Patents by Inventor Douglas K. Ahern

Douglas K. Ahern 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: 4714939
    Abstract: An electrographic reproduction apparatus, of the single-pass type, capable of producing simplex or duplex copies on a receiver sheet traveling in a continuous direction along a path. The reproduction apparatus comprises a first dielectric member movable along a first path, a portion of such first path being tangent to and on one side of the sheet travel path. Transferable images, corresponding to information to be reproduced, are sequentially formed on such first member. A second member is movable along a second path. One portion of such second path is tangent to the sheet travel path on the opposite side from the first path; and another portion of the second path, spaced from such one portion, is located to position the second member in image transfer relation to the first dielectric member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1987
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Douglas K. Ahern, William Y. Fowlkes, Donald S. Rimai
  • Patent number: 4575222
    Abstract: An electrographic multi-color copier capable of color correcting electrographic images formed on discrete dielectric sheets, and including improved apparatus for transporting and accurately registering selected ones of such sheets relative to others during color correction. Selected dielectric sheets are respectively transported at a predetermined linear speed along first and second travel paths associated with the color correction apparatus. A first registration mechanism is selectively movable to a position intercepting the first travel path upstream of such color correction apparatus for registering the sheet relative to such apparatus, and a position remote from such path. A second registration mechanism is selectively movable to a position intercepting the second travel path upstream of such color correction apparatus for registering such other sheet relative to such apparatus, and a position remote from such path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1986
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Douglas K. Ahern, Alphonse B. DiFrancesco
  • Patent number: 4412738
    Abstract: A vacuum document feeder which transports a document page in juxtaposition to an illumination platen of a reproduction apparatus where such page is illuminated for copying. The feeder includes a vacuum plenum having a reflective wall formed with a plurality of spaced ports overlying the exposure platen. A ported transport belt is moved in contact with the plenum wall to feed a document page to the platen for copying. The moving belt is positioned on the plenum wall so that the belt ports are maintained in spaced relation to the wall ports. Further, the wall ports and the belt ports are fluidically inter-connected so that vacuum within the plenum is effective to tack a document page to the moving belt for movement to the exposure platen. This structural arrangement prevents light trapping by the wall ports during illumination of such document page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1983
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Douglas K. Ahern, Edwin E. Cleaveland, III
  • Patent number: 4256298
    Abstract: A self-compensating registration mechanism for use with a sheet feeding apparatus for advancing sheets seriatim in a travel path subject to variation in dimension transverse to the direction of sheet travel in the path. The blocking means is movable relative to the path to a first position where it is engageable by an advanced sheet for registering such sheet, and a second position removed from the path so that the sheet can be advanced past the blocking means. The blocking means is urged toward its first position and movable to its second position against such urging by means including a coupling which compensates for variation in the dimension of the travel path so that the blocking means is movable to each of its positions for any dimension of the travel path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1981
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Douglas K. Ahern