Method and device for detecting electric potential and electric charges in a printer or copier

A system to detect an electrical charge and a layer thickness of a layer of toner particles in a printer or copier, comprising:

• an endless intermediate image carrier on a generated surface of which a toner image is generated;
• a measurement arrangement having at least one electrode opposite said generated surface of said endless intermediate image carrier in a detection region at the intermediate image carrier;
• a drive unit that drives the intermediate carrier so that its generated surface is directed in a revolving manner past the at least one electrode at the detection region;
• an evaluation unit electrically connected with the at least one first electrode;
• the evaluation unit detecting an electrical current flowing between the at least one electrode and the evaluation unit;
• and
• the evaluation unit determining the layer thickness of the layer of toner particles on the intermediate image carrier at the detection region in a first measurement procedure and the same evaluation unit also determining the electrical charge of the layer of toner particles at the detection region of the intermediate image carrier in a second measurement procedure.

A system to detect an electrical charge and a layer thickness of a layer of toner particles in a printer or copier, comprising:

• an endless intermediate image carrier on a generated surface of which a toner image is generated;
• a measurement arrangement having two electrodes opposite said generated surface of said endless intermediate image carrier in a detection region at the intermediate image carrier;
• a drive unit that drives the intermediate carrier so that its generated surface is directed in a revolving manner past the two electrodes at the detection region;
• an evaluation unit electrically connected with the two electrodes;
• and
• the evaluation unit determining the layer thickness of the layer of toner particles on the intermediate image carrier at the detection region in a first measurement procedure and the same evaluation unit also determining the electrical charge of the layer of toner particles at the detection region of the intermediate image carrier in a second measurement procedure.