Method of quantifying coverage of extra particulate additives on the surface of toner particles

摘要

A method of quantifying the coverage of extra particulate additives (EPA) on the surface of toner particles is provided. More specifically, this invention is a method using automated image analysis to correctly identify toner and coverage of EPA particles on the surface of the toner.

主权项

1. A method of determining a percentage coverage of extra particulate additives on surfaces of toner particles, comprising:
receiving an image of the toner particles; determining a first area of a toner particle surface not covered by extra particulate additives, corresponding to a first brightness threshold; determining at least one other area of a toner particle surface covered by extra particulate additives, corresponding to a second brightness threshold; determining a ratio of the first area to the at least one other area, the ratio corresponding to the relative amount of extra particulate additives on surfaces of toner particles; and adjusting coverage of extra particulate additives on surfaces of toner particles in a printing operation of an imaging device, based on the determined ratio; wherein at least one of the receiving, the determining the first area, the determining the second area, and the determining the ratio is performed automatically; and wherein determining the ratio further comprises
determining areas of overlap between the first area and the at least one other area; andeliminating non-overlapping portions of the at least one other area,such that only the overlapping portions of the at least one other area are included in the determining the ratio.