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:
Aug. 08, 2000
Filed:
Aug. 11, 1999
Raymond Milton Baker, Lexington, KY (US);
Ronald Paul Bussiere, Richmond, KY (US);
John William Hutchinson, Lexington, KY (US);
Lexmark International, Inc., Lexington, KY (US);
Abstract
The level of powdered toner in a toner reservoir of a printer or copier is determined by ascertaining the time that it takes a stirring paddle to rotate from a second of two fixed ridges adjacent the top of the reservoir until the toner is engaged. A sensor, which is preferably a piezoelectric element or a strain gauge, is preferably mounted on the end of the stirring paddle to engage each of the two fixed ridges. When the sensor flexes after engaging each of the ridges, two closely spaced electrical pulse are produced. When the sensor engages the toner, another electrical pulse is produced, and the time between the second and third pulses is used to determine the level of the toner in the toner reservoir. If the stirring paddle is flexible, it may engage the ridges and the toner so that the sensor could be mounted on the stirring paddle to not engage the ridges or the toner but only to sense flexing of the stirring paddle for producing the electrical pulses. Instead of using the ridges, an emitter wheel may be employed to produce a pulse when the stirring paddle is in its substantially vertical position.