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:
Dec. 11, 2012
Filed:
Jul. 20, 2010
Michael J. Wilsher, Letchworth, GB;
James Wood, Ealing, GB;
Christopher F. D. Watts, St. Albans, GB;
Ben Chaplin, London, GB;
Michael J. Wilsher, Letchworth, GB;
James Wood, Ealing, GB;
Christopher F. D. Watts, St. Albans, GB;
Ben Chaplin, London, GB;
Xerox Corporation, Norwalk, CT (US);
Abstract
An image forming apparatus comprises a controller that stores instructions, which cause the image forming apparatus to determine a characteristic measurement in response to a toner cartridge being partially inserted into the image forming apparatus. A pair of spaced apart sensors included on the image forming apparatus each contact an outer cross-sectional surface of a film on a delivery aperture of the toner cartridge. The image forming apparatus further includes an auger having at least one sensor for conducting a characteristic measurement on the film. The characteristic measurement corresponds to criteria programmed in the image forming apparatus for determining if the toner cartridge has a full toner level or a partially full (or low) toner level.