Automatic developability control system

Claim 1

A device for sensing electrostatically charged particles in a mixture of particulate material, including a pair of spaced apart surfaces each being capable oF carrying an electrical charge adapted to attract the charged particles, means for producing relative movement between at least some portions of the mixture and said surfaces and with the portions therebetween, means for alternately producing an attracting charge on one of the surfaces and then the other surface for each of a series of sensing cycles, and means for detecting the particles attracted to the surfaces during said series of cycles.

Claim 2

A device for sensing electrostatically charged particles in a mixture of particulate material, including a pair of spaced apart surfaces each being capable oF carrying an electrical charge adapted to attract the charged particles, means for producing relative movement between at least some portions of the mixture and said surfaces and with the portions therebetween, means for alternately producing an attracting charge on one of the surfaces and then the other surface for each of a series of sensing cycles, and means for detecting the particles attracted to the surfaces during said series of cycles.

Claim 3

A device for sensing electrostatically charged particles in a mixture of particulate material, including a pair of spaced apart surfaces each being capable of carrying an electrical charge when in an electric field for attracting the charged particles, means for producing relative movement between at least some portions of the mixture and said surfaces and with the portions therebetween, energizing means for producing an electric field between said surfaces, said energizing means being adapted to reverse the direction of said electric field alternately for each of a series of sensing cycles, and means for detecting the particles attracted to the surfaces during said series of cycles.

Claim 4

A device for sensing electrostatically charged particles in a mixture of particulate material, including a pair of spaced apart surfaces each being capable of carrying an electrical charge when in an electric field for attracting the charged particles, means for producing relative movement between at least some portions of the mixture and said surfaces and with the portions therebetween, energizing means for producing an electric field between said surfaces, said energizing means being adapted to reverse the direction of said electric field alternately for each of a series of sensing cycles, and means for detecting the particles attracted to the surfaces during said series of cycles.

Claim 5

A device for sensing electrostatically charged particles in a mixture of particulate material, including a pair of spaced apart surfaces each being capable of carrying an electrical charge adapted to attract the charged particles and an electrical charge adapted to repel the particles, means for producing relative movement between the surfaces and some of the mixture with the latter therebetween, means for simultaneously producing an attracting charge on one of the surfaces and repelling charge on the other and then to reverse these charge relationships for each of a series of sensing cycles, and means for detecting the particlEs attracted to the surfaces during said series of cycles.

Claim 6

A device for sensing electrostatically charged particles in a mixture of particulate material, including a pair of spaced apart surfaces each being capable of carrying an electrical charge adapted to attract the charged particles and an electrical charge adapted to repel the particles, means for producing relative movement between the surfaces and some of the mixture with the latter therebetween, means for simultaneously producing an attracting charge on one of the surfaces and repelling charge on the other and then to reverse these charge relationships for each of a series of sensing cycles, and means for detecting the particlEs attracted to the surfaces during said series of cycles.

Claim 7

An apparatus for maintaining the developability of developing material, including a sensing surface adapted to carry a toner attracting charge, means for producing an attracting charge on said surface, said attracting charge being capable of developing the surface with a quantity of toner related to a desired predetermined level of developability of the material, means for forming a unidirectional electric field with said surface when said surface has an attracting charge thereon thereby effecting solid area development of the surface, said surface being arranged to be applied to the developing material with movement relative thereto in order to permit attraction of the toner upon said surface, and means for detecting the toner attracted to said surface.

Claim 8

An apparatus for maintaining the developability of developing material, including a sensing surface adapted to carry a toner attracting charge, means for producing an attracting charge on said surface, said attracting charge being capable of developing the surface with a quantity of toner related to a desired predetermined level of developability of the material, means for forming a unidirectional electric field with said surface when said surface has an attracting charge thereon thereby effecting solid area development of the surface, said surface being arranged to be applied to the developing material with movement relative thereto in order to permit attraction of the toner upon said surface, and means for detecting the toner attracted to said surface.

Claim 10

A device for sensing electrostatically charged particles in a mixture of particulate material, including a sensing surface capable of carrying an electrical charge adapted to attract the charged particles, energizing means for producing an attracting charge on said surface, means for producing relative movement between at least some portions of the mixture and said surface, means arranged in cooperation with the charge on said surface for applying a uniform electric field over substantially all of said surface thereby effecting uniform deposition of the attracted particles on said surface, and means for detecting the particles on said surface as a function of the developability of the particles in the mixture.

Claim 11

A device for sensing electrostatically charged particles in a mixture of particulate material, including a sensing surface capable of carrying an electrical charge adapted to attract the charged particles, energizing means for producing an attracting charge on said surface, means for producing relative movement between at least some portions of the mixture and said surface, means arranged in cooperation with the charge on said surface for applying a uniform electric field over substantially all of said surface thereby effecting uniform deposition of the attracted particles on said surface, and means for detecting the particles on said surface as a function of the developability of the particles in the mixture.

Claim 12

A device for sensing electrostatically charged particles in a mixture of particulate material, including a sensing surface capable of carrying an electrical charge adapted to attract the charged particles, energizing means for producing an attracting charge on said surface, means for producing relative movement between at least some portions of the mixture and said surface, means cooperable with said energizing means for applying a uniform electric field over substantially all of said surface thereby effecting uniform deposition of the attracted particles on said surface, and means for detecting the particles on said surface as a function of the developability of the particles in the mixture.

Claim 13

A device for sensing electrostatically charged particles in a mixture of particulate material, including a sensing surface capable of carrying an electrical charge adapted to attract the charged particles, energizing means for producing an attracting charge on said surface, means for producing relative movement between at least some portions of the mixture and said surface, means cooperable with said energizing means for applying a uniform electric field over substantially all of said surface thereby effecting uniform deposition of the attracted particles on said surface, and means for detecting the particles on said surface as a function of the developability of the particles in the mixture.

Claim 14

A device for sensing electrostatically charged particles in a mixture of particulate material, including a sensing surface capable of carrying an electrical charge adapted to attract the charged particles, means for producing relative movement between at least some portions of the mixture and said surface, means for producing an attracting charge on said surface and applying a uniform electric field over substantially all of said surface thereby effecting uniform deposition of the attracted particles on said surface, and means for detecting the particles on said surface as a function of the developability of the particles in the mixture.

Claim 15

A device for sensing electrostatically charged particles in a mixture of particulate material, including a sensing surface capable of carrying an electrical charge adapted to attract the charged particles, means for producing relative movement between at least some portions of the mixture and said surface, means for producing an attracting charge on said surface and applying a uniform electric field over substantially all of said surface thereby effecting uniform deposition of the attracted particles on said surface, and means for detecting the particles on said surface as a function of the developability of the particles in the mixture.

Claim 16

A device for sensing electrostatically charged particles in a mixture of particulate material, including a sensing surface capable of carrying an electrical charge adapted to attract the charged particles, energIzing means for producing an attracting charge on said surfaces, means for producing relative movement between at least some portions of the mixture and said surface, means cooperable with said energizing means for applying a uniform electric field over substantially all of said surface thereby effecting uniform deposition of the attracted particles on said surface, and means for determining the presence of the charged particles as the same are being attracted to the surface.

Claim 17

A device for sensing electrostatically charged particles in a mixture of particulate material, including a sensing surface capable of carrying an electrical charge adapted to attract the charged particles, energIzing means for producing an attracting charge on said surfaces, means for producing relative movement between at least some portions of the mixture and said surface, means cooperable with said energizing means for applying a uniform electric field over substantially all of said surface thereby effecting uniform deposition of the attracted particles on said surface, and means for determining the presence of the charged particles as the same are being attracted to the surface.

Claim 18

A device for determining the proportional relationship of electrostatically charged particles in a mixture of particulate material, including a pAir of spaced apart surfaces each being capable of carrying an electrical charge, means for producing movement of the material between said surfaces and in contact therewith, means for alternately and simultaneously producing an attracting charge on one of the surfaces and a cleaning charge on the other surface for each of a series of sensing cycles, and, means for detecting the sum of particle deposit on the surfaces at all times during said series of sensing cycles.

Claim 19

A device for determining the proportional relationship of electrostatically charged particles in a mixture of particulate material, including a pAir of spaced apart surfaces each being capable of carrying an electrical charge, means for producing movement of the material between said surfaces and in contact therewith, means for alternately and simultaneously producing an attracting charge on one of the surfaces and a cleaning charge on the other surface for each of a series of sensing cycles, and, means for detecting the sum of particle deposit on the surfaces at all times during said series of sensing cycles.