Automatic development control

Claim 2

Apparatus for regulating the developability of a multi-color developing system adapted to utilize a plurality of developer materials having selected toner colorants capable of absorbing light energy within a preselected spectral region, including: transParent electrode means electrically biased to attract toner colorant thereto as said electrode means passes through the developer material; means for illuminating said electrode means having toner colorant deposited thereon with light rays; and means for sensing the intensity of the light rays transmitted through said electrode means to produce an electrical output signal indicative of the density of toner colorant deposited thereon.

Claim 3

Apparatus as recited in claim 1, further including means for comparing the electrical output signal with a reference level to produce a control signal corresponding to the deviation between the actual density of toner colorant deposited on said electrode means and the desired density thereof; and means, actuated by the control signal, for dispensing the selected toner colorant into the developing system to achieve the requisite system developability.

Claim 4

Apparatus as recited in claim 2, further including logic means for actuating the appropriate comparing means correpsonding to the toner colorant undergoing development.

Claim 5

Apparatus as recited in claim 1, further including means for adjusting the reference level to achieve a color balance for successive toner colorants being deposited on said electrode means.

Claim 6

Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said illuminating means includes: a light source; and means for directing light rays from said light source through said electrode means having toner colorant deposited thereon.

Claim 7

Apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said sensing means includes a photosensor positioned in light receiving relation with said directing means to receive the light rays passing through the toner colorant deposited on said electrode means.

Claim 8

Apparatus as recited in claim 1, further including means, associated with said electrode means, for cyclicly alternating the electrical charge on said electrode to attract toner colorant thereto during the development thereof and to repel toner colorant therefrom after the intensity of light rays transmitted through said electrode means has been detected by said sensing means.

Claim 11

A method as recited in claim 8, further including the steps of: comparing the electrical output signal with a reference level to produce a control signal corresponding to the deviation between the actual density of toner colorant deposited on the electrode and the desired density thereof; and dispensing the selected toner colorant into the developer material to achieve the requisite system developability.

Claim 12

A method as recited in claim 9, further including the steps of: cleaning the first mentioned toner colorant deposited on the electrode therefrom after the electrical charge thereon has been removed; placing a second electrical charge on the transparent electrode, passing the transparent electrode through a second developer material to attract a second toner colorant thereto for developing the electrode; illuminating the electrode having the second toner colorant deposited thereon; and sensing the intensity of the light rays passing through the electrode having the second toner colorant deposited thereon to produce a second electrical output signal indicative of the density of the second toner colorant.

Claim 13

A method As recited in claim 10, further including the steps of: comparing the second electrical output signal with a second reference level to produce a second control signal corresponding to the deviation between the actual density of the second toner colorant deposited on the electrode and the desired density thereof; and dispensing the second toner colorant into the second developer material to achieve the requisite system developability.

Claim 14

A method as recited in claim 11, further including the steps of adjusting the second reference level relative to the first mentioned reference level to attain the desired color balance between the first mentioned toner colorant and the second toner colorant.

Claim 15

A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said step of illuminating the electrode includes directing light rays through the electrode having toner colorant deposited thereon.

Claim 16

A method as recited in claim 8, further including the step of cyclically alternating the electrical charge on the electrode to attract toner colorant thereto during the development thereof and to repel toner colorant therefrom after the intensity of light rays transmitted throgh the electrode has been detected.

Claim 17

Apparatus for regulating the developability of an electrostatic reproducing machine of the type having a photoconductive member and developing system utilizing a developer material having toner colorants adapted to be deposited on a latent electrostatic image recorded on the photoconductive member to produce a colored powder toner image thereon, including: transparent electrode means mounted on the photoconductive member and electrically biased to attract toner colorant thereto as the photoconductive member passes through the developer material; and means for illuminating said electrode means having toner colorant deposited thereon with light rays; and means for sensing the intensity of the light rays transmitted through said electrode means to produce an electrical output signal indicative of the density of toner colorant deposited thereon.

Claim 18

Apparatus for regulating the developability of an electrostatic reproducing machine of the type having a photoconductive member and developing system utilizing a developer material having toner colorants adapted to be deposited on a latent electrostatic image recorded on the photoconductive member to produce a colored powder toner image thereon, including: transparent electrode means mounted on the photoconductive member and electrically biased to attract toner colorant thereto as the photoconductive member passes through the developer material; and means for illuminating said electrode means having toner colorant deposited thereon with light rays; and means for sensing the intensity of the light rays transmitted through said electrode means to produce an electrical output signal indicative of the density of toner colorant deposited thereon.

Claim 19

Apparatus as recited in claim 15, further including: means for comparing the electrical output signal with reference level to produce a control signal corresponding to the deviation between the actual density of toner colorant deposited on said electrode means and the desired density thereof; and means, actuated by the control signal, for dispensing toner colorant into the developing system to achieve the requisite system developability.

Claim 20

Apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said illuminating means includes: a light source; and means for directing light rays from said light source through said electrode means having toner colorant deposited thereon.

Claim 21

Apparatus as recited in claim 17 wherein said sensing means includes a photosensor positioned in light receiving relation with said directing means to receive the light rays transmitted through the toner colorant deposited on said electrode means.

Claim 22

Apparatus as recited in claim 15, further including means, associated with said electrode means for cyclically alternating the electrical charge on said electrode means to attract toner colorant thereto during the development thereof and to repel toner colorant therefrom after the intensity of light rays transmitted through said electrode means has been detected by said sensing means.

Claim 25

A method as recited in claim 20, further including the steps of: comparing the electrical output signal with a reference level to produce a control signal corresponding to the deviation between the actual density of toner colorant deposited on the electrode and the desired density thereof; and dispensing toner colorant into the developer material to achieve the requisite system developability.

Claim 26

A method as recited in claim 21, further including the steps of: cyclically alternating the electrical charge on the electrode to attract toner colorant thereto during the development thereof and to repel toner colorant therefrom after the intensity of light rays passing through the electrode has been detected; and cleaning the toner colorant deposited on the electrode therefrom after the electrical charge thereon has been removed.

Claim 27

A method as recited in claim 21, further including the step of adjusting the reference level to attain the desired image density by selecting the appropriate concentration of toner colorant within the developer material.

Claim 28

A method as recited in claim 20, wherein said step of illuminating the electrode includes directing light rays through the electrode having toner colorant deposited thereon.