Control device and method for controlling an electrophotographic printer or copier

US8023838B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Oce Printing Systems GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Alexander Kreiter · Nieheim, DE
• Thomas Schwarz-Kock · Marzling, DE
• Uwe Höllig · Birkenfeld, DE
• Heinrich Lay · Töging, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 4, 2005
• Grant date: Sep 20, 2011
• Expiry date: Jul 17, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G03G2215/0888
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

In a method or system for controlling an electrophotographic printer or copier that has at least one developer station, a toner discharge from the developer station is detected during the print operation and a developer regeneration process is started when the detected toner discharge fulfills a predetermined first regeneration criterion. A charge image is generated on the photoconductor, the charge image is developed by the developer station, and the developed image is removed by a cleaning device without being transferred as printed onto a recording medium. New toner is introduced into the developer station. Also in accordance with the method or system for controlling an electrophotographic printer or copier that has at least two developer stations, during a print operation the print data is used to determine which developer stations are needed for printing of the data. In the event it is established that a developer station was not needed or will not be needed, the developer station is shifted into a standby state in which at least one part of mechanical actuators of the developer station is stopped.