Imaging device including an optical sensor

• US 6,834,930 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2003
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Steinfield, Steven W., Garcia, Lidia Calvo, Hess, Patricia A., Kassen, Teresa D.
• Primary Examiner(s): HSIEH, SHIH WEN
• Application Number:
  US10/405,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20040196317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 347/1, 347/19, 347/22, 347/32, 347/33, 347/81, 347/83, 347/241, 355/53, 324/76.11
• US Class Current: 347/33
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16535 using wiping constructions B41J2/16552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17566 Ink level or ink residue control
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/393 Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine ; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns

Abstract

An imaging device includes an optical sensor carried by a print carriage. An optical guide has an input end in optical alignment with a maintenance item and has an output end in optical alignment with a location to which the optical sensor may be moved by the print carriage.

Claims

1. An imaging device, comprising:

an optical sensor, carried by a print carriage;

an optical guide, having an input end in optical alignment with a maintenance item and having an output end in optical alignment with a location to which the optical sensor may be moved by the print carriage.

2. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the maintenance item is a wiper roll.

3. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the maintenance item is a print cartridge.

4. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the maintenance item is an aerosol reference location.

5. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the maintenance item is a spittoon.

6. The imaging device of claim 1, additionally comprising:

an optical guide cluster within which the optical guide is configured; and

an optical guide matrix configured from output ends of optical guides forming the optical guide cluster.

7. A processor-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions for:

moving a sensor, carried by a print carnage, over an output end of an optical guide;

sensing output from the optical guide;

responding to the output.

8. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 7, wherein the responding comprising further instructions for:

sending an email to an administrator to report the output.

9. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 7, wherein the responding comprising further instructions for:

configuring information associated with the output for display within a user interface.

10. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 7, additionally comprising further instructions for:

multiplexing the sensor by moving the sensor over an optical guide matrix comprising output ends of a plurality of optical guides.

11. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the multiplexing comprises further instructions for:

coordinating sensor location and optical guide matrix position to associate sensor input with output of each optical guide.

12. A method of enabling a carriage-based sensor to perform remote sensing operations, comprising:

configuring an optical guide cluster to include a plurality of optical guides, wherein an input end of each optical guide is configured to respond to remote input information;

aligning output ends of the plurality of optical guides to form an optical guide matrix; and

positioning the optical guide matrix adjacent to a carnage rod to allow scanning of the optical guide matrix by a sensor moving with a print carriage.

13. The method of claim 12, additionally comprising:

positioning the input end of at least one optical guide adjacent to a wiper roll assembly.

14. The method of claim 12, additionally comprising:

positioning the input end of at least one optical guide adjacent to a refillable consumable.

15. The method of claim 12, additionally comprising:

positioning the input end of at least one optical guide adjacent to an assembly requiring periodic maintenance.

16. An optical guide cluster, comprising:

a plurality of optical guides;

an optical guide matrix comprising output ends of the plurality of optical guides; and

a sensor, movable to allow viewing of the optical guide matrix; and

a service station, configured to support the optical guide matrix to allow the sensor to view the optical guide matrix during print cartridge servicing.

17. The optical guide cluster of claim 16, wherein input ends of each of the plurality of optical guides are distributed among remote points of interest.

18. The optical guide cluster of claim 17, wherein the remote points of interest are selected from a group comprising:

a wiper roll;

an aerosol contamination reference surface;

a spittoon fill-state observation point;

a moving part observation point;

an ink level observation point; and

a paper dust contamination reference location.

19. An imaging device, comprising:

means for moving a sensor over an output end of an optical guide;

means for sensing output from the optical guide;

means for responding to the output.

20. The imaging device as recited in claim 19, wherein the means for responding additionally comprises:

means for sending an email to report the output.

21. The imaging device as recited in claim 19, wherein the means for responding additionally comprises:

means for sending the output to a user interface for display.

22. The imaging device as recited in claim 19, additionally comprising;

means for multiplexing the sensor by supporting the sensor on a print carriage and by moving the print carriage over an optical guide matrix comprising output ends of a plurality of optical guides.

23. The imaging device as recited in claim 22, additionally comprising:

means for coordinating sensor location and optical guide matrix position to associate sensor input with output of each optical guide.

24. An imaging device, comprising:

an optical sensor, carried by a print carriage for operation within a print path;

an optical guide cluster comprising a plurality of optical guides, each optical guide having an input end in optical alignment with a remote object and having an output end configured within an optical guide matrix; and

a processing device to obtain images transferred through the optical guide matrix from the optical sensor, and to associate the images with remote objects according to optical sensor location, and to ascertain remote object status using the images.

25. The imaging claim 24, wherein the optical sensor is configured for alternating between print quality examination and remote object observation.

26. The imaging device of claim 24, wherein the optical sensor is configured for multiplexing each of the plurality of optical guides by controlled movement of the print carriage.

27. A processor-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions for:

multiplexing a sensor by shifting input to the sensor from among different locations within an optical guide matrix, wherein the optical guide matrix comprises output ends of a plurality of optical guides;

associating images obtained by the sensor with remote objects according to sensor location and optical guide location within an optical guide cluster;

requesting servicing in response to an image.

28. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 27, wherein thy multiplexing comprises further instructions for:

moving the sensor with respect to the optical guide matrix.

29. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 27, wherein the requesting servicing comprises further instructions for:

sending an email to an administrator.

30. An imaging device, comprising:

means for multiplexing a sensor by shifting input to the sensor from among different locations within an optical guide matrix, wherein the optical guide matrix comprises output ends of a plurality of optical guides;

means for associating images obtained by the sensor with remote objects according to sensor location and optical guide location within an optical guide cluster;

means for requesting servicing in response to the images.

31. The imaging device as recited in claim 30, wherein the means for multiplexing comprises:

means for moving the sensor with respect to the optical guide matrix.

32. The imaging device as recited in claim 30, wherein the means for requesting servicing comprises:

means for sending information to a user interface.