CA1051107A

CA1051107A - Indicator for a dispensing device

Info

Publication number: CA1051107A
Application number: CA222,410A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Gerardus A. J. Koeleman
Original assignee: Oce Van der Grinten NV
Current assignee: Canon Production Printing Holding BV
Priority date: 1974-03-19
Filing date: 1975-03-18
Publication date: 1979-03-20
Also published as: US3915340A

Abstract

ABSTRACT

An indicating mechanism for a dispenser in a copier machine.
The dispensing mechanism comprises a container designed to store and dispense a quantity of developer of the kind having a toner dispersed within a carrier containing iron filings. A magnetic switching device is magnetically attracted to the iron filings of said carrier, while developer still remains in the container.
When the container empties of developer, the magnetic switch is no longer held in an attracted position, thus signaling the depletion of the developer mix within the container. A jogging mechanism engageable with the magnetic switching device provides a novel mechanical means for providing a flashing signal.

Description

; :

- : :
:: :

1~)5~ )7 ~ -, . , . . . . .. . . . .
,;~,` i ~ SPECIFICt~TXON ~ ¦
-i I The invention pertains to dispensing.mechanis~sO and more ~¦i particularly to an indicating device for a dispensiny mechanism for supplying a copier machine with developer materials.
BACKGROUND OF T~E INVENTION
~ ¦ Dispcnsing mechanisms for use in copier machines must be - ! accurately and ti~ely actuated when~eveloper de~sity drops below ¦
! .
an ac~eptable level in the supply~binc I the supply or developer ;.
is not properly accomplished, ther the quality of the reproduc-tions will be visibly poor. In order to avoid this~ many - , elaborate schemes have been d~vised to signal the operator to , , j rcplenish-the supply of developer in the copierO Many of the -i- ¦ pr~vious indicating methods are too complicated~ eY.pensive, and . ¦ uJlreliable, for example:
(a) Optical means have been used to sense toner remaining : I n a sec-throu~Jll supply bottleO ~This system has the s~rious "; ~ir~w~ack tllat th~ walls of the bottl~ can become c3ked with toner, ; ~: . .
"

.- '.
.~ ~ ' ' ., ; ' . ' . ..

'. ~.~ ' ' .` ., ' ~ .: ' .~ ' . '' . . ~ ' ' . ~ '.` `~ .

1 l¦ which tllen yrovi~es ancl exron~ou~ indicatioll that tl~c contain~r

2 jl .s still ~ull;

3 !1 (b~ Weighinc~ m~ans have been us~d to dcterminc the dcplc~io~
l of toner from a container. The drawbacks for this systcm ar~
¦ lack of accuracy, variations in toncr formulations effccting the 6 1 weight, the need ~or temperature and pressure compensators, etc.
7 ~ The present inventive indicator mechanism is a simple means 8 1 of accurately and reliably indicating when a new supply oE toner should be added to a copiex dispensiny system. The inventive ¦ indicator is primarily, but not exclusively, or use with coilierl 11 machines employing magne ic brush development. A magnetic brush ~
12 roller wipes the toner across the surface of a charged, imaged 13 ¦ photoconductor~ By means of magnetic attraction th~ toner which ~14 ¦ contains iron fillngs, is caused to form a brush-like config- !
1 uration upon the roller. Thus, as the photoconductor is moved b~;
16 I the roller, it becomes fully saturated with toner in the imaged 17 ¦ areas.
18 1 SUMMARY OF l'HE INVENTION ¦
19 ¦ The invention is for use in a copier systems using develope 1¦ materials having a toner dispersed within a carrier containing 21 !¦ iron filings. ~ novel approach to scnsing the depletion of this 22 1I type of developer is :-o use the magnetic or ma~netizable 23 ¦¦ qualities of the carrier material to activate a magnetic switch.
24 ¦ When thcre is sufficient carrier material in the supply containe~
l the magnctic switch element is maintained by magnetic attraction¦
26 , in the open position. When, ho~ever, tlle devcloper is ~cple~ed 27 ¦ from thc contain r, the switch is no longer magnctically held ¦
28 ~¦ open and i~ allowcd to close, thus signalling the copicr operato~
29 1¦ of thc dc~icicl~cy, and the n~cd to restor~ th~ devclopcr supply.
jl l`hc magl)ctic switch o this invcntion is pcriodically jo~(3~d -2- ~

,. .

~051~)7 from its closed position towaxds its open position when the developer is fully dispensed thus providing a flashing slgnal.
If the switch is being maintained in its magnetically attracted open position, then the jogging mechanism does not operate. If, however, the developer supply is depleted, thereby causing the switching element to assume its closed unattracted position, the periodic displacement of the switch towards its open position will cause the switch to provide a cyclic or flashing signal to the operator, This cyclic, or flashing signal, alerts the attendant that a new supply of. developer is needed.
In summary of the above, the present invention may be : broadly defi,ned as providing an indicating device for a developer dispensing mechanism for use in a copier machine, the dispensing mechanism dispensing a quantity of developer comprisiny a toner material and a magnetizable carrier material, the indicatillg device comprising: a container for storing a quantity of the developer for use in the copier machine; dispensing means associated with the container for dispensing the quantity of developer from the container to the copier machine; magnetic means movably disposed with respect to the container between a firs.t position and a second position, the first position being adjacent the container in sufficient proximity there'with to establi.sh a magnetic holding attraction between the magnetic .
means and the magnetizable carrier` material when sufficient developer remains in the container, and the second position being of insufficient proximity to ~aid container to establish a . holding attraction between.th2'' magnetic means and the' magnetizable carrier material; and indicating means responsive to movement of said magnetic means for indicating the ~wl/~ 3 -I~

~ ' ~

5~10'7 position of the magnetlc means with respect to the container, so as to provide an indication whether ~here is sufficient developer in the container to maintain the magnetic means in holding attraction with the carrier material, which is fur~her indicative of whether there is need to replenish the copier machine with developer.
These and other features of the invention will become more apparent and will be better understood with reference to the following detalled description taken in con~unction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIGURE 1 is a side view of the dispensing and indicating mechanism of this invention, showing a container for developer in cutaway;
FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the invention of FIGURE 1 taken along lines 2-2, with the magnetic switching device in its open magnetically attracted position; and FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the invention similar to FI~RE 2, with the magnetic switching device shown in its closed, : -mb/~ - 3a - -., ~05~7 :-` magnetically unattracted position.
Generally speaking, the invention is for an indicatingdevice for a developer dispensing mechanism for use in a copier machine of the type, which dispenses a developer comprising a - toner and a magnetizable carrier material. The mechanism comprises a container for storing a quantity of the developer for use in the copier machine. Dispensing means is provided for dispensing .
the developer from the container. The mechanism of this invention additionally comprises sensing means disposed in proximity to the container for sensing whan the container has substantially emptied of developer. The sensing means is movable between a first - position indicative that developer still remains in the container, ; and a second position indicative that substantially all of the developer has been dispensing therefrom.
;; The sensing means remains in its first position while sufficien~ developer remains in the container, and moves to the second position after the developer has been dispensed. Means are provided for indicating the position of the sensing means, and hence, whether sufficient developer remains in the container, which is further indicative of whether there is need to replenish said copier machine with developer.
The sensing means is generally a magnetic which is ^ held in its first position by means of magnetic holding attraction.
The magnetic holding attraction is provided between the magnetic means and the magnetizable carrier material.
Means may also be provided for urging the sensing means towards said first position in a periodic fashion, as the dispensing means is caused to operate. This urging causes a - ywl/~

~ .

' ' ' :

~.~51~7 flashing signal to be produced, when the container has substantially emptied.
- Now referring to FIGURES 1 through 3, a container 10 is shown, which is adapted to contain a developer 8 having a toner dispersed within a magnetizable carrier material. The carrier material is generally of the type containing iron filings for magnetic brush development of an image. The container has a dispensing spout 9 and a scoop 12 disposed in the neck of the bottle. An auger 11 is rotatably connected to the scoop 12 by a suitable fastener 40 at one and thereof, and extends from the mouth 17 of the spout 9 at its o~her end, where it is fastened to the stationary frame 50 at point 35. The container fits within a cylindrical housing 41, about which is wrapped a drive belt 19.
The dri~e belt 19 also wraps about a drive pulley 20, which is keyed to shaft 34 of motor 21.
The housing 41 and the dispensing bottle 10 are mounted for rotation upon four free-spinning wheels 23, which are rotatively mounted to the frame.
; A pivot arm 26 mounted in proximity to the container 10 and the drive pulley 20, is shown to be pivotal (arrows 27) about the pivot 28. An upper section of the arm 26 carries a magnet 29, which is closely adjacent the container 10.
The drive pulley 20 has a jogging pin 24 attached there-to, which rotates wi~h the pulley 20 and engages the pivot arm 26, when it drops to its lower position as shown in Figure 3.
An arm 42 of an electrical switch 30 is forced downward as the pivot arm drops to its lower position in Figure 3, thus closing an indicator circuit 32.

- ywl/J~ ~ - 5 -.

.

..... : . - . .

~5~
OPE R~TION OF THE DEVI CE
The housing 41 and the container 10 are made to rotate by means of the drive belt 19, which will be more fully explained hereinafter. When the bottle 10 is made to rotate, as shown by , ywl/~ 5 a -iO51~7 , ~ ~ l row 14 in ~`ic3urcs 2 and 3, thc scoop 12~`and t}lC spout 9 a~
2 1¦ also made to rotate ~arrow 45). When the s~oo~ 12 rcachcs an up-3 ¦ ward oxten~ing position as shown in phantom in Fi-3urcs 2 an~ 3, ~4 ! some dev~loper ~ wl-ich has becomo trappcd in the cradie of tho ¦ scoop~ will fall through aper~ure 16 into spout 9O
:6 ¦ The augcr 11 which remains s~ationarily in pl.ace as the :~
7 I spout 9 and scoop 12 rotate, causes the developer 8 to advancc ~8 ¦ towards the mouth 17 of t:~e spout 9t whe~e it empties into a 9 .i developer bin 18O A rotating worm 36 advances the developer 10 withi~ an upper portion of bi~ 180 When the developer reaches I ::
aperture 37 in the bin 18y the developer alls through the 1~ l aperture 37 into ~he lo~er portion of the binO A spoked mixing I .
. 13 paddle 38 stirs ~he developer, from whence it is carried to the I ;~:;14 l magnetic brus'n roller 39O
. 15 l A photoelectric sensor 22 is positioned adjacent bin 18 0 When the density (blackness) of the developer decreases below a ¦ ;
~ 17 certain minimum level, as when sufficient toner has been drawn ,. 18 ¦ from the mix, the sensor 22 activates the motor 21~ causing pulle~ : , 19 1~ 20 to rotateO This in turn causes the drive belt 19 to rota~e`` ~0 housing 41 and container lOo , ' I
21 l Developer 8 disposed in container 10 advances towards the : 22 l spout 9 ~arrow 15) where it is scooped-up upon scoop 12 and ~ -23 deposited in spout 9 via aperture 16. The developer 8 emerges , 24 ¦I spout 3 a.t its mouth 17, and is deposited .in bin 18, thus ;
;~25 repl~nishing the toner in the bin. When a sufficient amount of 26 ¦ toncr is insert~d into the bin, the sensor 22 deactivates motor .
'` 27 219 causin~ tllo dispensing to cease. : ~ ~ . ~
~,-, 28 1 Oporation of~this type of dispensin~ mcchanism is explained ... 29 ! moxe fully wit!~ rcf~r~ncc to the publisl~ed Germa~ ~pplication No.
; 30 ~¦ 72.19,649; rcgist~r~d on August 24, 1972.

: G-: 3.

, . i . ~, ~;, ' ~ .' 1 ~ ThQ indiCa~it1f3 meC~ Sm 0~ tl~is invcntion op~rates to !C~ 2 ~ Jnal ~hc opcr~tor of ~llo copicr m~chitlo thai': the ~o~tle 10 of3 d~velopcr has eln~tied. This is accomplished by means of pivot

4 arm 2G~ Wh~n suEficient developer still r~mains in the containcr 10 as illustrat~d in Figure 2, the magnet 29 of the pivot arm 26 6 is attracted to the iron filings of the developer mix 8. In its ¦ attracted position, the magnet maintains the pivo~ arm 26 in its 8 ''I upper position, so that the indicatiny switch 30 is kept open, `~ g !i and indicator circuit 32 is kept incomplete.
` When the devi~loper is substantially emptied from contain~r 11 10, the magnet 39 is no longer held in attraction i~o the iron ¦
`12 filings, thus allowing pivot arm 26 to drop to iks lower position ~13 1 as shown in Fiyure 3.
14 I When the pivot arm 26 assumes the position of Figure 3, it depresses lever 42 of switch 30, causing circuit 32 to become 16 l a closed circuit. The closin~ of circuit 32 causes current to 17 ¦ flow to the indicator light 31, which illuminates the indicator. , 18 1 The indicator 31 is furt~er caused to ~rovide a flashin~
"19 s-gnal by a novel jogging mechanism, which cyclically opens and , closes circuit 32. The jogging mechanism comprises a pin 24, ¦
21 which extends outwardly from the pulley 20, and rotates therewith ~22 (arrow 25). ~
23 Wh~n the sensor 22 activates the dispensing apparatus, the 24 pulley 20 and the pin 24 are made to rotate. If ~he arm 26 is in its uppcr position (Figure 2) as when developer is still remainin~
~26 in bottle 10, thcn pin 24 by-passes arm 26 as it rotates about 27 shaft 34. Ilowever, i~ the pivot arm 26 has dropped to its low~r ¦
~28 i position, (FilJur~ 3) as when the bottl~ lG is substantially cm~ty 29 ¦! of dcveloucr, th~n tlle pin 24 will engage arm ?6, ~nd ur~3e tlle ¦
il arm to its u~)pcr position.

- ~ , r~ ~ ec~use the'm`agilet 39 continues ~;~dS~o longer be ~t~ b~
2 ll ~pwar~ly, tlle pivot arm will not remain in its upp~r posi~ion ¦
. 3 il whcn it is iogged by the pin ~4O Therefvre9 the arm will continue 4 ~ to rise and ~all every time the pin 24 engages itv The ~esult is , ~.
that a cyclic or periodic opening and closing of circuit 32 is ~6 ¦ provided by the jogging mechanism, thus producing a flashing 7 !¦ signal to the operator. The flashing signa~ will continue un~il i -8 li such time, as a new bottle of developer is inserted in housing 41i 9 1 in replacemcn~ for the empty bottle~ Now as the sensor ~2 calls ~
. 10 1 for more developer 8, a fresh supply of developer will be dumped I ~: 11 into the bin 18, thus deactivating the sensor 22 and ~otor 21.
: 12 The drawings presented h~xein ar~ deemed to be merely 13 exemplary in nal-ure, and are presented only to provide an under- !
14 ji standing of this invention~
.;15 !l All modifications, variations or chan~es to this inve~tion 16 ¦I which are obviously contemplated by those skilled in this art, ..
17 ~¦ are deemed to be within the full scope and spixit of the 18 ¦ inventionO
I The invention should be interpreted soleiy by.the app~.nded 20 I claimsv . I ;
` 21 WHAT IS (: L~IMED IS: .

.,` 22 1 . ~ `
- 23 , .
;24 ~ : ` ". . 1;
25 , . , .` 26 1 . '. .
2~

~ 1 8 :' . ' . ' : '"` :

. -

Claims

1. An indicating device for a developer dispensing mechanism for use in a copier machine, said dispensing mechanism dispensing a quantity of developer comprising a toner material and a magnetizable carrier material, said indicating device comprising:
a container for storing a quantity of said developer for use in said copier machine;
dispensing means associated with said container for dispensing said quantity of developer from said container to said copier machine;
magnetic means movably disposed with respect to said container between a first position and a second position, said first position being adjacent said container in sufficient proximity therewith to establish a magnetic holding attraction between said magnetic means and said magnetizable carrier material when sufficient developer remains in said container, and said second position being of insufficient proximity to said container to establish a holding attraction between said magnetic means and said magnetizable carrier material; and indicating means responsive to movement of said magnetic means for indicating the position of said magnetic means with respect to said container, so as to provide an indication whether there is sufficient developer in said container to maintain said magnetic means in holding attraction with said carrier material, which is further indicative of whether there is need to replenish said copier machine with developer.

2. The indicating device of claim 1, wherein said magnetic means is a permanent magnet pivotably disposed with respect to said container, and pivotably movable between said first and second positions.

3. The indicating device of claim 1, wherein said indicating means comprises a switch which is operatively responsive to the position of said magnetic means, and which is operative to pass a signal every time said magnetic means moves from said first position to said second position.

4. The indicating device of claim 1, further comprising jogging means to jog said magnetic means into said first position from said second position, when said developer is substantially fully dispensed from said container.

5. The indicating device of claim 4, wherein said dispensing means comprises a rotative drive mechanism for rotating said container in order to dispense said developer, and wherein said jogging means is a pin-like abutment operatively connected to said rotative drive mechanism and engageable with said magnetic means during every rotative cycle of said rotative drive mechanism

6. A flashing indicator device for a developer dispensing mechanism for use in a copier machine, said dispensing mechanism dispensing a quantity of developer comprising a toner material and a magnetizable carrier material, said developer dispensing mechanism providing a flashing signal indicating that substantially all of the developer has been dispensed, said indicator device comprising:
a container for storing a quantity of said developer for use in said copier system;
dispensing means associated with said container for dispensing said quantity of developer from said container to said copier system;
magnetic sensing means disposed in proximity to said container for sensing when said container has substantially emptied of developer, said sensing means being movable between a first position in proximity to said container, indicative that developer still remains in said container, and a second position indicative that substantially all the developer has been dispensed from said container, said sensing means remaining in said first position while sufficient developer remains in said container to maintain a magnetic holding attraction between said sensing means and said magnetizable carrier material and moving to said second position when substantially all of the developer has been dispensed from said container;
signalling means engageable with said sensing means, for providing a signal each time said sensing means moves from said first position to said second position; and urging means operatively connected to said dispensing mechanism for periodically engaging with said sensing means during operation of the dispensing means when substantially all of the developer has been dispensed, said urging means urging the sensing means towards said first position so as to provide a flashing signal indicating that substantially all of the developer has been dispensed.

7. The flashing indicator device of claim 6, wherein said magnetic sensing means comprises a magnet which is magnetically attracted to said carrier material, said sensing means being in said first position during said attraction of the magnet to said carrier material, and wherein said magnet moves to said second position when said magnet is no longer magnetically attracted to said carrier material, as when said carrier and toner materials are fully dispensed from said container.

8. The flashing indicator device of claim 7, wherein said signalling means comprises a switch and an indicator light, said switch being actuated to a closed circuit position every time said magnet moves to said second position, causing said indicator light to signal that said developer has been dispensed from said container.

9. The flashing indicator device of claim 6, wherein said dispensing means comprises a mechanism for rotating said container for the purpose of dispensing said material, and said means for urging the sensing means comprises a jogging mechanism connected to said dispensing means for periodically jogging said sensing means every time said dispensing means rotates said container through one rotative cycle, when substantially all of said developer has been dispensed from said container.