Patents Assigned to Lexmark International, Inc.
  • Patent number: 10452010
    Abstract: A fuser assembly includes a heated member and a backup member defining a fusing nip. Toner fuses to media in the nip at a fusing temperature and process speed during an imaging operation. Upon receipt of a command to commence imaging, a controller operates a heater to heat the fuser assembly to a first temperature less than the fusing temperature and operates a motor to rotate the fuser assembly at a speed lower than the process speed to prevent overheating the heated and backup members. Before a first media reaches the fusing nip, a speed of the motor is increased to the process speed to properly advance the media through the nip at the process speed. Upon the first media arriving at the fusing nip, the controller increases the temperature of the heater to a second temperature greater than the first temperature to prevent cold offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Jichang Cao, Douglas Campbell Hamilton, Benjamin Karnik Johnson
  • Patent number: 10451998
    Abstract: A toner level detection assembly for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a magnet connected to a rotatable shaft and rotatable with the shaft around an axis of rotation of the shaft. The magnet is pivotable independent of the shaft about a pivot axis that is spaced radially from the axis of rotation. A magnetic sensor is positioned to sense a magnetic field of the magnet at a point in a rotational path of the magnet and is configured to measure an orientation of the magnetic field of the magnet at the point in the rotational path of the magnet. Processing circuitry in communication with the magnetic sensor is configured to determine an estimate of an amount of toner in a toner reservoir correlating with the measured orientation of the magnetic field of the magnet at the point in the rotational path of the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Craig Leemhuis, Gary Allen Denton
  • Patent number: 10451997
    Abstract: A toner level detection assembly for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a magnet connected to a rotatable shaft and rotatable with the shaft around an axis of rotation of the shaft. The magnet is pivotable independent of the shaft about a pivot axis that is spaced radially from the axis of rotation. A magnetic sensor is positioned to sense a magnetic field of the magnet at a point in a rotational path of the magnet and is configured to measure an orientation of the magnetic field of the magnet at the point in the rotational path of the magnet. Processing circuitry in communication with the magnetic sensor is configured to determine an estimate of an amount of toner in a toner reservoir correlating with the measured orientation of the magnetic field of the magnet at the point in the rotational path of the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Craig Leemhuis, Gary Allen Denton
  • Patent number: 10444661
    Abstract: A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner and an outlet in fluid communication with the reservoir for exiting toner from the toner cartridge. A resiliently deflectable cam is positioned on an exterior portion of the housing to contact a media feed roll assembly when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device for biasing the media feed roll assembly into contact with a corresponding media feed roll in the image forming device to form a media feed nip in the image forming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Alan Cavill, Jason Paul Hale, James Richard Leemhuis, David Lee Merrifield, Matthew Lee Rogers, Daniel Lee Thomas, Randal Scott Williamson
  • Patent number: 10429790
    Abstract: A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example includes a housing having a toner reservoir. An electrical connector mounted on the housing is movable between a retracted position and an operative position. The electrical connector includes an electrical contact for contacting a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. The electrical contact is electrically connected to processing circuitry on the housing. In the retracted position, the electrical connector is tucked into a portion of the housing. In the operative position, the electrical connector is exposed to permit the electrical contact to contact the corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. A linkage is operatively connected to the electrical connector and includes an engagement surface accessible on an exterior of the housing to receive an actuation force. Movement of the linkage moves the electrical connector between the retracted position and the operative position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Brian Scott Carpenter, Kyle Bradley Martin, Randal Scott Williamson
  • Patent number: 10429765
    Abstract: A toner container according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A rotatable shaft is positioned within the reservoir and has an axis of rotation. A first magnet is rotatable with the shaft around the axis of rotation. An arm connected to the shaft leads the first magnet around the axis of rotation in an operative rotational direction of the shaft. A second magnet connected to the shaft trails the first magnet around the axis of rotation in the operative rotational direction. The arm is operatively connected to the second magnet such that an angular offset between the first magnet and the second magnet increases as an angular offset between the first magnet and the arm increases and the angular offset between the first magnet and the second magnet decreases as the angular offset between the first magnet and the arm decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Michael Craig Leemhuis
  • Patent number: 10429775
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a controller and fuser assembly. The fuser assembly has a heat transfer and backup member defining a nip and process direction of media travel. The heat transfer member includes a resistive trace with a length twice extending transverse to the process direction. The controller selectively applies AC power to the resistive trace. The controller calculates a power level from zero power to full power to heat the trace to a predetermined set-point temperature from a measured current temperature. The controller maps the calculated power level to one of only eight actual heating power levels that become applied or not to the resistive trace to achieve a desired power flicker and harmonics response otherwise unattainable by merely applying the calculated power level. The actual heating power levels include differing numbers of consecutive half-cycles of AC power and are applied at zero-crossings thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Jichang Cao, John Lemaster
  • Patent number: 10429769
    Abstract: An image transfer assembly includes a transfer belt formed as an endless loop around a backup roll and a tension roll. A tensioning arm is movably mounted on a side of a frame and operatively connects to an axial end of the tension roll such that the arm and axial end of the tension roll moves together relative to the frame. A translating member slidably mounted about the axial end of the tension roll is movable in an axial direction. A cam disposed below the translating member has an angled cam surface in contact with a portion of the translating member such that as the translating member moves in the axial direction, the translating member moves along the angled cam surface changing an elevation of the arm and axial end of the tension roll and changing an amount of skew of the tension roll relative to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Bartley Charles Gould, II, Kerry Leland Embry, James Philip Harden
  • Patent number: 10419641
    Abstract: A supply item has toner for use in an imaging device. A chip has memory storing quanta indicating allowed usage of the supply item over its lifetime and a multiplier correlating the quanta to toner mass. The imaging device requires quanta to conduct imaging operations and loads the quanta and multiplier by way of a certificate stored in the memory. The imaging device retrieves quanta from the chip over time and both devices keep tally. Initialization between the supply item and imaging device includes providing encrypted and unencrypted instances of firmware versions and certificates from the supply item that the imaging device can compare for security. Alternatively, the supply item defines a fuser assembly, imaging unit, intermediate transfer member, or other component installed for use in the imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Porter Bush, Nathan Wayne Foley, Timothy John Rademacher, Jennifer Topmiller Williams, Gregory Scott Woods, Christopher Alan Adkins
  • Patent number: 10416602
    Abstract: A method for detecting a non-authentic slave component in an electronic device which includes receiving a command from a master component in the device, identifying a response to the command based upon a frequency of a plurality of clock pulses used by the master component while sending the command, and sending the response to the master component for use as a basis in determining whether the slave component is one of an authentic slave component and a non-authentic slave component. The disclosed method may be performed by a replaceable slave component in an imaging device including a slave circuit communicating with a master circuit of the master component along a serial communications interface. The master circuit includes an instruction to change a clock frequency when sending a command to the slave circuit to trigger a unique response from slave circuits of authentic slave components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Zachary Nathan Fister, Timothy John Rademacher
  • Patent number: 10410779
    Abstract: A method of making a physical unclonable function (PUF) having magnetic and non-magnetic particles is disclosed. Measuring both magnetic field and image view makes the PUF difficult to counterfeit. PUF may be incorporated into a user-replaceable supply item for an imaging device. A PUF reader may be incorporated into an imaging device to read the PUF. Other methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: James Ronald Booth, Roger Steven Cannon, Gary Allen Denton, James Paul Drummond, Kelly Ann Killeen
  • Patent number: 10401225
    Abstract: A method of calibrating a document scanner contact image sensor scan bar having an LED array to increase LED sensor array output and/or reduce total color scan line cycle time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Mark Lane Mayberry, Karl Mark Thompson
  • Patent number: 10401785
    Abstract: A replaceable imaging unit according to one example embodiment includes a photoconductor unit positioned at the front of a housing of the imaging unit. First and second alignment guides extend outward at the same height from first and second sides of the housing, respectively, on the photoconductor unit and run parallel to each other along a front-to-rear dimension of the housing. Each of the first and second alignment guides includes a front contact member at a front end thereof and a rear contact member at a rear end thereof. The front contact members are positioned further outward sideways than the rear contact members. Bottom surfaces of the front and rear contact members are unobstructed to permit the bottom surfaces of the front and rear contact members to sit on top of corresponding guide rails in the image forming device to control a vertical position of the imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Scott Carpenter, Jason Paul Hale, James Richard Leemhuis, Matthew Lee Rogers, Daniel Joshua Smith, Edward Lynn Triplett
  • Patent number: 10402946
    Abstract: A system including a rotate block including an array of bit storage units for storing image data bits of a subtile of an image to be rotated, the image data bits of the subtile being arranged in a plurality of subtile rows. The rotate block is operative to load the image data bits of each subtile row of the subtile into the array according to a subtile row load direction that is selected from a plurality of load directions based at least upon a rotate operation to be performed on the image. After loading all the image data bits of the subtile into the array, the rotate block repeatedly unloads image data bits out of the array to produce a rotated subtile. The image data bits that are unloaded from the array from each unloading operation form a subtile row of the rotated subtile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Wilson Case, Brian Allen Craw
  • Patent number: 10386779
    Abstract: A waste toner system includes a rotatable photoconductive drum and a cleaner member. A first toner sump extends along a length of the photoconductive drum for receiving waste toner removed from the outer surface of the photoconductive drum by the cleaner member. A first rotatable auger extends along the first toner sump. A pass-through opening extends from the first toner sump to a second toner sump. A second rotatable auger extends along the second toner sump. The first auger is positioned to move waste toner in the first toner sump to the pass-through opening upon rotation of the first auger in an operative rotational direction of the first auger and the second auger is positioned to distribute waste toner received through the pass-through opening into the second toner sump upon rotation of the second auger in an operative rotational direction of the second auger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Lester Boettcher, Brian Scott Carpenter, Kerry Leland Embry
  • Patent number: 10375273
    Abstract: A supply item has toner for use in an imaging device. A chip has memory storing quanta indicating allowed usage of the supply item over its lifetime and a multiplier correlating the quanta to toner mass. The imaging device requires quanta to conduct imaging operations and loads the quanta and multiplier by way of a certificate stored in the memory. The imaging device retrieves quanta from the chip over time and both devices keep tally. Initialization between the supply item and imaging device includes providing encrypted and unencrypted instances of firmware versions and certificates from the supply item that the imaging device can compare for security. Alternatively, the supply item defines a fuser assembly, imaging unit, intermediate transfer member, or other component installed for use in the imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Porter Bush, Timothy John Rademacher, Christopher Alan Adkins
  • Patent number: 10365594
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a fuser assembly including a heater member. The heater member includes at least one heating element and at least one temperature sensor to sense a temperature of the heating element. A first power control unit is coupled to the at least one temperature sensor and operative to calculate at least one power level for the at least one heating element based upon at least one set-point temperature therefor and the temperature sensed by the at least one temperature sensor. A second power control unit is coupled to the first power control unit, receives the calculated at least one power level and selects, based upon the calculated power level, at least one actual power level from a stored plurality of predetermined power levels. The second power control unit controls a power for the at least one heating element based upon the selected at least one actual power level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Jichang Cao
  • Patent number: D861067
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Neilson Gutay Navarrete, Oliver Ocares Quismundo
  • Patent number: D861068
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Neilson Gutay Navarrete, Oliver Ocares Quismundo
  • Patent number: D861781
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Neilson Gutay Navarrete, Oliver Ocares Quismundo