Tom E Stickler, 84257 Old Ashley Loop, North Litchfield, SC 29585

6487383, Nov 26, 2002

Apr 12, 2001

09/833888

John Andrew Buchanan - Lexington KY
Jarrett Clark Gayne - Lexington KY
Jason Paul Hale - Lexington KY
Benjamin Keith Newman - Lexington KY
Tom E Stickler - Lexington KY

Lexmark International, Inc. - Lexington KY

G03G 1508

399103, 399105

An article used to seal the interface between the developer roll, doctor blade and developer housing in a laser printer toner cartridge is described. The sealing member described in the present application performs static sealing between the components while the cartridge is idle and performs dynamic sealing while the toner cartridge is used for printing, keeping the sealing surfaces free from toner by actively pushing the toner back into the developer sump. The seal has a rotary seal portion which seals between the frame of the cartridge and the developer roll, and a blade seal portion which seals between the frame of the cartridge and the doctor blade. The rotary seal portion is biased toward the surface of the developer roll and incorporates, on its face adjacent to the developer roll, ridges which act to push the toner away from the edge of the developer roll in use. The blade seal portion is biased toward the doctor blade.

6522851, Feb 18, 2003

Feb 20, 2001

09/789065

Tom E. Stickler - Lexington KY

Lexmark International, Inc. - Lexington KY

G03G 1502

399176, 399350, 399351

A bracket to mount a charge roller and a blade against a photoconductive drum within an image forming apparatus. Bracket may include a pair of guides that extend outward to receive the ends of the charge roller. A biasing device may be positioned to bias the charge roller against the photoconductive drum. The guides may include an opening sized to allow the charge roller to move and maintain contact with the photoconductive drum. A mounting surface may be positioned on the bracket for receiving adhesive to mount the blade. In one embodiment, the bracket is constructed of a molded thermoplastic polymer.

6553195, Apr 22, 2003

Sep 27, 2001

09/965266

Kurt Matthew Korfhage - Shelbyville KY, 40065
Michael David Maul - Lexington KY, 40517
Alexander Douglas Meade - Lexington KY, 40502
Tom E Stickler - Lexington KY, 40502
Liqun Larry Wang - Lexington KY, 40513

G03G 1508

399102, 399343, 399350

An end seal for use in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus uses an array of ridges (or grooves) to urge toner inwardly so as to help prevent toner escape. The end seal works in conjunction with a cleaning blade. The end seal includes a blade pocket for mating with the end portions of the cleaning blade and a middle portion having an array of ridges thereon. The ridges are angled inward to urge any toner trapped therebetween inward away from the end seals, where the toner can be directed to a waste reservoir in a normal fashion. This âsnowplowingâ action of the ridges helps prevent outward migration of toner, thereby minimizing toner escape. The end seal may be composed of two or more layers of differing materials. There may be an end seal at each end of the cleaner blade.

6741829, May 25, 2004

Apr 14, 2003

10/413192

Tom E Stickler - Lexington KY
David Clay Blaine - Lexington KY
David Francis Carter - Mt. Sterling KY
Frank J. Palumbo - Nicholasville KY
Matthew Lee Rogers - Lexington KY

Lexmark International, Inc. - Lexington KY

G03G 2100

399351, 399 90, 399176, 399350

A bracket to mount a charge roller and a blade against a photoconductive drum within an image forming apparatus. Bracket may include a pair of guides that extend outward to receive the ends of the charge roller. A biasing device may be positioned to bias the charge roller against the photoconductive drum. The guides may include an opening sized to allow the charge roller to move and maintain contact with the photoconductive drum. A mounting surface may be positioned on the bracket for receiving adhesive to mount the blade. In one embodiment, the bracket is constructed of an electrically conductive material such that a charge introduced to the bracket is delivered to the charge roller.

6775498, Aug 10, 2004

Dec 19, 2002

10/324334

Frank J. Palumbo - Nicholasville KY
Tom E Stickler - Lexington KY
David Clay Blaine - Lexington KY
David Francis Carter - Mt. Sterling KY
Matthew Lee Rogers - Lexington KY

Lexmark International, Inc. - Lexington KY

G03G 1502

399176, 399 90, 399350, 399351

A bracket to mount a charge roller and a blade against a photoconductive drum within an image forming apparatus. Bracket may include a pair of guides that extend outward to receive the ends of the charge roller. A biasing device may be positioned to bias the charge roller against the photoconductive drum. The guides may include an opening sized to allow the charge roller to move and maintain contact with the photoconductive drum. A mounting surface may be positioned on the bracket for receiving adhesive to mount the blade. In one embodiment, the bracket is constructed of an electrically conductive material such that a charge introduced to the bracket is delivered to the charge roller.

7085507, Aug 1, 2006

Aug 25, 2003

10/647420

William Paul Cook - Lexington KY, US
Tom E Stickler - Lexington KY, US
Larry Steven Foster - Lexington KY, US
David Erwin Rennick - Georgetown KY, US

Lexmark International, Inc. - Lexington KY

G03G 21/10

399 35, 399 36, 399358

An image forming apparatus includes a waste toner system that collects waste toner in a waste toner container. An amount of waste toner collected in the container is increased by using a motor-driven toner distributing member that distributes accumulated toner within the container. The waste toner system may detect the accumulation of waste toner by monitoring a motor control circuit while the toner distributing member is being driven. For example, the system may detect excess accumulation by comparing the monitored values of a speed control signal with one or more reference values corresponding to nominal accumulation conditions. Whether or not the motor is speed controlled, the apparatus may use a shared motor that drives one or more image forming process members and the toner distributing member. A drive arrangement may be used to selectively drive the toner distributing member based on motor direction to avoid interfering with image forming operations.

7149467, Dec 12, 2006

Mar 26, 2004

10/811210

Tom E Stickler - Lexington KY, US
Larry Steven Foster - Lexington KY, US
Michael Craig Leemhuis - Nicholasville KY, US
Benjamin Alan Askren - Lexington KY, US

Lenmark International, Inc. - Lexington KY

G03G 21/12
G03G 21/18

399358, 399107, 399 35, 399123, 399360

A waste toner removal system for an image forming device. The invention includes a mechanism for removing the waste toner from the cartridge and transporting it through a toner chute to a waste toner tank. One or more actuators within the device allow for the connection between the various elements to seal the waste toner path and prevent toner leakage. Methods of moving waste toner are also disclosed that include moving the waste toner through the cartridge and into a waste toner chute. The waste toner is moved through the chute and into a waste toner tank where it may be removed from the device.

7280776, Oct 9, 2007

Mar 21, 2005

11/084980

William Paul Cook - Lexington KY, US
Derek Masami Inouye - Lexington KY, US
Tom E. Stickler - Pawleys Island SC, US

Lexmark International, Inc. - Lexington KY

G03G 21/10

399 35, 399358

An image forming apparatus includes a waste toner system that collects waste toner in a waste toner container. An amount of waste toner collected in the container is increased by using a driven toner distributing member that distributes accumulated toner within the container. The waste toner system may detect the accumulation of waste toner by monitoring a drive control circuit while the toner distributing member is being driven. For example, the system may detect excess accumulation by comparing the monitored values of a frequency control signal with one or more reference values corresponding to nominal accumulation conditions. An extension may be employed whereby movement of the toner distributing member creates interference between the toner distributing member and the container when the toner distributing member reaches a predetermined position. The interference may be detectable from the drive control circuit as an indication of a full condition.