SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTING VARIABLE SPEED TONER REMOVAL IN AN INTERMEDIATE TRANSFER ELEMENT CLEANING DEVICE

摘要

A system and method are provided for sensing occasions of operations in image forming devices that result in larger than normal volumes of residual toner needing to be removed from an intermediate transfer element by an intermediate transfer element toner cleaning system. Based on this sensing, an operating speed for an auger component in the intermediate transfer element toner cleaning system may be temporarily increased. This temporary increase in operating speed may address the intermittent increased toner volume conditions without introducing unacceptable physical configuration changes, or undesirable operating characteristic modifications, for the intermediate transfer element toner cleaning system. Upon sensing an actual or anticipated higher-than-normal amount of toner to be removed, a signal is sent to temporarily increase a speed of operation of toner removal components in the intermediate transfer element toner cleaning system to account for the temporary increase.

主权项

1. A method for controlling an image forming system, comprising:
conducting toner transfer operations in an image forming system, the toner transfer operations generating residual toner; operating a toner cleaning unit in the image forming system at a first speed to process the residual toner; determining, with a processor, that the residual toner is generated at a first rate, the first rate exceeding a rate that the toner cleaning unit processes the residual toner when the toner cleaning unit is operated at the first speed; and operating the toner cleaning unit at a second speed that is higher than the first speed based on a result of the determining.