Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm William A. Henry, II
  • Patent number: 5981120
    Abstract: A migration imaging member includes a support substrate, a relatively thick dielectric spacer layer situated on the support substrate, and a softenable layer situated on the dielectric spacer layer, with the softenable layer including a softenable material, and a migration marking material situated at or near the surface of the softenable layer farthest spaced from the support substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Robert W. Gundlach
  • Patent number: 5971641
    Abstract: A liquid ink printing machine, for forming an image on a recording medium moving along a path, including an arrangement for reducing media feedhead loads on media being fed in the printing machine. This is accomplished by using the printing machine's printhead carriage to contact a lever which will lower a paper tray holding the media once media being fed has reached an advance nip past the feedhead, thus reducing drag on the media being fed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: John H. Looney
  • Patent number: 5971523
    Abstract: A color liquid ink printing system, including multiple processors, depositing color liquid ink to form a color image on a recording medium in response to color image data. The printing system includes a processor, receiving the color image data, and outputting a plurality of color image signals, each of the plurality of color image signals representing color information of one of a plurality of color planes. A plurality of graphics processors, coupled to the processor, receive the plurality of color image signals and output a plurality of bitmap image signals in response thereto. A color liquid ink printhead, coupled to the plurality of graphics processors, receive the plurality of bitmap image signals and deposit liquid ink on the recording medium in response thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: John E. Werner
  • Patent number: 5970300
    Abstract: A printing apparatus that prints images onto sheets includes a conditioner that scents selected images of a job. For example, the job can be a magazine that advertises a particular fragrance or fragrances. A fragrance or scent is placed in a reservoir which is transferred via a hydrophilic donor-like roll and deposited onto a sheet by way of a nip that is engaged only when scenting is required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Acquaviva
  • Patent number: 5969392
    Abstract: A high voltage MOS transistor, for use in a thermal ink jet printhead, is fabricated with a single, uniformly thick layer of polysilicon that serves as a field plate over the drift region and a gate over the channel region. The fabrication of the drift region and associated drift oxide is performed in a sequence independent of the device channel stop and field oxide fabrication, allowing the drift region to be optimized by varying the thickness of the drift oxide. Using a field plate to increase the breakdown voltage of the device by reducing the concentration of the electric field, the device transconductance is increased by increasing the doping of the drift region without an attendant decrease in breakdown voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: William G. Hawkins, Cathie J. Burke
  • Patent number: 5930578
    Abstract: A paper conditioner to control image dependent curl in a copier/printer includes a nip formed between metering and transfer rolls with grooves positioned on end portions of both of the metering and transfer rolls. Portions of both the metering and transfer rolls are located over a sump connected to a reservoir that supplies liquid to the nip for transfer to the transfer roll. The grooves act as gutters and allow excess liquid to flow into a sump, and subsequently, back into the reservoir. Flaps are positioning in the grooves in order to aid in the flow of fluid back into the sump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Shyshung S. Hwang
  • Patent number: 5929886
    Abstract: Ferroelectric polymer films are applied in a charge transfer imaging process to generate latent electrostatic images on a dielectric receiver media. The dielectric receiver media may be the final imaging substrate which is then xerographically toned and fixed, e.g., Versatec dielectric paper, or an intermediate surface from which a toned image is transferred to plain paper. Charges may be generated applying either the piezoelectric or the pyroelectric effect exhibited by ferroelectric films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Snelling, Dale R. Mashtare
  • Patent number: 5921540
    Abstract: A vacuum corrugation feeder employs a vacuum feedhead working in conjunction with an air knife to feed sheets from the top or bottom of a stack. A retractable corrugator is included in the vacuum feedhead which prevents smearing of coated sheets due to relative motion between sheet surfaces and the corrugator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Acquaviva, William Brant
  • Patent number: 5920751
    Abstract: A device and method for controlling sheet moisture and cooling rate for reducing curl in sheets includes the steps of providing a fuser with the fuser being heated at a predetermined temperature; providing a moisturizer; positioning the moisturizer a predetermined distance downstream of the fuser as indicated in accordance with the predetermined temperature of the fuser; and controlling ambient relative humidity around the moisturizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Tsu-sen Chow, Shyshung S. Hwang
  • Patent number: 5915149
    Abstract: A ball-on-belt transport includes a belt with a steel ball positioned on top of the belt and a magnet on the back side of the belt with the ball forming a nip with the belt to provide necessary normal force against a conveyed sheet and thereby allowing easy lateral pulling of sheets in clearing jams from the nip. Alternatively, a steel ball is retained while in contact with a belt to apply a normal force to a sheet on the belt equal to the weight of the steel ball. The ball is encased in a housing that is surrounded by a solenoid coil such that when current is applied to the coil, it acts as a solenoid and raises the ball off the belt surface and thus releases the nip pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David G. Anderson, John H. Looney, Thomas Acquaviva, Randolph Cruz
  • Patent number: 5899449
    Abstract: A top vacuum corrugation feeder includes articulating suction fingers to assist in raising the top sheet of a stack of sheets to the feedhead of the vacuum corrugation feeder. The suction fingers are rotated down from their interleaved position between feed belts to contact the top sheet in the sheet stack and raises the top sheet to the feed belts. As a result, the feeder can handle heavy sheets, curled sheets, and sheets which are edge welded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Acquaviva, William Brant
  • Patent number: 5895154
    Abstract: A paper conditioner re-moisturizes paper immediately following fusing to restore paper moisture equilibrium and reduce curl. The paper conditioner uses moisturizing rollers with a textured elastomeric surface that prevents bead buildup of water at a nip formed between the moisturizing rollers and allows the rollers to conform to the surface texture of a sheet of paper passing therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Acquaviva, Rabin Moser
  • Patent number: 5890650
    Abstract: A packaging system (10) in which a lid portion (30) is secured to a base portion (20) by means of adhesive along two opposite sidewalls (24, 25). The system (10) includes a tear strip opening device (40) which provides access to the contents thereof. Structure (60, 66) is provided in each of the opposite sidewalls (24, 25) above the position of the opening device (40) which allows the lid portion (30) to be pressed onto the base portion (20) without detaching the lid portion (30) and base portion (20), the structure (66) in sidewall (25) also forms a hinge about which the lid portion (30) can be rotated once the opening device (40) has been operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher J. Penson
  • Patent number: 5890714
    Abstract: A baffleless, easily accessible, copy sheet transport apparatus without sheet baffles that enables viewing and accessing jammed sheets without opening any baffles. The transport includes a pulley driven narrow timing belt with biased idler rolls providing normal force on belt driven copy sheets. Unobstructive copy sheet side guides are included to enhance viewing and removal of copy sheets from the copy sheet transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel W. Brooks, Richard E. Smith
  • Patent number: 5863038
    Abstract: An adjustable, pivoting paper tray that enhances the feeding of a full ream of shorter than standard size paper by a feed roll from the paper tray without encountering stack normal force relief impediments includes a half ream sized adjustable backstop. The backstop has floating or articulating fingers resting on the ream of paper in the paper tray that slide downward as each sheet is feed from the paper tray. This movement of fingers allows every sheet to be fed from the sheet stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: John D. Zoltner
  • Patent number: 5850589
    Abstract: A device for adding controlled amounts of moisture to one or both sides of a copy sheet. The device includes a pair of water jets, a reservoir for storing a quantity of liquid and connected to the water jet, a pair of generally cylindrical, pressure rolls, each having an outer cylindrical surface with the rolls being aligned with respect to one another along their axes so as to define a nip between the outer cylindrical surfaces, and a controller for controlling application of water from the water jets to selected portions of each sheet passing thereunder before each sheet enters the nip formed between the outer cylindrical surfaces. Alternatively, the water jets could apply the liquid to the cylindrical surfaces of the pressure rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Randolph Cruz, Thomas Acquaviva
  • Patent number: 5842105
    Abstract: A system which controls image dependent curl by moisturizing a sheet immediately after fusing, determines critical machine and environmental characteristics through a series of on-line sensors. An operator selectable table is used to indicate the type of sheet loaded in each sheet holding tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Acquaviva
  • Patent number: 5841457
    Abstract: An ionographic printer directs a sheet of ions from a source to a charge receptor to create an electrostatic latent image thereon. An ion sheet splitting rod is positioned between the ion source and the charge receptor that splits the ion sheet into two separate streams of ions and insulating wedges serve to focus the separate ion streams into two rows of apertures in an ion control device. The ion streams pass through relatively large apertures having associated therewith a pinch electrode for narrowing the ion streams to a preselected width, and displacing electrodes for positioning the narrowed ion streams within the apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Richard F. Bergen
  • Patent number: 5832359
    Abstract: A device and method for measuring the thickness of liquid on an adjustable metering roll. The device comprising a transfer roll that mates with a back-up roll to form a nip through which a sheet passes for wetting a side of the sheet. An adjustable metering roll mates with the transfer roll and has a portion thereof positioned in a liquid filled sump for liquid to be added to an outside surface thereof. An optical sensor is positioned to detect the type of reflected light from the liquid on the outside surface of the metering roll and give off a Go/No Go signal when indicating contact between the metering roll and the transfer roll. The correct liquid thickness is obtained on the surface of the metering roll by further adjsutment of the metering roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Acquaviva
  • Patent number: 5828385
    Abstract: A tape containing a supporting substrate and a magnetic layer coated thereover. This tape can be selected for thermal fusing processes where the coating, after heating of the tape which is in contact with a nonmagnetic image, transfers into the image and renders it magnetic. The corrected image can then be selected for MICR processes and devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne R. Smith, William A. Sullivan