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:
Jun. 29, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 11, 1997
Applicant:
Inventors:
Assignee:
Xerox Corporation, Stamford, CT (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G03G / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
399 27 ; 399 35 ; 399 49 ;
Abstract
A method and apparatus to track toner waste and the level of waste toner in a toner waste receptacle. A sensor measures the amount of toner developed on a photoreceptive member. At regular intervals a signal representing this developed toner amount is sent to a machine controller. The machine controller coverts the developed toner amount into an amount of residual waste based on the machine transfer efficiency. This residual waste amount is tracked and a signal is generated for a user as the toner waste receptacle approaches capacity. At full capacity an end of life signal is generated and for preservation of machine components the machine shuts down until the waste container is replaced.