SELF CLEANING IMAGING MATERIAL LEVEL DISPENSING SYSTEM

摘要

A reproduction apparatus imaging material dispensing system has a replaceable and rotatable imaging material dispensing container from which an at least partially magnetically attractable consumable imaging material is dispensed. There is an optical imaging material level sensing system mounted outside of the container for optically detecting the imaging material inside the container through translucent walls thereof and signaling an insufficient remaining quantity of imaging material. A magnetic brush cleaning system internally cleans imaging material from the inside of a annular translucent wall area of the container to provide and maintain relatively unobstructed such optical sensing. It can be provided by a stationary magnet mounted outside of but adjacent to the container to attract magnetically attractable imaging material to the inside of the container wall to form a magnetic cleaning brush to clean the translucent wall annular area. This allows a light receiving sensor on one side of the container to detecting light from a light emitter on the other side of the container through the magnetically cleaned translucent annular band. The magnet can extend substantially the full length of the outside of the container to clean the entire interior thereof.