Patents by Inventor James M. Cheever

James M. Cheever 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).

  • Publication number: 20210276354
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for thermal transfer printing include, in at least one aspect, a printing apparatus including: a band (105) to hold hot melt ink; rollers (110) to hold and transport the band with respect to a substrate (120); a printhead (125) to thermally transfer a portion of hot melt ink from the band to the substrate; an ink feed device (135) to add hot melt ink to the band, a heating device (140) to heat the hot melt ink on the band, and a rigid blade (155) to control ink thickness of the hot melt ink on the band; a meniscus sensor (245) to monitor a meniscus of melted hot melt ink on the band; and a controller (160) communicatively coupled with the meniscus sensor and the ink feed device, wherein the controller can cause the ink feed device to add hot melt ink to the band based on data from the meniscus sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Ann Benjamin, Stacey C. Goodale, Frances H. Benton, James M. Cheever, Simon Starkey
  • Patent number: 11040548
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a printing apparatus comprises a band capable of holding hot melt ink thereon, rollers configured and arranged to hold and transport the band with respect to a substrate, a printhead configured to thermally transfer a portion of hot melt ink from the band to the substrate to print on the substrate, an ink feed device configured to add hot melt ink to the band and to heat the hot melt ink on the band, and a rigid blade configured and arranged to cause hot melt ink to pass between a blade edge of the rigid blade and the band, wherein the rigid blade is shaped to minimize a contact area between the rigid blade and the band while controlling ink thickness of the hot melt ink on the band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Dover Europe Sarl
    Inventors: James M. Cheever, Aljosa Sarcevic, Stacey C. Goodale
  • Patent number: 10987940
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a printing apparatus comprises a band capable of holding hot melt ink thereon, rollers configured and arranged to hold and transport the band with respect to a substrate, a printhead configured to thermally transfer a portion of hot melt ink from the band to the substrate to print on the substrate, an ink feed device configured to add hot melt ink to the band and to heat the hot melt ink on the band, and a rigid blade configured and arranged to cause hot melt ink to pass between a blade edge of the rigid blade and the band, wherein the rigid blade is shaped to minimize a contact area between the rigid blade and the band while controlling ink thickness of the hot melt ink on the band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Dover Europe Sarl
    Inventors: James M. Cheever, Aljosa Sarcevic, Stacey C. Goodale
  • Publication number: 20200039265
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for thermal transfer printing include, in at least one aspect, a printing apparatus (100) including: a band (105) capable of holding hot melt ink thereon; rollers (110) arranged to hold and transport the band with respect to a substrate (120); a printhead (125) configured to thermally transfer a portion of hot melt ink from the band to the substrate; an ink feed device (135) configured to add hot melt ink to the band, a heating device (140) configured to heat the ink on the band, and a blade (155, 186) proximately located with the heating device and configured to control ink thickness of the ink on the band; and a controller (160) communicatively coupled with the blade, wherein the controller is configured to reposition the blade, in accordance with a viscosity of the ink and a speed of the band, to control the thickness of the hot melt ink on the band after the blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Ann Benjamin, Stacey C. Goodale, Frances H. Benton, James M. Cheever, Simon Starkey
  • Publication number: 20200039264
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for thermal transfer printing include, in at least one aspect, a printing apparatus including: a band (105) to hold hot melt ink; rollers (110) to hold and transport the band with respect to a substrate (120); a printhead (125) to thermally transfer a portion of hot melt ink from the band to the substrate; an ink feed device (135) to add hot melt ink to the band, a heating device (140) to heat the ink on the band, and a rigid blade (155) that includes a pressure chamber (240); a pressure sensor (245) associated with the pressure chamber to monitor the meniscus of the melted hot melt ink on the band; and a controller (160) communicatively coupled with the pressure sensor (245) and the ink feed device, the controller to cause the ink feed device to add hot melt ink to the band based on data from the pressure sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Ann Benjamin, Stacey C. Goodale, Frances H. Benton, James M. Cheever, Simon Starkey
  • Patent number: 7748832
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods that utilize material-handling systems in which material in the systems has enhanced stability, e.g., during conveyance of the material from a reservoir to a printhead through a conduit, the conduit having a conduit wall defining an inner conduit space and including a material line for carrying the printing material in the inner conduit space, wherein the inner conduit space is configured to carry a heated liquid, being heated from a liquid heater, to contact the material line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Markem-Imaje Corporation
    Inventors: Scott G. Page, James M. Cheever, L. Edward Drew, II, Jeffrey B. Brooks
  • Publication number: 20080158308
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are described that utilize material-handling systems in which material in the systems has enhanced stability, e.g., during conveyance of the material from a reservoir to a printhead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventors: Scott G. Page, James M. Cheever, L. Edward Drew, Jeffrey B. Brooks
  • Patent number: 5515780
    Abstract: A printing apparatus employs a rotatable cam having an enclosed cam slot for controlling the rocking motion of an inking roll without the need for a cam follower spring. The apparatus also includes an articulated printing member support assembly which executes a complex curvilinear movement under the control of a fixed cam slot without the use of linear bearings. Complementary cam profiles are used on both cam surfaces in order to maintain tangency between the inking roll and printing element during inking. A yieldable connecting link is used to prevent excessive printing pressures from being applied, and a movable filler plate closes off a slot in a front cover of the printing apparatus through which a portion of the movable printing member protrudes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: Markem Corporation
    Inventors: James M. Cheever, Richard H. Frye, Gary F. Fowler, Edward E. Freyenhagen
  • Patent number: 5503070
    Abstract: A printing apparatus employs a rotatable cam having an enclosed cam slot for controlling the rocking motion of an inking roll without the need for a cam follower spring. The apparatus also includes an articulated printing member support assembly which executes a complex curvilinear movement under the control of a fixed cam slot without the use of linear bearings. Complementary cam profiles are used on both cam surfaces in order to maintain tangency between the inking roll and printing element during inking. A yieldable connecting link is used to prevent excessive printing pressures from being applied, and a movable filler plate closes off a slot in a front cover of the printing apparatus through which a portion of the movable printing member protrudes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1996
    Assignee: Markem Corporation
    Inventors: James M. Cheever, Richard H. Frye, Gary F. Fowler, William E. Maxwell, Edward E. Freyenhagen, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4901095
    Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus comprises a print head, a reservoir, and a rigid articulated support assembly connecting the print head to the reservoir. The support assembly affords two degrees of rotational freedom for allowing adjustment of the print head relative to the reservoir, so that printing can be carried out on surfaces lying in various planes or moving in various directions without tilting the reservoir. The support assembly has an internal channel for conducting ink from the reservoir to the print head, and may be made of a thermally conductive material in order to maintain hot melt inks at the proper operating temperature using heat generated by heating elements in the reservoir and print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: Markem Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew G. Perra, Jr., James M. Cheever