Patents by Inventor James D. Shifley

James D. Shifley 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: 8634756
    Abstract: A method and system for printing image documents using a variety of toners where some toners using a multi-development station having two or more development stations. These toners are co-printed prior to fixing, on the receiver by the multi-development station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: James D. Shifley, Alan J. Swire, Thomas N. Tombs
  • Patent number: 8594528
    Abstract: A cleaning blade member includes a polymer substrate and an outermost layer consisting essentially of a non-particulate, non-elastomeric ceramer or fluoroceramer and nanosized inorganic particles that are distributed within the non-particulate ceramer or fluoroceramer in an amount of at least 5 weight % and up to and including 50 weight % of the outermost layer. These cleaning blade members can be used to advantage in apparatus for providing electrophotographic or electrostatographic images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Wayne T. Ferrar, Francisco L. Ziegelmuller, James D. Shifley
  • Patent number: 8559831
    Abstract: A method and system for printing image documents using a variety of toners where some toners using a multi-development station having two or more development stations. These toners are co-printed prior to fixing, on the receiver by the multi-development station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: James D. Shifley
  • Patent number: 8554089
    Abstract: A method and system for printing image documents using a variety of toners where some toners using a multi-development station having two or more development stations. These toners are co-printed prior to fixing, on the receiver by the multi-development station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: James D. Shifley, Alan J. Swire, Thomas N. Tombs
  • Patent number: 8548371
    Abstract: Systems for producing bound electrophotographic prints are provided. In one aspect there is provided a system with a print engine having a printing module to form a toner image on a receiver, a fuser with a heater that heats the toner image to fuse the toner image to a receiver to form a print, a stacking system that stacks the print and a sheet in a stacking area with the fused toner image between the print and the sheet. A heating system has a heat source that applies a heat along an edge of the stack, and a controller that causes the toner image to have toner in a binding area proximate to the heated edge of the stack and in an image area that is separated from the binding area by a separation area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Brian J. Kwarta, James D. Shifley, Donald S. Rimai, Thomas N. Tombs
  • Patent number: 8331818
    Abstract: A fuser and receiver release system and method are provided for improving the release of receivers in high speed of printing systems. This system controls the release of a receiver in conjunction with a fuser in a printing system, and specifically the efficiency and accuracy of the release system. One embodiment of this method includes a belt fuser that allows the separating of the heat transfer and release functions of the fuser such that fuser roller could be made of hard metal core that can be heated to high temperatures without the fear of delaminating elastomeric coatings which are common in roller fusing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Richard H. Berg, Muhammed Aslam, James D. Shifley
  • Publication number: 20120301176
    Abstract: A cleaning blade member comprises a polymer substrate and an outermost layer consisting essentially of a non-particulate, non-elastomeric ceramer or fluoroceramer and nanosized inorganic particles that are distributed within the non-particulate ceramer or fluoroceramer in an amount of at least 5 weight % and up to and including 50 weight % of the outermost surface layer. These cleaning blade members can be used to advantage in apparatus for providing electrophotographic or electrostatographic images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventors: Wayne T. Ferrar, Francisco L. Ziegelmuller, James D. Shifley
  • Patent number: 8316749
    Abstract: A finisher for a receiver moving in a feed direction includes a cutting device having a cutting blade and a scoring blade on opposite sides of the receiver and oriented perpendicular to the feed direction, and a scoring notch on the opposite side of the receiver from, and parallel to, the scoring blade. An actuator selectively causes the scoring blade to engage the scoring notch as the receiver moves between the scoring blade and scoring notch, so that the receiver is scored, or causes the cutting blade to engage the scoring blade, so that the receiver is cut. A controller receives a job specification including one or more cut or score location(s) on the receiver and causes the receiver to be cut at the cut location(s) or scored at the score location(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Donald S. Rimai, James D. Shifley, Brian J. Kwarta
  • Patent number: 8313883
    Abstract: Methods for forming bound electrophotographic prints are provided. In one aspect a method comprises the steps of applying a toner to a receiver to form a toner image with having toner in a binding area and in an image area. The binding area is proximate to a binding edge of the receiver and the image area that is separated from the binding area by an separation area. The toner image is fused to form a print, and a sheet and the prints are stacked with the toner in the binding area of the print confronting the sheet along a binding edge of the sheet. Heat is applied at the binding edges to cause the toner in the binding area to fuse for a second time. A residual portion of the applied heat heats the separation area but the separation area does not heat the image area to an extent sufficient to fuse toner in the image area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Brian J. Kwarta, James D. Shifley, Donald S. Rimai, Thomas N. Tombs
  • Patent number: 8312798
    Abstract: Apparatus for cutting a moving receiver includes a plurality of cutting devices and a transport mechanism for selectively moving the cutting devices perpendicular to the feed direction of the receiver. Each cutting device includes two parallel cutting wheels and a pressure wheel arranged so that the cutting wheels are pressed laterally against the pressure wheel to form two cutting areas and a chad area arranged laterally between the cutting areas. A drive mechanism rotates the cutting wheels or pressure wheel of two or more of the cutting devices so that the rotating cutting wheels engage the moving receiver to cut the moving receiver parallel to its feed direction. A controller receives a job specification including two or more specified cut locations and causes the transport mechanism to laterally position two or more of the cutting devices to cut the moving receiver in the specified cut locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Brian J. Kwarta, James D. Shifley
  • Patent number: 8306461
    Abstract: A method and system for printing image documents using a variety of toners where some toners using a multi-development station having two or more development stations. These toners are co-printed prior to fixing, on the receiver by the multi-development station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Thomas N. Tombs, James D. Shifley, Rodney R. Bucks, Donald S. Rimai
  • Publication number: 20120263488
    Abstract: A fuser and receiver release system and method are provided for improving the release of receivers in high speed of printing systems. This system controls the release of a receiver in conjunction with a fuser in a printing system, and specifically the efficiency and accuracy of the release system. One embodiment of this method includes a belt fuser that allows the separating of the heat transfer and release functions of the fuser such that fuser roller could be made of hard metal core that can be heated to high temperatures without the fear of delaminating elastomeric coatings which are common in roller fusing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventors: Muhammed Aslam, James D. Shifley, Robert D. Bobo
  • Patent number: 8290409
    Abstract: A developer station and method for an electrographic printer is provided that reduces developer agitation. The developer station includes a sump of magnetic developer, and a magnetic brush roller mounted above sump and having a rotatable magnetic core surrounded by a substantially cylindrical toning shell rotatably mounted with respect to the core. The toning shell defines a nip at its closest point to the photoconductor element. A tangent line tangent to the cylindrical toning shell at the nip is oriented substantially vertically, and the magnetic developer is applied to the toning shell at an angular distance of no more than about 120° from the nip. The toning shell may be eccentrically mounted with respect to the magnetic core and is substantially closest to the rotatable magnetic core within about +30° and ?30° from the nip. Such a configuration advantageously reduces the residence time of the developer on the toning shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Eric C. Stelter, James D. Shifley, Joseph E. Guth
  • Patent number: 8249480
    Abstract: A fuser and receiver release system and method are provided for improving the release of receivers in high speed of printing systems. This system controls the release of a receiver in conjunction with a fuser in a printing system, and specifically the efficiency and accuracy of the release system. One embodiment of this method includes a belt fuser that allows the separating of the heat transfer and release functions of the fuser such that fuser roller could be made of hard metal core that can be heated to high temperatures without the fear of delaminating elastomeric coatings which are common in roller fusing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Muhammed Aslam, James D. Shifley, Robert D. Bobo
  • Publication number: 20120207515
    Abstract: A method and system for printing image documents using a variety of toners where some toners using a multi-development station having two or more development stations. These toners are co-printed prior to fixing, on the receiver by the multi-development station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Inventors: Thomas N. Tombs, James D. Shifley, Rodney R. Bucks, Donald S. Rimai
  • Publication number: 20110293351
    Abstract: Printer cutting systems are provided. In one aspect, a cutting system has a plurality of cutting devices joined to a frame at different locations within a cutting width of a print transport path. Each of the cutting devices is movable between a first position with a cutter interposed in the print transport path to cut the print as it is moved along the transport path and a second position with the cutter removed from the transport path and each of the cutting devices has a contact surface that moves the cutting device between the first position and second position when engaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: Brian J. Kwarta, James D. Shifley
  • Publication number: 20110292437
    Abstract: Methods for operating a printer are provided. In one aspect, a method has the steps of receiving image data and production data for printing a set of images with each image having a defined size and shape, determining a finishing configuration of a finishing system; and determining a priority setting between an output rate priority and an efficiency priority. The images are organized for printing on the receiver in the defined sizes and shapes based upon the determined priority and the finishing configuration and the images are printed on the receiver as organized. The receiver is finished to provide prints of the images each having the defined size and shape for that image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: Thomas N. Tombs, James D. Shifley, Walter B. Sherwood, Gary P. Lawniczak, David E. Bettiol
  • Publication number: 20110293349
    Abstract: Printers with variable receiver supply are provided. In one aspect a printer is provided having a source of image data and production data for use in printing a set of images, with each image having a defined size and shape and a receiver supply having a web of receiver and a cutter adapted to cut the web of receiver to a determined length. The printer also has print engine to print the images on the receiver and a finishing system that is configurable between at least two configurations. A user input system receives user input from which a priority setting can be determined between an output rate priority and an efficiency priority; and a controller determines the configuration of the finishing system, receives the image data and production data and determines a priority setting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: Thomas N. Tombs, James D. Shifley, Walter B. Sherwood, Gary P. Lawniczak, David E. Bettiol
  • Publication number: 20110286779
    Abstract: Methods and printers are provided for forming bound electrophotographic prints are provided. In one aspect, the method comprises the steps of applying a toner to a receiver to form a toner image with having toner in a binding area and in an image area. The binding area is proximate to a binding edge of the receiver and the image area that is separated from the binding area by an separation area; (printers). The toner image is fused to form a print, and a sheet and the prints are stacked with the toner in the binding area of the print confronting the sheet along a binding edge of the sheet. Heat is applied at the binding edges to cause the toner in the binding area to fuse for a second time. A residual portion of the applied heat heats the separation area but the separation area does not heat the image area to an extent sufficient to fuse toner in the image area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventors: Brian J. Kwarta, James D. Shifley, Donald S. Rimai
  • Publication number: 20110283855
    Abstract: Apparatus for cutting a moving receiver includes a plurality of cutting devices and a transport mechanism for selectively moving the cutting devices perpendicular to the feed direction of the receiver. Each cutting device includes two parallel cutting wheels and a pressure wheel arranged so that the cutting wheels are pressed laterally against the pressure wheel to form two cutting areas and a chad area arranged laterally between the cutting areas. A drive mechanism rotates the cutting wheels or pressure wheel of two or more of the cutting devices so that the rotating cutting wheels engage the moving receiver to cut the moving receiver parallel to its feed direction. A controller receives a job specification including two or more specified cut locations and causes the transport mechanism to laterally position two or more of the cutting devices to cut the moving receiver in the specified cut locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventors: Brian J. Kwarta, James D. Shifley