Patents by Inventor Timothy Gordon Shelhart

Timothy Gordon Shelhart 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: 10870269
    Abstract: A modular radial impeller drum for cooling print media in a printing device are disclosed. For example, the modular radial impeller drum includes a plurality of impeller modules coupled together to form a surface to transport the print media. Each one of the plurality of impeller modules includes a cylindrical outer surface, a cylindrical center axis inside of the cylindrical outer surface, and a plurality of impeller blades coupled between the cylindrical outer surface and the cylindrical center axis, wherein each one of the plurality of impeller blades are angled, wherein the plurality of impeller modules are coupled together such that the plurality of impeller blades of each one of the plurality of impeller modules are aligned across a length of the modular radial impeller drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Richard A. Campbell, Timothy Gordon Shelhart, Daniel Raymond Knopp
  • Publication number: 20200198373
    Abstract: A modular radial impeller drum for cooling print media in a printing device are disclosed. For example, the modular radial impeller drum includes a plurality of impeller modules coupled together to form a surface to transport the print media. Each one of the plurality of impeller modules includes a cylindrical outer surface, a cylindrical center axis inside of the cylindrical outer surface, and a plurality of impeller blades coupled between the cylindrical outer surface and the cylindrical center axis, wherein the plurality of impeller blades the plurality of impeller modules is varied across a length of the modular radial impeller drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Richard A. Campbell, Daniel Raymond Knopp, Timothy Gordon Shelhart
  • Patent number: 10689214
    Abstract: A modular radial impeller drum for cooling print media in a printing device are disclosed. For example, the modular radial impeller drum includes a plurality of impeller modules coupled together to form a surface to transport the print media. Each one of the plurality of impeller modules includes a cylindrical outer surface, a cylindrical center axis inside of the cylindrical outer surface, and a plurality of impeller blades coupled between the cylindrical outer surface and the cylindrical center axis, wherein the plurality of impeller blades the plurality of impeller modules is varied across a length of the modular radial impeller drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Richard A. Campbell, Daniel Raymond Knopp, Timothy Gordon Shelhart
  • Publication number: 20200180303
    Abstract: A modular radial impeller drum for cooling print media in a printing device are disclosed. For example, the modular radial impeller drum includes a plurality of impeller modules coupled together to form a surface to transport the print media. Each one of the plurality of impeller modules includes a cylindrical outer surface, a cylindrical center axis inside of the cylindrical outer surface, and a plurality of impeller blades coupled between the cylindrical outer surface and the cylindrical center axis, wherein each one of the plurality of impeller blades are angled, wherein the plurality of impeller modules are coupled together such that the plurality of impeller blades of each one of the plurality of impeller modules are aligned across a length of the modular radial impeller drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Richard A. Campbell, Timothy Gordon Shelhart, Daniel Raymond Knopp
  • Patent number: 9365052
    Abstract: Apparatuses include, among other components, a conveyor belt and at least one roller supporting the conveyor belt, etc. The belt moves in a processing direction as the roller rotates. The exterior surface of the roller has roller outer sections and a center crowned portion between the roller outer sections. The belt has belt outer sections and a belt center section between the belt outer sections. The belt outer sections contact the roller outer sections, and the belt center section contacts the center crowned portion of the roller. The belt outer sections have a lower flexibility, and the belt center section has a relatively higher flexibility. The flexibility difference between the higher flexibility and the lower flexibility biases the belt outer sections toward the center crowned portion of the roller and maintains the belt center section so that the belt center section is self-aligned with the center crowned portion of the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron Michael Moore, Timothy Gordon Shelhart
  • Patent number: 8177229
    Abstract: A sheet transport roller system and methods for reducing sheet skew using a sheet transport roller system are disclosed. A sheet transport roller system for use in a document processing device may include a plurality of idler rollers, a plurality of drive rollers and a load distribution mechanism. Each drive roller may correspond to a corresponding idler roller. The load distribution mechanism may be configured to support the plurality of idler rollers and to equalize normal forces applied by each idler roller towards the corresponding drive roller. The load distribution mechanism may include a center loading spring in contact with the document processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Adam Douglas Ledgerwood, Timothy Gordon Shelhart
  • Patent number: 7934720
    Abstract: A fluffer section and method for controlling a fluffer port in an image production device is disclosed. The fluffer section may include a variable port configuration device that contains a plurality of fluffer port configurations, a stepper motor that moves the variable port configuration device, a variable-speed pressure blower that blows air to fluff a media stack, and a fluffer port control unit that receives an input from one or more sensors that sense at least one of media type, media weight, temperature, and humidity, selects a fluffer port configuration from a plurality of fluffer port configurations based on the received sensor input, sends a signal to the stepper motor to move the variable port configuration device to the selected fluffer port configuration, and sends a signal to the variable-speed pressure blower to blow air to fluff a media stack using the selected fluffer port configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy Gordon Shelhart
  • Patent number: 7900919
    Abstract: A sheet transport roller system and methods for reducing sheet skew using a sheet transport roller system are disclosed. A sheet transport roller system for use in a document processing device may include a plurality of idler rollers, a plurality of drive rollers and a load distribution mechanism. Each drive roller may correspond to a corresponding idler roller. The load distribution mechanism may be configured to support the plurality of idler rollers and to equalize normal forces applied by each idler roller towards the corresponding drive roller. The load distribution mechanism may include a center loading spring in contact with the document processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Adam Douglas Ledgerwood, Timothy Gordon Shelhart
  • Publication number: 20100295240
    Abstract: A large format stacking tray in an image production device is disclosed. The large format stacking tray may include a tray body of a first length that may be attachable to a stacker device in a finishing module of the image production device, and a tray top surface located on top of the tray body on which a media stack containing one or more media sheets rests upon after being output by the image production device. The tray top surface has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The tray top surface may be sloped between the first end and the second end in a manner that permits media sheets that are longer than the first length to be output and stacked onto the stacker device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Charles Raymond Brewer, III, Timothy Gordon Shelhart, Steven David Olson, Charles John Bennett, Piotr Sokolowshi, Matthew Ryan McLaughlin, David R. Kretschmann
  • Publication number: 20100276875
    Abstract: A sheet transport roller system and methods for reducing sheet skew using a sheet transport roller system are disclosed. A sheet transport roller system for use in a document processing device may include a plurality of idler rollers, a plurality of drive rollers and a load distribution mechanism. Each drive roller may correspond to a corresponding idler roller. The load distribution mechanism may be configured to support the plurality of idler rollers and to equalize normal forces applied by each idler roller towards the corresponding drive roller. The load distribution mechanism may include a center loading spring in contact with the document processing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Adam Douglas Ledgerwood, Timothy Gordon Shelhart
  • Publication number: 20100194032
    Abstract: A fluffer section and method for controlling a fluffer port in an image production device is disclosed. The fluffer section may include a variable port configuration device that contains a plurality of fluffer port configurations, a stepper motor that moves the variable port configuration device, a variable-speed pressure blower that blows air to fluff a media stack, and a fluffer port control unit that receives an input from one or more sensors that sense at least one of media type, media weight, temperature, and humidity, selects a fluffer port configuration from a plurality of fluffer port configurations based on the received sensor input, sends a signal to the stepper motor to move the variable port configuration device to the selected fluffer port configuration, and sends a signal to the variable-speed pressure blower to blow air to fluff a media stack using the selected fluffer port configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Timothy Gordon SHELHART
  • Patent number: 7748698
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a fluffer port in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include receiving an input from one or more sensors; the one or more sensing at least one of media type, media weight, temperature, and humidity, selecting a fluffer port configuration from a plurality of fluffer port configurations based on the received sensor input, and sending a signal to fluff a media stack using the selected fluffer port configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy Gordon Shelhart
  • Publication number: 20100059927
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a fluffer port in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include receiving an input from one or more sensors; the one or more sensing at least one of media type, media weight, temperature, and humidity, selecting a fluffer port configuration from a plurality of fluffer port configurations based on the received sensor input, and sending a signal to fluff a media stack using the selected fluffer port configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Timothy Gordon SHELHART
  • Publication number: 20090309299
    Abstract: A sheet transport roller system and methods for reducing sheet skew using a sheet transport roller system are disclosed. A sheet transport roller system for use in a document processing device may include a plurality of idler rollers, a plurality of drive rollers and a load distribution mechanism. Each drive roller may correspond to a corresponding idler roller. The load distribution mechanism may be configured to support the plurality of idler rollers and to equalize normal forces applied by each idler roller towards the corresponding drive roller. The load distribution mechanism may include a center loading spring in contact with the document processing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Adam Douglas Ledgerwood, Timothy Gordon Shelhart
  • Patent number: 7472902
    Abstract: An apparatus that is useful for acquiring and conveying a sheet includes a plenum having an opening for coupling a vacuum source to the plenum, a slide plate having a stop member positioned proximate a drop box opening in the slide plate, and a drop box adapted to slide within the drop box opening until a portion of the drop box engages the stop member so that the drop box is slidably installed in the slide plate. The apparatus may be used in an electrostatographic printing machine to improve top sheet acquisition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth Paul Moore, Brian Roy Ford, Timothy Gordon Shelhart