摘要:
An electrostatographic recording apparatus and method has a primary image forming member (PIFM) that is moving along a closed path. The PIFM is sufficiently large to form a series of images thereon in the direction of movement of the PIFM during a production run of image formation. Plural series of toner images are formed on the PIFM during production runs. A first location on the PIFM is normally used to form images forming a part of the production runs. The first location is adjacent to and downstream of, in the direction of movement of the PIFM, a second location, such as a seam area, that is not used for image recording of production images during the production runs. A transfer device that is in engagement with the PIFM has its electrical bias switched from a first polarity used when transferring toner images from the PIFM to a second polarity that is of opposite polarity when the transfer device is in engagement with the PIFM at the second location. After a new cycle-up of the apparatus, there is provided for no recording at the first location on the PIFM of a first image forming a part of a new production run of images. Instead, the first image is recorded at a next available location on the PIFM downstream of the first location in the direction of movement of the PIFM, so that the transfer device is provided more time to recover when switching from the second polarity to the first polarity.
摘要:
An electrophotographic (EP) image-forming device and related method are provided for on-line quantitative assessment of the image formation and development process. The EP image-forming device has a primary charger, an exposure device, a toning station, a transfer charger, a fusing station, and a cleaner operatively disposed about a photoconductor. A transmission densitometer is positioned adjacent to the photoconductor. The densitometer determines the successive tones corresponding to a plurality of step areas of a toner pattern for each image frame. The density readings are stored in memory. The photoconductor densities are subtracted from the combined densities to provide measured toner densities, which are then averaged for each step area. The average measured toner densities or voltage readings are compared to the aim toner densities or voltage readings for each step in the step tablet which are displayed in an output chart to quantitatively assess the image quality of the image-forming process. Preferably, every image frame on the photoconductor is assessed successively.
摘要:
An apparatus and method for replenishing toner and collecting used toner in an electrostatographic machine. The apparatus includes a replenishment hopper having a supply of fresh toner. A development device feeds toner onto a recording member having an electrostatic image to be developed. A feeding device feeds fresh toner to the development device from a replenishment bottle. A replenishment motor drives the feeding device to feed fresh toner to the development device. A collection container or bottle collects used toner removed from a recording member. A controller tracks a first accumulated motor operating on-time and is programmed to compare the operating on-time with a first pre-programmed value for determining when the collection container is to be emptied or to be replaced or that the machine is to be cycled down. The controller also tracks a second accumulated motor operating on-time for determining when the replenishment bottle is to be replaced.
摘要:
An electrostatographic recording method and apparatus includes an auto cycle-up routine for establishing readiness of various stations including a toning station for proper operation. In the automatic cycle-up routine proper operation of a toning station warmer is determined by a controller. The controller then establishes a first cycle-up duration when the toning station warmer is determined to be operating satisfactorily and a second and longer cycle-up duration when the toning station warmer is determined to be not operating satisfactorily.
摘要:
An electrostatographic recording apparatus and method wherein a primary charger establishes a uniform electrostatic charge on an electrophotoconductive image recording member in accordance with a first operating parameter. A recording device imagewise modulates the charge on the image recording member to form electrostatic latent images in accordance with a second operating parameter and also forms a developable process control patch. A development station develops the electrostatic latent images and the control patch on the image recording member with toner in accordance with a third operating parameter. A replenishment device provides toner to the development station at a controlled rate in accordance with a replenishment signal. A sensor senses density of the control patch developed by the development station; and a controller is responsive to density of the control patch and provides adjustments to the first, second and third operating parameters and controls a reference signal used to generate the replenishment signal as a function of a parameter related to one of the first, second or third operating parameters. Preferably the controller controls the reference signal as a function of the parameter related to the first operating parameter, primary voltage setpoint.
摘要:
A system for assessing the performance of an electrophotographic marking machine is provided, wherein data from several different inputs are gathered in two distinct sets having different frequencies. A high-frequency data set includes parameters typically recorded with each print made, and provide an electrophotographic history which is used in deducing the cause of malfunctions. The lower-frequency data are typically recorded at the time of each autosetup, and provide electrophotographic trend information which is used as a predictor of component and consumable lifetimes. In each data set, only data over an appropriately selected period maintained on a first-in, first-out basis. This system has the advantage of simultaneously providing an intensive recent history for tracing faults, and enabling long-term trends to be discerned without being buried in a redundant excess of data.
摘要:
In order to prevent an imaging forming process of an electrostatographic reproduction apparatus from becoming contaminated with fuser release oil, a substantially uniform layer of pigmented marking particles from a development subsystem of the image forming process is deposited onto a photoconductive member of the image forming process during any non-imaging cycles of the process, including cycle down, non-imaging skip frames, or recovery from a receiver jam. The substantially uniform layer of pigmented marking particles acts as a barrier to block fuser release oil from the photoconductive member and as a vehicle to carry away contaminating fuser release oil.
摘要:
A logic and control unit (LCU) is configured to assess the viability of various subsystems in the electrophotographic marking process. The LCU determines a charging efficiency between a primary charger and a photoconductor, establishes a reference voltage on the photoconductor, wherein the reference voltage corresponds to the charging efficiency, operates a first subsystem in a non-print production mode to produce a first resulting voltage on the photoconductor, and translates the photoconductor to a stationary sensor for measuring the first resulting voltage.
摘要:
An integrated environmental management system for reproduction apparatus including a reprographic marking engine for reproducing information supplied thereto and accessories for facilitating the handling of reproduction output from the marking engine. The integrated environmental management system includes a housing associated with the reprographic marking engine. The housing defines a chamber having, in communication, a rear wall substantially parallel to the rear of the reprographic marking engine, first and second side walls, and top and bottom walls. An inlet plenum in the housing chamber communicates, for example, with an opening in the first side wall of the housing. The inlet plenum includes an inlet filter for preventing contaminants in ambient air from entering the inlet plenum, a first inlet duct directed into the general interior of the reprographic marking engine, and a plurality of inlet ducts directed respectively to specific systems within the reprographic marking engine. An exhaust plenum in the housing chamber communicates, for example, with an opening in the second side wall of the housing. The exhaust plenum includes a first exhaust duct directed from the general interior of the reprographic marking engine, a plurality of exhaust ducts directed respectively from specific systems within the reprographic marking engine, and a filter for preventing contaminants carried by air flow from within the reprographic marking engine from exiting through the exhaust plenum. At least one fan is provided for moving air from the inlet plenum through the reprographic marking engine and through the exhaust plenum. The fan has a control for regulating the speed thereof to maintain a desired air flow for a given power output of the reprographic marking engine.
摘要:
In an electrostatographic process and apparatus a replenishment device adds toner particles to a development station that includes a developer comprising a mixture of toner particles and carrier particles. A reference parameter that is used in control of aim point of toner concentration in the mixture is set to an initial value until about a midlife of the developer is reached. Once the midlife of the developer is reached there are provided programmed step adjustments in the reference value in accordance with further increases in life of the developer to thereby control replenishment of toner particles so that control of charge to mass of the toner particles in the mixture is provided to reduce a tendency of dusting by the toner particles of the mixture due to age of the developer.