Patents by Inventor Randal S. Williamson

Randal S. Williamson 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: 20170157936
    Abstract: A wiper for a maintenance station of an imaging device, including a foundational body that attaches to the maintenance station and a blade on top of the foundational body for scraping fluid and debris from a printhead of the imaging device, the blade being formed of a flexible material having two terminal sections and a central section defining a longitudinal extent of the blade, wherein each of the two terminal sections connects to the foundational body with a thicker expanse of the flexible material compared to the central section that connects to the body with a thinner expanse of the flexible material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Randal S. Williamson, Gregory L. Hutchison, Jonathan A. Wharton, Lane T. Butler, Brian M. Langness
  • Patent number: 9597879
    Abstract: A wiper for a maintenance station of an imaging device, including a foundational body that attaches to the maintenance station and a blade on top of the foundational body for scraping fluid and debris from a printhead of the imaging device, the blade being formed of a flexible material having two terminal sections and a central section defining a longitudinal extent of the blade, wherein each of the two terminal sections connects to the foundational body with a thicker expanse of the flexible material compared to the central section that connects to the body with a thinner expanse of the flexible material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Randal S. Williamson, Gregory L. Hutchison, Jonathan A. Wharton, Lane T. Butler, Brian M. Langness
  • Publication number: 20150367646
    Abstract: A wiper for a maintenance station of an imaging device, including a foundational body that attaches to the maintenance station and a blade on top of the foundational body for scraping fluid and debris from a printhead of the imaging device, the blade being formed of a flexible material having two terminal sections and a central section defining a longitudinal extent of the blade, wherein each of the two terminal sections connects to the foundational body with a thicker expanse of the flexible material compared to the central section that connects to the body with a thinner expanse of the flexible material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Randal S. Williamson, Gregory L. Hutchison, Jonathan A. Wharton, Lane T. Butler, Brian M. Langness
  • Patent number: 9120316
    Abstract: A wiper for a maintenance station of an imaging device includes a foundational body and a flexible blade. The body rigidly attaches to the maintenance station. The blade attaches to the body. The blade scrapes fluid and debris from a printhead during use. The blade comprises a flexible material having terminal sections intervened by a central section. Each terminal section connects to the body with a thicker expanse of flexible material, whereas the central section connects to the body with a thinner expanse. The connection provides the terminal sections with a higher wiping force and a shorter effective beam length for wiping an encapsulant of the printhead and gives while the central section a lower wiping force and a longer effective beam length for wiping a nozzle plate of the printhead. The embodiments note curved surfaces with variable radiuses where the expanses of flexible material connect to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Randal S Williamson, Gregory Leon Hutchison, Jonathan Andrew Wharton, Brian Michael Langness, Lane Thomas Butler
  • Patent number: 8752941
    Abstract: A consumable supply item for an imaging device holds an initial or refillable volume of fluid. Users orient a housing to deplete the fluid in a direction of gravity toward a bottom surface of the interior en route to an exit port. The imaging device has a rotating latch to keep in place the supply item during use Users activate the latch to eject the supply item. The latch mates with a notch on the supply item. A first face of the notch angles to allow the latch to swing into and away from contact with the notch while a second face substantially parallels a side of the latch when the latch is engaged with the first face. The faces have differing angles and differing lengths. Further embodiments note angular degrees, biasing members, container slots, and consumer features of the supply item, to name a few.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Funai Electric Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Edmund H. James, III, Steven R. Komplin, Randal S. Williamson
  • Patent number: 8567932
    Abstract: A consumable supply item for an imaging device holds an initial or refillable volume of ink. Users orient a housing to deplete the ink in a direction of gravity toward a bottom of the interior. The imaging device has a rotating latch. The latch mates with a top of the supply item to keep in place the supply item. Fluid exit and air venting ports reside on a side of the housing that gets inserted first into a container slot of the imaging device. A space separates the ports so a biasing member can push against the housing to assist in ejecting the supply item upon users activating the latch. The ports are separated a maximum distance to facilitate the ejection, while the exit port remains near a bottom to minimize stranding ink. Further embodiments note arrangements, distances and consumer features, to name a few.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Edmund H. James, III, Neal D. McFarland, Steven R. Komplin, Randal S. Williamson
  • Publication number: 20130222474
    Abstract: A wiper for a maintenance station of an imaging device includes a foundational body and a flexible blade. The body rigidly attaches to the maintenance station. The blade attaches to the body. The blade scrapes fluid and debris from a printhead during use. The blade comprises a flexible material having terminal sections intervened by a central section. Each terminal section connects to the body with a thicker expanse of flexible material, whereas the central section connects to the body with a thinner expanse. The connection provides the terminal sections with a higher wiping force and a shorter effective beam length for wiping an encapsulant of the printhead and gives while the central section a lower wiping force and a longer effective beam length for wiping a nozzle plate of the printhead. The embodiments note curved surfaces with variable radiuses where the expanses of flexible material connect to the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Inventors: Randal S. Williamson, Gregory Leon Hutchison, Jonathan Andrew Wharton, Brian Michael Langness, Lane Thomas Butler
  • Publication number: 20120120164
    Abstract: A consumable supply item for an imaging device holds an initial or refillable volume of fluid. Users orient a housing to deplete the fluid in a direction of gravity toward a bottom surface of the interior en route to an exit port. The imaging device has a rotating latch to keep in place the supply item during use Users activate the latch to eject the supply item. The latch mates with a notch on the supply item. A first face of the notch angles to allow the latch to swing into and away from contact with the notch while a second face substantially parallels a side of the latch when the latch is engaged with the first face. The faces have differing angles and differing lengths. Further embodiments note angular degrees, biasing members, container slots, and consumer features of the supply item, to name a few.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Edmund H. James, III, Steven R. komplin, Randal S. Williamson
  • Publication number: 20120120165
    Abstract: A consumable supply item for an imaging device holds an initial or refillable volume of ink. Users orient a housing to deplete the ink in a direction of gravity toward a bottom of the interior. The imaging device has a rotating latch. The latch mates with a top of the supply item to keep in place the supply item. Fluid exit and air venting ports reside on a side of the housing that gets inserted first into a container slot of the imaging device. A space separates the ports so a biasing member can push against the housing to assist in ejecting the supply item upon users activating the latch. The ports are separated a maximum distance to facilitate the ejection, while the exit port remains near a bottom to minimize stranding ink. Further embodiments note arrangements, distances and consumer features, to name a few.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Edmund H. James, III, Neal D. McFanland, Steven R. Komplin, Randal S. Williamson
  • Patent number: 7370860
    Abstract: An automatic edge guide assembly comprises a sheet feeding mechanism, a slide housing mounted within the sheet feeding mechanism and an edge guide slidably connected to the slide housing. The edge guide is biased by a first biasing force and a second biasing force, wherein the first force is greater than the second force, allowing for automatic edge alignment within a predetermined range of widths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Edmund H. James, III, Randal S. Williamson
  • Patent number: D667491
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Randal S. Williamson, Neal McFarland, John Gassett, Edmund James, III, Gina Johns, Steven Komplin, Johnnie Coffey