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2. Transport horizontally by the coil
3. Vertical drop to the development unit
4. Transport by the Mylar sheet
5. Transport horizontally by the coil
6. Vertical drop to the development unit
Drive
To shorten the recovery time after bottle replacement, the toner cartridge and sub-hopper are driven separately.
The sub-hopper is driven by a stepping motor to reduce supply variations.
Toner Near End/ Toner End Detection
In this device, there are two types of toner near end status.
The detection conditions and detection operation for each status are shown in the following table.
Control overview
Status | Control panel message | Detection conditions |
If the residual amount in the toner | ||
cartridge falls below SP3-110-001 | ||
Estimated toner end SP3-101-001 to 004="2" | Control panel banner display: <Toner Cartridge is almost empty. Prepare toner cartridge replacement(s).> | to 004 (Near End Thresh) (Default: K 65g, CMY 45g) The lesser of the "toner residual amount computed from the toner supply motor drive time" and the "toner residual amount computed |
from the pixel count" is taken as | ||
the toner residual amount. |
Detailed Descriptions
Detailed Descriptions
Detailed Descriptions
Toner Supply
Status | Control panel message | Detection conditions |
Definite toner near end SP3-101-001 to 004="1" | Control panel banner display: <Toner Cartridge is empty. Printing will be suspended soon. Replace the cartridge.> | If "the toner cartridge residual amount falls below specification" and "the toner end sensor in the sub-hopper has detected toner end" Remarks: When toner end is detected, to use up all the toner in the cartridge, the toner cartridge is rotated for 5 seconds (full use control). After no toner is detected again, the status becomes definite toner near end. |
Toner end | Control panel pop-up display (alert screen): <Toner has been depleted. Replace Toner Cartridge.> | Toner end is defined by the following conditions (1) or (2): (1) Determination by number of sheets and pixel count (After definite toner near end, count is begun). (2) Determination by Vt output (not related to definite toner near end) |
Control details Estimated toner near end
The toner residual amount Z (SP3-102-021 to 024) is taken as the lesser of the toner residual amount Z1 computed from the toner supply motor drive time (SP3-102-001 to
004) and the toner residual amount Z2 computed from the pixel count (SP3-102-011 to 014).
If the condition, toner residual amount Z (SP3-102-021 to 024) < near end residual amount threshold value (SP3-110-001 to 004) is satisfied, this is taken as the estimated toner near end.
Definite toner near end Preconditions
The toner residual amount Z (SP3-102-021 to 024) is taken as the lesser of the toner residual amount Z1 computed from the toner supply motor drive time (SP3-102-001 to
Toner Supply
004) and the toner residual amount Z2 computed from the pixel count (SP3-102-011 to 014).
If the condition, toner residual amount Z (SP3-102-021 to 024) < sensor near end residual amount threshold value (SP3-120-001 to 004) is satisfied, toner end sensor detection is begun to determine the definite end. (When the toner residual amount is more than the threshold value, determination by the toner end sensor is not performed).
Sensor detection
The toner end sensor detects the sensor output every 200 ms while the polygon motor is ON, and determines whether toner is present or not from the latest 10 counts.
The determination result is stored in the "no toner counter (SP3-121-001 to 004)". To prevent clearing due to erroneous detection, the counter is reset if the toner end sensor detects "toner remaining" 4 times in a row.
If the condition "no toner counter (SP3-121-001 to 004) > sensor near end determination threshold value (SP3-122-001 to 004) is satisfied, full use control which rotates the toner bottle for a certain time (SP3-163-001) is performed, and toner presence/absence determination by the toner end sensor is performed again.
If no toner is detected after full use control determination, it is taken as definite toner near end.
Operation after changing the status to definite toner near end
After changing the status to definite toner near end, sheet counter and pixel counter increment is begun to detect toner end.
SP3-133-011 to 014 (TE Detect :Set Page Cnt:K, C, M, Y) SP3-133-031 to 034 (TE Detect :Set Pxl Cnt:K, C, M, Y)
Operation during definite toner near end
When the toner supply motor drives and the toner end sensor detects no toner, the toner bottle motor drives for 2 seconds.
If "toner remaining" is detected 4 times in a row, according to the ID chip data on the toner bottle SP3-101-001 to 004 (Toner Status :Disp) display "10" or "2" (estimated toner end).
When it comes under the condition of Toner end pattern (1) and (2) (mentioned below), the status becomes toner end.
After the toner bottle is replaced during definite toner near end, the machine does not execute the toner end judgement until the toner bottle motor drives for 40 or more seconds totally.
Toner end
Pattern (1): Determination by paper sheet counter/pixel counter
The total sheet counter and pixel counter values after definite toner near end are compared with the threshold values.
If the following "(evaluation method A=TRUE) and (evaluation method B=TRUE) or