Patents by Inventor William Michael Connors

William Michael Connors 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: 9663318
    Abstract: A noise dampened re-drive assembly for an imaging device. The re-drive assembly includes a two position, pivotally mounted diverter gate that is driven by a reversible motor coupled to a sector gear fixedly mounted to the diverter gate. A slot is provided in the sector gear with a stop pin positioned in the slot. An end of the slot strikes the stop pin as the diverter gate reaches one of its positions. A cantilevered mounted T-shaped dampener having a dampening finger at each of its free ends is mounts in the slot. As the end of the slot nears the stop pin when the diverter gate approaches one of its two positions, the dampening finger adjacent thereto engages the stop pin and reduces the acoustical impulse of the slot end striking the stop pin. A pair of dampeners mounted in a mirror image fashion may be provided in the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventor: William Michael Connors
  • Patent number: 8559074
    Abstract: An illumination device for an image capture system according to one example embodiment includes an integrating light pipe having an input face and an output face. The integrating light pipe is positioned to receive light from a light source at the input face and transmit the light at the output face. A projection element is positioned to focus the light from the output face to a document plane to be imaged by an image sensor. A uniformity correction device is positioned to attenuate the light from the output face so that the light has a substantially uniform intensity at the image sensor and a less uniform intensity at the document plane than at the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Ryan Keniston, Paul Scott Nicholas Sherrill, Mark Eric Miller, William Michael Connors, Kevin Garcia
  • Publication number: 20120257371
    Abstract: An illumination device for an image capture system according to one example embodiment includes an integrating light pipe having an input face and an output face. The integrating light pipe is positioned to receive light from a light source at the input face and transmit the light at the output face. A projection element is positioned to focus the light from the output face to a document plane to be imaged by an image sensor. A uniformity correction device is positioned to attenuate the light from the output face so that the light has a substantially uniform intensity at the image sensor and a less uniform intensity at the document plane than at the image sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Inventors: MATTHEW RYAN KENISTON, Paul Scott Nicholas Sherrill, Mark Eric Miller, William Michael Connors
  • Patent number: 7850277
    Abstract: A printhead maintenance station comprises a base including a spitting zone, a maintenance sled movable relative to the base, a wiper assembly for cleaning a printhead orifice plate, a capping assembly for capping a printhead orifice plate, a pick motor operating a paper picking assembly and the maintenance sled and the capping assembly, and, wherein the maintenance station provides for spitting, wiping, and capping of a printhead orifice plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Michael Morris, William Michael Connors
  • Patent number: 7766568
    Abstract: A printhead carrier having a zero clearance bearing arrangement includes a first open-faced bearing coupled to a dampener frame. The first open-faced bearing has a first bearing surface positioned to contact the cylindrical guide surface of a guide rod of an imaging apparatus. A second open-faced bearing is coupled to the dampener frame. The second open-faced bearing has a second bearing surface positioned to contact the cylindrical guide surface of the guide rod. The guide rod is diametrically positioned between the first open-faced bearing and the second open-faced bearing. An elastic foam member is interposed between the first open-faced bearing and the dampener frame. The elastic foam member is compressed to exert an expansion force between the first open-faced bearing and the dampener frame to load the second open-faced bearing on the guide rod in a zero-clearance relationship with the guide rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: William Michael Connors, Stephen Edward Stewart
  • Patent number: 7591456
    Abstract: An auto-document feeder re-ingestion stop includes an auto-document feeder having a lower input tray and an upper output tray, the upper output tray having a length which is shorter than the length of input tray so that exiting or exited media depends onto the input tray, a flexible stopper depending from the upper output tray and inhibiting the exited media from being re-ingested by paper-to-paper friction during feeding of media in the input tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: William Michael Connors, Walter Kevin Cousins, Stephen Kelly Cunnagin, John Andrew Schmelz, Stephen Edward Stewart
  • Publication number: 20090097896
    Abstract: A printhead carrier having a zero clearance bearing arrangement includes a first open-faced bearing coupled to a dampener frame. The first open-faced bearing has a first bearing surface positioned to contact the cylindrical guide surface of a guide rod of an imaging apparatus. A second open-faced bearing is coupled to the dampener frame. The second open-faced bearing has a second bearing surface positioned to contact the cylindrical guide surface of the guide rod. The guide rod is diametrically positioned between the first open-faced bearing and the second open-faced bearing. An elastic foam member is interposed between the first open-faced bearing and the dampener frame. The elastic foam member is compressed to exert an expansion force between the first open-faced bearing and the dampener frame to load the second open-faced bearing on the guide rod in a zero-clearance relationship with the guide rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: William Michael Connors, Stephen Edward Stewart
  • Publication number: 20080290580
    Abstract: An auto-document feeder re-ingestion stop includes an auto-document feeder having a lower input tray and an upper output tray, the upper output tray having a length which is shorter than the length of input tray so that exiting or exited media depends onto the input tray, a flexible stopper depending from the upper output tray and inhibiting the exited media from being re-ingested by paper-to-paper friction during feeding of media in the input tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Inventors: William Michael Connors, Walter Kevin Cousins, Stephen Kelly Cunnagin, John Andrew Schmels, Stephen Edward Stewart
  • Publication number: 20080198197
    Abstract: A printhead maintenance station comprises a base including a spitting zone, a maintenance sled movable relative to the base, a wiper assembly for cleaning a printhead orifice plate, a capping assembly for capping a printhead orifice plate, a pick motor operating a paper picking assembly and the maintenance sled and the capping assembly, and, wherein the maintenance station provides for spitting, wiping, and capping of a printhead orifice plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventors: Edward Michael Morris, William Michael Connors
  • Patent number: 7396173
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a mid-frame for supporting a back side of a sheet of media. A carrier system is configured to transport a carriage in a reciprocating manner with respect to the mid-frame. The carriage includes a bay. A perforation cartridge is configured to be received in the bay. The perforation cartridge contains a perforation forming mechanism. A controller is coupled to the perforation forming mechanism, the controller being configured to select at least one of a vertical perforation resolution and a horizontal perforation resolution of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Lexmark International Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Jude Ahne, William Michael Connors, Mark Joseph Edwards, William George Goff, III
  • Patent number: 7354211
    Abstract: An apparatus for perforating a sheet of print media having a front side and a back side includes a printhead carriage for carrying a printhead. A perforator carriage carries a perforation forming mechanism. An isolation damper having elastic, vibration absorbing, characteristics couples the printhead carriage to the perforator carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Jude Ahne, William Michael Connors, Mark Joseph Edwards, William George Goff, III, Brian Keith Owens, Ricky Earl Robbins, Douglas Laurence Robertson
  • Patent number: 7290762
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a printing mechanism and a print media source for supplying print media sheets to the printing mechanism. The print media source includes a first media tray for holding a first print media, a second media tray for holding a second print media, and a sheet feeder mechanism having a sheet picking roller located to pick a top sheet of print media in the print media source, the top sheet of print media being located in one of the first media tray and the second media tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: William Michael Connors, Victor David Hair, Tommy Otis Lowe
  • Patent number: 7204654
    Abstract: An apparatus for perforating a sheet of media includes a perforation forming mechanism including at least one perforation device. The perforation forming mechanism is configured to drive the perforation device through the sheet of media to extend through the sheet of media by a distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Jude Ahne, William Michael Connors, Douglas Laurence Robertson
  • Patent number: 6588624
    Abstract: A damping mechanism for use with a housing having a body and a cover pivotably attached to the body, the cover being movable between an open position and a closed position. The damping mechanism includes a body engagement surface located on the body and a cover engagement surface located on the cover. One of the body engagement surface or the cover engagement surface includes a generally planar damping pad and the other of the body engagement surface or the cover engagement surface includes a cam having a generally curved cam surface. The cam surface is shaped and positioned to engage the damping pad such that the damping pad and the cam cooperate to damp the movement of the cover when the cover pivots between the open and closed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: William Michael Connors, Nolan Francis Luckett
  • Patent number: 6406110
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a first side frame and a second side frame, the second side frame being spaced apart from the first side frame. A guide rail extends between the first side frame and the second side frame. A guide rod having a first end, a second end and an axis is provided that extends between the first side frame and the second side frame, the guide rod being positioned to be substantially parallel to the guide rail. A printhead carrier that carries a printhead has a slotted portion for slideably engaging the guide rail and has a bearing for slideably engaging the guide rod. A first eccentric bushing assembly is provided for movably mounting the first end of the guide rod to the first side frame. A second eccentric bushing assembly is provided for movably mounting the second end of the guide rod to the second side frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc
    Inventors: Adam Jude Ahne, Thomas Allen Bailey, William Michael Connors
  • Patent number: D460478
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: David Carl Bishop, William Michael Connors, John Wayne Gassett
  • Patent number: D460479
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: David Carl Bishop, William Michael Connors, John Wayne Gassett