Imaging device with diagnostic testing for fatal errors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9541876-B1
Application number	US-201514866339-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 25, 2015
Priority date	Sep 25, 2015
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for detecting a fatal error condition in a printing device having an intermediate transfer member for facilitating toner transfer, including sensing a reflectance value of the intermediate transfer member at a first predetermined time; comparing the sensed reflectance value at the first period of time to a predetermined threshold; sensing a reflectance value of the intermediate transfer member at a second predetermined time after the predetermined first time; and comparing the sensed reflectance value of the intermediate transfer member at the second period of time to the predetermined threshold. If each of the sensed reflectance value at the first predetermined time and the sensed reflectance value at the second predetermined time is greater than the predetermined threshold, the method includes selectively suspending further printing operations until the imaging device is serviced.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An imaging device, comprising:
a plurality of developer units, each developer unit operative to transfer a developed toner image of a distinct color;
an intermediate transfer member belt operatively coupled to the developer units for transferring the developed toner images to the intermediate transfer member belt during an image transfer operation;
a sensing unit downstream of the developer units along the intermediate transfer member belt and operative to detect an amount of toner on the intermediate transfer member belt following the transfer of the developed toner images to the intermediate transfer member belt; and
a controller coupled to the sensing unit and operative to compare a first output of the sensing unit during a printing operation to a predetermined threshold and selectively halting further printing operations based at least in part on the comparison,
wherein upon the first output of the sensing unit being greater than the predetermined threshold, the controller resets the imaging device, powers on the imaging device after or as part of the imaging device being reset, moves the intermediate transfer member belt a predetermined distance after the imaging device is powered on, compares the predetermined threshold to a second output of the sensing unit during movement of the intermediate transfer member belt and performs the selective halting following an affirmative determination that each of the first output and the second output is greater than the predetermined threshold.

2. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the sensing unit senses a level of reflectivity of the intermediate transfer member belt at one or more interpage gaps between successive sheets of media during the printing operation.

3. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein upon the first output of the sensing unit being greater than the predetermined threshold, the controller stores queued print jobs.

4. The imaging device of claim 3 , wherein upon the second output of the sensing unit being less than the predetermined threshold, the controller causes the imaging device to print the stored queued print jobs.

5. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein upon the second output of the sensing unit being less than the predetermined threshold, the controller returns the imaging device to a normal mode of operation, compares to the predetermined threshold a third output of the sensing unit when the imaging device is performing at least one of the further printing operations, and upon the third output exceeding the predetermined threshold, the controller controls the imaging device to perform the selective halting until the imaging device is serviced.

6. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein upon each of the first output and the second output of the sensing unit being greater than the predetermined threshold, the controller attempts to identify at least one developer unit as failing, wherein upon a successful attempt, the controller disables the at least one developer unit from further printing operations and upon an unsuccessful attempt, the controller performs the selective halting.

7. The imaging device of claim 6 , wherein the controller successfully attempting to identify the at least one failing developer unit comprises the controller indexing the intermediate transfer member belt a predetermined distance, causing a transfer of toner patterns to be staggered relative to each other along the intermediate transfer member, each toner pattern being formed from one or more developer units, collecting an output of the sensing unit for each toner pattern, comparing the collected outputs to values corresponding to expected sensing outputs, and identifying the at least one failing developer unit based upon the comparisons.

8. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein upon the first output of the sensing unit being greater than the predetermined threshold, the controller causes the imaging device to declare a clearable error and perform the selective halting following receiving user information pertaining to the clearable error.

9. The imaging device of claim 8 , wherein based upon the received user information, the controller selectively controls the imaging device to return to a normal mode of operation.

10. The imaging device of claim 9 , wherein following the imaging device returning to the normal mode of operation, the controller controls the imaging device to compare the predetermined threshold to the second output of the sensing unit during at least one of the further printing operations and upon the second output exceeding the predetermined threshold, perform the selective halting.

11. A method of diagnosing an error condition in an imaging device having an intermediate transfer member for transferring a toned image to sheets of media, the method comprising:
sensing a reflectance value of the intermediate transfer member at a first predetermined time;
comparing the sensed reflectance value at the first predetermined time to a predetermined threshold;
sensing a reflectance value of the intermediate transfer member at a second predetermined time;
comparing the sensed reflectance value of the intermediate transfer member at the second predetermined time to the predetermined threshold; and
if each of the sensed reflectance value at the first predetermined time and the sensed reflectance value at the second predetermined time is greater than the predetermined threshold, selectively suspending further printing operations until the imaging device is serviced,
wherein the imaging device comprises a color imaging device having a plurality of developer units, and the method further comprises if each of the sensed reflectance value at the first predetermined time and the sensed reflectance value at the second predetermined time is greater than the predetermined threshold, identifying at least one failing developer unit causing the sensed reflectance value at the first and second predetermined times being greater than the predetermined threshold, and upon an affirmative identification of the at least one failing developer unit, disabling the at least one failing developer unit from the further printing operations.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising if the sensed reflectance value at the first predetermined time is greater than the predetermined threshold, prior to sensing the reflectance value of the intermediate transfer member at the second predetermined time, resetting the imaging device and rotating the intermediate transfer member while sensing the reflectance value thereof at the second predetermined time.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising if the sensed reflectance value at the first predetermined time is greater than the predetermined threshold and the sensed reflectance value at the second predetermined time is less than the predetermined threshold, returning the imaging device to a normal mode of operation.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising upon being unable to identify the at least one failing developer unit, performing the selective suspending of the further print operations.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the identifying the at least one failing developer unit comprises indexing the intermediate transfer member, transferring toner from each developer unit to form a plurality of toner images that are staggered along the intermediate transfer member, sensing a reflectance value of each toner image, comparing the sensed reflectance value of each toner image to an expected reflectance value, and identifying the at least one failing developer unit based upon the comparisons.

Assignees

• Lexmark Int Inc

Inventors

• Cousoulis Marc
• Geyling Alexander Johannes
• Murphy Calvin Dale
• Murrell Niko Jay
• Ryle William Claiborne
• Riggs Travis Alan
• Rush Edward Alan

Classifications

• G03G15/55

  Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display · CPC title

• G03G15/5058 Primary

  using a test patch · CPC title

• G03G15/5041

  Detecting a toner image, e.g. density, toner coverage, using a test patch (G03G15/553 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03G15/161

  with means for handling the intermediate support, e.g. heating, cleaning, coating with a transfer agent · CPC title

• G03G15/556

  for toner consumption, e.g. pixel counting, toner coverage detection or toner density measurement · CPC title