Xerox Corporation

Douglas W Buch

Kevin Michael Carolan

Timothy G Struczewski

James L Pratt

Rhonda L Staudt

Douglas E Webb

Gene S Serafine

Frederick B Clark

Jack E Van Duser

A reproduction apparatus imaging material dispensing system has a replaceable and rotatable imaging material dispensing container from which an at least partially magnetically aitractable consumable imaging material is dispensed. There is an optical imaging material level sensing system mounted outside of the container for optically detecting the imaging material inside the container through translucent walls thereof and signaling an insufficient remaining quantity of imaging material. A magnetic brush cleaning system internally cleans imaging material from the inside of a annular translucent wall area of the container to provide and maintain relatively unobstructed such optical sensing. It can be provided by a stationary magnet mounted outside of but adjacent to the container to attract magnetically attractable imaging material to the inside of the container wall to form a magnetic cleaning brush to clean the translucent wall annular area. This allows a light receiving sensor on one side of the container to detecting light from a light emitter on the other side of the container through the magnetically cleaned translucent annular band. The magnet can extend substantially the full length of the outside of the container to clean the entire interior thereof.

Imaging material detection in a magnetic window cleaning dispensing

A copier or printer connecting with a standard commercial electrical power line source and having a limited peak power consumption can still provide an electrically powered sheet stapling system by driving the stapler from an electrical storage battery power supply, the batteries of which are electrically connecting with an integral low voltage electrical power supply of the reproduction apparatus only for low power slow recharging. The stapler is operable for stapling sheets, powered solely by the storage batteries, even when the copier or printer, including its integral low voltage electrical power supply, is completely turned off, i.e., fully disconnected from the power line source. This stapler can also be operated when the reproduction machine is fully operating at its peak power consumption, including the operation of other, internal, stapling, because this stapler's operation does not increase that peak power consumption. Preferably this stapler and its battery power supply is part of an easily unplugable modular unit removably mountable on top of the machine for convenience stapling. Additionally, the stapler may be automatically prevented from further attempted stapling and thus further battery discharge when there is insufficient remaining battery power for fully effective stapling.

Reproduction apparatus with lower peak power requirement with integral

Growing community of inventors

Webster, NY, United States of America

Douglas W Buch