Patents by Inventor Kerry Leland Embry
Kerry Leland Embry 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).
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Patent number: 10429769Abstract: An image transfer assembly includes a transfer belt formed as an endless loop around a backup roll and a tension roll. A tensioning arm is movably mounted on a side of a frame and operatively connects to an axial end of the tension roll such that the arm and axial end of the tension roll moves together relative to the frame. A translating member slidably mounted about the axial end of the tension roll is movable in an axial direction. A cam disposed below the translating member has an angled cam surface in contact with a portion of the translating member such that as the translating member moves in the axial direction, the translating member moves along the angled cam surface changing an elevation of the arm and axial end of the tension roll and changing an amount of skew of the tension roll relative to the frame.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2018Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.Inventors: Bartley Charles Gould, II, Kerry Leland Embry, James Philip Harden
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Patent number: 10386779Abstract: A waste toner system includes a rotatable photoconductive drum and a cleaner member. A first toner sump extends along a length of the photoconductive drum for receiving waste toner removed from the outer surface of the photoconductive drum by the cleaner member. A first rotatable auger extends along the first toner sump. A pass-through opening extends from the first toner sump to a second toner sump. A second rotatable auger extends along the second toner sump. The first auger is positioned to move waste toner in the first toner sump to the pass-through opening upon rotation of the first auger in an operative rotational direction of the first auger and the second auger is positioned to distribute waste toner received through the pass-through opening into the second toner sump upon rotation of the second auger in an operative rotational direction of the second auger.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2017Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Brian Lester Boettcher, Brian Scott Carpenter, Kerry Leland Embry
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Publication number: 20180329356Abstract: A waste toner system includes a rotatable photoconductive drum and a cleaner member. A first toner sump extends along a length of the photoconductive drum for receiving waste toner removed from the outer surface of the photoconductive drum by the cleaner member. A first rotatable auger extends along the first toner sump. A pass-through opening extends from the first toner sump to a second toner sump. A second rotatable auger extends along the second toner sump. The first auger is positioned to move waste toner in the first toner sump to the pass-through opening upon rotation of the first auger in an operative rotational direction of the first auger and the second auger is positioned to distribute waste toner received through the pass-through opening into the second toner sump upon rotation of the second auger in an operative rotational direction of the second auger.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2017Publication date: November 15, 2018Inventors: BRIAN LESTER BOETTCHER, BRIAN SCOTT CARPENTER, KERRY LELAND EMBRY
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Publication number: 20180246442Abstract: An image transfer assembly includes a transfer belt formed as an endless loop around a backup roll and a tension roll. A tensioning arm is movably mounted on a side of a frame and operatively connects to an axial end of the tension roll such that the arm and axial end of the tension roll moves together relative to the frame. A translating member slidably mounted about the axial end of the tension roll is movable in an axial direction. A cam disposed below the translating member has an angled cam surface in contact with a portion of the translating member such that as the translating member moves in the axial direction, the translating member moves along the angled cam surface changing an elevation of the arm and axial end of the tension roll and changing an amount of skew of the tension roll relative to the frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2018Publication date: August 30, 2018Inventors: BARTLEY CHARLES GOULD, II, KERRY LELAND EMBRY, JAMES PHILIP HARDEN
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Publication number: 20180217528Abstract: An image transfer assembly includes a transfer belt formed as an endless loop around a backup roll and a tension roll. A tensioning arm is movably mounted on a side of a frame and operatively connects to an axial end of the tension roll such that the arm and axial end of the tension roll moves together relative to the frame. A translating member slidably mounted about the axial end of the tension roll is movable in an axial direction. A cam disposed below the translating member has an angled cam surface in contact with a portion of the translating member such that as the translating member moves in the axial direction, the translating member moves along the angled cam surface changing an elevation of the arm and axial end of the tension roll and changing an amount of skew of the tension roll relative to the frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2017Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventors: BARTLEY CHARLES GOULD, II, KERRY LELAND EMBRY, JAMES PHILIP HARDEN
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Patent number: 10001730Abstract: An image transfer assembly includes a transfer belt formed as an endless loop around a backup roll and a tension roll. A tensioning arm is movably mounted on a side of a frame and operatively connects to an axial end of the tension roll such that the arm and axial end of the tension roll moves together relative to the frame. A translating member slidably mounted about the axial end of the tension roll is movable in an axial direction. A cam disposed below the translating member has an angled cam surface in contact with a portion of the translating member such that as the translating member moves in the axial direction, the translating member moves along the angled cam surface changing an elevation of the arm and axial end of the tension roll and changing an amount of skew of the tension roll relative to the frame.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2017Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.Inventors: Bartley Charles Gould, II, Kerry Leland Embry, James Philip Harden
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Patent number: 9709928Abstract: An intermediate transfer member (ITM) module including a frame; a backup roll and a drive roll rotatably disposed along a first end portion of the frame. A tension roll is rotatably disposed along a second end portion of the frame. An ITM belt forms an endless loop around the backup roll, the drive roll and the tension roll such that rotation of the drive roll causes the ITM belt to translate and the tension roll and the backup roll to rotate. The drive roll and the backup roll form a transfer nip with a transfer roll. A drive mechanism is coupled between the drive roll and the backup roll and includes a plurality of gears. The drive mechanism overdrives the backup roll relative to the drive roll while limiting an amount of tension of the ITM belt in the second transfer nip.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2016Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.Inventors: Kerry Leland Embry, Alexander J Geyling, Bartley Charles Gould, II, Robert Watson McAlpine, Harald Portig
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Publication number: 20170090357Abstract: An intermediate transfer member (ITM) module including a frame; a backup roll and a drive roll rotatably disposed along a first end portion of the frame. A tension roll is rotatably disposed along a second end portion of the frame. An ITM belt forms an endless loop around the backup roll, the drive roll and the tension roll such that rotation of the drive roll causes the ITM belt to translate and the tension roll and the backup roll to rotate. The drive roll and the backup roll form a transfer nip with a transfer roll. A drive mechanism is coupled between the drive roll and the backup roll and includes a plurality of gears. The drive mechanism overdrives the backup roll relative to the drive roll while limiting an amount of tension of the ITM belt in the second transfer nip.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: KERRY LELAND EMBRY, ALEXANDER J. GEYLING, BARTLEY CHARLES GOULD, II, ROBERT WATSON MCALPINE, HARALD PORTIG
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Patent number: 9535374Abstract: An ITM module for an imaging device, including a frame; a tension roll disposed in the frame; an ITM belt rotatably coupled to the frame and formed as an endless loop around rolls of the ITM module, including the tension roll; and an adjustment mechanism coupled to an end portion of the frame and to the tension roll, the adjustment mechanism setting an amount of skew of the tension roll relative to the frame. The amount of skew is in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to a process direction of the ITM belt. The adjustment mechanism includes a cam member rotatably coupled to the frame and having a cam surface coupled a first end portion of the tension roll such that rotating the first cam member sets an amount of elevation of the first end portion of the tension roll relative to the frame.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2015Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.Inventors: Kerry Leland Embry, Bartley Charles Gould, II, James Philip Harden, Gina Marie Johns, William Claiborne Ryle
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Patent number: 9488935Abstract: An intermediate transfer member (ITM) module including a frame; a backup roll and a drive roll rotatably disposed along a first end portion of the frame. A tension roll is rotatably disposed along a second end portion of the frame. An ITM belt forms as an endless loop around the backup roll, the drive roll and the tension roll such that rotation of the drive roll causes the ITM belt to translate and the tension roll and the backup roll to rotate. The drive roll and the backup roll form a transfer nip with a transfer roll. A drive mechanism is coupled between the drive roll and the backup roll and includes a plurality of gears. The drive mechanism overdrives the backup roll relative to the drive roll while limiting an amount of tension of the ITM belt in the second transfer nip.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2015Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.Inventors: Kerry Leland Embry, Alexander Johannes Geyling, Bartley Charles Gould, II, Robert Watson McAlpine, Harald Portig
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Patent number: 9031461Abstract: An image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having an access door manually movable between a closed position and an open position. A carriage is mounted on an inner portion of the access door. A first roll is rotatably mounted to the carriage and forms a nip with a second member positioned in the interior of the housing when the access door is closed. The first roll is spaced away from the second member when the access door is open. The carriage is free to move relative to the access door and is biased away from the access door toward the second member. A clamping assembly is configured to clamp the first roll against the second member to form the nip as the access door is closed and unclamp the first roll from the second member as the access door is opened.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2013Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Kerry Leland Embry, Bartley Charles Gould, II, James Philip Harden
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Publication number: 20140270846Abstract: An image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having an access door manually movable between a closed position and an open position. A carriage is mounted on an inner portion of the access door. A first roll is rotatably mounted to the carriage and forms a nip with a second member positioned in the interior of the housing when the access door is closed. The first roll is spaced away from the second member when the access door is open. The carriage is free to move relative to the access door and is biased away from the access door toward the second member. A clamping assembly is configured to clamp the first roll against the second member to form the nip as the access door is closed and unclamp the first roll from the second member as the access door is opened.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2013Publication date: September 18, 2014Applicant: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.Inventors: Kerry Leland Embry, Bartley Charles Gould, II, James Philip Harden
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Patent number: 8588667Abstract: An imaging apparatus having a toner transfer station, including a donating member for donating toner forming an image; and a transfer roll which serves to form a transfer nip in which toner is transferred from the donating member to a media sheet disposed in the transfer nip between the donating member and the transfer roll, wherein a product of a resistivity of the transfer nip and a dielectric constant thereof is greater than or equal to a product of a resistivity of the media sheet and a dielectric constant thereof.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2010Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: Lexmark International, IncInventors: Julie Ann Gordon Whitney, Kerry Leland Embry, Bartley Charles Gould, II, Frank Marion Hughes, Brandon Alden Kemp, Kurt Daniel Lambert, Niko Jay Murrell
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Patent number: 8483585Abstract: A system for adjusting a selected operating parameter of an image forming device to control white vector based on selected environmental conditions includes an image forming station having a photoconductive surface with a latent image formed by discharged areas leaving non-discharged areas different from the discharged areas, a sensor mechanism for measuring selected environmental conditions of dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity, a control mechanism for reading the sensor mechanism to adjust the voltage bias of a charging unit by an offset applied to the charging unit based on a wet-bulb temperature value so as to minimize white vector without enabling onset of development of toner background on non-discharged areas, and a memory connected to and accessible by the control mechanism and storing a lookup table of a list of wet-bulb temperature values related to measured dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity values and correlated to a list of voltage bias offsets.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2008Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Robert Reed Booth, Kerry Leland Embry, Paul Wesley Etter, Claudia Alexandra Marin, Gregorio Balandran
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Patent number: 8219012Abstract: A toner image transfer apparatus in a printer is provided. The toner image transfer apparatus comprises a transfer belt structure, a rotatable transfer rod and a transfer roll retraction mechanism. The transfer belt structure comprises a driven toner image transfer belt and a rotatable backup roll engaging an inner surface of the transfer belt. The rotatable transfer roll is adapted to define a nip with the belt and backup roll. The transfer roll retraction mechanism comprises motion transfer structure coupled to the transfer roll and drive apparatus associated with the motion transfer structure.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2007Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Kerry Leland Embry, Alexander J Geyling, Michael David Maul, Stacy Marie Pargett, Harald Portig
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Patent number: 8213817Abstract: An electrographic image forming device may use a feedback loop to determine environmental conditions and accordingly set one or more operating parameters. The device may detect a resistance/capacitance characteristic of a feedback loop comprising an interface between a first component and a second component of an image forming unit. The device may detect temperature measurements and humidity measurements that can be used to calculate wet-bulb temperature or other metrics used to characterize ambient environmental conditions. The interface may be one in which a toner image is transferred during image forming device operation. A controller may adjust the resistance/capacitance characteristic in response to wet-bulb temperature in conjunction with measured transfer feedback voltage.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2008Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Robert Reed Booth, Kerry Leland Embry, Paul Wesley Etter, Claudia Alexandra Marin
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Publication number: 20110318070Abstract: An imaging apparatus having a toner transfer station, including a donating member for donating toner forming an image; and a transfer roll which serves to form a transfer nip in which toner is transferred from the donating member to a media sheet disposed in the transfer nip between the donating member and the transfer roll, wherein a product of a resistivity of the transfer nip and a dielectric constant thereof is greater than or equal to a product of a resistivity of the media sheet and a dielectric constant thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2010Publication date: December 29, 2011Inventors: Julie Ann Gordon Whitney, Kerry Leland Embry, Bartley Charles Gould, II, Frank Marion Hughes, Brandon Alden Kemp, Kurt Daniel Lambert, Niko Jay Murrell
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Patent number: 8036547Abstract: The present application is directed to methods of controlling the transfer voltage in a transfer nip formed between the photoconductive member and the transfer member. The methods offset the effects of large transfer current spikes caused when a media sheet enters and exits the transfer nip and account for temperature and humidity operating parameters using wet-bulb temperature measurements to adjust the transfer voltage. The control may include either ramping up or ramping down the transfer voltage. The ramped transfer voltage may include a series of alternating positive and negative steps that generally trend to ramp up or down. The size of the steps may further be adjusted to provide a smooth transition.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2008Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Robert Reed Booth, Ryan David Brockman, Kerry Leland Embry, Paul Wesley Etter, Claudia Alexandra Marin, Travis Alan Riggs
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Patent number: 7817929Abstract: A system for adjusting selected operating parameters of an image forming device to improve color registration based on selected environmental conditions includes a first image forming station to print a first registration mark on a substrate, a second image forming station to at least partially erase the first registration mark to form a registration pattern in a reverse transfer process of the color registration, and a control mechanism to adjust voltage biases of charge and developer rolls of the second image forming station based on wet-bulb temperature values determined from measured dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity values and stored in a lookup table so as to maintain a predetermined potential difference between charged and uncharged areas of a PC drum of the second image forming station that avoids Paschen breakdown and the development of toner at charged areas of the PC drum during the reverse transfer process of the color registration.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2008Date of Patent: October 19, 2010Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Robert Reed Booth, Ryan David Brockman, Kerry Leland Embry, Paul Wesley Etter, Claudia Alexandra Marin
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Publication number: 20100080587Abstract: A system for adjusting selected operating parameters of an image forming device to improve color registration based on selected environmental conditions includes a first image forming station to print a first registration mark on a substrate, a second image forming station to at least partially erase the first registration mark to form a registration pattern in a reverse transfer process of the color registration, and a control mechanism to adjust voltage biases of charge and developer rolls of the second image forming station based on wet-bulb temperature values determined from measured dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity values and stored in a lookup table so as to maintain a predetermined potential difference between charged and uncharged areas of a PC drum of the second image forming station that avoids Paschen breakdown and the development of toner at charged areas of the PC drum during the reverse transfer process of the color registration.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2008Publication date: April 1, 2010Inventors: Robert Reed Booth, Ryan David Brockman, Kerry Leland Embry, Paul Wesley Etter, Claudia Alexandra Marin