Patents by Inventor Ritchie J. Lee

Ritchie J. Lee 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).

  • Molded roller for tape cartridge
    Patent number: 6129301
    Abstract: A drive roller for a belt-driven tape cartridge is molded of composite polymeric material in a single step to include outer segment and inner segment integrally formed together with a radial web segment between the outer and inner segments to provide highly concentric operating surfaces on the outer segment and in the inner segment. Electrical conductivity throughout the molded drive roller is provided by including in the composite material a quantity of carbon powder, and selective shrinkage of the composite material during cooling from molding temperatures provides desirable bearing surface within the inner bore through the inner segment. Thrust bearing surfaces at the ends of the inner segment engage mating bearing surfaces that include lubricant traps to inhibit migration of lubricant away from the bearing surfaces of the drive roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Verbatim Corporation
    Inventors: Donald Stanley, Kenneth Sheppard, Ritchie J. Lee
  • Method of molding unitary roller of homogeneous material for tape cartridge
    Patent number: 5961905
    Abstract: A drive roller for a belt-driven tape cartridge is molded of composite polymeric material in a single step to include outer segment and inner segment integrally formed together with a radial web segment between the outer and inner segments to provide highly concentric operating surfaces on the outer segment and in the inner segment. Electrical conductivity throughout the molded drive roller is provided by including in the composite material a quantity of carbon powder, and selective shrinkage of the composite material during cooling from molding temperatures provides desirable bearing surface within the inner bore through the inner segment. Thrust bearing surfaces at the ends of the inner segment engage mating bearing surfaces that include lubricant traps to inhibit migration of lubricant away from the bearing surfaces of the drive roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Verbatim Corporation
    Inventors: Donald Stanley, Kenneth Sheppard, Ritchie J. Lee
  • Write protection for memory diskettes
    Patent number: 5539600
    Abstract: A slide component is configured to be inserted into a recess in an assembled magnetic diskette cartridge and rotated about an edge of the slide component into operable orientation to be slideably positioned between locations in the recess that designate whether or not the magnetic disk in the cartridge is write-protected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Verbatim Corporation
    Inventors: Ritchie J. Lee, Charles F. DeWitt, Walter L. Coppedge