Circuit for detecting a paper at a desired position along a paper feed path with a one shot multivibrator actuating circuit

• US 5,414,269 A
• Filed: 06/21/1993
• Issued: 05/09/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: Takahashi, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, QUE TAN
• Application Number:
  US08/079,267
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 250/561, 250/214 B, 250/559, 250/214 AG, 250/221, 250/222.1, 250/223 R, 340/555, 340/556, 340/557, 356/429, 356/430, 356/433, 356/435
• US Class Current: 250/559.4
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/44 for determining top and bottom margins or indicating exhaust of paper

Abstract

A print paper detecting circuit for installation on a printer, to detect whether a print paper is supplied at a predetermined position along a paper path by using an optical sensor composed of a light emitting diode and phototransistor. The circuit detects the existence of the print paper according to the detection of light which is emitted from the light emitting diode, which is reflected from the print paper, and which arrives at the phototransistor. According to one embodiment, circuit has a current amplifier and a gain reducing circuit. The current amplifier feeds a pulse current which is greater than the normal constant current to the light emitting diode while the gain reducing circuit reduces the output of the output voltage. From the phototransistor during the time that the pulse current is supplied with this circuit arrangement any external light entering the printer does not affect the detection of the presence of the printer paper since the quantity of the light from the light emitting diode is greater than the quantity of the external light.

Claims

1. A print paper detecting circuit for detecting the presence of a print paper at a desired position along a paper feed path, said circuit comprising:

an optical sensor disposed at the desired position and having a light emitting diode for emitting light and a phototransistor for receiving the light and producing an output signal corresponding to the received light;

a current supply circuit, including a switch circuit for supplying a high level of a driving current to said light emitting diode, when said switch circuit is actuated;

an actuating circuit for selectively actuating said switch circuit for a predetermined duration in response to a control signal, with said actuating circuit comprising a one shot multivibrator; and

an output circuit means for providing a paper detecting signal according to the output voltage from said phototransistor.

2. A print paper detecting circuit for detecting the presence of a print paper at a desired position along a paper feed path, said circuit comprising:

an optical sensor disposed at the desired position and having a light emitting diode for emitting light and a phototransistor for receiving the light and producing an output signal corresponding to the received light;

a current supply circuit, including a switch circuit, for supplying a high level of a driving current to said light emitting diode when said switch circuit is actuated,

said current supply circuit comprising a transistor having its emitter-collector path connected in series with a resistor and said light-emitting diode across a voltage source, and a base;

an actuating circuit, connected to said base of said transistor, for selectively actuating said switch circuit for a predetermined duration in response to a control signal; and

an output circuit means for providing a paper detecting signal according to the output voltage from said phototransistor.

3. A print paper detecting circuit as claimed in claim 2, wherein said actuating circuit is a one shot multivibrator.

4. A print paper detecting circuit for detecting the presence of a print paper at a desired position along a paper feed path, said circuit comprising:

an optical sensor disposed at the desired position and having a light emitting diode for emitting light and a phototransistor for receiving the light and producing an output signal corresponding to the received light;

a current supply circuit, including a switch circuit, for supplying a high level of a driving current to said light emitting diode when said switch circuit is actuated;

an actuating circuit for selectively actuating said switch circuit for a predetermined duration in response to a control signal; and

an output circuit means for providing a paper detecting signal according to the output voltage from said phototransistor, and wherein said output circuit means comprises;

an invertor, having a predetermined threshold value, for inverting the output voltage from said phototransistor; and

a set-reset flip-flop circuit having a set input connected to receive an output signal from said invertor, a reset input to receive said control pulse, and an output for providing a signal indicating the detection of a paper by said phototransistor.

5. A print paper detecting circuit as claimed in claim 4, wherein said actuating circuit is a one shot multivibrator.