Abstract: A coffee maker having interchangeable carafes, a serial heating system, and a centrifugal brewing system. The coffee maker includes a glass carafe and a thermal carafe, either of which interchangeably fits within a carafe cavity. The presence of the glass carafe activates a heating element positioned under the carafe. The thermal carafe does not. The centrifugal brewing system includes a showerhead for distributing water at radially spaced locations over a rotating grounds basket. The control for the serial heating system activates and deactivates the heating element to allow for heat transfer between heated and unheated portions of the water. In an alternative embodiment including a batch water heating system, the coffee maker includes a modular distributor secured to the bottom of the water heating vessel by a hand-actuated bayonet mount for easy cleaning or replacement.

Abstract: A vacuum platen and method for use thereof in a printing device are disclosed. An apparatus embodiment includes a first surface having a plurality of first apertures therethrough, a labyrinth configured to include a plurality of passageways each of which is fluidly coupled to at least one of the first apertures, and a second surface having a plurality of second apertures therethrough each of which is fluidly coupled to the vacuum source and at least one of the passageways thereby establishing an airflow from the first apertures, through the passageways, and out the second apertures. The vacuum platen also includes at least one receptacle in each of the passageways, each receptacle configured to collect debris from the airflow as it travels through the labyrinth.

Abstract: A system for computer device component audit and inventory management operates in a data network and includes an inventory agent installed on a target computer device for detecting and compiling software and hardware inventory data associated with the target device. An inventory-commence message is deployed through an electronic message handling system, operable on the data network, which requests inventory data from the inventory agent which then compiles the inventory data into executable language statements for incorporation into a host database accessible by a client. Multiple reports may be generated regarding the inventory data. Fees may not be charged for aggregate inventory data. The system provides a client with the ability to remotely request, compile, analyze and report inventory data from target devices that do not necessarily have access to the data network at the time of the inventory request.

Abstract: An approach for managing the thermal stresses introduced into a heated belt of the type used for transporting media through an ink-jet printer so that the portion of the belt that transports the print media through the print zone does not buckle. The temperature of the belt is controlled to ensure that any temperature gradient produced in the belt is not great enough to buckle the belt in the print zone. Put another way, the temperature profile in the belt is substantially flat. As another approach to the present invention, the belt is bent in the print zone to create a force component in the belt for resisting thermal stress and to increase the belt area moment to greatly enhance resistance to buckling of the belt.

Abstract: A vacuum platen and method for use thereof in a printing device are disclosed. An apparatus embodiment includes a first surface having a plurality of first apertures therethrough, a labyrinth configured to include a plurality of passageways each of which is fluidly coupled to at least one of the first apertures, and a second surface having a plurality of second apertures therethrough each of which is fluidly coupled to the vacuum source and at least one of the passageways thereby establishing an airflow from the first apertures, through the passageways, and out the second apertures. The vacuum platen also includes at least one receptacle in each of the passageways, each receptacle configured to collect debris from the airflow as it travels through the labyrinth.

Abstract: Accurate advance of a media sheet is achieved by carrying the media sheet on a belt loop. An upstream pinch roller holds the media sheet to the belt upstream of the print zone. A downstream pinch roller holds the media sheet to the belt downstream of the print zone. A guide shim extends along the media path from a position upstream of the upstream pinch roller, passed the upstream pinch roller toward the print zone. The guide shim advances with the bottom edge of the media sheet into the print zone to stabilize the trailing edge so as to allow for a smaller minimum bottom margin.

Abstract: Predetermined geometric constructs reduce heat loss in a vacuum platen and assist in the reduction of paper cockle in ink-jet printing. A vacuum platen for supporting media during printing is provided with a plurality of heating elements and surfaces interspersed with vacuum ports. The heater elements are laid into surface channels of the platen such that an insulative gap separates the heaters from the main platen support structure. In an alternative embodiment, an insulative gasket is provided for the gap.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically closing a moveable panel, such as a vehicle window. A power drive mechanism is controlled by a controller. The controller determines if the user has issued an “express up” command. Only if the panel is beyond a predetermined proximity of its fully closed position when the “express up” command is issued, is the panel is powered to the fully closed position under its normal circumstances. If the panel is within the predetermined proximity, however, exception processing occurs.

Abstract: Predetermined geometric constructs reduce heat loss in a vacuum platen and assist in the reduction of paper cockle in ink-jet printing. A vacuum platen for supporting media during printing is provided with a plurality of heating elements and surfaces interspersed with vacuum ports. The heater elements are laid into surface channels of the platen such that an insulative gap separates the heaters from the main platen support structure. In an alternative embodiment, an insulative gasket is provided for the gap.

Abstract: Non-black ink jet printheads are arranged in a printer carriage such that the printhead nozzle arrays are non-overlapping in the carriage swath direction. A fixer printhead is positioned such that the print medium is first advanced past the fixer printhead prior to reaching any of the other printheads. The printheads are selectively driven during each direction of a bi-directional carriage movement, and the print medium is incrementally advanced before each change in carriage movement direction. The order of laying down droplets of different colors is the same during the movement in each direction, thereby eliminating bi-directional hue shifting print artifacts.

Abstract: A coffee maker having interchangeable carafes, a serial heating system, and a centrifugal brewing system. The coffee maker includes a glass carafe and a thermal carafe, either of which interchangeably fits within a carafe cavity. The presence of the glass carafe activates a heating element positioned under the carafe. The thermal carafe does not. The centrifugal brewing system includes a showerhead for distributing water at radially spaced locations over a rotating grounds basket. The control for the serial heating system activates and deactivates the heating element to allow for heat transfer between heated and unheated portions of the water. In an alternative embodiment including a batch water heating system, the coffee maker includes a modular distributor secured to the bottom of the water heating vessel by a hand-actuated bayonet mount for easy cleaning or replacement.

Abstract: A vacuum holddown for sheet materials has a surface having a field of vacuum ports in which each individual port is gated. When a vacuum is applied to the underside of the holddown, the gates close. When a sheet of material is introduced onto a region of the field, the gates only within vacuum manifold passageway covered by the material are configured to spring open, applying a suction force to the sheet via the now opened ports. The holddown thus automatically adjusts to material size. An implementation for use in an ink-jet printer with cut-sheet print media is demonstrated.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for delivery of sheet media to a printer includes a chassis, a drive motor, a media tray with elevatable pressure plate, a plurality of pick rollers situated opposite movable pinch rollers that come into contact with the pick rollers to form a roller assembly therebetween when in an extended position. A movable separator forms a throat between one of the pick rollers and the leading edge of the separator when it is in an extended position. A common transmission is used to simultaneously position the pinch rollers, separator, and the pressure plate. The apparatus also includes a media retarder for preventing multiple sheets of media from advancing through the apparatus at the same time. The method includes delaying the rotation of the pick rollers until a stack of media has been raised to press against the pick rollers, and the pinch rollers and separator are in an extended position.

Abstract: A mechanism for manifolding a vacuum force to separate surface sectors of a vacuum holddown uses subsurface ducting to apply the vacuum to separate subsurface vacuum plenums wherein each is fluidically coupled to a separate surface sectors. The plenum is segregated by a diaphragm into surface side and vacuum side cavities. Trigger ports and appropriate ducting through the holddown subjacent the surface associated with each sector determine how the vacuum is routed. Only when a trigger port is covered is the vacuum routed to the surface sector associated therewith. The system can be implemented in planar or curvilinear constructs and be provided with features to accommodate a near-continuous range of flexible material sizes. A specific implementation in an ink-jet hard copy apparatus is also described.

Abstract: A system for regulating the vacuum hold pressure in a printer based upon the physical characteristics of the print media that is directed through the printer. In one embodiment, the characteristic of a sheet of media is detected before or as the sheet reaches the carrier. The vacuum pressure level is thus regulated in response to the physical characteristic of the sheet, thereby to have applied to that particular media a level of vacuum pressure that prevents problems that arise when pressure levels are too low (for example, inadvertent shifting of the paper) or too high (for example, paper deformations that reduce print quality).

Abstract: A wet-dye hard copy apparatus is provided with a vacuum transport for moving print media from and input, through a print zone, to an output. In order to reduce paper cockle, the print media is subjected to a post-printing predetermined bending while the print dye thereon is drying. In an alternative embodiment, a post-ejection bending heating step is added prior to ejecting a printed print medium to the apparatus output.

Abstract: A media handling system having an endless belt which carries a media sheet through a print zone achieves improved media advance accuracy by including closed loop feedback control. The position of either a drive shaft which rotates the endless belt or the endless belt itself is monitored to provide feedback to a drive motor. The drive motor is linked to the drive shaft through a gear train. The endless belt is rotated by the drive shaft, either directly, or through rollers mounted to the drive shaft.

Abstract: A platen surface structure construct, particularly useful in a hard copy apparatus for a vacuum holddown, is configured by dimensioning print media platen surface structure channels and ports in order to ensure print media leading edge and trailing edge holddown. Moreover, the vacuum is distributed across the platen surface in accordance with predetermined dye flow characteristics based upon known dye composition and known print medium composition and such that print artifacts are not created by vacuum pulling wet dye through the capillaries of the medium.

Abstract: To maintain a uniform spacing between the print media, such as paper or fabric, and an inkjet printhead having a large print swath, for instance about 25 millimeters (one inch) wide, a new media support system is provided for inkjet printing mechanisms, such as printers or plotters. The support system employs an endless belt (62) driven from the belt interior surface by a roller drive system that uniformly supports the printhead media under the reciprocating printhead (54, 56). The belt may be lined with anti-cockle ribs or it may be foraminous, with a vacuum applied thereunder to pull the media onto the belt. An ink drying system is included for heating the belt and thus the media to avoid ink bleed. A method is also provided for supporting and transporting a large sheet of print media through a printzone of an inkjet printing mechanism having such a large swath inkjet head.

Abstract: Inkjet pens are combined in a printer so that the swaths printed by individual pens are combined into a resultant, wide swath that increases printer throughput. The print medium is carried on a drum and advanced through the printer. In a preferred embodiment, sets of two pens, each set having the same color of ink, are carried near the drum with the two pens arranged such that the swath of one pen is adjacent to the swath of the other pen in a direction that is parallel to the drum axis. Also provided is a carriage assembly for carrying the pens in the just mentioned arrangement for combining the swath widths of the individual pens. The components of the carriage assembly are such that two pens of the same color ink are precisely positioned relative to each other, thereby to meet a very close tolerance requirement for arranging two pens of the same color.