Method and apparatus for automatic corotron cleaning in an image production device

• US 8,204,399 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2008
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Gross, Robert Arnold, Soures, Michael Nicholas, Chinnici, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): LACTAOEN, BILLY JAMES M
• Application Number:
  US12/182,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20100028040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 399/100, 399/168, 399/170, 399/171, 399/172
• US Class Current: 399/100
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0225 provided with means for cleaning the charging member
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0291 corona discharge devices, e.g. wires, pointed electrodes, means for cleaning the corona discharge device
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5037 the characteristics being an electrical parameter, e.g. voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5079 for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/55 Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/026 by coronas

Abstract

A method and apparatus for automatic corotron cleaning in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include receiving a first dynamic current reading, the dynamic current being the current supplied to a photoreceptor of the image production device, determining if the first dynamic current reading exceeds a predetermined threshold, the predetermined threshold being a threshold set on the allowable variation in the dynamic current value, wherein if it is determined that the first dynamic current reading exceeds the predetermined threshold, sending a signal to a cleaning device to clean the corotron, determining that the corotron has been cleaned, receiving a second current reading, determining if the second dynamic current reading exceeds the predetermined threshold, wherein if it is determined that the second dynamic current reading exceeds the predetermined threshold, sending a signal to prompt a user to replace the corotron in the image production device.

Claims

1. A method for automatic corotron cleaning in an image production device, comprising:

receiving a first dynamic current reading, the dynamic current being the current supplied to a photoreceptor of the image production device;

determining if the first dynamic current reading exceeds a predetermined threshold, the predetermined threshold being a threshold set on the allowable variation in the dynamic current value and being determined by the default resolution of the image production device, wherein if it is determined that the first dynamic current reading exceeds the predetermined threshold, sending a signal to a cleaning device to clean the corotron;

determining that the corotron has been cleaned;

receiving a second current reading;

determining if the second dynamic current reading exceeds the predetermined threshold, wherein if it is determined that the second dynamic current reading exceeds the predetermined threshold,

sending a signal to prompt a user to replace the corotron in the image production device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if one of the first and the second dynamic current readings do not exceed the predetermined threshold,

sending a signal to the image production device to return to normal operation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning device is an auto cleaner.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second dynamic current readings are received from a dynamic current monitor, the dynamic current monitor monitoring the dynamic current in the transfer power supply.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the corotron is determined to have been cleaned by receiving a signal from the cleaning device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a signal to a user interface on the image production device to display a warning to replace the corotron.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a signal to a remote repair facility that the corotron in the image production device is in need of replacement.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the image production device is one of a copier, a printer, a facsimile device, and a multi-function device.

9. An image production device, comprising:

a dynamic current monitor that monitors the dynamic current from the transfer power supply, the dynamic current being the current supplied to a photoreceptor of the image production device; and

a corotron management unit that receives a first dynamic current reading from the dynamic current monitor, determines if the first dynamic current reading exceeds a predetermined threshold, the predetermined threshold being a threshold set on the allowable variation in the dynamic current value and determined by the default resolution of the image production device, wherein if the corotron management unit determines that the first dynamic current reading exceeds the predetermined threshold, the corotron management unit sends a signal to a cleaning device to clean the corotron and determines that the corotron has been cleaned, receives a second current reading from the dynamic current monitor, determines if the second dynamic current reading exceeds the predetermined threshold, wherein if the corotron management unit determines that the second dynamic current reading exceeds the predetermined threshold, the corotron management unit sends a signal to prompt a user to replace the corotron in the image production device.

10. The image production device of claim 9, wherein if one of the first and the second dynamic current readings do not exceed the predetermined threshold, the corotron management unit sends a signal to the image production device to return to normal operation.

11. The image production device of claim 9, wherein the cleaning device is an auto cleaner.

12. The image production device of claim 9, wherein the corotron management unit sends a signal to activate the cleaning device if there is no print job pending.

13. The image production device of claim 9, wherein the corotron management unit determines that the corotron has been cleaned by receiving a signal from the cleaning device.

14. The image production device of claim 9, wherein the corotron management unit sends a signal to a user interface on the image production device to display a warning to replace the corotron.

15. The image production device of claim 9, wherein the corotron management unit sends a signal to a remote repair facility that the corotron in the image production device is in need of replacement.

16. The image production device of claim 9, wherein the image production device is one of a copier, a printer, a facsimile device, and a multi-function device.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for controlling a computing device for automatic corotron cleaning in an image production device, the instructions comprising:

receiving a first dynamic current reading, the dynamic current being the current supplied to a photoreceptor of the image production device;

determining if the first dynamic current reading exceeds a predetermined threshold, the predetermined threshold being a threshold set on the allowable variation in the dynamic current value and determined by the default resolution of the image production device, wherein if it is determined that the first dynamic current reading exceeds the predetermined threshold,

sending a signal to a cleaning device to clean the corotron;

determining that the corotron has been cleaned;

receiving a second current reading;

determining if the second dynamic current reading exceeds the predetermined threshold, wherein if it is determined that the second dynamic current reading exceeds the predetermined threshold,

sending a signal to prompt a user to replace the corotron in the image production device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the image production device is one of a copier, a printer, a facsimile device, and a multi-function device.