US3920154A - Toner level detector - Google Patents

Toner level detector Download PDF

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Publication number
US3920154A
US3920154A US451633A US45163374A US3920154A US 3920154 A US3920154 A US 3920154A US 451633 A US451633 A US 451633A US 45163374 A US45163374 A US 45163374A US 3920154 A US3920154 A US 3920154A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
toner
dispenser
plunger
detector
reservior
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US451633A
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English (en)
Inventor
Kiyoshi Sugawara
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Xerox Ltd
Original Assignee
Rank Xerox Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Rank Xerox Ltd filed Critical Rank Xerox Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3920154A publication Critical patent/US3920154A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
    • G01F23/00—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
    • G01F23/22—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by measuring physical variables, other than linear dimensions, pressure or weight, dependent on the level to be measured, e.g. by difference of heat transfer of steam or water
    • G01F23/226—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by measuring physical variables, other than linear dimensions, pressure or weight, dependent on the level to be measured, e.g. by difference of heat transfer of steam or water measuring the braking of a rotatable element
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
    • G01F23/00—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
    • G01F23/0007—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm for discrete indicating and measuring
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
    • G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
    • G03G15/0822—Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer
    • G03G15/0848—Arrangements for testing or measuring developer properties or quality, e.g. charge, size, flowability
    • G03G15/0856—Detection or control means for the developer level

Definitions

  • a detector for providing an operator of an electrostatographic copier with an early warning of impending exhaustion of the supply of toner in the reservior of a toner dispenser comprises a flexible member bridged across the reservior for actuating a switch to, in turn, activate a suitable indicator when the supply of toner drops below a predetermined level.
  • This invention relates to toner dispensers for electrostatographic copiers and duplicators and, more particularly, to detectors for warning a machine operator of impending exhaustion of the toner supply.
  • copiers Conventional electrostatographic copiers and duplicators (hereinafter jointly referred to as copiers) use an electroscopic toner to develop the latent electrostatic image from which the copy is made. Toner is, therefore, necessarily consummed in the copying process, thereby depleting the toner supply. When the supply of toner finally nears exhaustion, there is a perceptible reduction in the density of the developed image and, therefore, a corresponding degradation of the copy quality. That is usually the first indication that the toner supply is in need of replenishment. A knowledgeable operator will, of course, add additional toner upon noticing that the density of the copied image has decreased, but several substandard copies may be made before that happens.
  • An object of this invention is to provide a reliableand economical detector, which drains little if any power when in a standby condition, but which still supplies an early warning of impending exhaustion of the toner in a toner dispenser.
  • a flexible member is bridged across the reservior of a toner dispenser so that it is gradually unloaded as the toner is consummed.
  • the flexible member actuates a switch to thereby activate a suitable indicator, such as a lamp.
  • toner dispenser 11 having a roll 12 which is rotatably driven (by means not shown) to discharge granular toner material 13 through a constricted opening at the bottom of a hopper-like reservior 14.
  • a detector 15 provides the operator with a warning whenever the supply of toner 13 in the reservior 14 falls below a predetermined level, thereby encouraging the operator to replenish the toner supply before there is any perceptible change in the copy density.
  • the additional toner that may be needed from time-to-time is added through an opening 16 at the top of the reservior 14.
  • the detector 15 includes a pressure responsive switch 21 and a flexible member 22 which is bridged between the opposite ends 23 and 24 of the reservior 14 to actuate the switch 21 when the supply of toner 13 in the reservior 14 drops below a predetermined level.
  • a suitable indicator such as a lamp (not shown), is activated when the switch 21 is actuated, thereby providing the operator with a warning of impending exhaustion of the toner supply.
  • the flexible member 21 comprises a pair of flexible rods 25 and 26 for supporting a plurality of generally horizontal plates 27 in spaced apart relationship between the opposite ends 23 and 24 of the reservior 14.
  • One end of each of the rods 25 and 26 is anchored to an end 23 of the reservior l4 and the other end of each of them is connected to a plunger 28, which in turn, is guided in an outwardly opening cavity 29 at the opposite end 24 of the reservior 14.
  • the switch 21, which is typically a microswitch, is mounted (by means not shown) adjacent the cavity 29 so that its actuator 31 is aligned with the plunger 28, and the plunger 28 is biased toward the switch actuator 31 by a spring 32.
  • the plates 27 are nested between a pair of substantially vertical baffles 33 and 34 which are held in generally parallel alignment with the forward and rearward sidewalls 35 andd 36, respectively, of the reservior 14 by its end 23 and 24.
  • the space directly beneath the plates 27 is relatively free of toner 13, thereby enabling the rods 25 and 26 to flex downwardly into that space under the influence of the loading effect of the toner 13 on the plates 27.
  • the downward flexure of the rods 25 and 26 overcomes the bias supplied by the spring 32 to pull the plunger 28 away from the switch actuator 31.
  • the rods 25 and 26 are vibrated from time-to-time during operation of the dispenser 11.
  • This feature of the invention is carried out by providing a pair of rigid elastic fingers 37 and 38 for tapping the rod 25 so that toner 13 tends to spill off the plates 27 into the lower part of the reservior 14.
  • the fingers 37 and 38 are secured to a shaft 39 and each of them has its upper end adjacent the rod 25 and its lower end riding in a respective one of a pair of annular grooves 41 and 42 in the dispenser roll 12.
  • the shaft 39 is journalled in the ends 23 and 24 of the reservior 14, and each of the grooves 41 and 42 has one or more projections 43 for engaging the lower ends of the fingers 37 and 38.
  • the supply of toner 13 in the reservior 14 is gradually depleted in operation.
  • the load on the plates 27 is gradually reduced, thereby permitting the rods 25 and 26 to slowly straighten. That, in turn, causes the plunger 29 to move toward the switch actuator 31 such that the plunger ultimately actuates the switch 21 when the toner supply 13 drops below a predetermined level.
  • a suitable indicator (not shown) is activated at that point to warn the operator of impending exhaustion of the toner supply.
  • the present invention provides a relatively simple and reliable detector which may be advantageously utilized in the toner dispenser of an electrostatographic copier to warn the operator of impending exhaustion of the toner supply before there is any'perceptible change in the density of the copied image.
  • a detector for sensing impending exhaustion of the toner supply; said detector comprising the combination of a flexible member horizontally bridged between opposed ends of said reservoir to flex downwardly in response to loading thereofby said supply of toner, a pair of substantially vertical baffles disposed on opposite sides of said flexible member for maintaining a space below said member to accomodate downward flexure of said member when said member is loaded with toner, and a switch positioned to be actuated by said member when said supply of toner drops below a predetermined level.
  • said flexible member comprises a plurality of substantially horizontal plates for supporting toner in an upper area of said reservior: and further including means for vibrating said plates from time-totime to 4 thereby maintain a flow of toner from said upper area to a lower area of said reservior as toner is discharged by said dispenser.
  • said flexible member comprises a plurality of substantially horizontal plates supported in spaced apart relationship between the opposed ends of said reservior, and said flow maintaining means includes means for vibrating said platesfrom time-to-time as toner is discharged by said dispenser.
  • said flexible member comprises a plurality of generally horizontal plates and a flexible rod for supporting said plates in spaced apart relationship between the opposed ends of said reservoir.
  • the toner dispenser and detector of claim 2 further including a plunger, an outwardly opening cavity at one end of said reservior for guiding said plunger, and means for biasing said plunger away from said reservior; and wherein said switch is a pressure sensitive switch having an actuator aligned with said plunger, and said plunger is connected to one end of said rod, whereby said plunger ultimately engages the switch actuator as the level of toner in said reservior is reduced.
  • the toner dispenser and detector of claim 6 further including a rotatably driven roll for dispensing toner from said reservoir, said roll having an annular groove with at least one projection extending outwardly therefrom: and wherein said finger has one end riding in said groove, whereby said shaft is rotated first in said one direction and then released to rotate in the opposite direction as the end of said finger engages with and disengages from, respectively, said projection.
  • the toner dispenser and detector of claim 5 further including a shaft journalled in the opposed ends of said reservior, a finger secured to sadi shaft and extending therefrom into adjacent relationship with said rod, means for biasing said shaft against rotation in one direction, and means for rotating said shaft from time-totime against said bias and for then releasing said shaft to rotate in the opposite direction so that said finger snaps back against said rod, whereby said rod and plates are vibrated from time-to-time to maintain a flow of toner from an upper area to a lower area of said reservior as toner isdischarged by said dispenser.
  • the toner dispenser and detector of claim 8 further including a plunger, an outwardly opening cavity at one end of said reservoir for guiding said plunger, and means for biasing said plunger away from said reservoir; and wherein said switch is a pressure sensitive switch having an actuator aligned with said plunger, and said plunger is connected to one end of said rod, whereby said plunger ultimately engages the switch actuator as the level of toner in said reservoir is reduced.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Dry Development In Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Levels Of Liquids Or Fluent Solid Materials (AREA)
US451633A 1973-09-05 1974-03-15 Toner level detector Expired - Lifetime US3920154A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP1973103486U JPS5136535Y2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-09-05 1973-09-05

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3920154A true US3920154A (en) 1975-11-18

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US451633A Expired - Lifetime US3920154A (en) 1973-09-05 1974-03-15 Toner level detector

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US (1) US3920154A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS5136535Y2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4682874A (en) * 1981-11-19 1987-07-28 Xerox Corporation Particle level indicator
US4719851A (en) * 1986-12-24 1988-01-19 Whirlpool Corporation Method and apparatus for indicating need for replacement of trash-treating material supply
US4953752A (en) * 1988-12-16 1990-09-04 E-Con-Mega Mix Concrete and mortar distribution process and apparatus
US5495315A (en) * 1991-03-27 1996-02-27 Xerox Corporation Level sensing apparatus

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2399228A (en) * 1943-11-25 1946-04-30 Nat Urn Bag Co Inc Conveyer mechanism
US3110420A (en) * 1961-08-30 1963-11-12 Wilson Products Inc Control means for solid dispensing apparatus
US3253745A (en) * 1964-11-12 1966-05-31 Mix Mill Inc Delay control switch and hopper for feeding finely divided materials
US3422768A (en) * 1967-06-28 1969-01-21 Fred J Repp Pumping system
US3632019A (en) * 1970-05-26 1972-01-04 John F Harm Level control system for flowable solid materials

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2399228A (en) * 1943-11-25 1946-04-30 Nat Urn Bag Co Inc Conveyer mechanism
US3110420A (en) * 1961-08-30 1963-11-12 Wilson Products Inc Control means for solid dispensing apparatus
US3253745A (en) * 1964-11-12 1966-05-31 Mix Mill Inc Delay control switch and hopper for feeding finely divided materials
US3422768A (en) * 1967-06-28 1969-01-21 Fred J Repp Pumping system
US3632019A (en) * 1970-05-26 1972-01-04 John F Harm Level control system for flowable solid materials

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4682874A (en) * 1981-11-19 1987-07-28 Xerox Corporation Particle level indicator
US4719851A (en) * 1986-12-24 1988-01-19 Whirlpool Corporation Method and apparatus for indicating need for replacement of trash-treating material supply
US4953752A (en) * 1988-12-16 1990-09-04 E-Con-Mega Mix Concrete and mortar distribution process and apparatus
US5495315A (en) * 1991-03-27 1996-02-27 Xerox Corporation Level sensing apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS5136535Y2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1976-09-08
JPS5050036U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1975-05-16

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