Patents by Inventor Katherine Marie Gilliam

Katherine Marie Gilliam 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: 20170308006
    Abstract: A developer roll according to one example embodiment includes a core including at least one permanent magnet forming a magnetized portion of the core. A cylindrical sleeve positioned around the core is rotatable relative to the core about an axis of rotation in an operative rotational direction. A release pole of the permanent magnet is positioned to magnetically attract developer mix to an outer circumferential surface of the sleeve to transport developer mix on the surface of the sleeve in the operative rotational direction when the sleeve rotates relative to the core to a release point where a magnetic field of the permanent magnet is insufficient to retain developer mix against the surface of the sleeve. An axial length of the magnetized portion of the core decreases at both axial ends of the core as the magnetized portion of the core approaches the release point in the operative rotational direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: GREGORY ALAN CAVILL, GARY ALLEN DENTON, MATTHEW LEE ROGERS, KATHERINE MARIE GILLIAM
  • Patent number: 9791806
    Abstract: A developer roll according to one example embodiment includes a core including at least one permanent magnet forming a magnetized portion of the core. A cylindrical sleeve positioned around the core is rotatable relative to the core about an axis of rotation in an operative rotational direction. A release pole of the permanent magnet is positioned to magnetically attract developer mix to an outer circumferential surface of the sleeve to transport developer mix on the surface of the sleeve in the operative rotational direction when the sleeve rotates relative to the core to a release point where a magnetic field of the permanent magnet is insufficient to retain developer mix against the surface of the sleeve. An axial length of the magnetized portion of the core decreases at both axial ends of the core as the magnetized portion of the core approaches the release point in the operative rotational direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Alan Cavill, Gary Allen Denton, Matthew Lee Rogers, Katherine Marie Gilliam
  • Patent number: 9575435
    Abstract: An outer sleeve of a magnetic roll for a dual component development electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a series of grooves in an outer surface of the outer sleeve. The grooves extend along an axial length of the sleeve and are spaced circumferentially from each other around the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve has a diameter of between 15 mm and 30 mm, inclusive. The grooves are present on the outer surface of the outer sleeve at a groove density of at least 1.91 grooves/mm of the circumference of the outer surface of the outer sleeve and a total indicated runout of the outer sleeve is 0.05 mm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Allen Denton, Katherine Marie Gilliam, Elliott Vincent Jernigan, Courtney Harrison Soale
  • Patent number: 9389540
    Abstract: A developer unit according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing a developer mix that includes toner and magnetic carrier beads. A magnetic roll includes a stationary core and a sleeve positioned around the core that is rotatable relative to the core. The stationary core includes at least one permanent magnet having circumferentially spaced magnetic poles. An upper and a lower magnetically permeable metal shunt are positioned at each axial end of the magnetic roll. Each upper shunt and each lower shunt is positioned axially outboard of the core and in close proximity to the outer surface of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Dan Bennett, III, Gary Allen Denton, Katherine Marie Gilliam, Elliott Vincent Jernigan, Matthew Lee Rogers, Dominique Renee Rowe, Daniel Enrique Alonzo, Royden Thomas Kern
  • Publication number: 20160154343
    Abstract: An outer sleeve of a magnetic roll for a dual component development electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a series of grooves in an outer surface of the outer sleeve. The grooves extend along an axial length of the sleeve and are spaced circumferentially from each other around the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve has a diameter of between 15 mm and 30 mm, inclusive. The grooves are present on the outer surface of the outer sleeve at a groove density of at least 1.91 grooves/mm of the circumference of the outer surface of the outer sleeve and a total indicated runout of the outer sleeve is 0.05 mm or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Gary Allen Denton, Katherine Marie Gilliam, Elliott Vincent Jernigan, Courtney Harrison Soale
  • Patent number: 9316951
    Abstract: A magnetic roll for transporting a dual component developer mix according to one embodiment includes a core having at least one permanent magnet that has a plurality of circumferentially spaced magnetic poles generating a magnetic field. A cylindrical sleeve is positioned around the core. The sleeve is rotatable relative to the core about a rotational axis in an operative rotational direction. At portions of the magnetic roll positioned axially inward from axial ends of the core, a magnitude of a total magnetic field strength of the magnetic field decreases by 1.5 mT/degree or less in the operative rotational direction at a radius of 0.5 mm beyond an outer circumferential surface of the sleeve throughout an area of ±15 degrees from an angular position of the magnetic roll at which a tangential component of the magnetic field is equal to zero at a release pole of the plurality of magnetic poles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Allen Denton, Katherine Marie Gilliam
  • Publication number: 20160091831
    Abstract: A developer unit according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing a developer mix that includes toner and magnetic carrier beads. A magnetic roll includes a stationary core and a sleeve positioned around the core that is rotatable relative to the core. The stationary core includes at least one permanent magnet having circumferentially spaced magnetic poles. An upper and a lower magnetically permeable metal shunt are positioned at each axial end of the magnetic roll. Each upper shunt and each lower shunt is positioned axially outboard of the core and in close proximity to the outer surface of the sleeve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Robert Dan Bennett, III, Gary Allen Denton, Katherine Marie Gilliam, Elliott Vincent Jernigan, Matthew Lee Rogers, Dominique Renee Rowe, Daniel Enrique Alonzo, Royden Thomas Kern
  • Patent number: 9291947
    Abstract: A developer unit for a dual component development electrophotographic image forming device includes a housing having a reservoir for storing a developer mix that includes toner and magnetic carrier beads. An axial sealing rib projects from an inner side of the housing toward the outer surface of a sleeve of a magnetic roll. The axial sealing rib extends along an axial length of the sleeve. A distal end of the axial sealing rib is positioned in close proximity to and spaced from the outer surface of the sleeve. The axial sealing rib is positioned to impede the flow of developer mix in the reservoir in a direction counter to an operative rotational direction of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Brian Bacelieri, Robert Dan Bennett, III, Gary Allen Denton, Mark Doerre, Katherine Marie Gilliam, Elliott Vincent Jernigan, Michael David Maul, Matthew Lee Rogers, Dominique Renee Rowe, Robert Christopher Sbert, Keith Seaman, Courtney Harrison Soale
  • Patent number: 9280094
    Abstract: A developer unit for a dual component development electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing a developer mix that includes toner and magnetic carrier beads. An auger is positioned to convey developer mix in the reservoir toward the outer surface of a magnetic roll on a front of the housing. A ledge on an inner surface of the housing extends axially with respect to the magnetic roll along a front of the reservoir. The ledge is positioned upstream from a trim bar and downstream from a pickup pole of the magnetic roll with respect to the operative rotational direction of the magnetic roll. The ledge has a concave curved inner surface that is open to the reservoir and extends from near the trim bar to near a front side of the auger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Brian Bacelieri, Robert Dan Bennett, III, Gary Allen Denton, Katherine Marie Gilliam, Elliott Vincent Jernigan, Matthew Lee Rogers, Dominique Renee Rowe, Courtney Harrison Soale
  • Patent number: 9188907
    Abstract: A developer unit according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing a developer mix that includes toner and magnetic carrier beads. A magnetic roll includes a stationary core and a sleeve positioned around the core that is rotatable relative to the core. The stationary core includes at least one permanent magnet having circumferentially spaced magnetic poles. An upper and a lower magnetically permeable metal shunt are positioned at each axial end of the magnetic roll. Each upper shunt and each lower shunt is positioned axially outboard of the core and in close proximity to the outer surface of the sleeve. A combination of the upper shunt and the lower shunt at each axial end of the magnetic roll surrounds greater than 180 degrees of the outer surface of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Dan Bennett, III, Gary Allen Denton, Katherine Marie Gilliam, Elliott Vincent Jernigan, Matthew Lee Rogers, Dominique Renee Rowe, Daniel Enrique Alonzo, Royden Thomas Kern
  • Patent number: 9152089
    Abstract: A developer unit according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing a developer mix that includes toner and magnetic carrier beads. A magnetic roll includes a stationary core and a sleeve positioned around the core that is rotatable relative to the core. The stationary core includes at least one permanent magnet having circumferentially spaced magnetic poles. At least one external shunt is composed of a magnetically permeable metal and is positioned at each axial end of the magnetic roll axially outboard of the core and in close proximity to the outer surface of the sleeve along a first circumferential portion of the core. At least one internal shunt is positioned at each axial end of the core inside of the sleeve. Each internal shunt has a shunt portion composed of a magnetically permeable metal and positioned along a second circumferential portion of the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Allen Denton, Katherine Marie Gilliam, Matthew Lee Rogers, Dominique Renee Rowe