Patents by Inventor Lee Joyner

Lee Joyner 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: 11927365
    Abstract: A furnace includes a gas burner exposed to a heat-exchange tube. An inducer is fluidly coupled to the heat-exchange tube and configured to induce draft air through the heat-exchange tube. A regulator is fluidly coupled to the gas burner. A rollout shield is disposed adjacent to the gas burner. A rollout switch is disposed in the rollout shield. The rollout switch is electrically coupled to the regulator. At least one vent is formed through the rollout shield adjacent to the rollout switch. The vent provides a path for a rollout flame to the rollout switch. The at least one vent is disposed on at least two sides of the rollout switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Inventors: George Lee Joyner, Jr., Randall Moody, Jeff Butler
  • Publication number: 20210381722
    Abstract: A furnace includes a gas burner exposed to a heat-exchange tube. An inducer is fluidly coupled to the heat-exchange tube and configured to induce draft air through the heat-exchange tube. A regulator is fluidly coupled to the gas burner. A rollout shield is disposed adjacent to the gas burner. A rollout switch is disposed in the rollout shield. The rollout switch is electrically coupled to the regulator. At least one vent is formed through the rollout shield adjacent to the rollout switch. The vent provides a path for a rollout flame to the rollout switch. The at least one vent is disposed on at least two sides of the rollout switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Applicant: Allied Air Enterprises Inc.
    Inventors: George Lee JOYNER, JR., Randall MOODY, Jeff BUTLER
  • Patent number: 11125464
    Abstract: A furnace includes a gas burner exposed to a heat-exchange tube. An inducer is fluidly coupled to the heat-exchange tube and configured to induce draft air through the heat-exchange tube. A regulator is fluidly coupled to the gas burner. A rollout shield is disposed adjacent to the gas burner. A rollout switch is disposed in the rollout shield. The rollout switch is electrically coupled to the regulator. At least one vent is formed through the rollout shield adjacent to the rollout switch. The vent provides a path for a rollout flame to the rollout switch. The at least one vent is disposed on at least two sides of the rollout switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Allied Air Enterprises Inc.
    Inventors: George Lee Joyner, Jr., Randall Moody, Jeff Butler
  • Publication number: 20200333043
    Abstract: A furnace includes a gas burner exposed to a heat-exchange tube. An inducer is fluidly coupled to the heat-exchange tube and configured to induce draft air through the heat-exchange tube. A regulator is fluidly coupled to the gas burner. A rollout shield is disposed adjacent to the gas burner. A rollout switch is disposed in the rollout shield. The rollout switch is electrically coupled to the regulator. At least one vent is formed through the rollout shield adjacent to the rollout switch. The vent provides a path for a rollout flame to the rollout switch. The at least one vent is disposed on at least two sides of the rollout switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Applicant: Allied Air Enterprises Inc.
    Inventors: George Lee JOYNER, JR., Randall MOODY, Jeff BUTLER
  • Patent number: 8888251
    Abstract: A heater stuck includes first strata having a planar configuration supporting and forming a fluid heater element responsive to repetitive electrical activation and deactivation to produce repetitive cycles of fluid ejection from an ejection chamber above the heater element and second strata having a planar configuration coating the heater element of the first strata and being contiguous with the ejection chamber to protect the heater element. The first strata include a substrate and heater strata disposed on it and forming a cavity above the substrate and encompassed on three sides by the heater substrata. The heater substrata includes a pair of conductive layer portions constituting terminal leads disposed on the substrate at opposite sides of the cavity and a resistive layer disposed on the conductive layer portions and defining the fluid heater element that spans the top of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yimin Guan, Burton Lee Joyner, II, Zachary Justin Reitmeier
  • Patent number: 8414786
    Abstract: A heater stuck includes first strata having a planar configuration supporting and forming a fluid heater element responsive to repetitive electrical activation and deactivation to produce repetitive cycles of fluid ejection from an ejection chamber above the heater element and second strata having a planar configuration coating the heater element of the first strata and being contiguous with the ejection chamber to protect the heater element. The first strata include a substrate and heater strata disposed on it and forming a cavity above the substrate and encompassed on three sides by the heater substrata. The heater substrata includes a pair of conductive layer portions constituting terminal leads disposed on the substrate at opposite sides of the cavity and a resistive layer disposed on the conductive layer portions and defining the fluid heater element that spans the top of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Yimin Guan, Burton Lee Joyner, II, Zachary Justin Reitmeier
  • Publication number: 20130076837
    Abstract: A heater stuck includes first strata having a planar configuration supporting and forming a fluid heater element responsive to repetitive electrical activation and deactivation to produce repetitive cycles of fluid ejection from an ejection chamber above the heater element and second strata having a planar configuration coating the heater element of the first strata and being contiguous with the ejection chamber to protect the heater element. The first strata include a substrate and heater strata disposed on it and forming a cavity above the substrate and encompassed on three sides by the heater substrata. The heater substrata includes a pair of conductive layer portions constituting terminal leads disposed on the substrate at opposite sides of the cavity and a resistive layer disposed on the conductive layer portions and defining the fluid heater element that spans the top of the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Inventors: Yimin Guan, Burton Lee Joyner, II, Zachary Justin Reitmeier
  • Patent number: 8366245
    Abstract: A fin-shaped heater stack includes first strata configured to support and form fluid heater elements responsive to repetitive electrical activation and deactivation to produce repetitive cycles of ejection of a fluid, and second strata on the first strata to protect the fluid heater elements from adverse effects of the repetitive cycles of fluid ejection and of contact with the fluid. The first strata include a substrate having a front surface, and heater substrata supported on the front surface. The heater substrata have opposite facing side surfaces which extend approximately perpendicular to the front surface and an end surface interconnecting the side surfaces which extends approximately parallel to the front surface such that the heater substrata is provided in either an upright or inverted fin-shaped configuration on the substrate with the fluid heater elements forming the opposite facing side surfaces of the heat substrata.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Yimin Guan, Burton Lee Joyner, II, Zachary Justin Reitmeier, Carl Edmond Sullivan
  • Patent number: 8158336
    Abstract: A method of making a micro-fluid ejection head structure and micro-fluid ejection heads made by the method. The method includes applying a tantalum oxide layer to a surface of a fluid ejection actuator disposed on a device surface of a substrate so that the tantalum oxide layer is the topmost layer of a plurality of layers including a resistive layer, and a protective layer selected from a passivation layer, a cavitation layer, and a combination of a passivation layer and a cavitation layer. The tantalum oxide layer has a thickness (t) that satisfies an equation t=(¼*W/n), wherein W is a wavelength of radiation from a radiation source, and n is a refractive index of the tantalum oxide layer. A photoimageable layer is also applied to the substrate. The photoimageable layer is imaged with the radiation source and then developed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Byron Vencent Bell, Christopher Allen Craft, Bryan Thomas Fannin, Burton Lee Joyner, II, Sean Terrence Weaver
  • Patent number: 8087756
    Abstract: A heater chip has a substrate and at least one die, made of silicon, and a bond non-adhesively attaching them. The substrate, thick enough to resist bowing, has ink supply vias from back to front surfaces. The die has ink flow vias from back to front surfaces and circuitry including heater elements adjacent the front surface interspersed with ink flow vias. The at least one die is superimposed on the substrate such that ink supply vias of the substrate align with ink flow vias of the die and portions of substrate front surface and die back surface are aligned, disposed adjacent and facing one another. The bond formed between substrate and die facing surface portions is hermetic and equal in strength to a Si—O bond. A metal through the die connects a conductor on a front of the substrate to a heater element on a front of the die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Edward Anderson, David Laurier Bernard, Paul William Dryer, Burton Lee Joyner, II, Andrew Lee McNees, Timothy Lowell Strunk, Carl Edmond Sullivan
  • Patent number: 8079672
    Abstract: A heater stack includes first strata configured to support and form a fluid heater element responsive to repetitive electrical activation and deactivation to produce repetitive cycles of fluid ejection from an ejection chamber above the heater element and second strata overlying the first strata and contiguous with the ejection chamber to protect the heater element. The first strata includes a substrate with a cavity formed either in or above the substrate, a heater substrata overlying the cavity and substrate, and a decomposed layer of material between the substrate and heater substrata and processed to provide the cavity substantially empty of the layer of material such that the cavity provides a means which, during repetitive electrical activation, enables the heater element to transfer heat energy into the fluid in the ejection chamber for producing ejection of fluid therefrom substantially without transferring heat energy into the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Yimin Guan, Burton Lee Joyner, II
  • Patent number: 8042912
    Abstract: A heater stack includes first strata configured to support and form a fluid heater element responsive to energy from repetitive electrical activation and deactivation to fire repetitive cycles of heating and ejecting fluid from an ejection chamber above the fluid heater element and second strata overlying the first strata and contiguous with the ejection chamber to provide protection of the fluid heater element. The first strata includes a substrate and a heater substrata overlying the substrate and including a resistive layer having lateral portions spaced apart, a central portion extending between the lateral portions and defining the fluid heater element, and transitional portions interconnecting the central portion and lateral portions and elevating the central portion relative to the lateral portions and above the substrate to form a gap between the lateral portions and between the central portion and substrate insulating the substrate from the fluid heater element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Yimin Guan, Burton Lee Joyner, II, Zachary Justin Reitmeier
  • Publication number: 20110205305
    Abstract: A heater chip has a substrate and at least one die, made of silicon, and a bond non-adhesively attaching them. The substrate, thick enough to resist bowing, has ink supply vias from back to front surfaces. The die has ink flow vias from back to front surfaces and circuitry including heater elements adjacent the front surface interspersed with ink flow vias. The at least one die is superimposed on the substrate such that ink supply vias of the substrate align with ink flow vias of the die and portions of substrate front surface and die back surface are aligned, disposed adjacent and facing one another. The bond formed between substrate and die facing surface portions is hermetic and equal in strength to a Si—O bond. A metal through the die connects a conductor on a front of the substrate to a heater element on a front of the die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventors: Frank Edward Anderson, David Laurier Bernard, Paul William Dryer, Burton Lee Joyner, II, Andrew Lee McNees, Timothy Lowell Strunk, Carl Edmond Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20110123932
    Abstract: Methods are described for forming a fluid ejection device on a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface having plurality of electrical heater elements. A sacrificial polymer layer is added over the first surface, a conformal material over the sacrificial polymer layer forms a nozzle layer, the sacrificial polymer is then removed to form ink ejection chambers, the nozzle layer is removed to form nozzle holes, a mask layer is used to form an exposed region and an unexposed region, the exposed region defining a central ink via, which is then etched to form the central ink via.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Inventors: Yimin Guan, Burton Lee Joyner, II, Zachary Justin Reitmeier
  • Patent number: 7938513
    Abstract: A heater chip has a substrate and at least one die, made of silicon, and a bond non-adhesively attaching them. The substrate, thick enough to resist bowing, has ink supply vias from back to front surfaces. The die has ink flow vias from back to front surfaces and circuitry including heater elements adjacent the front surface interspersed with ink flow vias. The at least one die is superimposed on the substrate such that ink supply vias of the substrate align with ink flow vias of the die and portions of substrate front surface and die back surface are aligned, disposed adjacent and facing one another. The bond formed between substrate and die facing surface portions is hermetic and equal in strength to a Si—O bond. By separate processing of carrier and device wafers, size and features of substrate and die can be tailored to provide a desired heater chip construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Edward Anderson, David Laurier Bernard, Paul William Dryer, Burton Lee Joyner, II, Andrew Lee McNees, Timothy Lowell Strunk, Carl Edmond Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20100321447
    Abstract: Heater chips for a micro-fluid ejection device, such as those having a reduced energy requirement and more efficient production process therefor. One such heater chip includes a resistive layer deposited adjacent to a substrate and a protective layer deposited adjacent to the resistive layer. The protective layer can be a tantalum oxide protective layer, which has a high breakdown voltage. An optional cavitation layer of tantalum, which bonds well with the tantalum oxide layer, may be deposited adjacent to the protective layer. Alternatively, for example, the tantalum oxide layer may serve as both the protective layer and the cavitation layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventors: Robert Wilson Cornell, Yimin Guan, Burton Lee Joyner, II
  • Patent number: 7841702
    Abstract: A heater stack includes first strata configured to support and form a fluid heater element responsive to repetitive electrical activation and deactivation to produce cycles of fluid ejection and second strata overlying the first strata to protect the heater element. A decomposed sacrificial layer of a preselected polymer between the substrate and a heater substrata containing the heater element provides a decoupled relationship between them which, during a heat-up period of each cycle, results in the heater element buckling out of physical contact with substrate enabling the heater element to transfer heat energy for producing fluid ejection into the fluid without transferring any into the substrate whereas the decoupled relationship, during the next following cool-down period of each cycle, results in the heater element de-buckling back into physical contact with the substrate enabling the heater element transfer residual heat energy to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Yimin Guan, Burton Lee Joyner, II, Zachary Justin Reitmeier
  • Publication number: 20100229392
    Abstract: A method of making a micro-fluid ejection head structure and micro-fluid ejection heads made by the method. The method includes applying a tantalum oxide layer to a surface of a fluid ejection actuator disposed on a device surface of a substrate so that the tantalum oxide layer is the topmost layer of a plurality of layers including a resistive layer, and a protective layer selected from a passivation layer, a cavitation layer, and a combination of a passivation layer and a cavitation layer. The tantalum oxide layer has a thickness (t) that satisfies an equation t=(¼*W/n), wherein W is a wavelength of radiation from a radiation source, and n is a refractive index of the tantalum oxide layer. A photoimageable layer is also applied to the substrate. The photoimageable layer is imaged with the radiation source and then developed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Byron Vencent Bell, Christopher Allen Craft, Bryan Thomas Fannin, Burton Lee Joyner, II, Sean Terrence Weaver
  • Patent number: 7784917
    Abstract: A method of making a micro-fluid ejection head structure and micro-fluid ejection heads made by the method. The method includes applying a tantalum oxide layer to a surface of a fluid ejection actuator disposed on a device surface of a substrate so that the tantalum oxide layer is the topmost layer of a plurality of layers including a resistive layer, and a protective layer selected from a passivation layer, a cavitation layer, and a combination of a passivation layer and a cavitation layer. The tantalum oxide layer has a thickness (t) that satisfies an equation t=(¼*W/n), wherein W is a wavelength of radiation from a radiation source, and n is a refractive index of the tantalum oxide layer. A photoimageable layer is also applied to the substrate. The photoimageable layer is imaged with the radiation source and then developed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Byron Vencent Bell, Christopher Allen Craft, Bryan Thomas Fannin, Burton Lee Joyner, II, Sean Terrence Weaver
  • Publication number: 20100165054
    Abstract: A fin-shaped heater stack includes first strata configured to support and form fluid heater elements responsive to repetitive electrical activation and deactivation to produce repetitive cycles of ejection of a fluid, and second strata on the first strata to protect the fluid heater elements from adverse effects of the repetitive cycles of fluid ejection and of contact with the fluid. The first strata include a substrate having a front surface, and heater substrata supported on the front surface. The heater substrata have opposite facing side surfaces which extend approximately perpendicular to the front surface and an end surface interconnecting the side surfaces which extends approximately parallel to the front surface such that the heater substrata is provided in either an upright or inverted fin-shaped configuration on the substrate with the fluid heater elements forming the opposite facing side surfaces of the heat substrata.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Yimin Guan, Burton Lee Joyner, II, Zachary Justin Reitmeier, Carl Edmond Sullivan