The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 22, 1979
Filed:
Feb. 03, 1977
W Raymond Buchan, Lincoln, MA (US);
James E Genthe, Newtown, CT (US);
Itek Corporation, Lexington, MA (US);
Abstract
A system is disclosed which will sense the image-development state of toner in the development subsystem of an electrophotographic copier apparatus. This image-development state is related to both toner concentration and the charge-to-mass ratio (q/m) existing on toner particles. The sensing system employs an optical fiber bundle having both transmitting and receiving fibers. At one end, herein referred to as the common end, and transmitting and receiving fibers are interspersed. This common end is positioned flush with the inside chamber wall on a developer housing. At the other end, the transmitting and receiving fibers are bifurcated. The transmitting fibers of the optical bundle are used to guide light from a light source to the common end, and part of the transmitted light is backscattered and guided through the receiving fibers to an optical sensor. The signal received is inversely proportional to the amount of toner deposited on the end of the bundle and the toner on the surface of carrier particles. This signal can be used to control the amount of toner added to the developer subsystem at any given time.