Patents by Inventor Rodney Jones

Rodney Jones 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).

  • INTEGRATED HEAT EXCHANGER
    Publication number: 20100309630
    Abstract: In one aspect, a cooling device comprising a heat exchanger body comprising a cooling channel for a coolant, a mounting surface to which the electronic component is mountable and an outer heat exchange surface is provided. The cooling device comprises a feeding line connection for feeding the coolant and a draining line connection for draining the coolant. The cooling channel is interconnected to the feeding line connection and the draining line connection. The cooling channel is fanned within the heat exchanger body in such a way that the coolant in the cooling channel is in thermal contact with the mounting surface and the outer heat exchange surface for providing a heat exchange.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventors: Rodney Jones, Philip Perry Waite
  • Heater and drip plate for ink loader melt assembly
    Patent number: 7828424
    Abstract: A melt assembly that includes a drip plate; and a self regulating heating device thermally connected to the drip plate, wherein the heating device is a positive temperature coefficient material (PTC material). Also, a drip plate having an open interior into which a heating device may be inserted or molded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Brent Rodney Jones, Wangxi Fu
  • Solid ink stick with anti jam edge bevel
    Patent number: 7824027
    Abstract: An ink stick for use in a phase change ink imaging device having a leading end; a trailing end; and a plurality of longitudinal surfaces extending between the leading end and the trailing end. Each longitudinal surface of the plurality has a leading edge adjacent the leading end and a trailing edge adjacent the trailing end. At least one of the leading edge and the trailing edge is configured as a clearance edge that enables the at least one longitudinal surface to clear a wall of a feed chute as the at least one longitudinal surface progresses through the feed chute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick T. Mattern, Christopher Ryan Gold, Brent Rodney Jones
  • One way compatibility keying for solid ink sticks
    Patent number: 7810918
    Abstract: A plurality of ink sticks for use in phase change ink imaging devices includes a first ink stick configured for insertion through an insertion opening of an ink loader for a first phase change ink imaging device and configured for insertion through an insertion opening of an ink loader for a second phase change ink imaging device. The plurality of ink sticks also includes a second ink stick configured for insertion through the insertion opening of the ink loader for the second phase change ink imaging device and configured to be excluded from insertion through the insertion opening of the ink loader for the first phase change ink imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Brent Rodney Jones, Brian Walter Aznoe, Darrell Ray Finneman
  • Solid ink stick with canted surface
    Patent number: 7802880
    Abstract: An ink stick for use in a phase change ink imaging device comprises an ink stick body having a leading surface, a trailing surface, and a top surface. The top surface has a front edge that is rearwardly offset from a top edge of the leading surface, and a back edge that is at least partially rearwardly offset from the top of the trailing surface. A leading canted face extends between the top edge of the leading surface and the front edge of the top surface. A trailing canted face extends between the top edge of the trailing surface and the back edge of the top surface. The back edge includes a key that is complementary to an insertion opening key of an ink loader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Brent Rodney Jones, Terry Alan Smith, Brian Walter Aznoe
  • Flow fill manufacturing of solid ink sticks with top surface conditioning
    Patent number: 7790092
    Abstract: A system is provided for forming solid ink sticks comprising a molten ink delivery station for introducing molten ink material into a forming tub to form a solid ink stick. The forming tub includes an open top for receiving the molten ink material and a cavity defining a lower portion of a solid ink stick shape. The system includes a top surface conditioning station for altering the top surface of the ink material introduced into the cavity of the forming tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Brent Rodney Jones, Gustavo J. Yusem, Terry Alan Smith, Frederick T. Mattern, Edward F. Burress, Ernest Isreal Esplin
  • Independent keying and guidance for solid ink sticks
    Patent number: 7780283
    Abstract: An ink loader for a phase change ink imaging device includes at least one guide member for maintaining alignment and orientation of ink sticks as the ink sticks feed to a melt area of an ink loader. The ink loader also includes a keyed opening through which ink sticks are inserted into the ink loader. The keyed opening is positioned with respect to the at least one guide member such that keying elements of ink sticks are spatially separated from the at least one guide member during and after insertion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Brent Rodney Jones
  • Digital solid ink stick identification and recognition
    Patent number: 7780284
    Abstract: A system for an ink delivery system comprises a feed path having an insertion end and a melt end, and an ink stick transport for moving at least one ink stick between the insertion end and the melt end of the feed path. At least one sensor is positioned along the feed path. A controller is configured to actuate the transport to move at least one ink stick in a first direction from the insertion end toward the melt end of the feed path so that a coded sensor feature of the at least one ink stick actuates the at least one sensor to generate a signal. The controller is configured to actuate the transport to move the at least one ink stick in one of the first direction and a second direction toward the insertion end of the feed path in response to the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Alan Fairchild, Frederick T Mattern, Brent Rodney Jones
  • Solid Ink Melt Tub with Corrugated Melt Region and Offset Outlet
    Publication number: 20100194835
    Abstract: A phase change ink melting assembly includes a tub having an open top, a bottom surface, and a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the bottom surface. The bottom surface has a solid ink melt region and a melted ink outlet offset from the solid ink melt region. The solid ink melt tub includes a three dimensional area extending from the bottom surface in the solid ink melt region. At least one constraining surface is positioned proximate the open top of the melt tub above the solid ink melt region tub and thermally isolated from the melt tub. The at least one constraining surface is configured to prevent lateral movement of an ink stick as it is being fed downwardly into contact with the solid ink melt region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Brent Rodney Jones
  • Ink Melt Device with Solid State Retention and Molten Ink Pass-Through
    Publication number: 20100194834
    Abstract: A phase change ink melting assembly for use in a phase change ink imaging device includes an ink melt perimetric constraint having an open top and a melted ink egress positioned at a bottom of the perimetric constraint. The open top is sized to receive a leading end of an ink stick fed downwardly therethrough. The perimetric constraint includes an interior through path with egress at the bottom and a plurality of melted ink flow paths intermediate the open top and the melted ink egress. The assembly includes a heater for heating the perimetric constraint to a phase change ink melting temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Brent Rodney Jones
  • Lateral anti-skewing solution for solid ink
    Patent number: 7753511
    Abstract: A solid ink stick incorporates structural features and aspect ratios that facilitate movement of the ink stick through a feed channel. The ink stick includes an ink stick body having a width, a length, and a height, a first skew limiter in a lateral side of the ink stick, the first skew limiter having a length substantially equal to the length of the ink stick and a width that is less than one-half of the width of the ink stick, and a second skew limiter in a lateral side of the ink stick opposite the lateral side in which the first skew limiter is located, the second skew limiter having a length substantially equal to the length of the ink stick and a width that is less than one-half of the width of the ink stick.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Brent Rodney Jones, Brian Walter Aznoe, Timothy Lee Crawford
  • Power converters
    Patent number: 7755209
    Abstract: The present invention provides a power converter that can be used to interface a generator (4) that provides variable voltage at variable frequency to a supply network operating at nominally fixed voltage and nominally fixed frequency and including features that allow the power converter to remain connected to the supply network and retain control during supply network fault and transient conditions. The power converter includes a generator bridge (10) electrically connected to the stator of the generator (4) and a network bridge (14). A dc link (12) is connected between the generator bridge (10) and the network bridge (14). A filter (16) having network terminals is connected between the network bridge (14) and the supply network. A first controller (18) is provided for controlling the operation of the semiconductor power switching devices of the generator bridge (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Converteam UK Ltd
    Inventors: Rodney Jones, Paul Brian Brogan, Erik Grøndahl, Henrik Stiesdal
  • Solid ink composition with post-melt mixing
    Patent number: 7753510
    Abstract: An ink stick for use in a phase change ink printer includes a first portion of a solid ink stick body, the first portion being formed of a first material of a phase change ink composition. The ink stick also includes a second portion of the solid ink stick body, the second portion being formed of a second material. The first material and the second material combine when the ink stick body is melted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Donald R. Titterington, Brent Rodney Jones, David L. Knierim, Barry D. Reeves, Edward F. Burress, Ernest Isreal Esplin, Richard Guy Chambers, Jasper Kent Wong
  • Intermediate side slot vertical ink constraint with offset support
    Patent number: 7726797
    Abstract: An ink stick cooperates with structure in a feed channel of a phase change ink printer to reduce steering effects from pushing the ink sticks along the longitudinal axis of the feed channel. The ink stick includes an ink stick body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a lateral dimension between two partial sides of the ink stick, and a lateral center of gravity within the lateral dimension, a support in a bottom surface of the ink stick body, the support being located at a position that is laterally offset from the lateral center of gravity within the lateral dimension, and a skew limiter in a side of the ink stick body that is opposite the lateral offset position of the support, the skew limiter being in the side of the ink stick body intermediate the bottom surface and the top surface of the ink stick body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Brent Rodney Jones, Brian Walter Aznoe, Darrell Ray Finneman
  • Control methods for pulse width modulation (PWM)
    Patent number: 7724548
    Abstract: A method of controlling a power converter is used to interface to a power grid or supply network operating at a frequency (Fnet) that is nominally fixed (say at 50 Hz, for example) but which can be varied as a way of controlling power imbalanced within the network as a whole. The power converter can include a network bridge that operates in accordance with the pulse width modulation (PWM) strategy having a switching frequency (Fpwm), a nominal switching frequency (Fpwm_nom) and a number of pulses per period (Pulse_Number).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Converteam UK Ltd
    Inventors: Rodney Jones, Robert Vernon Fulcher, Eric Anthony Lewis
  • Imaging And Recording Device Media Staging Support
    Publication number: 20100123066
    Abstract: A media support stand includes a top surface incorporated into a housing of an imaging device. A plurality of media slots are formed in the top surface. Each media slot in the plurality is configured to support at least one print media oriented vertically. Each media slot in the plurality includes a plurality of arc inducing vector transitions in a plane transverse to the planar extent of the vertically oriented print media. The plurality of arc inducing vector transitions are configured to impart alternating arcs to the print media inserted into the respective media slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Brent Rodney Jones
  • Solid ink stick fabrication by fiber extrusion
    Patent number: 7703906
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an ink stick for use in a phase change ink jet imaging device includes heating phase change ink material to an extrusion temperature at which the phase change ink material is in a malleable state. The ink is then extruded through an extrusion orifice to form at least one extruded ink filament having at least one cross-sectional dimension transverse to the extrusion direction that is less than approximately 12 mm. The at least one ink filament is then accumulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Brent Rodney Jones, Brian G. Russell, Edward F. Burress
  • Apparatus And Method For Reducing Vibration And Noise In A Printer
    Publication number: 20100090390
    Abstract: An apparatus for transporting media in a printer helps reduce vibration and noise in the printer. The apparatus includes a pair of brackets secured to a printer surface, a shaft, a first portion of the shaft being secured within one of the brackets and a second portion of the shaft being secured within the other bracket, a roller mounted about the shaft for rotation about the shaft, and a pair of vibration dampeners, one vibration dampener being interposed between the first portion of the shaft and the one bracket, and the other vibration dampener being interposed between the second portion of the shaft and the other bracket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Carl T. Urban, Michael D. Long, Paul Vangasse, Brent Rodney Jones
  • Ink loader mechanism using an ink stick carrier
    Patent number: 7695126
    Abstract: An ink stick support for use in an ink loader of a phase change ink imaging device includes an ink stick carrier for receiving and supporting an ink stick. The ink stick carrier includes a loading platform for receiving the ink stick thereon and a substantially vertically oriented back wall extending from a back edge of the base plate. A coupler for removably attaching the ink stick carrier to a drive mechanism of an ink loader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Brent Rodney Jones, David L. Knierim, Barry D. Reeves, Edward F. Burress, Ernest Isreal Esplin, Richard Guy Chambers, Jasper Kent Wong
  • Solid ink sticks with corner guides
    Patent number: 7690775
    Abstract: An ink stick having a solid ink stick body adapted for insertion in an insertion direction into an ink loader of a phase change ink device. The solid ink stick body includes a top and bottom surface that are oriented substantially perpendicular to the insertion direction and a plurality of side surfaces that are substantially parallel to the insertion direction. The plurality of side surfaces define a plurality of corner edges that extend from the top surface to the bottom surface where adjacent side surfaces meet. A corner guide element extends at least partially along at least one corner edge in a feed direction of the feed channel. The corner guide elements are configured to engage guide members in the feed channel to restrain movement of the ink stick body in at least one direction other than the feed direction. The insertion direction is parallel to the feed direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Brent Rodney Jones, Brian Walter Aznoe