Apparatus and method of determining a media level in a supply tray
AssigneeLexmark International, Inc.
InventorsTodd A. Dutton, Scott S. Williams, Phillip B. Wright
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and method is provided for determining a relative vertical position of a media sheet within a supply tray by sensing a picked sheet traveling through a media path, and therefrom determining time and/or distance traveled by the picked sheet. The vertical position of the media sheet within the supply tray is translated into a relative media level in the supply tray.
Claims28
An apparatus including a supply tray having a base upon which a plurality of media sheets is supported, said apparatus defining a media path through which the media sheets travel, said apparatus comprising:
- a sheet picker assembly including a movable sheet picker, said picker configured to move a picked sheet into the media path;
- a sensor disposed in association with the media path at a sensor location, said sensor adapted to detect a sheet traveling through the media path and provide an output signal;
- and
- a processor coupled to each of said picker assembly and said sensor, wherein said processor controls movement of said movable picker and receives said sensor output signal, and wherein said processor determines a relative position of an uppermost sheet of a remainder of the plurality of media sheets with respect to the base of the supply tray, based upon an initial actuation of said sheet picker to pick said picked sheet and a sensing of said picked sheet arriving at said sensor.
A method of determining a media level of a media stack in a supply tray of an apparatus, the apparatus including a picker assembly with a picker controlled by a processor for picking a media sheet from said media stack, the apparatus defining a media path through which a picked sheet selected from said media stack travels, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a sensor disposed in association with the media path at a location, said sensor coupled to said processor;
- moving the picked sheet from the supply tray into the media path using said picker assembly;
- sensing the picked sheet traveling through the media path with said sensor;
- transmitting an output signal from said sensor to said processor indicating that the presence of said picked sheet has been sensed;
- and
- determining the media level within the supply tray using said processor, dependent on said sensor output signal and an initial actuation of said sheet picker to pick a sheet.
An apparatus including a supply tray having a base upon which a plurality of media sheets is supported, said apparatus defining a media path through which the media sheets travel, said apparatus comprising:
- a sheet picker assembly including a movable sheet picker, said picker configured to move a picked sheet into the media path;
- a sensor disposed in association with the media path at a sensor location, said sensor adapted to detect a sheet traveling through the media path and provide an output signal;
- and
- a processor coupled to each of said picker assembly and said sensor, wherein said processor monitors and controls movement of said movable picker and receives said sensor output signal, and wherein said processor determines a relative position of an uppermost sheet of a remainder of the plurality of media sheets with respect to the base of the supply tray, based upon the monitor of said sheet picker picking said picked sheet and a sensing of said picked sheet arriving at said sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.