Patents by Inventor Rodney Ray Bucks

Rodney Ray Bucks 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: 8770738
    Abstract: An inkjet printing system, comprising: one or more inkjet printheads for printing drops of ink onto a receiver medium, and an acoustic air impingement drying system positioned in proximity to at least one of the inkjet printheads. The acoustic air impingement drying system includes: an airflow source providing a supply flow rate; an acoustic resonant chamber having an inlet slot that receives air from the airflow source and an outlet slot that directs air onto the receiver medium; an exhaust air channel for removing the air directed onto the receiver medium by the acoustic resonant chamber; a blower for pulling air through the exhaust air channel at an exhaust flow rate; and a blower controller that controls the supply flow rate and the exhaust flow rate, wherein the exhaust flow rate is controlled to match the supply flow rate to within 1%, or to exceed the supply flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: James Douglas Shifley, Rodney Ray Bucks, Thomas Nathaniel Tombs, Andrew Ciaschi
  • Publication number: 20140150285
    Abstract: An acoustic air impingement drying system is provided for drying a material using a pneumatic transducer unit. An inlet chamber receives air from an airflow source at a supply flow rate. A plurality of acoustic resonant chambers are arranged in a drying zone, each having an inlet slot that receives air from the inlet chamber and an outlet slot that directs air onto the material, the outlet slots being oriented at an oblique angle relative to a width dimension of the pneumatic transducer unit. One or more peripheral exhaust air channels are arranged around the outer boundary of the drying zone for removing the air directed onto the material by the acoustic resonant chambers. A blower pulls air through the exhaust air channels at an exhaust flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventors: Rodney Ray Bucks, Thomas Nathaniel Tombs, Andrew Ciaschi, James Douglas Shifley
  • Publication number: 20140150284
    Abstract: An acoustic air impingement drying system is provided for drying a material. An inlet chamber receives air from an airflow source provides air at a supply flow rate. A plurality of acoustic resonant chambers are provided, each having an inlet slot that receives air from the inlet chamber and an outlet slot that directs air onto the material, wherein the acoustic resonant chambers impart acoustic energy to the transiting air, the outlet slots being oriented at an oblique angle relative to the width dimension of the pneumatic transducer unit. A plurality of exhaust air channels interspersed between the outlet slots remove the air directed onto the material by the acoustic resonant chambers. A blower pulls air through the exhaust air channels at an exhaust flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventors: Andrew Ciaschi, James Douglas Shifley, Rodney Ray Bucks, Thomas Nathaniel Tombs
  • Publication number: 20140152750
    Abstract: An inkjet printing system, comprising: one or more inkjet printheads for printing drops of ink onto a receiver medium, and an acoustic air impingement drying system positioned in proximity to at least one of the inkjet printheads. The acoustic air impingement drying system includes: an airflow source providing a supply flow rate; an acoustic resonant chamber having an inlet slot that receives air from the airflow source and an outlet slot that directs air onto the receiver medium; an exhaust air channel for removing the air directed onto the receiver medium by the acoustic resonant chamber; a blower for pulling air through the exhaust air channel at an exhaust flow rate; and a blower controller that controls the supply flow rate and the exhaust flow rate, wherein the exhaust flow rate is controlled to match the supply flow rate to within 1%, or to exceed the supply flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventors: James Douglas Shifley, Rodney Ray Bucks, Thomas Nathaniel Tombs, Andrew Ciaschi
  • Publication number: 20140152749
    Abstract: An inkjet printing system, comprising: one or more inkjet printheads for printing drops of ink onto a receiver medium, and an acoustic air impingement drying system positioned in proximity to at least one of the inkjet printheads. The acoustic air impingement drying system includes: an airflow source providing a supply flow rate; an acoustic resonant chamber having an inlet slot that receives air from the airflow source and an outlet slot that directs air onto the receiver medium; an exhaust air channel for removing the air directed onto the receiver medium by the acoustic resonant chamber; a blower for pulling air through the exhaust air channel at an exhaust flow rate; and a blower controller that controls the supply flow rate and the exhaust flow rate, wherein the exhaust flow rate is controlled to match the supply flow rate to within 1%, or to exceed the supply flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventors: James Douglas Shifley, Rodney Ray Bucks, Thomas Nathaniel Tombs, Andrew Claschi
  • Publication number: 20130279950
    Abstract: Methods are provided in which a charge pattern is formed with a second area having a surface potential that is at least 30 percent lower than a surface potential of an adjacent first area that creates an inter-area field between the first area and second area that extends into a portion of the first area. A development station applies a first development field and a first toner is partially developed in the first area based upon the influence of the inter-area and first development fields. The charge pattern and first toner are further developed with a different second toner. The surface charge has a different polarity than a polarity of the first toner and second toner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventor: Rodney Ray Bucks
  • Publication number: 20130279951
    Abstract: Printers are provided in which a charge pattern is formed with a second area having a surface potential that is at least 30 percent less than a surface potential of an adjacent first area that creates an inter-area field between the first area and second area that extends into a portion of the first area that is proximate to the second area. A development station applies a first development field and a first toner is partially developed in the first area based upon the influence of the inter-area and first development fields. The charge pattern and first toner are further developed with a different second toner. The surface charge, the first toner and second toner have the same polarity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventor: Rodney Ray Bucks
  • Publication number: 20130279948
    Abstract: Printing methods are provided. A surface charge is provided on the primary imaging member and the surface charge is partially discharged in areas in which a first toner is to develop. The charge pattern is formed with a first area having a surface potential that is at least 30 percent less than a surface potential of an adjacent second area that creates an inter-area field between the first area and second area that extends into a portion of the first area that is proximate to the second area. A first development field is applied and a first toner is partially developed in the first area based upon the influence of the inter-area and first development fields. The charge pattern and the first toner are further developed with a different second toner. The surface charge on the primary imaging member, first toner and second toner have the same polarity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventor: Rodney Ray Bucks
  • Publication number: 20130279949
    Abstract: Printers are provided in which a charge pattern is formed with a first area having a surface potential that is at least 30 percent less than a surface potential of an adjacent second area that creates an inter-area field between the first area and second area that extends into a portion of the first area that is proximate to the second area. A development station applies a first development field and a first toner is partially developed in the first area based upon the influence of the inter-area and first development fields. The charge pattern and first toner are further developed with a different second toner. The surface charge, the first toner and second toner have the same polarity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventor: Rodney Ray Bucks