Electrophotography – Diagnostics – Cleaning
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-23
2001-01-30
Moses, Richard (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Diagnostics
Cleaning
C399S360000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06181886
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to electrostatography and more particularly to control of replenishment and collection of used toner in an electrostatographic recording apparatus.
DESCRIPTION RELATIVE TO THE PRIOR ART
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,847, there is disclosed image-forming apparatus that develops a latent image electrostatically formed on image carrier by a developing device, transfers the developed image to a recording medium, and then removes the toner remaining on the image carrier by a cleaning device. The untransferred toner is collected in a collecting section of the cleaning device. The apparatus determines whether or not the toner collected in the collecting section has reached a predetermined amount by determining whether or not fresh toner has been supplemented to the developing device a predetermined number of times. When the apparatus repeats an image-forming cycle with a single supplement of toner, the amount of toner to be collected in the collecting section is substantially fixed by the type of equipment and, therefore, the toner collected in the collecting section reaches a predetermined amount when the toner is supplemented the particular number of times. Specifically according to the prior art, the number of times that the toner is supplemented to the developing device is counted on the basis of the output of a supplement detector which determines whether or not the developer has been supplemented. The supplement detector determines that toner has been supplied only when a predetermined number of copies have been made after a toner low/empty signal is indicated or the toner concentration is detected to increase after the toner low/empty signal is indicated. The problem with the above is that it requires the relation of signals of conditions of toner concentration with accumulation of toner in the collecting section which are not necessarily related. Additionally, it provides a complex algorithm for determining if the collecting section is full based on a counting of copying cycles.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for replenishing and collecting used toner that represents an improvement over the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided an electrostatographic machine for replenishing toner and collecting used toner in which the apparatus comprises a replenishment hopper having a supply of fresh toner, a development device for depositing toner onto a recording member having an electrostatic image to be developed, a feeding device for feeding fresh toner to the development device, a driver for driving the feeding device to feed fresh toner to the development device, a collection container for collecting used toner removed from a recording member, and a controller for tracking a first accumulated driver operating on-time and being programmed to compare the first accumulated operating on-time with a first pre-programmed value for determining when the container is to be emptied or to be replaced and providing a signal to indicate that the container is full or to be emptied or to be replaced. The signal to indicate that the container is full or to be emptied or to be replaced may enable a display to indicate to the operator such a condition exists or may set a flag or other signal in memory that can be accessed by a service person either at the machine or remotely. The signal may be used to generate a phone call via a modem to a service person.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is provided an electrostatographic machine for replenishing toner and collecting used toner that comprises providing a replenishment hopper having a supply of fresh toner, operating a development device for depositing toner onto a recording member having an electrostatic image to be developed, driving a feeding device and feeding fresh toner to the development device, collecting used toner in a collection container, and tracking a first accumulated driver operating on-time and comparing the first accumulated operating on-time with a first pre-programmed value for determining when the container is full or to be emptied or to be replaced and providing a signal to indicate that the container is full or to be emptied or to be replaced. Alternatively, there may be provided a signal to cycle down the machine.
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Garcia Christopher S.
Hockey David E.
Regelsberger Matthias H.
Stern Philip A.
Zimmer James A.
Leimbach James D.
Moses Richard
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