Robert R Booth

US Patent:

7639979, Dec 29, 2009

Filed:

Mar 28, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/692286

Inventors:

Niko Jay Murrell - Lexington KY, US
Robert Reed Booth - Lexington KY, US
Larry Steven Foster - Lexington KY, US
Brian P. Weaver - Shelbyville KY, US

Assignee:

Lexmark International, Inc. - Lexington KY

International Classification:

G03G 15/16

US Classification:

399390, 399 66, 399297

Abstract:

Image transfer quality in an electrophotographic image forming device is improved by preconditioning a media sheet prior to transferring a toner image thereto at an image transfer station. The media sheet is preconditioned by applying a static charge to it. In a color DTM type device, the charge reduces the transfer voltages required at downstream image transfer stations to account for charge accumulated on the media sheet as a result of the image transfer process at upstream image transfer stations. The charge may be applied to the media sheet at a media sheet preconditioning element positioned upstream of an image transfer station. Alternatively, an initial charge may be applied to the media sheet at an image transfer station, without transferring a toner image to the sheet, and returning the sheet via a duplex path to positioned upstream of an image transfer station prior to an image transfer operation.

US Patent:

7817929, Oct 19, 2010

Filed:

Sep 29, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/240572

Inventors:

Robert Reed Booth - Lexington KY, US
Ryan David Brockman - Lexington KY, US
Kerry Leland Embry - Midway KY, US
Paul Wesley Etter - Lexington KY, US
Claudia Alexandra Marin - Lexington KY, US

Assignee:

Lexmark International, Inc. - Lexington KY

International Classification:

G03G 15/00
G03G 15/01
B41J 2/385
G01D 15/06

US Classification:

399 44, 399301, 347116

Abstract:

A system for adjusting selected operating parameters of an image forming device to improve color registration based on selected environmental conditions includes a first image forming station to print a first registration mark on a substrate, a second image forming station to at least partially erase the first registration mark to form a registration pattern in a reverse transfer process of the color registration, and a control mechanism to adjust voltage biases of charge and developer rolls of the second image forming station based on wet-bulb temperature values determined from measured dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity values and stored in a lookup table so as to maintain a predetermined potential difference between charged and uncharged areas of a PC drum of the second image forming station that avoids Paschen breakdown and the development of toner at charged areas of the PC drum during the reverse transfer process of the color registration.

US Patent:

8036547, Oct 11, 2011

Filed:

Sep 29, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/240495

Inventors:

Robert Reed Booth - Lexington KY, US
Ryan David Brockman - Lexington KY, US
Kerry Leland Embry - Midway KY, US
Paul Wesley Etter - Lexington KY, US
Claudia Alexandra Marin - Lexington KY, US
Travis Alan Riggs - Shelbyville KY, US

Assignee:

Lexmark International, Inc. - Lexington KY

International Classification:

G03G 15/16

US Classification:

399 44, 399 66

Abstract:

The present application is directed to methods of controlling the transfer voltage in a transfer nip formed between the photoconductive member and the transfer member. The methods offset the effects of large transfer current spikes caused when a media sheet enters and exits the transfer nip and account for temperature and humidity operating parameters using wet-bulb temperature measurements to adjust the transfer voltage. The control may include either ramping up or ramping down the transfer voltage. The ramped transfer voltage may include a series of alternating positive and negative steps that generally trend to ramp up or down. The size of the steps may further be adjusted to provide a smooth transition.

US Patent:

8213817, Jul 3, 2012

Filed:

Sep 29, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/240199

Inventors:

Robert Reed Booth - Lexington KY, US
Kerry Leland Embry - Midway KY, US
Paul Wesley Etter - Lexington KY, US
Claudia Alexandra Marin - Lexinton KY, US

Assignee:

Lexmark International, Inc. - Lexington KY

International Classification:

G03G 15/16

US Classification:

399 66, 399 44, 399121, 399297

Abstract:

An electrographic image forming device may use a feedback loop to determine environmental conditions and accordingly set one or more operating parameters. The device may detect a resistance/capacitance characteristic of a feedback loop comprising an interface between a first component and a second component of an image forming unit. The device may detect temperature measurements and humidity measurements that can be used to calculate wet-bulb temperature or other metrics used to characterize ambient environmental conditions. The interface may be one in which a toner image is transferred during image forming device operation. A controller may adjust the resistance/capacitance characteristic in response to wet-bulb temperature in conjunction with measured transfer feedback voltage.

US Patent:

8483585, Jul 9, 2013

Filed:

Sep 29, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/240255

Inventors:

Robert Reed Booth - Lexington KY, US
Kerry Leland Embry - Midway KY, US
Paul Wesley Etter - Lexington KY, US
Claudia Alexandra Marin - Lexington KY, US
Gregorio Balandran - Broken Arrow OK, US

Assignee:

Lexmark International, Inc. - Lexington KY

International Classification:

G03G 15/00

US Classification:

399 44

Abstract:

A system for adjusting a selected operating parameter of an image forming device to control white vector based on selected environmental conditions includes an image forming station having a photoconductive surface with a latent image formed by discharged areas leaving non-discharged areas different from the discharged areas, a sensor mechanism for measuring selected environmental conditions of dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity, a control mechanism for reading the sensor mechanism to adjust the voltage bias of a charging unit by an offset applied to the charging unit based on a wet-bulb temperature value so as to minimize white vector without enabling onset of development of toner background on non-discharged areas, and a memory connected to and accessible by the control mechanism and storing a lookup table of a list of wet-bulb temperature values related to measured dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity values and correlated to a list of voltage bias offsets.

US Patent:

20090060547, Mar 5, 2009

Filed:

Sep 4, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/849596

Inventors:

Paul Etter - Lexington KY, US
Julie Ann Gordon Whitney - Georgetown KY, US
Kerry Leland Embry - Midway KY, US
Robert Reed Booth - Lexington KY, US

International Classification:

G03G 15/16

US Classification:

399 66

Abstract:

The present application is directed to methods and devices for compensating for transfer belt charge buildup in an image forming device. In one embodiment, the method includes determining the charge buildup on the transfer belt due to an applied transfer voltage. A first image of a multi-image print job is printed using a first transfer voltage. The transfer voltage may then be adjusted for printing one or more subsequent images of the multi-image print job.

US Patent:

20190089931, Mar 21, 2019

Filed:

Nov 19, 2018

Appl. No.:

16/194740

Inventors:

- LEXINGTON KY, US
ROBERT REED BOOTH - LEXINGTON KY, US

International Classification:

H04N 7/18
G06K 9/42
G06K 9/46
G06T 7/73
G06K 9/62

Abstract:

Systems and methods identify consumer products in images. Known consumer products are captured as grayscale or color images. They are converted to binary at varying thresholds. Connected components in the binary images identify image features according to pixels of a predetermined size, shape, solidity, aspect ratio, and the like. The image features are stored and searched for amongst image features similarly extracted from unknown images of consumer products. Identifying correspondence between the features of the images lends itself to identifying or not known consumer products.

US Patent:

20170147881, May 25, 2017

Filed:

Nov 23, 2015

Appl. No.:

14/948499

Inventors:

- LEXINGTON KY, US
ROBERT REED BOOTH - LEXINGTON KY, US

International Classification:

G06K 9/00
G06T 3/60
G06K 9/46
G06K 9/64
G06K 9/62

Abstract:

Systems and methods identify consumer products in images. Known consumer products are captured as grayscale or color images. They are converted to binary at varying thresholds. Connected components in the binary images identify image features according to pixels of a predetermined size, shape, solidity, aspect ratio, and the like. The image features are stored and searched for amongst image features similarly extracted from unknown images of consumer products. Identifying correspondence between the features of the images lends itself to identifying or not known consumer products.