Patent Application
20090090878
The present disclosure relates in general to imaging apparatuses, and more particularly to determining the volume of an imaging medium in a cartridge used in an imaging apparatus.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Imaging apparatuses, for example printers, copiers, and facsimile machines, are often used alone and/or in combination with information handling systems to print latent images (e.g., text and/or pictures) on a recording medium (e.g., paper, transparencies, and/or any other suitable medium) using an imaging medium (e.g., toner, ink, and/or other suitable medium). Modern imaging apparatuses may include, without limitation, toner-based imaging apparatuses and inkjet imaging apparatuses.
A toner-based imaging apparatus may use a laser, light-emitting diode (LED), and/or other suitable electromagnetic energy source to sensitize selected regions of a photoconductive drum. Charged toner particles may adhere to the selected regions of the photoconductive drum, and then may be transferred from the drum to the recording medium. The toner particles may be fused to the recording medium with heat and/or pressure.
On the other hand, an inkjet imaging apparatus may use a spray nozzle to spray small, precise droplets of ink onto a recordable medium. Often, the droplets may carry a slight electrical charge. Accordingly, the placement of a droplet on the recording medium may be determined by the charge of a cathode and electrode between which the droplet moves toward the recording medium.
The imaging medium (e.g., toner, ink, and/or other suitable medium) used in an imaging apparatus may be supplied from a cartridge, which may also be known as a “toner cartridge” or “ink cartridge” depending on the imaging medium used. In some instances, an imaging medium cartridge may comprise one or more disposable portions that may be discarded and/or replaced after the volume of imaging medium in the cartridge has been substantially depleted from use.
Because the volume of imaging medium in a cartridge may be depleted over time, it is often necessary to gauge the remaining volume of imaging medium and convey such information to a user, so that the user may replace a substantially depleted cartridge. However, conventional approaches for determining the volume of remaining imaging medium in a cartridge are often inaccurate, particularly in toner cartridges used in toner-based imaging apparatuses. Accordingly, due to these inaccuracies, imaging medium cartridge manufacturers may often “overfill” the cartridges with more imaging medium than the stated volume in order to maintain customer satisfaction. Because of this “overfill,” cartridge manufacturers may experience revenue loss proportional to the amount of overfilling.
One approach to determine the volume of remaining toner in a toner cartridge uses a load cell to measure the weight of toner remaining in the cartridge, as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,246,841. However, this approach requires a load cell and corresponding circuitry to measure the toner weight, and thus may be prohibitively expensive for many applications.
Another approach uses “pixel counting,” which includes determining the number of pixels printing on a recording medium, in order to determine the volume of toner remaining, as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,456,802. However, this approach may be inaccurate due to indeterminable flow characteristics of toner in a cartridge.
In accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, the disadvantages and problems associated with determining the volume of imaging medium in a cartridge have been substantially reduced or eliminated.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure an imaging medium may include a movable housing portion and a device coupled to the movable housing portion. The movable housing portion may include a volume of imaging medium and may be configured to move in response to changes in the volume of imaging medium in the movable housing portion. The device may be configured to project a beam of electromagnetic energy onto a location of a beam-receiving photodetector, the beam-receiving location moving in response to movement of the movable housing portion such that the beam-receiving location is based at least on the volume of imaging medium on the movable housing portion.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, an imaging apparatus may include a body, an electromagnetic energy source, and a photodetector. The body may be configured to receive an imaging medium cartridge. The electromagnetic energy source may be configured to direct a beam of electromagnetic energy toward a reflective surface of the imaging medium cartridge received by the body. The photodetector may configured to detect an angle of reflection of the beam of electromagnetic energy from the reflective surface, the angle of reflection based at least on a volume of imaging medium in the imaging medium cartridge.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for determining a volume of imaging medium in a cartridge is provided. A movable housing portion may be configured to move in response to changes in a volume of imaging medium in the movable housing portion. A beam of electromagnetic energy may be projected onto a location of a beam-receiving photodetector, the beam-receiving location moving in response to movement of the movable housing portion such that the beam-receiving location is based at least on the volume of imaging medium on the movable housing portion.
A more complete understanding of the present embodiments and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features, and wherein:
Preferred embodiments and their advantages are best understood by reference to
For the purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, entertainment, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a PDA, a consumer electronic device, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include memory, one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic. Additional components or the information handling system may include one or more storage devices, one or more communications ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communication between the various hardware components.
For the purposes of this disclosure, computer-readable media may include any instrumentality or aggregation of instrumentalities that may retain data and/or instructions for a period of time. Computer-readable media may include, without limitation, storage media such as a direct access storage device (e.g., a hard disk drive or floppy disk), a sequential access storage device (e.g., a tape disk drive), compact disk, CD-ROM, DVD, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and/or flash memory; as well as communications media such wires, optical fibers, microwaves, radio waves, and other electromagnetic and/or optical carriers; and/or any combination of the foregoing.
Floating module 106 may include a development unit 116, a developer roller 118, and a reflective surface 132. Fixed module 108 may include a cleaner blade 124 and a cleaner unit 126. As depicted in
In operation, drum 121 of a toner-based imaging apparatus may be charged using a corona wire, primary charge roller, and/or any other suitable system, device or apparatus operable to project an electrostatic charge onto drum 121. In the embodiment depicted in
Particles of toner 120 adhering to drum 121 which are not transferred to recording medium 123 may be cleaned from drum 121 via cleaner blade 124 and deposited in cleaner unit 126 as waste toner 128. Discharge lamp 125 may then expose drum 121 to electromagnetic energy to remove electrostatic charge from drum 121. In certain embodiments, a discharge roller may be used in place of discharge lamp 125.
As images are produced by the imaging apparatus, toner 120 may deplete from development unit 116. Consequently, the weight of the toner 120 remaining in development unit 116 may decrease as toner 120 is depleted. Such decrease in weight may decrease a compressive force exerted on potential energy source 114 by floating module 106. As the weight of toner 120 decreases and the compressive force of floating module 106 on potential energy source 114 decreases, potential energy source 114 may in effect push floating module 106 upward, such that it rotates relative to fixed module 108 about hinge 112. Such rotation may also cause floating module 106 to move relative to imaging apparatus body 104 and/or other components of an imaging apparatus.
To detect movement of floating module 106 associated with the depletion of toner 120, a reflective surface 132 may be disposed on floating module 106 and used in connection with a movable reflective surface 130, electromagnetic energy source 136, and a photodetector 134. Movable reflective surface 130 may include any surface (e.g., a mirror) that reflects all or a portion of electromagnetic energy provided by electromagnetic energy source 136. In certain embodiments, movable reflective surface 130 may be movable (e.g., by pivoting, sliding, or other movement), such that in one position, movable reflective surface reflects electromagnetic energy toward reflective surface 132, while in another position, allows electromagnetic energy to pass toward drum 121 without reflection.
Reflective surface 132 may include any surface that reflects all or a portion of electromagnetic energy reflected from movable reflective surface 130 toward photodetector 134 (e.g., a mirror). Photodetector 134 may include a chemical photodetector, photoresistor, light dependenent resistor, photovoltaic cell, photodiode, photomultiplier, phototube, phototransistor, and/or any other system, device, or apparatus operable to sense and/or detect light and/or other electromagnetic energy, and convert such detected electromagnetic energy into one or more electrical signals.
In certain embodiments, photodetector 134 may include or may be communicatively coupled to logic embodied in hardware, software, or a combination thereof to further process such electrical signals. In the same or alternative embodiments, photodetector 134 may be communicatively coupled to an interface (e.g., an LED indicator, a speaker, graphical user interface on an information handling system coupled to the imaging apparatus, and/or suitable human-detectable interface) that indicates the volume of toner 120 remaining in cartridge 102. In the same or alternative embodiments, photodetector 134 may be communicatively coupled to a gauge that indicates a percentage and/or amount of remaining toner.
In certain embodiments, one or more of movable reflective surface 130, photodetector 134 and electromagnetic energy source 136 may be integral parts of an imaging apparatus. In addition, one or both of movable reflective surface 130 and photodetector 134 may be integral parts of cartridge 102.
In operation, movable reflective surface 130 may be moved into the path of a beam of electromagnetic energy provided by electromagnetic energy source 136. Movable reflective surface 130 may direct such beam toward reflective surface 132, which in turn may direct such beam toward photodetector 134. Because the position of floating module 106 may vary based on the volume (and thus weight) of toner 120 remaining, the angle of reflection of the beam of electromagnetic energy from reflective surface 132 may vary based on the volume of toner 120 remaining. For example, if the amount of toner 120 remaining in development unit 116 is at full capacity, the beam of electromagnetic energy may strike photodetector 134 near the portion labeled “full” as shown in
Although
At step 202, reflective surface 130 may be moved into the path of a beam electromagnetic energy provided by electromagnetic energy source 136, such that the beam may reflect off of reflective surface 132 and onto photodetector 134. Such movement may occur as a result of any suitable mechanical means. In certain embodiments, such movement may occur in response to a command or request to determine the volume of toner 120 remaining, the command or request originated from an imaging apparatus and/or an information handling system communicatively coupled thereto. At step 204, photodetector 134 and/or associated logic may detect a portion of photodetector 134 exposed to the reflected beam electromagnetic energy. At step 206, photodetector 134 and/or associated logic may determine, based on at least the portion of photodetector 134 exposed to the beam electromagnetic energy, the volume of toner remaining in development unit 116. At step 208, the imaging apparatus and/or an information handling system communicatively coupled thereto may communicate a message indicating the volume of toner 120 remaining development unit 116 (e.g., LED and/or other visual alert, alarm and/or other audible alert, message and/or alert displayed on an interface of the imaging apparatus and/or an information handling system communicatively coupled thereto). At step 210, movable reflective surface 130 may be returned to its original position, allowing electromagnetic energy to strike drum 121 to facilitate imaging on recording media 123.
Although
Method 200 may be implemented using an information handling system, an imaging apparatus, and/or any other system operable to implement method 200. In certain embodiments, method 200 may be implemented partially or fully in software embodied in computer-readable media.
Additionally, while
Using the methods and systems disclosed herein, problems associated with conventional approaches to determining the volume of imaging medium remaining in a cartridge may be improved, reduced, or eliminated. For example, the methods and systems disclosed herein provide detection methods and systems requiring very few relatively inexpensive components, and may also leverage existing components of imaging apparatuses (e.g., sources of electromagnetic energy already present in toner-based imaging apparatuses).
Although the present disclosure has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and the scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
