Optical toner low sensor
DC CAFC
First Claim
1. A toner cartridge having a long dimension and two opposite sides forming a chamber for toner comprisinga toner paddle mounted across said long dimension for rotation to stir toner, an optically transparent area on one of said two sides located at the bottom of said chamber for toner, a reflective surface located in said chamber at the bottom of said chamber spaced away from said transparent area a distance of not more than 40 millimeters.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Toner exhaustion is sensed in cartridge (1) having a toner chamber (3), a rotation paddle (7) extending across the long dimension. Chamber (3) has a transparent window (21) at its bottom and a reflective surface (23) in chamber (3), also at the bottom. An optical emitter and receiver (31) periodically senses for returned light, which indicates toner low. Paddle (7) carries a wiper to clean window and reflective surface. This provides improved accuracy by a cost-effective system.
50 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A toner cartridge having a long dimension and two opposite sides forming a chamber for toner comprising
a toner paddle mounted across said long dimension for rotation to stir toner, an optically transparent area on one of said two sides located at the bottom of said chamber for toner, a reflective surface located in said chamber at the bottom of said chamber spaced away from said transparent area a distance of not more than 40 millimeters.
Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeLexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
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Original AssigneeLexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
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InventorsNewman, Benjamin Keith, Buchanan, John Andrew
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Primary Examiner(s)Grimley, Arthur T.
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Assistant Examiner(s)GLEITZ, RYAN M
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Application NumberUS10/174,769Time in Patent Office181 DaysField of Search399/27, 399/28, 399/30, 399/49, 399/61, 399/64US Class Current399/27CPC Class CodesG03G 15/0856 Detection or control means ...G03G 15/0862 the level being measured by...G03G 2215/0894 through a light transmissiv...G03G 2215/0897 Cleaning of the light trans...
