Patents by Inventor Steve Brennen Ball

Steve Brennen Ball 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: 9880499
    Abstract: A system and methods for controlling the fuser heater of an electrophotographic imaging device, including initiating a preheating operation for preheating the fuser heater. Following a temperature of the fuser heater reaching a first predetermined temperature during the preheating operation, heater power is calculated based on a current temperature of the fuser heater and upon a second predetermined temperature. Current line voltage of a power supply line powering the electrophotographic device is also calculated, and a maximum heater power is determined based on the calculated current line voltage. The calculated heater power is then compared with the determined maximum heater power and the fuser heater is powered using the heater power equal to a lesser of the calculated heater power and the determined maximum heater power to heat the fuser heater from the first predetermined temperature to a second predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Steve Brennen Ball, Jichang Cao
  • Patent number: 9857742
    Abstract: A system and methods for controlling the fuser heater of an electrophotographic imaging device, including initiating a preheating operation for preheating the fuser heater. Following a temperature of the fuser heater reaching a first predetermined temperature during the preheating operation, heater power is calculated based on a current temperature of the fuser heater and upon a second predetermined temperature. Current line voltage of a power supply line powering the electrophotographic device is also calculated, and a maximum heater power is determined based on the calculated current line voltage. The calculated heater power is then compared with the determined maximum heater power and the fuser heater is powered using the heater power equal to a lesser of the calculated heater power and the determined maximum heater power to heat the fuser heater from the first predetermined temperature to a second predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Steve Brennen Ball, Jichang Cao
  • Publication number: 20170351205
    Abstract: A system and methods for controlling the fuser heater of an electrophotographic imaging device, including initiating a preheating operation for preheating the fuser heater. Following a temperature of the fuser heater reaching a first predetermined temperature during the preheating operation, heater power is calculated based on a current temperature of the fuser heater and upon a second predetermined temperature. Current line voltage of a power supply line powering the electrophotographic device is also calculated, and a maximum heater power is determined based on the calculated current line voltage. The calculated heater power is then compared with the determined maximum heater power and the fuser heater is powered using the heater power equal to a lesser of the calculated heater power and the determined maximum heater power to heat the fuser heater from the first predetermined temperature to a second predetermined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Steve Brennen Ball, Jichang Cao
  • Publication number: 20170351203
    Abstract: A system and methods for controlling the fuser heater of an electrophotographic imaging device, including initiating a preheating operation for preheating the fuser heater. Following a temperature of the fuser heater reaching a first predetermined temperature during the preheating operation, heater power is calculated based on a current temperature of the fuser heater and upon a second predetermined temperature. Current line voltage of a power supply line powering the electrophotographic device is also calculated, and a maximum heater power is determined based on the calculated current line voltage. The calculated heater power is then compared with the determined maximum heater power and the fuser heater is powered using the heater power equal to a lesser of the calculated heater power and the determined maximum heater power to heat the fuser heater from the first predetermined temperature to a second predetermined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Steve Brennen Ball, Jichang Cao
  • Publication number: 20170351204
    Abstract: A system and methods for controlling the fuser heater of an electrophotographic imaging device, including initiating a preheating operation for preheating the fuser heater. Following a temperature of the fuser heater reaching a first predetermined temperature during the preheating operation, heater power is calculated based on a current temperature of the fuser heater and upon a second predetermined temperature. Current line voltage of a power supply line powering the electrophotographic device is also calculated, and a maximum heater power is determined based on the calculated current line voltage. The calculated heater power is then compared with the determined maximum heater power and the fuser heater is powered using the heater power equal to a lesser of the calculated heater power and the determined maximum heater power to heat the fuser heater from the first predetermined temperature to a second predetermined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Steve Brennen Ball, Jichang Cao
  • Patent number: 9835993
    Abstract: A system and methods for controlling the fuser heater of an electrophotographic imaging device, including initiating a preheating operation for preheating the fuser heater. Following a temperature of the fuser heater reaching a first predetermined temperature during the preheating operation, heater power is calculated based on a current temperature of the fuser heater and upon a second predetermined temperature. Current line voltage of a power supply line powering the electrophotographic device is also calculated, and a maximum heater power is determined based on the calculated current line voltage. The calculated heater power is then compared with the determined maximum heater power and the fuser heater is powered using the heater power equal to a lesser of the calculated heater power and the determined maximum heater power to heat the fuser heater from the first predetermined temperature to a second predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Steve Brennen Ball, Jichang Cao
  • Patent number: 9709936
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling the fuser heater of an electrophotographic imaging device, including determining an initial temperature of the fuser heater; calculating a plurality of warm-up times for heating the fuser heater to a first predetermined temperature based on the initial temperature and a plurality of previously determined warm-up times taken over a plurality of line voltages and stored in memory of the electrophotographic device; determining an actual warm-up time for heating the fuser to the first predetermined temperature; selecting a first calculated warm-up time and a second calculated warm-up time from the plurality of calculated warm-up times; determining a first line voltage value and a second line voltage value corresponding to the first and second warm-up times, respectively, and calculating a current line voltage based on the actual warm-up time, the first and second calculated warm-up times, and the first and second line voltage values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Steve Brennen Ball, Jichang Cao, Christopher Edward Rhoads