the page countdown if the imaging unit contains sufficient toner and to reset the page countdown if the imaging unit does not contain sufficient toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Thad Carlton Switzer, Jason Carl True
  • Publication number: 20140376942
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming device according to one embodiment includes a controller configured to provide a page countdown for a replaceable toner cartridge of the image forming device on a display screen. The controller, upon detecting a toner cartridge that is out of usable toner, is configured to determine a number of pages remaining for a page countdown associated with the toner cartridge. The controller is configured to determine whether a toner sump of an imaging unit positioned in the image forming device to receive toner from the toner cartridge contains sufficient toner to print the number of pages remaining for the page countdown associated with the life of the toner cartridge. The controller is configured to continue the page countdown if the imaging unit contains sufficient toner and to reset the page countdown if the imaging unit does not contain sufficient toner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Thad Carlton Switzer, Jason Carl True
  • Patent number: 8867933
    Abstract: A method for providing a page countdown for a replaceable toner cartridge according to one embodiment includes, upon detecting a toner cartridge that is out of usable toner, determining a number of pages remaining for a page countdown associated with the toner cartridge. Whether a toner sump of an imaging unit positioned to receive toner from the toner cartridge contains sufficient toner to print the number of pages remaining is also determined. If the toner sump of the imaging unit contains sufficient toner, the page countdown continues from the number of pages remaining. If the toner sump of the imaging unit does not contain sufficient toner, the number of pages remaining for the page countdown is reset based on the amount of toner available in the toner sump of the imaging unit and the page countdown continues from the reset number of pages remaining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Carl True, Thad Carlton Switzer
  • Publication number: 20140105622
    Abstract: A method for providing a page countdown for a replaceable toner cartridge according to one embodiment includes, upon detecting a toner cartridge that is out of usable toner, determining a number of pages remaining for a page countdown associated with the toner cartridge. Whether a toner sump of an imaging unit positioned to receive toner from the toner cartridge contains sufficient toner to print the number of pages remaining is also determined. If the toner sump of the imaging unit contains sufficient toner, the page countdown continues from the number of pages remaining. If the toner sump of the imaging unit does not contain sufficient toner, the number of pages remaining for the page countdown is reset based on the amount of toner available in the toner sump of the imaging unit and the page countdown continues from the reset number of pages remaining.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Jason Carl True, Thad Carlton Switzer
  • Patent number: 8180240
    Abstract: A belt fuser assembly for a color EP printer that quickly warms up the fusing belt before allowing a first sheet of print media to run through the printing stations at the fuser assembly. The warm-up cycle includes: (1) a preheat mode, (2) a first portion of a belt temperature warm-up mode, (3) a second portion of the belt temperature warm-up mode, and (4) a tight belt temperature control mode. The preheat mode operates the fuser's heater at less than full power, and prevents the fuser belt from rotating. The first portion of the belt temperature warm-up mode operates the heater at full power, and the fuser belt begins rotating, but not at its full speed. The second portion of the belt temperature warm-up mode operates the heater at less than full power, and the fuser belt begins rotating at its full speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jichang Cao, James Douglas Gilmore, Hrishikesh Pramod Gogate, Wesley David McIntire, Calvin Dale Murphy, Thad Carlton Switzer
  • Patent number: 8111272
    Abstract: A method for compensating misalignment errors associated with a laser beam in an electrophotographic (EP) device is disclosed. A first value and a second value of a time-of-flight of the laser beam are determined. The second value of the time-of-flight is associated with a current value of SOS time and EOS time of the laser beam. The second value of the time-of-flight of the laser beam is compared with the first value of the time-of-flight. A duty cycle of a fuser of the EP device is monitored. An average value of the duty cycle of the fuser for a predetermined time period is determined. One or more alignment conditions of the laser beam are adjusted based on at least one of the comparisons of the second value and the first value of the time-of-flight of the laser beam, and the determined average value of the duty cycle of the fuser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Delbert Lester Elliott, John Lemaster, Mark Andrew Omelchenko, David Anthony Schneider, Thad Carlton Switzer
  • Publication number: 20110026550
    Abstract: A method for compensating misalignment errors associated with a laser beam in an electrophotographic (EP) device is disclosed. A first value and a second value of a time-of-flight of the laser beam are determined. The second value of the time-of-flight is associated with a current value of SOS time and EOS time of the laser beam. The second value of the time-of-flight of the laser beam is compared with the first value of the time-of-flight. A duty cycle of a fuser of the EP device is monitored. An average value of the duty cycle of the fuser for a predetermined time period is determined. One or more alignment conditions of the laser beam are adjusted based on at least one of the comparisons of the second value and the first value of the time-of-flight of the laser beam, and the determined average value of the duty cycle of the fuser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventors: Delbert Lester Elliott, John Lemaster, Mark Andrew Omelchenko, David Anthony Schneider, Thad Carlton Switzer
  • Publication number: 20090238597
    Abstract: A belt fuser assembly for a color EP printer that quickly warms up the fusing belt before allowing a first sheet of print media to run through the printing stations at the fuser assembly. The warm-up cycle includes: (1) a preheat mode, (2) a first portion of a belt temperature warm-up mode, (3) a second portion of the belt temperature warm-up mode, and (4) a tight belt temperature control mode. The preheat mode operates the fuser's heater at less than full power, and prevents the fuser belt from rotating. The first portion of the belt temperature warm-up mode operates the heater at full power, and the fuser belt begins rotating, but not at its full speed. The second portion of the belt temperature warm-up mode operates the heater at less than full power, and the fuser belt begins rotating at its full speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventors: Jichang Cao, James Douglas Gilmore, Hrishikesh Pramod Gogate, Wesley David McIntire, Calvin Dale Murphy, Thad Carlton Switzer