Patents by Inventor Alan E. Bickerstaff

Alan E. Bickerstaff 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: 4905049
    Abstract: An apparatus for applying release oil to a fuser roller pair in a xerographic copier comprises an elongated trough containing a supply of oil in the base thereof, and wick for drawing up the oil from the trough and applying it to a metering roller. The metering roller applies the oil to a donor roller which, in turn, transfers the oil to the heated roller of the fuser roller pair. An upper guide device is provided on the exit side of the fuser by ribs formed integrally on the underside of the trough. The trough and guide ribs may thus have a compact configuration that is suited to inexpensive manufacture, e.g. by molding, as a one piece item. A lower guide member is fixed to the fuser assembly. Also, stripper fingers are mounted integrally on the trough adjacent the upper guides, the fingers being provided with slots through which the ribs extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Alan E. Bickerstaff, Barry J. Collier, Joseph F. Hale, Peter M. Hitchmough, Ian Pitts, Ghulam Rasul
  • Patent number: 4870446
    Abstract: A liquid dispensing apparatus especially suitable for use in dispensing release oil in the fusing apparatus of a xerographic copier comprises a storage reservoir (101), a dispensing container (41) and an overflow tank (52). The storage reservoir (101) is arranged to deliver liquid to the dispensing container (41) on the application of heat, generated for example by operation of a fusing apparatus, to the storage reservoir. The dispensing container (41) includes an outlet through which liquid overflows into the overflow tank (52) when the liquid in the dispensing container reaches a predetermined level (53). Cooling of the liquid in the storage reservoir causes liquid to be drawn from the overflow tank back into the storage reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Alan E. Bickerstaff, Barry J. Collier, Joseph F. Hale, Peter M. Hitchmough, Ian Pitts, Ghulam Rasul, Barry Saggers, Kevin J. Smyth, Duncan Stevenson, Mark A. Stewart
  • Patent number: 4536076
    Abstract: Apparatus for supplying a liquid to a heated surface includes a distribution gallery arranged to supply the liquid to the surface. The liquid is supplied from the gallery through a series of spaced orifices each of which opens into an individual drop-forming chamber above the surface, the dimensions of each orifice and drop-forming chamber being such that some liquid always remains in each of said orifices over the range of temperatures from ambient to that of the heated surface. A pump delivers the liquid to the distribution gallery, which is situated above, and spaced from, a wick in contact with the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1985
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Alan E. Bickerstaff, Austin H. Cotton, Michael G. Ladell, David M. Neale