A method of determining cleaning brush nip width

摘要

The contact zone width measurement is performed by developing a toner image on the surface, the image having sufficient width to overlap a cleaner brush and then moving the image into direct alignment with the brush. The movement of the surface is stopped and the brush is rotated against the surface to remove the toner image from the surface in the contact zone. The toner image is moved out of direct alignment with the brush by retracting the brush away from contact with the surface, and restarting movement of the surface to move the brush out of direct alignment with the brush. A width of the contact zone is then measured automatically by determining an amount of time required for two edges of the contact zone on the imaging surface to pass under a sensing device, the two edges having a lead edge and a trail edge separated by the width of the contact zone away from one another. The measurement of the width of the contact zone is converted for diagnostic analysis and process control.