Patents by Inventor Christopher Patrick Murphy

Christopher Patrick Murphy 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).

  • Apparatus for increasing waste ink accumulation capacity in an ink jet
    Patent number: 6536867
    Abstract: A maintenance unit for use in an ink jet printer includes a maintenance frame coupled to a printer frame, a maintenance sled moveably coupled to the maintenance frame and a spreader mechanism coupled to the maintenance sled, wherein the spreader mechanism disperses waste ink over a waste ink accumulation region as the maintenance sled moves relative to the maintenance frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Edmund Hulin James, III, Christopher Patrick Murphy, Terry Lee King, Nolan Francis Luckett
  • Integrated long sheet feeder
    Patent number: 6082730
    Abstract: Printer (1) has a large paper support tray (7) on one side, which is rotated outward to feed continuous forms (9). The length of tray 7 is extended by moving outward extension 7a. Tray 7 is folded into printer 1 when not in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Clark Campbell, Christopher Patrick Murphy, Thomas Eugene Pangburn, Michael Shayne Wilson
  • Sheet aligning apparatus
    Patent number: 5971390
    Abstract: Each sheet of a stack of media is aligned with a fixed alignment surface prior to being fed towards a process station of a printer by a single pick roll. During the first portion of its cycle of operation, the sheet advancing force of the pick roll, which is offset from the axis or centerline of the sheet, exerts a torque on at least the uppermost sheet of the stack to have one of its sides engage the alignment surface if it is skewed. When the one side of the sheet is not engaging the alignment surface when the pick roll is initially energized, the uppermost sheet's leading edge engages a resilient projection of an insert of a rib, which is offset from the axis of the sheet but farther from the alignment surface than the pick roll. The skewed sheet pivots about the projection, which is formed of a high coefficient of friction material, extending beyond the surface of the rib. During the remainder of its energization, the pick roll advances the sheet towards the process station of the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Keith Caspar, Edmund Hulin James, III, Kurt Matthew Korfhage, Christopher Patrick Murphy, Jerry Wesley Raider
  • Specialty media feed guide and sheet feeding apparatus using same
    Patent number: 5938190
    Abstract: Disclosed is a replaceable media guide for use with a sheet feeding mechanism. The media guide includes a support plate, an edge guide projecting substantially at right angles from the support plate, and a first sheet engaging friction pad engaged with the support plate. The guide is designed so that the first friction pad faces a friction roller of a sheet feeding mechanism when the guide is mounted on the sheet feeding mechanism. A sheet feeding apparatus is also provided in which the media guide is inserted into the sheet feeding mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Clark Campbell, Edmund Hulin James, III, Christopher Patrick Murphy, David Kyle Murray