Humidity compensated control device

Claim 2

A humidity compensated control device for regulating the dispensing of particles from a particle storage container to a mix, including: means for detecting the developability characteristics of the mix, said detecting means being adapted to generate an electrical signal indicative of the developability of the mix; circuit means for comparing the electrical signal from said detecting means with a reference developed therein to produce an error signal corresponding to the difference therebetween; means for correcting the error signal from said circuit means to compensate for humidity variations in the surrounding environment; and means, responsive to the humidity corrected error signal, for energizing the particle storage container to dispense particles therefrom into the mix so as to adjust the developability of the mix.

Claim 3

A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said humidity correcting means includes: means for sensing the humidity in the surrounding environment, said humidity sensing means being adapted to generate an electrical signal indicative thereof; means for producing a reference signal corresponding to a nominal humidity condition; and means for comparing the electrical signal from said humidity sensing means to the reference from said producing means for developing an error signal arranged to correct the electrical signal from said circuit means.

Claim 4

A device as recited in claim 2, wherein said detecting means includes: electrode means biased electrically to attract particles thereto as said electrode means passes through the mix; means for illuminating said electrode means having particles deposited thereon with light rays; and means for sensing the intensity of the light rays transmitted from said electrode means and producing an electrical signal indicative of the density of particles deposited thereon.

Claim 5

A device as recited in claim 1, wherein said circuit means includes means for summing said detecting means electrical signals and providing a first error signal beneath a first pre-selected number of electrical signals, and a second error signal intermediate the first pre-selected number and a second pre-sElected number of electrical signals.

Claim 6

A device as recited in claim 4, wherein said energizing means includes a motor adapted to oscillate the particle storage container at varying amplitudes for a preselected time interval, said motor being actuated by the humidity corrected error signal and the amplitude of oscillation being dependent thereon.

Claim 7

An electrophotographic printing machine having a photoconductive member arranged to pass through a developer mix, wherein a humidity compensated control device regulates the dispensing of toner particles from a toner particle storage container to the developer mix of a developer unit disposed therein, including: means, mounted on the photoconductive member, for attracting toner particles thereto as the photoconductive member passes through the developer mix and for detecting the density of toner particles deposited thereon, said attracting and detecting means being adapted to generate an electrical signal indicative of the density of toner particles attracted thereto; circuit means for comparing the electrical signal from said attracting and detecting means with a reference developed therein to produce an error signal corresponding to the differences therebetween; means for correcting the error signal from said circuit means to compensate for humidity variations in the surrounding environment; and means, responsive to the humidity corrected error signal, for energizing the toner particle storage container to dispense toner particles therefrom into the developer mix.

Claim 8

An electrophotographic printing machine having a photoconductive member arranged to pass through a developer mix, wherein a humidity compensated control device regulates the dispensing of toner particles from a toner particle storage container to the developer mix of a developer unit disposed therein, including: means, mounted on the photoconductive member, for attracting toner particles thereto as the photoconductive member passes through the developer mix and for detecting the density of toner particles deposited thereon, said attracting and detecting means being adapted to generate an electrical signal indicative of the density of toner particles attracted thereto; circuit means for comparing the electrical signal from said attracting and detecting means with a reference developed therein to produce an error signal corresponding to the differences therebetween; means for correcting the error signal from said circuit means to compensate for humidity variations in the surrounding environment; and means, responsive to the humidity corrected error signal, for energizing the toner particle storage container to dispense toner particles therefrom into the developer mix.

Claim 9

A printing machine as recited in claim 6, wherein said humidity correcting means includes: means for sensing the humidity in the surrounding environment, said humidity sensing means being adapted to generate an electrical signal indicative thereof; means for producing a reference signal corresponding to a nominal humidity condition; and means for comparing the electrical signal from said humidity sensing means to the reference from said producing means for developing an error signal arranged to correct the electrical signal from said circuit means.

Claim 10

A printing machine as recited in claim 7, wherein said attracting and detecting means includes: electrode means mounted on the photoconductive member and electrically biased to attract toner particles thereto as the photoconductive member passes through the developer mix; means for illuminating said electrode means having the toner particles deposited thereon with light rays; and means for sensing the intensity of light rays transmitted from said electrode means and producing an electrical signal indicative of the density of particles deposited thereon.

Claim 11

A printing machine as recited in claim 6, wherein said circuit means includes means for summing said attracting and detecting means electrical signals and providing a first error signal beneath a first pre-selected number of electrical signals, and a second error signal intermediate the first pre-selected number and a second preselected number of electrical signals.

Claim 12

A printing machine as recited in claim 9, wherein said energizing means includes a motor adapted to oscillate the toner particle storage container at varying amplitudes for a pre-selected time interval, said motor being actuated by the humidity corrected error signal and the amplitude of oscillation being dependent thereon.