Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Hewlett-packard Company

Michael Joseph Martin

John W Huffman

Nancy Cernusak

Tim Mitchell Hoberock

James G Bearss

Jeffrey Scott Weaver

Thomas Camis

Bartley Mark Hirst

George Henry Kerby

Sean Michael Collison

Jeffrey Daniel Hall

Suzie Dustin

Brandi Michelle Pitta

A toner coverage determination system and method are described. The toner coverage determination system may include a memory storing a module comprising machine readable instructions to receive an input image, and generate a grid including a plurality of points corresponding to pixels to be sampled on the input image. The machine readable instructions may further sample the pixels corresponding to the plurality of points, evaluate pixel intensity values for the sampled pixels, and determine a toner coverage value based on the evaluated pixel intensity values.

Toner coverage determination

Disclosed are embodiments for controlling one or more subsystems of an imaging system to manage average power to a fuser.

Controlling average power to a fuser

In one non-limiting embodiment an apparatus for controlling a fuser in an imaging apparatus includes a first fuser roller and a second fuser roller in parallel, adjacent orientation and configured to receive sheet media therebetween. The apparatus further includes an electrical voltage source applied across the fuser rollers. The apparatus also includes a voltage difference measuring device configured to measure a difference in the electrical voltage across the first and second fuser rollers when sheet media is received between the first and second fuser rollers, and to generate a voltage difference signal in response thereto. The device includes a controller which is configured to receive the voltage difference signal and to generate a fuser parameter control signal in response thereto. The apparatus also includes a fuser control device responsive to the fuser parameter control signal.

Methods and apparatus for controlling a fuser

In one embodiment, an imaging device is provided that generates and transfers an image to a print media. A bias voltage is applied to a fuser to charge the fuser where the fuser bias voltage is affected by the print media contacting the fuser. An image is fused to the print media with the fuser and the fuser bias voltage is measured. Whether the print media is in the fuser can be determined based on the measured fuser bias voltage.

Fuser sensor system and method with media detection

An imaging device is provided that generates and transfers an image to a print media. A fuser fuses the image to the print media through a process of heat and pressure. The fuser is charged with a voltage to reduce toner particles from being attached to the fuser. When the print media contacts the fuser, its current path is altered causing the voltage of the fuser to change. A fuser sensor circuit measures the voltage of the fuser and based on the measured voltage, the imaging device can determine whether a print media is in the fuser. In the event of a malfunction such as a paper jam, the imaging device can determine the location of the print media at least in part by the measured fuser voltage.

Fuser sensor system

An electrophotography hard copy apparatus uses automated sensing devices to provide current condition signals and operational feedback signals to optimize subsystem operational parameters. Monitoring of ambient environmental conditions, subsystem operational parameters, and a print medium from input through output and the final printed text or image for predetermined characteristics is used to generate signals indicative of conditions that can be altered by commands to the apparatus' subsystems to optimize print quality.

Method and apparatus for hard copy control using automatic sensing devices

In an imaging system including at least one imaging medium transfer surface, an apparatus for detecting defects on the transfer surface is provided. The apparatus includes a scanner mechanism adapted and constructed to generate signals corresponding to a condition of the transfer surface. A processor is also provided. The processor is operatively connected to the scanner mechanism, and is adapted and constructed to receive and interpret signals from the scanner mechanism. In an imaging system including at least one imaging medium transfer surface, a method of detecting defects on an image medium surface is provided. The method includes the following steps. First, a scanning mechanism is provided. The scanning mechanism is adapted and constructed to generate signals corresponding to a condition of the transfer surface within the imaging system. Next, a defect is detected on the transfer surface by analyzing the signals generated by the scanning mechanism.

Method and apparatus for detecting image medium surface defects in an imaging system

The present invention relates to image forming devices, fusing assemblies and methods of forming an image. According to one aspect of the invention, an image forming device includes a housing including a media path configured to guide media in a downstream direction within the housing; an input device configured to receive an image; a developing assembly adjacent the media path and configured to provide developing material; a sensor adjacent the media path and configured to determine a qualitative characteristic of the media and to generate a signal indicative of the qualitative characteristic; and a fuser adjacent the media path and configured to adjust a fusing parameter responsive to the signal and to fuse the developing material corresponding to the image to the media and according to the fusing parameter.

Image forming devices, fusing assemblies, and methods of forming an

As print media advances through a paper path of an electrophotographic printer, the print media vibrates and a sympathetic response is induced in elements in contact with the print media. Rough print media vibrates more than smooth print media does. The sympathetic response induced by the print media advancing through the paper path is measured. A fuser temperature is selected using the measured sympathetic response. A higher fuser temperature is selected for print media inducing a larger sympathetic response and a lower fuser temperature is selected for print media inducing a smaller sympathetic response.

Automatic fuser temperature control

A fixing device control system controls multiple heating elements included in the fuser so that the duty cycle of the power applied to the multiple heating elements results in an optimal temperature profile over the length of the fuser. Multiple thermistors are used in a feedback control circuit to regulate the temperature profile of the fuser. A formatter uses print data from a host to generate data defining the size and location of a printing area on the print media. Using the data defining the size and location of the printing area, the formatter generates a command to send to a controller. The controller applies power to the multiple heating elements in order to generate the fuser temperature profile corresponding to the command. In a first embodiment of the fixing device control system, the formatter generates the command by using the data defining the size and location of the printing area to access information stored in a table. In a second embodiment of the fixing device control system, the formatter computes the command from the data defining the printing area.

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Boise, ID, United States of America

Michael Joseph Martin