Toner powder level sensing using element and pulse signal and toner powder presence sensing using piezoelectric film
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorK. Trent Christensen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A toner detecting system includes an image forming apparatus having a toner reservoir. A toner sensor of the system has a toner sensing element of piezoelectric material, the toner sensor carried within the toner reservoir to detect a toner level condition. A driver of the system is disposed to structurally excite at least a portion of the toner sensor when the portion is not immersed in toner, the excited at least a portion stressing the toner sensing element so as to impart a detectable output signal indicative of flexing of the toner sensor. A detector of the system is configured to receive the detected output signal and detect the toner level condition.
Claims20
A toner detecting system, comprising:
- an image forming apparatus having a toner reservoir;
- a toner sensor having a toner sensing element of elongate piezoelectric material having a bottom edge fixedly carried in the toner reservoir at a location beneath a desired toner level to be detected and a top edge carried in the toner reservoir at a location above the bottom edge and above a desired toner level to be detected, the toner sensor configured to detect a toner level condition;
- a driver disposed to structurally excite at least a portion of the toner sensor when the portion is not immersed in toner, the excited portion stressing the toner sensing element so as to impart a detectable output signal indicative of the toner level condition;
- and
- a detector configured to receive the detected output signal and detect the toner level condition.
A toner detecting system, comprising:
- an image forming apparatus having a toner reservoir;
- a toner sensor including an elongate element supported elevationally within the toner reservoir, a portion of the elongate element immersed in toner being damped by the toner, and a remaining portion of the elongate element being undamped;
- a driver disposed to structurally excite at least a portion of the toner sensor when the excited portion is not immersed in toner, the excited portion stressing the toner sensing element so as to impart an output signal indicative of the toner level condition;
- and
- a detector configured to receive the output signal and detect the toner level condition.
A toner detecting system, comprising:
- an image forming apparatus having a toner reservoir;
- a toner sensor having a toner sensing element of piezoelectric material, the toner sensor carried within the toner reservoir and positioned to detect a toner level condition comprising a signal indicative of the position of toner level elevationally within the toner reservoir;
- a driver disposed to structurally excite at least a portion of the toner sensor when the portion is not immersed in toner, the excited portion stressing the toner sensing element so as to impart a detectable output signal indicative of the toner level condition;
- and
- a detector configured to receive the detected output signal and detect the toner level condition.
A printing device, comprising:
- an electrostatic image carrying device for carrying a latent image;
- a developing unit for developing the latent image;
- a toner supply reservoir for supplying a toner;
- and
- a toner presence detecting system comprising a toner sensor having a toner sensing element of piezoelectric material, the toner sensor carried within the toner reservoir and positioned to detect a toner level condition, a driver disposed to structurally excite at least a portion of the toner sensor when the portion is not immersed in toner, the excited portion stressing the toner sensing element so as to impart a detectable output signal indicative of the toner level condition, and a detector configured to receive the detected output signal and detect the toner level condition;
- wherein the toner level condition comprises a signal indicative of the position of toner level elevationally within the toner reservoir.
A method for detecting a toner presence condition comprising the steps of:
- providing an elongate piezoelectric toner sensor elevationally within a toner supply reservoir of an image forming apparatus;
- driving the toner sensor with an input configured to structurally excite the toner sensor when at least a portion of the toner sensor is not immersed in toner;
- detecting structural excitation of the toner sensor indicative of the presence of the level of toner adjacent the toner sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.