Patents by Inventor Scott A. Williamson

Scott A. 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: 20220171325
    Abstract: A first replaceable unit is provided for use with a second replaceable unit in an electrophotographic image forming device. The first replaceable unit includes a latch movable between a latching position for latching the first replaceable unit to the second replaceable unit and an unlatching position for permitting the first replaceable unit to separate from the second replaceable unit. The latch is positioned to contact a latch catch on the second replaceable unit in order to prevent the first replaceable unit from separating from the second replaceable unit when the first replaceable unit is mated with the second replaceable unit and the latch is in the latching position. The latch includes a cam follower surface for contacting a camming surface on the second replaceable unit during mating of the first replaceable unit with the second replaceable unit to cause the latch to move toward the latching or unlatching position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventor: RANDAL SCOTT WILLIAMSON
  • Patent number: 11347180
    Abstract: A component separator system for use with an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a first replaceable unit and a second replaceable unit for use in the image forming device. The second replaceable unit is manually separable from the first replaceable unit. The first replaceable unit is mateable with the second replaceable unit in an operative position of the first replaceable unit relative to the second replaceable unit with a first imaging component of the first replaceable unit in operative contact with a second imaging component of the second replaceable unit. Engagement of a first engagement member of the first replaceable unit with a second engagement member of the second replaceable unit retains the first replaceable unit in a storage position relative to the second replaceable unit with the first imaging component spaced away from the second imaging component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Alan Cavill, Randal Scott Williamson
  • Patent number: 11287770
    Abstract: A first replaceable unit is provided for use with a second replaceable unit in an electrophotographic image forming device. The first replaceable unit includes a latch movable between a latching position for latching the first replaceable unit to the second replaceable unit and an unlatching position for permitting the first replaceable unit to separate from the second replaceable unit. The latch is positioned to contact a latch catch on the second replaceable unit in order to prevent the first replaceable unit from separating from the second replaceable unit when the first replaceable unit is mated with the second replaceable unit and the latch is in the latching position. The latch includes a cam follower surface for contacting a camming surface on the second replaceable unit during mating of the first replaceable unit with the second replaceable unit to cause the latch to move toward the latching or unlatching position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventor: Randal Scott Williamson
  • Publication number: 20220091538
    Abstract: A toner container includes a housing having a toner reservoir. An input gear is positioned on the housing for mating with a corresponding output gear in an image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device. A toner agitator is movably positioned in the reservoir. The toner agitator is operatively connected to the input gear such that rotation of the input gear in a first rotational direction causes movement of the toner agitator for agitating toner in the reservoir. An encoded member is encoded with authentication information of the toner container and is operatively connected to the input gear such that rotation of the input gear in a second rotational direction causes movement of the encoded member for communicating the authentication information of the toner container to a controller of the image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: RANDAL SCOTT WILLIAMSON, VIRGIL JOHNSON, JR.
  • Patent number: 11280620
    Abstract: An approach is provided for a campaign management platform to update map data. The approach, for example, involves receiving, by the campaign management platform, a map update request to update the digital map data for a geographic area. The approach also involves generating a sensor data request specifying a sensor data collection event to be performed within the geographic area. The sensor data collection event is part of a campaign to update the digital map for the geographic area. The approach further involves transmitting the sensor data request to a target number of vehicles. The target number of vehicles perform the sensor data collection event in the geographic area to collect sensor data. The approach further involves processing the sensor data to update the digital map data for the geographic area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Zoltan Gaal, Dennis Scott Williamson
  • Publication number: 20220035304
    Abstract: A toner cartridge according to one embodiment includes a body having a reservoir for storing toner and a rotatable developer roll mounted on the body and in fluid communication with the reservoir. A portion of an outer surface of the developer roll is exposed along a front of the body for supplying toner from the reservoir to a corresponding photoconductive drum on an imaging unit when the toner cartridge is installed on the imaging unit in an operative position of the toner cartridge relative to the imaging unit. A first engagement member positioned on a rear of the body is configured to engage a corresponding second engagement member on the imaging unit when the toner cartridge is installed on the imaging unit to retain the toner cartridge in a storage position of the toner cartridge relative to the imaging unit with the developer roll spaced away from the photoconductive drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: GREGORY ALAN CAVILL, RANDAL SCOTT WILLIAMSON
  • Patent number: 11221568
    Abstract: A toner container includes a housing having a toner reservoir. An input gear is positioned on the housing for mating with a corresponding output gear in an image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device. A toner agitator is movably positioned in the reservoir. The toner agitator is operatively connected to the input gear such that rotation of the input gear in a first rotational direction causes movement of the toner agitator for agitating toner in the reservoir. An encoded member is encoded with authentication information of the toner container and is operatively connected to the input gear such that rotation of the input gear in a second rotational direction causes movement of the encoded member for communicating the authentication information of the toner container to a controller of the image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Randal Scott Williamson, Virgil Johnson, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20210364984
    Abstract: A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner. An electrical connector is positioned on a first side of the housing. The electrical connector includes an electrical contact for contacting a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device and a magnetic sensor electrically connected to the electrical contact. The electrical connector is movable between a first position and a second position. When the electrical connector moves from the first position to the second position, the electrical contact of the replaceable unit moves from a retracted position to an operative position. When the electrical connector moves from the first position to the second position, the magnetic sensor moves from a misaligned position to an aligned position with a point in a path of movement of a magnet for sensing a magnetic field of the magnet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: JAMES RICHARD LEEMHUIS, RANDAL SCOTT WILLIAMSON
  • Patent number: 11175621
    Abstract: A toner cartridge according to one embodiment includes a body having a reservoir for storing toner and a rotatable developer roll mounted on the body and in fluid communication with the reservoir. A portion of an outer surface of the developer roll is exposed along a front of the body for supplying toner from the reservoir to a corresponding photoconductive drum on an imaging unit when the toner cartridge is installed on the imaging unit in an operative position of the toner cartridge relative to the imaging unit. A first engagement member positioned on a rear of the body is configured to engage a corresponding second engagement member on the imaging unit when the toner cartridge is installed on the imaging unit to retain the toner cartridge in a storage position of the toner cartridge relative to the imaging unit with the developer roll spaced away from the photoconductive drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Alan Cavill, Randal Scott Williamson
  • Patent number: 11137699
    Abstract: A toner container according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner and a rotatable auger in the reservoir. A screw flight of the auger is configured to move toner away from a first end of the auger and toward a second end of the auger when the auger rotates in an operative rotational direction. A segment of the screw flight at a first end of the screw flight has an outer diameter that is reduced in comparison with an outer diameter of the screw flight outside the segment of the screw flight to reduce an efficiency of the auger at the first end of the screw flight for reducing toner packing against an interior wall of the housing when the auger rotates in a direction counter to the operative rotational direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventor: Randal Scott Williamson
  • Patent number: 11126112
    Abstract: A toner container according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A rotatable developer roll is mounted on the housing. A doctor blade has a distal end in contact with the outer surface of the developer roll along a length of the developer roll for metering toner on the outer surface of the developer roll. The doctor blade has a proximate end positioned against a portion of the housing. A toner agitator in the reservoir has a shaft. A support in the reservoir is positioned in close proximity to the shaft to limit bending of the shaft. A first end of the support contacts an inner surface of the portion of the housing that the proximate end of the doctor blade is positioned against. The support stiffens the portion of the housing that the proximate end of the doctor blade is positioned against.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Scott Carpenter, Randal Scott Williamson
  • Patent number: 11126200
    Abstract: An approach is provided for creating an interface for a campaign management platform to transmit a sensor data request for digital map data. The approach, for example, involves retrieving, by the campaign management platform, the sensor data request specifying a sensor data collection event to be performed on a road segment, a geographic area, or a combination thereof. The approach involves publishing the sensor data request to the interface. The interface comprises a plurality of layers including an active request layer, a newly published request layer, a revoked request layer, or a combination thereof. A plurality of vehicles, a manufacturer platform associated with the plurality of vehicles, or a combination thereof accesses at least one of the plurality of layers to fulfill the sensor data request. The publishing, for example, can be performed according to publishing time cadence or period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Zoltan Gaal, Dennis Scott Williamson
  • Patent number: 11118916
    Abstract: An approach is provided for using a campaign management platform to discover undiscovered geographic regions. The approach, for example, involves determining, by the campaign management platform, a geographic area with no known road segments represented in a geographic database, with a number of known road segments below a first threshold value, or where a likelihood of undiscovered road segments is above second threshold value. The approach also involves generating a sensor data request specifying a sensor data collection event to be performed within the geographic area. The sensor data collection event is part of a campaign to discover the digital map data for the geographic area. The approach further involves transmitting the sensor data request to a plurality of vehicles. The plurality of vehicles performs the sensor data collection event in the geographic area to collect sensor data. The approach further involves processing the sensor data to generate the digital map data for the geographic area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Zoltan Gaal, Dennis Scott Williamson
  • Patent number: 11119443
    Abstract: A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner. An electrical connector is positioned on a first side of the housing. The electrical connector includes an electrical contact for contacting a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device and a magnetic sensor electrically connected to the electrical contact. The electrical connector is movable between a first position and a second position. When the electrical connector moves from the first position to the second position, the electrical contact of the replaceable unit moves from a retracted position to an operative position. When the electrical connector moves from the first position to the second position, the magnetic sensor moves from a misaligned position to an aligned position with a point in a path of movement of a magnet for sensing a magnetic field of the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: James Richard Leemhuis, Randal Scott Williamson
  • Publication number: 20210247705
    Abstract: A replaceable unit is removably installable in an image forming device. The replaceable unit includes a rotatable input gear that is positioned to mate with an output gear of the image forming device. The replaceable unit includes an encoded member that is encoded with identifying information of the replaceable unit and that is operatively connected to the input gear such that rotation of the input gear causes movement of the encoded member. The replaceable unit includes an alignment guide on the exterior of the replaceable unit. The image forming device includes a sensor supported by a sensor housing. The alignment guide is positioned to contact and move the sensor housing during insertion of the replaceable unit into the image forming device to align the sensor with an exposed portion of the encoded member for reading the identifying information from the encoded member by the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: VIRGIL JOHNSON, Jr., RANDAL SCOTT WILLIAMSON
  • Publication number: 20210247704
    Abstract: A toner container includes an encoded member that is encoded with identifying information of the toner container and that is operatively connected to an input gear of the toner container such that rotation of the input gear causes movement of the encoded member for communicating the identifying information to a sensor. A first alignment guide on the first side of the toner container includes a top surface that is unobstructed to contact a sensor housing from below when the toner container is installed in an image forming device. At least a portion of the top surface of the first alignment guide inclines upward and rearward for contacting and lifting the sensor housing upward during insertion of the toner container into the image forming device for aligning the sensor with an exposed portion of the encoded member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: VIRGIL JOHNSON, JR., RANDAL SCOTT WILLIAMSON
  • Publication number: 20210200122
    Abstract: A sealing assembly according to one example embodiment includes a housing and an imaging component positioned on the housing. A seal has opposed first and second edges extending along a longitudinal dimension of the seal. A lateral dimension of the seal is perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension and extends in a direction from the first edge to the second edge. The seal is attached to the housing along the first edge and contacts the imaging component along the second edge. Upon attachment to the housing, the seal is elastically deformed from an unassembled state in which the second edge has a first profile that varies in the lateral dimension along the longitudinal dimension to an assembled state in which the second edge is deformed relative to the first profile to a second profile having less variation in the lateral dimension along the longitudinal dimension than the first profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: MARK WILLIAM AMANN, RICHARD LOUIS GOIN, RANDAL SCOTT WILLIAMSON
  • Publication number: 20210200115
    Abstract: A toner container according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A rotatable developer roll is mounted on the housing. A doctor blade has a distal end in contact with the outer surface of the developer roll along a length of the developer roll for metering toner on the outer surface of the developer roll. The doctor blade has a proximate end positioned against a portion of the housing. A toner agitator in the reservoir has a shaft. A support in the reservoir is positioned in close proximity to the shaft to limit bending of the shaft. A first end of the support contacts an inner surface of the portion of the housing that the proximate end of the doctor blade is positioned against. The support stiffens the portion of the housing that the proximate end of the doctor blade is positioned against.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: BRIAN SCOTT CARPENTER, RANDAL SCOTT WILLIAMSON
  • Patent number: D936138
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay Scott Siekmann, Randal Scott Williamson
  • Patent number: D952030
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Scott Carpenter, Gregory Alan Cavill, James Richard Leemhuis, Kyle Bradley Martin, Jay Scott Siekmann, Jeffrey Lawrence Tonges, Randal Scott Williamson, Trey Dustin Gilliam