Thomas B Wade

US Patent:

8511120, Aug 20, 2013

Filed:

Dec 4, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/631542

Inventors:

Daniel Paul Cahill - Verona KY, US
Chad Michael Plening - Lexington KY, US
Louann Behymer Samuels - Georgetown KY, US
Thomas Campbell Wade - Lexington KY, US
Curtis Duane Woodson - Georgetown KY, US

Assignee:

Lexmark International, Inc. - Lexington KY

International Classification:

E05B 69/00

US Classification:

70 58, 70 63, 70 85, 70277, 702781, 340 551

Abstract:

An electronic locking system to secure consumable items in an image forming device and a method therefore. In one embodiment of the invention, an electronic locking system to secure media sheets includes a media tray to hold media sheets, a tray receiving member for receiving the media tray, and a controller. The tray receiving member includes a drive device and a plunger. The plunger is moved by the drive device between a locked and an unlocked position. The controller is configured to control the drive device to move the plunger to engage a portion of the media tray in the locked position and to move the plunger to disengage from the portion of the media tray in the unlocked position. The electronic locking system, incorporating the controller, provides an effective and efficient way to lock/unlock the media tray and eliminates the use of mechanical keys.