Patents by Inventor E. Lewis Barton

E. Lewis Barton 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: 6733108
    Abstract: A spittoon for servicing an inkjet printhead is provided, where the spittoon includes a bottom and one or more walls. At least one wall of the spittoon has an inwardly extending lip. The walls of the spittoon, taken in combination with the bottom of the spittoon, define a waste ink reservoir. The presence of at least one lip on the spittoon walls helps retain the waste ink when the spittoon is moved or tilted, minimizing ink spills.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development, L.P.
    Inventors: E. Lewis Barton, Antonio Monclus, Macia Sole, Lluis Hierro
  • Patent number: 6621676
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of use opposes a short circuit failure mode in a printer having a printhead controller circuit driving an address bus connected to two or more printheads. A failure protection circuit associates one resistor group with each address line within the address bus that extends into at least two printheads. In particular, one address line resistor is placed in series between the address lead extending from a head driver IC within the printhead controller circuit and each printhead into which the address line extends. Where an address line shorts, the associated address line resistor protects the head driver IC from the short, allowing it to control the voltage potential of that address line in any printhead that has not failed. The user is then able to identify and replace the non-functioning printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: E. Lewis Barton, Charles R. Headrick
  • Publication number: 20030142150
    Abstract: A spittoon for servicing an inkjet printhead is provided, where the spittoon includes a bottom and one or more walls. At least one wall of the spittoon has an inwardly extending lip. The walls of the spittoon, taken in combination with the bottom of the spittoon, define a waste ink reservoir. The presence of at least one lip on the spittoon walls helps retain the waste ink when the spittoon is moved or tilted, minimizing ink spills.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2002
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: E. Lewis Barton, Antonio Monclus, Macia Sole, Lluis Hierro
  • Publication number: 20030081367
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of use opposes a short circuit failure mode in a printer having a printhead controller circuit driving an address bus connected to two or more printheads. A failure protection circuit associates one resistor group with each address line within the address bus that extends into at least two printheads. In particular, one address line resistor is placed in series between the address lead extending from a head driver IC within the printhead controller circuit and each printhead into which the address line extends. Where an address line shorts, the associated address line resistor protects the head driver IC from the short, allowing it to control the voltage potential of that address line in any printhead that has not failed. The user is then able to identify and replace the non-functioning printhead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventors: E. Lewis Barton, Charles R. Headrick