Patents by Inventor Brian Lester

Brian Lester 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: 12276934
    Abstract: A toner container according to one example embodiment includes a latch catch projecting upward on a top of a body of the toner container. The latch catch is spaced from a second longitudinal end of the body and positioned closer to the second longitudinal end of the body than to a first longitudinal end of the body. The latch catch includes a first contact surface that faces toward the second longitudinal end of the body for contacting a first corresponding surface of a latch in an image forming device to restrain the toner container along a longitudinal dimension of the toner container in a direction from the first longitudinal end of the body toward the second longitudinal end of the body when the toner container is in an installed position in the image forming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Emily Stefano Adams, Brian Lester Boettcher, Brian Lee Hawes, Edward Lynn Triplett
  • Patent number: 12271121
    Abstract: A toner container according to one example embodiment includes a drive coupler and an electrical contact positioned on a first longitudinal end thereof. A first guide post and a second guide post project outward along a longitudinal dimension of the toner container from the first longitudinal end of the body. The first guide post is spaced toward a first side of the body from the drive coupler, and the second guide post is spaced toward a second side of the body from the drive coupler. The first guide post and the second guide post overlap with the drive coupler along a vertical dimension of the toner container such that an imaginary horizontal plane intersects the first and second guide posts and the drive coupler. Bottom surfaces of the first and second guide posts may be positioned lower in the vertical dimension than a rotational axis of the drive coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Emily Stefano Adams, Brian Lester Boettcher, Brian Lee Hawes, Brittany Nicole Sexton, Glen Alan Reidhaar, Edward Lynn Triplett
  • Patent number: 12265353
    Abstract: A toner container according to one example embodiment includes an alignment guide for contacting an electrical connector of an image forming device during insertion of the toner container into the image forming device to move the electrical connector of the image forming device relative to the toner container during insertion of the toner container into the image forming device with the first end of the body leading in order to align the electrical connector of the image forming device with an electrical contact of the toner container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Emily Stefano Adams, Brian Lester Boettcher, Brian Lee Hawes, Edward Lynn Triplett
  • Publication number: 20250068096
    Abstract: A toner container according to one example embodiment includes a plurality of electrical contacts for contacting corresponding electrical contacts in an image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device. The electrical contacts of the toner container are accessible from below at the bottom of the body by the corresponding electrical contacts in the image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device. The electrical contacts of the toner container are spaced from each other along a horizontal dimension that is orthogonal to a vertical dimension of the toner container. A nominal position of the horizontal dimension along which the electrical contacts are spaced from each other is angled relative to a front-to-rear dimension of the toner container and a side-to-side dimension of the toner container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2024
    Publication date: February 27, 2025
    Inventors: EMILY STEFANO ADAMS, BRIAN LESTER BOETTCHER, DAVID LEE MERRIFIELD
  • Publication number: 20250044722
    Abstract: A toner container for use in an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a body having a reservoir for holding toner, a toner port on the body in fluid communication with the reservoir, and a shutter translatable along a first dimension between a closed position blocking the toner port and an open position unblocking the toner port. A lock is translatable along a second dimension orthogonal to the first dimension between a locked position blocking the shutter from moving from the closed position to the open position and an unlocked position unblocking the shutter permitting the shutter to move from the closed position to the open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2024
    Publication date: February 6, 2025
    Inventors: EMILY STEFANO ADAMS, BRIAN LESTER BOETTCHER, BRIAN LEE HAWES, BRITTANY NICOLE SEXTON, GLEN ALAN REIDHAAR, EDWARD LYNN TRIPLETT
  • Publication number: 20250028264
    Abstract: A toner container for use with a developer unit of an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a body having a front that leads during insertion of the toner container into the image forming device and a rear that trails during insertion of the toner container into the image forming device. An outlet port is positioned on a bottom of the body and adjacent to the front of the body for exiting toner from the toner container. An engagement surface is positioned at the bottom of the body and adjacent to the front of the body for contacting and pushing open a developer shutter of an inlet port of the developer unit in a direction of insertion of the toner container into the image forming device during insertion of the toner container into the image forming device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2024
    Publication date: January 23, 2025
    Inventors: EMILY STEFANO ADAMS, BRIAN LESTER BOETTCHER, BRIAN LEE HAWES, GLEN ALAN REIDHAAR, BRITTANY NICOLE SEXTON, EDWARD LYNN TRIPLETT
  • Publication number: 20250005415
    Abstract: In an aspect, the present disclosure provides methods and systems for forming optical traps. The optical traps may be three-dimensional optical traps. The methods and systems may comprise use of cavity based optical traps. A device for forming an optical trap may comprise a first optical cavity, said first optical cavity configured to form a first standing wave pattern, wherein said first standing wave pattern is one or two dimensional; a second optical cavity, said second optical cavity configured to form a second standing wave pattern; and a chamber configured to hold one or more atoms disposed within a three-dimensional trapping potential formed by at least said first standing wave pattern and said second standing wave pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2023
    Publication date: January 2, 2025
    Inventors: Albert RYOU, Mark STONE, Matthew NORCIA, Mickey MCDONALD, Brian LESTER, Benjamin BLOOM
  • Patent number: 12169381
    Abstract: A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner. A first electrical contact and a second electrical contact are positioned on a first longitudinal end of the housing. The first electrical contact is electrically connected to processing circuitry positioned on the housing. The second electrical contact is electrically connected to an imaging component positioned on the housing. The first electrical contact is positioned higher than the second electrical contact. A first drive coupler and a second drive coupler are positioned on a second longitudinal end of the housing. The first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are positioned higher than a first rotational axis of the first drive coupler. The first electrical contact is positioned higher than a second rotational axis of the second drive coupler and the second electrical contact is positioned lower than the second rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark William Amann, Brian Lester Boettcher, James Anthany Carter, II, Benjamin Charles Devore, Darin Michael Gettelfinger
  • Patent number: 12164244
    Abstract: A toner container according to one example embodiment includes a plurality of electrical contacts for contacting corresponding electrical contacts in an image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device. The electrical contacts of the toner container are accessible from below at the bottom of the body by the corresponding electrical contacts in the image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device. The electrical contacts of the toner container are spaced from each other along a horizontal dimension that is orthogonal to a vertical dimension of the toner container. A nominal position of the horizontal dimension along which the electrical contacts are spaced from each other is angled relative to a front-to-rear dimension of the toner container and a side-to-side dimension of the toner container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Emily Stefano Adams, Brian Lester Boettcher, David Lee Merrifield
  • Publication number: 20240402645
    Abstract: A toner container for use in an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a body having a reservoir for holding toner. The toner container includes an electrical connector having an electrical contact for contacting a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device. The electrical connector is positioned in one of a plurality of predetermined positions relative to the body corresponding to at least one of a toner color and a toner type of the toner container for limiting installation of the toner container to one of a plurality of toner container receptacles in the image forming device corresponding to at least one of the toner color and the toner type of the toner container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2024
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Inventors: EMILY STEFANO ADAMS, BRIAN LESTER BOETTCHER, DAVID LEE MERRIFIELD
  • Patent number: 12140883
    Abstract: A toner container for use with a developer unit of an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a body having a front that leads during insertion of the toner container into the image forming device and a rear that trails during insertion of the toner container into the image forming device. An outlet port is positioned on a bottom of the body and adjacent to the front of the body for exiting toner from the toner container. An engagement surface is positioned at the bottom of the body and adjacent to the front of the body for contacting and pushing open a developer shutter of an inlet port of the developer unit in a direction of insertion of the toner container into the image forming device during insertion of the toner container into the image forming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Emily Stefano Adams, Brian Lester Boettcher, Brian Lee Hawes, Brittany Nicole Sexton, Edward Lynn Triplett, Glen Alan Reidhaar
  • Publication number: 20240353774
    Abstract: A toner container according to one example embodiment includes a pivotable handle. The handle includes a front segment extending along a front of a body of the toner container when the handle is in a first position for contacting a corresponding pry surface in an image forming device when the handle moves from the first position to a second position. The handle includes a rear segment extending along a rear of the body when the handle is in the first position permitting a user to actuate the rear segment to move the handle from the first position to the second position. The handle includes a first side segment extending along the first side of the body and a second side segment extending along the second side of the body. The first and second side segments connect the front segment and the rear segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2024
    Publication date: October 24, 2024
    Inventors: EMILY STEFANO ADAMS, BRIAN LESTER BOETTCHER, PATRICK LAWRENCE RANSOM
  • Publication number: 20240355496
    Abstract: In an aspect, the present disclosure provides a method comprising providing a first optical trap and a second optical trap, trapping an atom in the first optical trap, identifying a presence of the atom in the first optical trap, and transferring the atom from the first optical trap to the second optical trap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2023
    Publication date: October 24, 2024
    Inventors: Mickey MCDONALD, Benjamin BLOOM, Brian LESTER, Krish KOTRU, Jonathan KING, Albert RYOU
  • Patent number: 12112238
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for performing non-classical computations. The methods and systems generally use a plurality of spatially distinct optical trapping sites to trap a plurality of atoms, one or more electromagnetic delivery units to apply electromagnetic energy to one or more atoms of the plurality to induce the atoms to adopt one or more superposition states of a first atomic state and a second atomic state, one or more entanglement units to quantum mechanically entangle at least a subset of the one or more atoms in the one or more superposition states with at least another atom of the plurality, and one or more readout optical units to perform measurements of the superposition states to obtain the non-classical computation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: ATOM COMPUTING INC.
    Inventors: Jonathan King, Benjamin Bloom, Krish Kotru, Brian Lester, Maxwell Parsons
  • Patent number: 12106183
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for performing non-classical computations. The methods and systems generally use a plurality of spatially distinct optical trapping sites to trap a plurality of atoms, one or more electromagnetic delivery units to apply electromagnetic energy to one or more atoms of the plurality to induce the atoms to adopt one or more superposition states of a first atomic state and a second atomic state, one or more entanglement units to quantum mechanically entangle at least a subset of the one or more atoms in the one or more superposition states with at least another atom of the plurality, and one or more readout optical units to perform measurements of the superposition states to obtain the non-classical computation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Inventors: Jonathan King, Benjamin Bloom, Brian Lester
  • Publication number: 20240310778
    Abstract: A toner container according to one example embodiment includes a latch catch projecting upward on a top of a body of the toner container. The latch catch is spaced from a second longitudinal end of the body and positioned closer to the second longitudinal end of the body than to a first longitudinal end of the body. The latch catch includes a first contact surface that faces toward the second longitudinal end of the body for contacting a first corresponding surface of a latch in an image forming device to restrain the toner container along a longitudinal dimension of the toner container in a direction from the first longitudinal end of the body toward the second longitudinal end of the body when the toner container is in an installed position in the image forming device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2024
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Inventors: EMILY STEFANO ADAMS, BRIAN LESTER BOETTCHER, BRIAN LEE HAWES, EDWARD LYNN TRIPLETT
  • Patent number: 12092990
    Abstract: A toner container for use in an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a body having a reservoir for holding toner. The toner container includes an electrical connector having an electrical contact for contacting a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device. The electrical connector is positioned in one of a plurality of predetermined positions relative to the body corresponding to at least one of a toner color and a toner type of the toner container for limiting installation of the toner container to one of a plurality of toner container receptacles in the image forming device corresponding to at least one of the toner color and the toner type of the toner container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Emily Stefano Adams, Brian Lester Boettcher, David Lee Merrifield
  • Patent number: D1053247
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Emily Stefano Adams, Brian Lester Boettcher, Tristan Santos Dalay, Patrick Lawrence Ransom
  • Patent number: D1060488
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Emily Stefano Adams, Brian Lester Boettcher, Tristan Santos Dalay, Patrick Lawrence Ransom
  • Patent number: D1060489
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Emily Stefano Adams, Brian Lester Boettcher, Tristan Santos Dalay, Patrick Lawrence Ransom