Control to detect air knife blockage
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorBryan J. Roof
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for detecting stripper device blockage in a printing system is disclosed. The system includes a fusing member which during operation contacts a sheet of printer media to fuse a marking material to the sheet, a stripping device configured to apply pressurized air from an air supply through at least one orifice to the fuser member in order to separate the sheet from the surface and a flow measurement device in line with the air supply which measures air flow. The air flow device will assist in performing an assessment check which may include taking a baseline measurement of air flow and a diagnostic measurement of air flow. In the case where the difference between the diagnostic measurement and baseline measurement is above a different threshold, corrective action may be taken.
Claims20
A system for detecting stripper device blockage in a printing system comprising:
- a fuser member which, during operation, contacts a sheet of print media to fuse a marking material to said sheet;
- a stripping device configured to apply pressurized air from an air supply through at least one orifice to said fuser member in order to separate said sheet from the surface of said fuser member;
- and
- a flow measurement device in line with said air supply which measures the air flow.
A method for detecting blockage in system designed for removing paper from a fuse member comprising:
- setting a difference threshold;
- performing an assessment check, including taking a base line measurement of air flow, and recording said base line measurement in a memory;
- taking a diagnostic measurement of the air flow with a flow measurement device;
- and
- if the difference between the diagnostic measurement the baseline measurement is above the difference threshold taking corrective action.
A fusing assembly comprising a fuser and a stripping apparatus, the stripping apparatus comprising:
- a pneumatic airflow system configured to deliver a pulse of air during operation and a steady flow of air during a diagnostic routine;
- an airflow measurement device in communication with said airflow system configured to measure the airflow during said diagnostic routine;
- and
- a control system which receives signals from said airflow sensor and is configured to actuate an corrective action when the diagnostic routine does not meet a predetermined threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.