Method for determining characteristics of an electrophotographic cartridge carrying a rotatable element
US6009285A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 20, 1997 |
| Grant date | Dec 28, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 20, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G2221/1838
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Method is disclosed for determining characteristics of a toner cartridge. One aspect is directed to determining the characteristics associated with a quantity of toner in the cartridge, and thus, the method includes the steps directed to determining a home position of an encoded device relative to a code reader, determining a delay in rotational movement of the encoded device with respect to a rotational movement of a drive mechanism as an agitator moves through the toner, and translating the delay into an amount of toner remaining in the cartridge. Another aspect is directed to determining preselected cartridge characteristics from the encoded device, and thus, the method includes steps directed to rotating the encoded device, reading a coding of the encoded device, and decoding the coding to determine the preselected cartridge characteristic information represented by the coding. The method steps directed to these aspects of the method may be performed separately or in aggregate.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.