Patents by Inventor Douglas A. McKeown

Douglas A. McKeown 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: 7567770
    Abstract: An electrophotographic printing apparatus includes a housing, a photoreceptor module located inside the housing that includes a photoreceptor, a raster output system located inside the housing for projecting an electrostatic image onto the photoreceptor, a charging station, a developer station, a transfer station, a pre-fuser transport, and a fusing station. The module may be removed from an operating position inside the housing. The transfer station is connected to the pre-fuser transport so that they are constrained to move as one unit when the photoreceptor module is in its operating position inside the housing but are disconnected when the photoreceptor module is removed from its operating position inside the housing. The transfer module may be mounted so as to be constrained by a pre-fuser transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David K. Ahl, Douglas A. McKeown, Robert A. Gross, Michael G. Petranto, Youti Kuo, Mark Stevens
  • Patent number: 7493060
    Abstract: In a xerographic printing apparatus, a charge device is used to apply a charge to a photoreceptor. The charge device includes a wire. A shuttle moves along the charge device, and includes a brush wherein the sides of the bristles contact the wire. When the brush moves along the wire, an accumulation of stray particles on the wire is made relatively smooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David Sekovski, Robert A. Gross, John D. McCaffrey, Michael N. Soures, David K. Ahl, Douglas A. McKeown, Michael G. Petranto
  • Patent number: 7418222
    Abstract: A photoreceptor module located within a housing. The photoreceptor module includes a photoreceptor belt, a belt support to maintain the belt in a desired configuration, and a transfer assembly. The transfer assembly is operably positioned in close proximity to the belt, and may be moved away from the belt while both are within the housing to ease clearance of paper jams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David K. Ahl, Douglas A. McKeown, Robert A. Gross, Michael G. Petranto, Youti Kuo, Mark Stevens
  • Patent number: 7418224
    Abstract: An improved coronode assembly includes pin guards that are positioned closely spaced from and extending above a coronode in order to provide protection for a user reaching past the coronode to remove a sheet jam, and prevent coronode damage when the coronode is handled during servicing by a field service technician. The closeness of the pin guards to the coronode also serves to produce a more uniform field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Gross, David Sekovski, Douglas A. McKeown, David K. Ahl, Michael N. Soures
  • Patent number: 7412186
    Abstract: In a xerographic printing apparatus, a charge device is used to apply a charge to a photoreceptor. The shuttle includes a wiper that cleans a sidewall of the charge device. A tab is disposed adjacent the sidewall to retain toner or dirt accumulated by the scraper. The tab is electrically insulative, and effectively covers the accumulated toner or dirt, to lower the possibility of arcing within the charge device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David Sekovski, Robert A. Gross, John D. McCaffrey, Michael N. Soures, David K. Ahl, Douglas A. McKeown, Michael G. Petranto
  • Patent number: 7242894
    Abstract: An electrostatographic printing apparatus comprises a charge receptor, and a transfer station for transferring a toner image from the charge receptor to a sheet. The sheet passes through a nip formed between the charge receptor and a moving transfer belt. Upstream of the nip, the belt forms a shallow angle relative to the charge receptor; downstream of the nip, the belt forms a steep angle relative to the charge receptor. This configuration enables self-stripping of the sheet from the transfer belt at the exit of the nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Youti Kuo, Robert A. Gross, David K. Ahl, Douglas A. McKeown, Mark Stevens, Gerald M. Fletcher, Christopher A. DiRubio
  • Patent number: 6650866
    Abstract: An apparatus which transfers a developed image from a photoconductive member to a sheet. A sheet baffle guides an advancing sheet to the photoconductive member at the transfer station. A sheet guide having an elongated axis extending in a transverse direction to the planar surface of the imaging member; said sheet guide including a roller assembly on a sheet exit portion of said sheet guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David K. Ahl, Douglas A. McKeown, Robert A. Gross, Michael G. Petranto, Youti Kuo
  • Publication number: 20030108369
    Abstract: A sequential transfer-assist blade assembly includes (a) a first cam and blade assembly including a first blade segment having a first length (A1) and being movable for first contacting a first size image receiving sheet having a first center location and a first width (A2); (b) a second cam and blade assembly including a second blade segment and a third blade segment each having a second length (B1), and each being located adjacent a first end and a second end respectively of the first blade segment, the first, the second and the third blade segments being moveable for contacting a second size image receiving sheet such that the second and the third blade segments contact the second size image receiving sheet after the first blade segment, the second image receiving sheet having a center location coincident with the first center location, and having a second width (A2+2×B2); and (c) a third cam and blade assembly including a fourth blade segment and a fifth blade segment each having a third length
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Applicant: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Youti Kuo, Douglas A. McKeown, David K. Ahl, Robert A. Gross
  • Patent number: 6556805
    Abstract: A dual cam set transfer assist blade system comprising (a) a first set of cam and blade assemblies mounted on a rotatable shaft and each including a cam having a single lobe for rotation in a first direction to cause engagement of a first set of transfer assist blade segments corresponding to a first set of sheet widths, and (b) a second set of cam and blade also assemblies mounted on the rotatable shaft and each including a cam having a first lobe for rotation in a first direction to cause engagement of a second set of transfer assist blade segments corresponding to said first set of sheet widths, and a second lobe for rotation in a second direction to cause engagement of said second set of transfer assist blade segments corresponding to a second set of sheet widths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Youti Kuo, Douglas A. McKeown, David K. Ahl, Robert A. Gross
  • Patent number: 4831419
    Abstract: A document handler 20 for presenting documents to the platen 23 of a copier 10 for copying with a vacuum belt platen transport system 32 having document transporting belts 35 movable under a substantially planar vacuum plenum backing and imaging background surface 33a overlying the platen, and a vacuum system 33 for applying a partial vacuum to a document sheet being transported by the movable belts over the platen; with a clamping and unclamping system for moving the vacuum plenum backing and imaging background surface 33a against the platen 23 to flatten the belts 35 and a document thereon against the platen for copying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas C. Iaia, Jr., James A. Herley, Roger C. Male, William J. McLaughlin, Douglas A. McKeown, Robert W. Schaffer, Robert P. Siegel, Charles W. Spehrly, Jr.