Apparatus and method for evaluating printing apparatus cleaner performance

A printing apparatus comprising:

• a photoreceptor;
• an intermediate transfer belt configured to receive marking material from the photoreceptor;
• a developer configured to place marking material on the photoreceptor;
• a photoreceptor cleaner configured to clean the marking material on the photoreceptor to produce residual marking material;
• a transfer station configured to transfer the residual marking material to the intermediate transfer belt;
• and
• an intermediate transfer belt sensor configured to sense the transferred marking material on the intermediate transfer belt.

A method in a printing apparatus including an intermediate transfer belt, an intermediate transfer belt sensor, a developer, a photoreceptor, and a photoreceptor cleaner, the method comprising:

• placing marking material on the photoreceptor using the developer;
• substantially disabling transfer of the marking material from the photoreceptor to the intermediate transfer belt after placing the marking material on the photoreceptor;
• rotating the photoreceptor in a process direction to move the marking material on the photoreceptor past the intermediate transfer belt after disabling transfer of the marking material from the photoreceptor to the intermediate transfer belt;
• cleaning the marking material on the photoreceptor using the photoreceptor cleaner to produce residual marking material after moving the marking material on the photoreceptor past the intermediate transfer belt;
• transferring the residual marking material to the intermediate transfer belt;
• and
• sensing the transferred marking material on the intermediate transfer belt using the intermediate transfer belt sensor.

A method in a printing apparatus including a photoreceptor, an intermediate transfer belt, an intermediate transfer belt cleaner, and an intermediate transfer belt sensor, the method comprising:

• placing marking material on the photoreceptor;
• transferring the marking material from the photoreceptor to the intermediate transfer belt to produce transferred marking material on the intermediate transfer belt;
• substantially disabling transfer of the transferred marking material from the intermediate transfer belt after transferring the marking material from the photoreceptor to the intermediate transfer belt and before cleaning the transferred marking material on the intermediate transfer belt;
• cleaning the transferred marking material on the intermediate transfer belt using the intermediate transfer belt cleaner to produce residual marking material on the intermediate transfer belt;
• sensing the residual marking material on the intermediate transfer belt using the intermediate transfer belt sensor.

A printing apparatus comprising:

• a photoreceptor;
• a developer configured to place marking material on the photoreceptor;
• an intermediate transfer belt configured to receive marking material transferred from the photoreceptor;
• a media transfer station configured to transfer marking material from the intermediate transfer belt to media;
• an intermediate transfer belt cleaner configured to clean the transferred marking material on the intermediate transfer belt to produce residual marking material on the intermediate transfer belt;
• a controller configured to substantially disable transfer of the transferred marking material from the intermediate transfer belt after transferring the marking material from the photoreceptor to the intermediate transfer belt and before cleaning the marking material on the intermediate transfer belt;
• an intermediate transfer belt sensor configured to sense the residual marking material on the intermediate transfer belt.