Claims
- 1. A developing device of an electrophotographic recording system developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive drum into a visible image, said device comprising:
- toner storing means for storing toner;
- developing means for developing said electrostatic latent image formed on said photosensitive drum by said toner stored in said toner storing means;
- a toner detecting device for detecting one of an existence and non-existence of said toner, said toner detecting device comprising:
- first and second light-emitting means for emitting light from a first side of said toner storing means at first and second predetermined heights from a bottom portion of said toner storing means, respectively; and
- first and second light-receiving elements positioned on an interior of said toner storing means for respectively outputting first and second corresponding signals indicative of a remaining amount of said toner in response to an amount of light received from said first and second light-emitting means, respectively;
- an agitator for conveying said toner stored in said toner storing means to said developing means while simultaneously cleaning a light-emitting side of said first and second light-emitting means and a light-receiving side of said first and second light-receiving elements in correspondence with a rotational period of said agitator; and
- determining means for comparing a value obtained during a given time period by counting signals resulting from logically-adding said first and second corresponding signals with a predetermined value to determine a remaining level of said toner.
- 2. The developing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said agitator comprises:
- conveyance means formed on rotating means and inserted between said first side and a second side opposite said first side of said toner storing means for conveying said toner to said developing means; and
- cleaning means attached to said conveyance means for cleaning said light-emitting side and said light-receiving side in accordance with said rotational period of said agitator.
- 3. The developing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second light-emitting means are positioned on an interior of a transmitting window formed at said first side of said toner storing means, and said first and second light-receiving elements are positioned on an interior of a light-receiving window that projects upwardly in said interior of said toner storing means.
- 4. The developing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said agitator comprises:
- a plurality of agitating wings formed separately from each other on rotating means and positioned between said first side and a second side opposite said first side of said toner storing means for conveying said toner to said developing means; and
- blade means attached to said agitating wings for cleaning said light-emitting side and said light-receiving side in accordance with said rotational period of said agitator.
- 5. A developing device of an electrophotographic recording system for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive drum into a visible image, said device comprising:
- toner storing means for storing toner, said toner storing means comprising a transmitting window for transmitting a light source generated from an exterior of said system, said light source being transmitted to an interior of said toner storage means at a first vertical level and a second vertical level lower than said first vertical level;
- developing means for developing said electrostatic latent image formed on said photosensitive drum by said toner stored in said toner storing means;
- an agitator for conveying said toner stored in said toner storing means to said developing means;
- a light-receiving window projected upwardly in said toner storing means for receiving said light source transmitted through said transmitting widow;
- blade means attached to said agitator for clearing a light path between said transmitting window and said light-receiving window in accordance with a rotational period of said agitator;
- a toner detecting device positioned on an interior of said light-receiving window for detecting a remaining level of said toner by responding to an amount of said light source received via said cleared light path at heights corresponding to said first and second vertical levels, said toner detecting device logically-adding signals corresponding to said remaining level of said toner and outputting logically-added signals; and
- determining means for comparing a value obtained during a given time period by counting said logically-added signals output from said toner detecting device with a predetermined value to determine said remaining level of said toner.
- 6. An electrophotographic recording system that records by an image-forming device which enables an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive drum to be a visible image, said system comprising:
- a compatible developing device having containing means for storing toner and adopting a piezoelectric type of sensor or a photosensor type of sensor installed in the containing means to generate a signal corresponding to an mount of said toner stored in the containing means; and
- a body having determining means for determining a remaining level of said toner on the basis of the signal generated from said piezoelectric type of sensor or said photosensor type of sensor installed in said developing device, wherein said compatible developing device can use said piezoelectric type of sensor or said photosensor type of sensor in said system, without having to modify the body.
- 7. The electrophotographic recording system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said developing device uses said piezoelectric type of sensor in an initial production period of said system, but can be substituted to said photosensor type of sensor for the reduction of a production cost of said system.
- 8. The electrophotographic recording system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said developing device using said photosensor type of sensor comprises two photosensors, and logically adds signals generated from said two photosensors corresponding to the remaining level of said toner stored in the containing means to generate and output a logical result.
- 9. The electrophotographic recording system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said developing device using said photosensor type of sensor comprises two photosensors, and logically adds signals generated from said two photosensors corresponding to the remaining level of said toner stored in the containing means to generate and output a logical result.
- 10. An electrophotographic recording system having an image-forming device for enabling an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive drum to be transferred as a visible image onto a recordable medium, said system comprising:
- a developing device comprising containing means for storing toner;
- sensing means installed within said containing means, for generating a signal corresponding to a quantity of toner stored within said containing means;
- a body for accommodating installation of said developing device, said body comprising means for determining said quantity of said toner stored in said containing means in dependence upon said signal generated from said sensing means; and
- said developing device accommodating, without modification to said body, interchangeable installation of said sensing means with said sensing means comprising means for generating said signal selected from a group comprising materials exhibiting a piezoelectric response to contact with said toner and materials exhibiting a photosensitive response to light within said containing means during depiction of said toner.
- 11. The electrophotographic recording system of claim 10, wherein said means comprising said materials exhibiting said piezoelectric response arc replaced by said means comprising said materials exhibiting said photosensitive response without structurally modifying said body.
- 12. The electrophotographic recording system of claim 10, wherein said means comprising materials exhibiting said photosensitive response comprise first and second photosensors for respectively generating first and second sensing signals, said first and second sensing signals being logically added to output a result indicative of said quantity, of said toner stored in said containing means.
- 13. The electrophotographic recording system of claim 11, wherein said means comprising materials exhibiting said photosensitive response comprise first and second photosensors for respectively generating first and second sensing signals, said first and second sensing signals being logically added to output a result indicative of said quantity of said toner stored in said containing means.
- 14. The electrophotographic recording system as claimed in claim 8, further comprised of said two photosensors for generating said signals in response to light received at two different distances from a bottom portion of said containing means, respectively.
- 15. The electrophotographic recording system as claimed in claim 9, further comprised of said two photosensors for generating said signals in response to light received at two different distances from a bottom portion of said containing means, respectively.
- 16. The electrophotographic recording system of claim 12, further comprised of said first and second photosensors generating said first and second sensing signals in response to light received at first and second distances from a bottom portion of said containing means, respectively.
- 17. The electrophotographic recording system of claim 13, further comprised of said first and second photosensors generating said first and second sensing signals in response to light received at first and second distances from a bottom portion of said containing means, respectively.
- 18. A developing device of an electrophotographic recording system for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive drum into a visible image, said device comprising:
- toner storing means for storing toner, said toner storing means comprising a transmitting window for transmitting light generated from an exterior of said system, said light being transmitted across an interior of said toner storage means to a first position and to a second position distinct and spaced-apart from said first position;
- developing means for developing said electrostatic latent image formed on said photosensitive drum with the toner stored in said toner storing means;
- an agitator for conveying the toner stored in said toner storing means to said developing means;
- a light-receiving window projected upwardly in said toner storing means for receiving said light transmitted through said transmitting widow;
- blade means attached to said agitator for cyclically clearing light paths through any of the toner within said toner storing means between said transmitting window and said light-receiving window in accordance with a rotational period of said agitator, with a first one of said paths extending between said first position and said light receiving window and being located upstream in said rotational period from a second one of said paths extending between said second position and said light receiving window, said second one of said paths being located downstream in said rotational order from said first one of said paths;
- a toner detecting device positioned adjacent to an interior of said light-receiving window for detecting a remaining quantity of said toner by responding to an amount of said light received via cleared said light paths provided by said blade means corresponding to said first and second ones of said paths, said toner detecting device logically-adding signals corresponding to said remaining quantity of said toner and outputting logically-added signals; and
- determining means for comparing a value obtained during a given time period by counting said logically-added signals output from said toner detecting device with a predetermined value to determine said remaining quantity of said toner.
- 19. The developing device of claim 18, comprised of:
- said toner storing means having a bottom;
- said first position being located at a first height from said bottom; and
- said second position being located at a second and different height from said bottom.
- 20. The developing device of claim 18, comprised of:
- said first one of said paths defining a first vertical level; and
- said second one of said paths defining a second vertical level lower than said first vertical level.
- 21. The developing device of claim 20, comprised of:
- said cleared light paths corresponding to said first and second vertical levels; and
- said toner detecting device being positioned to detect a remaining level of said toner by responding to said light received via said cleared paths.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
3776/1994 |
Feb 1994 |
KRX |
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119 arising from an application for DEVICE FOR DETECTING REMAINING LEVEL OF TONER earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on 28 Feb. 1994 and there duly assigned Serial No. 3776/1994.
US Referenced Citations (20)