Walter K Stevens

US Patent:

6422772, Jul 23, 2002

Filed:

Jun 29, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/607166

Inventors:

Walter S. Stevens - Fairport NY

Assignee:

Eastman Kodak Company - Rochester NY

International Classification:

B65H 104

US Classification:

400629, 400625, 271145, 271902

Abstract:

A printer having an interference-free receiver sheet feed path and method of assembling the printer. The printer, which is a thermal dye printer, comprises a print head for forming an image on a movable receiver sheet belonging to a stack of receiver sheets having a front edge portion. The stack of receiver sheets reside in a receiver sheet supply tray. A roller feeds the top-most receiver sheet along a receiver sheet feed path, leading edge first, from the supply tray and to the print head for printing by means of thermal activation of a first one of a plurality of dye donor patches belonging to a dye donor ribbon. After the first dye donor patch prints, the receiver sheet returns, trailing edge first, to the supply tray before printing by the next dye donor patch. A canopy that is connected to the supply tray is biased by a biasing member to cover the front edge portion of the stack of sheets while the receiver sheet returns to the supply tray, so that the trailing edge of the receiver sheet being printed does not abut the front edge portion of the stack of receiver sheets and crumple to possibly âjamâ the printer by obstructing the feed path. An actuator is coupled to the canopy for actuating the canopy to uncover the front edge portion of the stack of receiver sheets while the receiver sheet is fed from the supply tray.

US Patent:

6536873, Mar 25, 2003

Filed:

Jun 30, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/607840

Inventors:

Yung-Rai R. Lee - Pittsford NY
John A. Lebens - Rochester NY
Gilbert A. Hawkins - Mendon NY
Ravi Sharma - Fairport NY
Walter S. Stevens - Fairport NY

Assignee:

Eastman Kodak Company - Rochester NY

International Classification:

B41J 204

US Classification:

347 54

Abstract:

Drop-on-demand ink jet printer capable of directional control of ink drop ejection and method of assembling the method. The method comprises a print head body having an ink ejection orifice adapted to poise an ink meniscus thereat about a center axis passing through the orifice. A deflector is coupled to the print head body and is adapted to be in communication with the poised meniscus for lowering surface tension of a region of the poised meniscus. The poised meniscus deflects away from the region of lower surface tension and away from the center axis to define a deflected meniscus, whereby an ink drop separated from the deflected meniscus travels at an angle with respect to the center axis, so that the ink drop can strike a receiver at any one of a plurality of predetermined locations on a print line.

US Patent:

62869299, Sep 11, 2001

Filed:

Dec 29, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/222409

Inventors:

Ravi Sharma - Fairport NY
John A. Quenin - Rochester NY
Christopher N. Delametter - Rochester NY
Michael E. Meichle - Rochester NY
Klaus-Dieter Bier - Nellmersbach, DE
Walter S. Stevens - Fairport NY

Assignee:

Eastman Kodak Company - Rochester NY

International Classification:

B41J 2165

US Classification:

347 27

Abstract:

A self-cleaning ink jet printer with oscillating septum and ultrasonics and method of assembling the printer. The printer has a print head defining a plurality of ink channels therein, each ink channel terminating in an ink ejection orifice. The print head also has a surface thereon surrounding all the orifices. Contaminant may reside on the surface and also may completely or partially obstruct the orifice. Therefore, a cleaning assembly is disposed relative to the surface and/or orifice for directing a flow of fluid along the surface and/or across the orifice to clean the contaminant from the surface and/or orifice. The cleaning assembly includes an oscillatable septum disposed opposite the surface or orifice for defining a gap therebetween. Presence of the septum accelerates the flow of fluid through the gap to induce a hydrodynamic shearing force in the fluid. This shearing force acts against the contaminant to "sweep" the contaminant from the surface and/or orifice.

US Patent:

60658258, May 23, 2000

Filed:

Nov 13, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/969299

Inventors:

Constantine N. Anagnostopoulos - Mendon NY
James M. Chwalek - Pittsford NY
John A. Lebens - Rush NY
Christopher N. Delametter - Rochester NY
Walter S. Stevens - Fairport NY

Assignee:

Eastman Kodak Company - Rochester NY

International Classification:

G01D 1518

US Classification:

347 44

Abstract:

A printer having mechanically-assisted ink droplet separation and method of using same, for separating an ink meniscus from an ink nozzle orifice while clearing-away particulate matter from about the orifice. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a heater surrounds an orifice formed by the nozzle, the orifice having an ink meniscus residing therein. As the heater heats the ink meniscus, surface tension of the ink meniscus decreases, thereby causing the ink meniscus to extend outwardly from the orifice to define an extended ink meniscus. A cutter, which is disposed near the orifice, includes a plate member disposed opposite an outside surface of the nozzle so as to define a passage between the outside surface and the plate member. The plate member has an opening aligned with the orifice and in communication with the passage. A gas pressure regulator in communication with the passage supplies pressurized gas into the passage, which gas flows along the passage an through the opening.

US Patent:

6168256, Jan 2, 2001

Filed:

Dec 29, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/222752

Inventors:

Ravi Sharma - Fairport NY
John A. Quenin - Rochester NY
Christopher N. Delametter - Rochester NY
Michael E. Meichle - Rochester NY
Klaus-Dieter Bier - Nellmersbach, DE
Walter S. Stevens - Fairport NY

Assignee:

Eastman Kodak Company - Rochester NY

International Classification:

B41J 2165

US Classification:

347 28

Abstract:

Self-cleaning printer with reverse fluid flow and method of assembling the printer. The printer comprises a print head defining a plurality of ink channels therein, each ink channel terminating in an ink ejection orifice. The print head also has a surface thereon surrounding all the orifices. Contaminant may reside on the surface and also may completely or partially obstruct the orifice. Therefore, a cleaning assembly is disposed relative to the surface and/or orifice for directing a flow of fluid along the surface and/or across the orifice to clean the contaminant from the surface and/or orifice. The cleaning assembly includes an oscillatable septum disposed opposite the surface or orifice for defining a gap therebetween. Presence of the oscillatable septum accelerates the flow of fluid through the gap to induce a hydrodynamic shearing force in the fluid. This shearing force acts against the contaminant to clean the contaminant from the surface and/or orifice.

US Patent:

62903233, Sep 18, 2001

Filed:

Sep 28, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/407448

Inventors:

Ravi Sharma - Fairport NY
John A. Quenin - Rochester NY
Walter S. Stevens - Fairport NY

Assignee:

Eastman Kodak Company - Rochester NY

International Classification:

B41J 2165

US Classification:

347 28

Abstract:

Self-cleaning printer system with reverse fluid flow and rotating roller and method of assembling the printer system. The printer system comprises a print head defining a plurality of ink channels therein, each ink channel terminating in an ink ejection orifice. The print head also has a surface thereon surrounding all the orifices. Contaminant may reside on the surface and also may completely or partially obstruct the orifice. Therefore, a cleaning assembly is disposed relative to the surface and/or orifice for directing a flow of fluid along the surface and/or across the orifice to clean the contaminant from the surface and/or orifice. The cleaning assembly includes a rotatable roller disposed opposite the surface or orifice and defining a gap therebetween. Presence of the rotating roller accelerates the flow of fluid through the gap to induce a hydrodynamic shearing force in the fluid. This shearing force acts against the contaminant to clean the contaminant from the surface and/or orifice.

US Patent:

61830585, Feb 6, 2001

Filed:

Sep 28, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/407451

Inventors:

Ravi Sharma - Fairport NY
John A. Quenin - Rochester NY
Christopher N. Delametter - Rochester NY
Michael E. Meichle - Rochester NY
Omid A. Moghadam - Fairfax VA
Walter S. Stevens - Fairport NY

Assignee:

Eastman Kodak Company - Rochester NY

International Classification:

B41J 2165

US Classification:

347 28

Abstract:

Self-cleaning printer system with reverse fluid flow and method of assembling the printer system. The printer system comprises a print head defining a plurality of ink channels therein, each ink channel terminating in an ink ejection orifice. The print head also has a surface thereon surrounding all the orifices. Contaminant may reside on the surface and also may completely or partially obstruct the orifice. Therefore, a cleaning assembly is disposed relative to the surface and/or orifice for directing a flow of fluid along the surface and/or across the orifice to clean the contaminant from the surface and/or orifice. The cleaning assembly includes a septum disposed opposite the surface or orifice for defining a gap therebetween. Presence of the septum accelerates the flow of fluid through the gap to induce a hydrodynamic shearing force in the fluid. This shearing force acts against the contaminant to clean the contaminant from the surface and/or orifice.