Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Canon Research Centre France S.a.

Pascal Coudray

Marie-H&eacute;l&egrave;ne Froger

Christophe Truffaut

Micka&euml;l Lorgeoux

Marie-Helene Froger

Alexandre Dodge

Philippe Piret

Noboru Nakatani

Fran&ccedil;ois Delumeau

Marie-H&euml;l&euml;ne Froger

Marie- H&eacute;l&agrave;ne Froger

Detecting presence or absence of product in a reservoir by transmitting a signal affected by the product. The signal is detected from among other signals with which it is subsequently received by discrimination and delivery of an output signal whose level is set by the discrimination, and by sampling. Pairs of samples are correlated to obtain a true correlation value SR, where the instantaneous value of correlation between the state value B(i) and the state value B(i&plus;Z) is summed, Z being the number of samples taken during a period T of the signal to be detected. A rate calculation is performed, during which the rate &rgr; of samples representing the presence of the signal is measured, and theoretical correlation mean values are evaluated. A decision is made by comparison of the true correlation value SR with each theoretical correlation mean value.

Method and device for detecting the absence of a product in a reservoir

Measuring the electrical resistance of a resistive body, in particular a reservoir containing a printing product such as ink. According to the invention, the resistive body is used to define a capacitance arrangement formed from a capacitive branch which includes a capacitor electrically connected to the resistive body and this is incorporated in a resonant circuit that includes a variable capacitor. The resonant circuit is supplied with a fixed frequency, and as the capacitance of the variable capacitor is varied the peak of the signal is sought. The amplitude of the peak is representative of the resistance of the resistive body.

Process for measuring the electrical resistance of a resistive body for example for checking the conformity of a liquid product and devices for carrying out such a process

In order to determine a distribution of product present in a reservoir ( ), particularly a distribution of ink in the reservoir of an image transfer device, a device includes electrodes ( ) disposed in contact with the product in the reservoir, a circuit ( ) for successively supplying the electrodes with an excitation signal (SE) causing an electromagnetic radiation from the product, a receiving antenna ( ) for sensing the electromagnetic radiation caused by the respective supplying of the electrodes, and a circuit ( ) for processing the radiation sensed into a signal representing the distribution of product contained in the porous body inside the reservoir.

Method and device for determining the distribution of product present in a reservoir, notably ink in an image device

According to the invention, electrical connection members are provided, arranged between the chassis and the carriage carrying capacitor plates corresponding respectively to the reservoirs, in order to put into service each plate corresponding to a reservoir, at a predetermined position of the carriage, a common contact element of these connection members being connected to an oscillator.

Device for determining a quantity of consumable product contained in at least one reservoir and a document printing device equipped with such an improvement

Determining the quantity of an electrically conductive product contained in a reservoir made of electrically insulating material having at least one storage cavity. A resonant circuit is formed, including a capacitive arrangement formed at least part from the reservoir. A measurement procedure is defined according to which a plurality of excitation signals are applied to the resonant circuit having different frequencies, and a plurality of measurement signals are made. A processing procedure is defined which identifies the instantaneous resonant frequency of the resonant circuit, measures the width, for a given amplitude level, of the resonance peak, and derives therefrom an item of information representing the quantity of product contained in the storage cavity. At least one determination cycle is effected, consisting of triggering the measurement procedure and the processing procedure, and capturing the instantaneous value of the item of information.

Method and device for determining the quantity of product contained in a reservoir, for example in an ink reservoir for a printer

A device determines a quantity of product present in a reservoir, particularly a quantity of ink in the reservoir ( ) of an image formation device, such as a printer ( ). In a preferred embodiment, the devices includes means ( ) of connecting the said product to a predetermined potential, means ( ) of establishing a first electrical field through the product, and adapted to establish a second electrical field different from the first electrical field, means ( ), of measuring electrical fields in order to produce first and second electrical signals representing electrical fields, and means ( ) of processing the first electrical signal in order to produce a signal representing the quantity of product, and adapted to process the second electrical signal in order to detect the interruption of the connection of the product to the predetermined potential, the said interruption corresponding to a predetermined quantity of product present in the reservoir ( ).

Method and device for determining the quantity of product present in a reservoir, a product reservoir and a device for processing electrical signals intended for such a determination device

A device and a method for determining the quantity of product present in a reservoir, and more particularly determining with precision when there is a predetermined quantity of product in the reservoir. The invention applies to an ink reservoir in an image formation device, such as a printer. According to the invention, the product is connected to a predetermined potential and an electrical field is established through the product present in the reservoir. The electrical field passing through the product is measured in order to produce an electrical signal representing the electrical field, and the resulting electrical signal is processed in order to produce a signal representing the quantity of product present in the reservoir and to detect the interruption of the connection of the product to the predetermined potential, where the interruption corresponds t the predetermined quantity of product in the reservoir.

Device for determining a quantity of consumable product, notably ink, present in a reservoir with a number of compartments, and corresponding document printing device

Device for determining a quantity of consumable product present in a reservoir and corresponding device for printing documents

An apparatus for transmitting binary information between a first device carried by a first body and a second device carried by a second body, movable with respect to the first body along a path within a given range of movement, includes at least one first electrically conductive main plate on the first body along the path of the second body and a second electrically conductive main plate on the second body. The first and second main plates remain opposite each other, at a constant distance from each other, when there is a relative movement of the second body with respect to the first body within the range of movement along the path, such that the first and second main plates form a main capacitor with a constant capacitance. Transmission of information from one of the first and second devices to the other occurs by coding the information into at least one binary coded signal, transmitting the coded signal by applying the coded signal to one of the first and second main plates of the main capacitor, collecting a received signal at the other of the first and second main plates of the main capacitor, and decoding the received signal.

Method of transmitting information by capacitive connection and a device adapted to implement it, such as a printer

In order to monitor the consumption of a normally electrically conductive product contained in a storage chamber of a reservoir made of electrically non-conductive material, the storage chamber is disposed in a capacitive arrangement and a measurement procedure is defined, according to which, in response to an excitation signal applied to the capacitive arrangement, a measurement signal is obtained (at,), one characteristic of which has an amplitude which varies substantially with the quantity of product contained in the storage chamber. Before deducing the value of information representing the quantity of product available in the reservoir from this amplitude, the measurement signal has filtering applied to it, according to which it is multiplied by a reference signal of frequency at least approximately equal to that of the excitation signal (at,) and the multiplied signal is applied to a low-pass filter.

Method and device for monitoring the consumption of a product, for example a printing ink, using a low-pass filter

A device determines a quantity of product present in a reservoir, particularly a quantity of ink in the reservoir (,) of an image forming device, such as a printer (,). The device includes an electrode (,) disposed in contact with the product in the reservoir, a circuit (,) for supplying the electrode with an excitation signal (SE) causing an electromagnetic signal radiated by the product, a receiving antenna (,) for sensing the electromagnetic signal, and a circuit (,) for processing the electromagnetic signal sensed into a signal representing the quantity of product present in the reservoir.

Method and device for determining the quantity of product present in a reservoir, notably that of ink present in an image forming device

Method and device for determining a quantity of consumable product present in a reservoir and a document printing device implementing this method

Detecting a quantity of a product remaining in a reservoir subjected, during use of the product, to a driving movement. The reservoir is driven in accordance with reference signals representing target movements. The reference signals including at least one test reference signal. The position of the reservoir in response to the test reference signal is detected. The quantity of product remaining in the reservoir is determinable from the detected position. Alternatively, a change in temperature caused by moving the reservoir in response to the test reference signal is detected, and the quantity of product remaining in the reservoir is determinable from the change in temperature.

Growing community of inventors

La Chapelle des Fougeretz, France

Pascal Coudray