Xerographic development system, method for determining when the developer material supply should be replenished
First Claim
1. In an electrostatographic printing system in which there is provided a primary supply of developer material, the developer material comprising toner and carrier, wherein the developer material in the primary supply is used for developing electrostatic latent images on a charge receptor, a secondary supply of developer material, and dispense means for conveying developer material from the secondary supply to the primary supply, a control method comprising the steps of:
- monitoring a dispense rate of toner being used to develop electrostatic latent images, thereby determining a pixel dispense in substantially real time;
monitoring a ratio of toner to carrier (T/C) in the primary supply, thereby determining a TIC dispense in substantially real time;
developing a test patch with the developer material, the test patch being of a predetermined target reflectivity, and monitoring an actual reflectivity of the test patch, thereby determining a patch dispense in substantially real time; and
controlling the dispense means according to an algorithm which takes into account the pixel dispense, the T/C dispense, and the patch dispense.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a xerographic development system, a primary developer supply is used to develop electrostatic latent images. A secondary developer supply is available to dispense new developer, as needed, into the primary developer supply. A series of inputs, including counting the number of printed pixels and monitoring the reflectivity of a set of test patches, is entered into an algorithm which controls the dispensing of new developer. The various inputs are converted into metrics which relate to an amount of time fresh developer is dispensed into the primary developer supply.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. In an electrostatographic printing system in which there is provided a primary supply of developer material, the developer material comprising toner and carrier, wherein the developer material in the primary supply is used for developing electrostatic latent images on a charge receptor, a secondary supply of developer material, and dispense means for conveying developer material from the secondary supply to the primary supply, a control method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring a dispense rate of toner being used to develop electrostatic latent images, thereby determining a pixel dispense in substantially real time;
monitoring a ratio of toner to carrier (T/C) in the primary supply, thereby determining a TIC dispense in substantially real time;
developing a test patch with the developer material, the test patch being of a predetermined target reflectivity, and monitoring an actual reflectivity of the test patch, thereby determining a patch dispense in substantially real time; and
controlling the dispense means according to an algorithm which takes into account the pixel dispense, the T/C dispense, and the patch dispense. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. In an electrostatographic printing system in which there is provided a primary supply of developer material, the developer material comprising toner and carrier, wherein the developer material in the primary supply is used for developing electrostatic latent images on a charge receptor, a secondary supply of developer material, and dispense means for conveying developer material from the secondary supply to the primary supply, a control method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring at least one behavior of the system;
in an algorithm, expressing the monitored behavior as an amount of time for the dispense means to convey developer material; and
causing the dispense means to convey developer material from the secondary supply to the primary supply in response to accumulating a predetermined amount of time for the dispense means to convey developer material. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification