Sheet media weight detector
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorPat Fowler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and device that automatically measures and monitors the pick/feed motor torque as an indicator of paper weight, and controlling pertinent printer operations according to the measured torque. The method of the invention includes the steps of measuring the torque output of the motor during a pick/feed operation and controlling at least one printer operation according to the torque measurement. Preferably, the torque is measured by measuring the electrical current drawn by the pick/feed motor during the pick/feed operation.
Claims11
A method for detecting the weight of sheet media in printers, copiers and other image forming machines, comprising:
- driving a pick/feed mechanism with an electric motor;
- measuring torque output of the motor during a pick/feed operation;
- establishing a relationship between the torque output of the motor during the pick/feed operation and the weight of the sheet media;
- and
- controlling at least one printer operation according to the measured torque and the corresponding weight of the sheet media.
A method for detecting the weight of sheet media in printers, copiers and other image forming machines, comprising:
- driving a feed roller with an electric motor;
- causing the feed roller to apply a separation force to a top sheet in a stack of sheet media;
- defining a relationship between the weight of each sheet of sheet media and the separation force applied to the top sheet;
- measuring the separation force;
- and
- controlling at least one printer operation according to the measured separation force and the corresponding weight of the sheet media.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.