Patents Assigned to Lexmark International, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11543472
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor array device is comprised of an array of magnetic sensors arranged on a common semiconductor substrate to measure the multi-axis magnetic field of an arbitrary sized region at high speed with high spatial resolution and high magnetic resolution. This invention further improves a multi-axis magnetic sensor array device fabricated on a common semiconductor substrate with additional optimizations to provide for variable spatial resolution, variable magnetic resolution, and a novel secret key derivation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: James Howard Ellis, Jr., Keith Bryan Hardin
  • Patent number: 11531477
    Abstract: An example method for restricting read access to content in the component circuitry and securing data in the supply item is disclosed. The method identifies the status of a read command, and depending upon whether the status disabled or enabled, either blocks the accessing of encrypted data stored in the supply chip, or allows the accessing of the encrypted data stored in the supply chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen Porter Bush, Jennifer Topmiller Williams
  • Patent number: 11522694
    Abstract: The present invention is a diverse acoustical object containing a range of particles that have acoustical wave impedances that are substantially different from the binder. The particles create a substantially different reflection as an acoustic wave is scattered by the particles. A negative reflection is created when the scattered wave is from a particle that has a wave impedance that is substantially less than the binder impedance. Practically, it may be necessary to encase this material in a thin material that will withstand the fabrication process (e.g., air or silicone elastomer could be encased in glass). If the wavelength is large compared to the encasing material thickness, then the reflection will be more dependent on the interior material. A mixture of materials that generate positive as well as negative reflections within the binder would add to the complexity of the PUF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Richard Castle, Alexander Lloyd Chapman, Keith Bryan Hardin
  • Patent number: 11520282
    Abstract: A toner cartridge according to one embodiment includes a body having a reservoir for storing toner and a rotatable developer roll mounted on the body and in fluid communication with the reservoir. A portion of an outer surface of the developer roll is exposed along a front of the body for supplying toner from the reservoir to a corresponding photoconductive drum on an imaging unit when the toner cartridge is installed on the imaging unit in an operative position of the toner cartridge relative to the imaging unit. A first engagement member positioned on a rear of the body is configured to engage a corresponding second engagement member on the imaging unit when the toner cartridge is installed on the imaging unit to retain the toner cartridge in a storage position of the toner cartridge relative to the imaging unit with the developer roll spaced away from the photoconductive drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Alan Cavill, Randal Scott Williamson
  • Patent number: 11507013
    Abstract: A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner. A first latch-receiving shelf is positioned on a first longitudinal end of the housing and a second latch-receiving shelf is positioned on a second longitudinal end of the housing. Contact surfaces on top portions of the first and second latch-receiving shelves are positioned to contact corresponding first and second latches in an image forming device. The contact surface of the first latch-receiving shelf is positioned lower than a first rotational axis of a first drive coupler of the toner cartridge and higher than a second drive coupler of the toner cartridge. The contact surface of the second latch-receiving shelf is positioned lower than at least a portion of a first electrical contact of the toner cartridge and higher than at least a portion of a second electrical contact of the toner cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark William Amann, Brian Lester Boettcher, James Anthany Carter, II
  • Patent number: 11507011
    Abstract: A partial reverse clutch assembly comprises a frame, a coupling member, a corrugated swing body, and a cam body. The frame mounts an input gear and an output gear, and, a coupling member that is disposed between input and output gears couple the input gear to the output gear to transmit a motorized rotational drive in a first direction. The swing body is coupled between the input gear and the coupling member and comprises a projecting swing arm. The cam body abuts and defines a sliding contact between the swing body and the coupling member, where a reversal of the motorized rotational drive oppositely rotates the output gear in engagement with the swing arm in a second direction. The cam body is displaced upon contact with the swing body during the rotation in the second direction to decouple the coupling member between the input gear and the output gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Genri Solano Belarmino, Darren Adam Keese, Daniel Lee Thomas
  • Patent number: 11500325
    Abstract: A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner. An electrical connector is positioned on a first side of the housing. The electrical connector includes an electrical contact for contacting a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. The electrical contact of the replaceable unit is electrically connected to processing circuitry mounted on the housing. The electrical connector is movable between a first position and a second position. The electrical contact of the replaceable unit moves outward from the first side of the housing along a side-to-side dimension of the housing when the electrical connector moves from the first position to the second position. The electrical contact of the replaceable unit faces downward when the electrical connector is in the second position permitting the corresponding electrical contact to contact the electrical contact of the replaceable unit from below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: James Richard Leemhuis, Kyle Bradley Martin
  • Patent number: 11493876
    Abstract: An assembly for an image forming device includes an electrical connector movable relative to a frame of the image forming device between a retracted position and an extended position. In the retracted position the electrical connector is disengaged from a first corresponding electrical connector of a first replaceable unit and a second corresponding electrical connector of a second replaceable unit when the first and second replaceable units are installed in the image forming device. In the extended position the electrical connector is engaged with the first corresponding electrical connector of the first replaceable unit and the second corresponding electrical connector of the second replaceable unit when the first and second replaceable units are installed in the image forming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Virgil Johnson, Jr., Darren Adam Keese, James Richard Leemhuis
  • Patent number: 11474476
    Abstract: An assembly for an image forming device includes an access door movable between an open position permitting replacement of a replaceable unit and a closed position. An electrical connector in the image forming device is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. In the retracted position the electrical connector is disengaged from a corresponding electrical connector of the replaceable unit when the replaceable unit is installed in the image forming device. In the extended position the electrical connector is engaged with the corresponding electrical connector of the replaceable unit. The electrical connector is operatively connected to the access door such that movement of the access door from the closed to the open position moves the electrical connector from the extended to the retracted position and movement of the access door from the open to the closed position moves the electrical connector from the retracted to the extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Virgil Johnson, Jr., Darren Adam Keese, James Richard Leemhuis
  • Patent number: 11460800
    Abstract: An imaging device has a fuser assembly and a removably insertable cartridge with an activation device. The fuser assembly has a fusing nip that heats during use. A shutter moves between a fully opened and fully closed position to allow or block access to the fusing nip. A frame has an opening to allow passage of the activation device of the cartridge. During use, the shutter blocks access to the fusing nip until the activation device of the cartridge passes through the opening of the frame and contacts a corresponding activation surface, whereby the shutter begins opening and travels through a range of movement until reaching the fully opened position when the cartridge is fully inserted into the imaging device. Removal of the cartridge reverses the action of the shutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Virgil Johnson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11455134
    Abstract: A toner container installable in an image forming device having a controller according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A chip is positioned on the housing and configured to, after sending a first busy response to the controller of the image forming device, receive a second write command from the controller of the image forming device that is abbreviated relative to a first write command received from the controller of the image forming device and that requests the chip to send a response to the first write command. The chip is further configured to send a response to the first write command to the controller of the image forming device if upon receiving a read command corresponding to the second write command the chip has completed processing the first write command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Wayne Foley, Jennifer Topmiller Williams, Gregory Scott Woods
  • Patent number: 11442122
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor array device is described that is constructed with multiple single sensor die, diced out of a wafer individually and packaged in a multi-chip module (MCM). The device comprises an array of multi-axis magnetic sensors that can measure the multi-dimensional magnetic field of an arbitrary sized two-dimensional region with high spatial resolution, reduced sensing distance, higher measurement throughput, tolerance to motion, improved temperature measurement, and improved yield when placed on a circuit card comprises part of an authentication system including a physical unclonable function (“PUF”), a substrate, a plurality of magnetized particles randomly dispersed in the substrate, and a PUF reader constructed using one or more of the magnetic sensor array devices wherein the PUF reader measures the magnetic field at multiple locations in close proximity to the magnetized particles. The measured magnetic field data may be compared to previously enrolled data to assess authenticity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: James Howard Ellis, Jr., Keith Bryan Hardin
  • Patent number: 11416193
    Abstract: A physical unclonable function (“PUF”) object can be used to encode the geography or region in which device to which the PUF is attached may operate. Disclosed are two potential ways to regionalize a device using a PUF disk: placing the magnetic sensor at a different radius depending on the region or geography intended for sale; and altering the magnetic structure of the disk to magnetically encode the region into the sensor data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Richard Castle, Gary Allen Denton, Robert Henry Muyskens, Samuel Leo Rhodus, Brant Dennis Nystrom, Carl Edmond Sullivan
  • Patent number: 11415930
    Abstract: An assembly for an image forming device includes an electrical connector that is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. In the retracted position an electrical contact of the electrical connector is disengaged from a corresponding electrical contact of a replaceable unit when the replaceable unit is installed in the image forming device. In the extended position the electrical contact of the electrical connector is engaged with the corresponding electrical contact of the replaceable unit. A camming member is operative to move the electrical connector between the extended position and the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Virgil Johnson, Jr., Darren Adam Keese, James Richard Leemhuis
  • Patent number: 11402766
    Abstract: A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a reservoir for holding toner. An outlet is positioned on a front of the toner cartridge for exiting toner from the toner cartridge. First, second and third electrical contacts are positioned on a first side of the toner cartridge for contacting corresponding first, second and third electrical contacts in an image forming device. Each of the first, second and third electrical contacts of the toner cartridge is electrically connected to a respective imaging component positioned on the toner cartridge. The first, second and third electrical contacts of the toner cartridge are positioned such that an imaginary line that angles downward in a direction from a rear of the toner cartridge toward the front of the toner cartridge passes through the first, second and third electrical contacts of the toner cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Scott Carpenter, Gregory Alan Cavill, Jeffrey Lawrence Tonges
  • Patent number: 11402770
    Abstract: A toner sealing system is described including a seal having first and second alignment features. The seal is selectably installable on one of a first toner container of a first type and a second toner container of a second type. The first alignment feature is matable with a first corresponding alignment feature on the first toner container when the seal is installed on the first toner container for aligning the seal to the first toner container. The second alignment feature is matable with a second corresponding alignment feature on the second toner container when the seal is installed on the second toner container for aligning the seal to the second toner container. Embodiments include those wherein the first alignment feature does not align the seal to the second toner container, and the second alignment feature does not align the seal to the first toner container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Lester Boettcher, David Lee Merrifield
  • Patent number: 11391912
    Abstract: A mounting assembly for mounting a mirror to a frame in a laser scanning unit of an electrophotographic image forming device includes a bracket attached between the frame and the mirror. The bracket includes a body having a first surface and a second surface transverse to the first surface. A first set of protrusions extends from the first surface for defining a first gap between the frame and the bracket that limits adhesive thickness therebetween when the first surface of the bracket is adhesively attached to the frame. A second set of protrusions extends form the second surface for defining a second gap between the mirror and the bracket that limits adhesive thickness therebetween when the second surface of the bracket is adhesively attached to the mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Jason Lee Rowe
  • Patent number: 11390005
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a Z-directed component for insertion into a mounting hole in a printed circuit board according to one example embodiment includes simultaneously extruding a plurality of materials according to the structure of the Z-directed component to form an extruded object and forming the Z-directed component from the extruded object. In one embodiment, the extruded object is divided into individual Z-directed components. In one embodiment, the timing of extrusion between predetermined sections of one of the materials is varied in order to stagger the sections in the extruded object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Bryan Hardin, Zachary Charles Nathan Kratzer, Qing Zhang
  • Patent number: D972600
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Jacqueline Karrick Beck, Hayley Bryn Grant, Jessica Raye Troop
  • Patent number: D974656
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Thomas Eugene Pangburn