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:
Oct. 03, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 03, 1998
David J Arcaro, Boise, ID (US);
Kenneth A Lindblom, Boise, ID (US);
Wayne E Foote, Eagle, ID (US);
Allen L Frazier, Eagle, ID (US);
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
In a device including a replaceable cartridge containing a consumable material, the cartridge having at least one moving part, a system for estimating the use of consumable material from the cartridge is disclosed. The system includes an information storage medium secured to the moving part of the cartridge. A read-write head is mounted in the device in proximity with the information storage medium, and is adapted and constructed to write information on and read information from the information storage medium. The storage medium can be provided as a magnetic storage medium, which may be configured as an annular disc. The moving part can be provided as a generally cylindrical roller assembly including a drive gear. The drive gear can include an end surface to which the storage medium may be secured. The device itself can be any suitable printing device, such as a laser printer. The cartridge may be provided as a toner cartridge, in which instance the consumable material would be toner. In an embodiment, the storage medium may be secured to an Organic Photo Conductor ('OPC') roller. A method for estimating the use of consumable material from the cartridge is also disclosed, in which the read/write head is actuated to write cartridge use information on and read cartridge use information from the information storage medium in response to operation of the device.