US Patent No: 5,465,619

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

Capacitive sensor

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Abstract

An apparatus for detecting the level of material in a container. The apparatus comprises a power source and a first electrode, positioned adjacent the container, electrically connected to the power source. The apparatus further comprises a second electrode. The second electrode is spaced from the first electrode and positioned adjacent the container. The apparatus further comprises an electrical amplifier which is electrically connected to the second electrode. The amplifier amplifies a current induced in the second electrode and generates a voltage signal. The amplifier is adapted to maintain the second electrode at a virtual ground to minimize environmental impedance effects. The apparatus further comprises a rectifier, electrically connected to the amplifier, for rectifying the voltage signal and a comparator, electrically connected to the rectifier, for comparing the voltage signal to a predetermined voltage signal corresponding to the container being full with material.

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First Claim

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddressTotal Patents
XEROX CORPORATIONSTAMFORD, CT17163

International Classification(s)

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  • [Patents Count]

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Benedict, Lawrence R Rushville, NY 13 294
Dezen, William L Penfield, NY 1 77
Sotack, John D Rochester, NY 10 260
Werner, Jr Alan J Rochester, NY 25 260
Zayed, Gaith O Rochester, NY 3 112

Cited Art

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
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4,820,973 Impedance measuring system 21 1988
 
BINDICATOR COMPANY, INC., A CORP. OF DE (1)
4,624,139 Capacitance-type material level indicator 14 1984
 
CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA (1)
5,198,860 Image forming apparatus including means for detecting amount of toner 13 1990
 
Drexelbrook Controls, Inc. (1)
4,757,252 Probe system for measuring the condition of materials 24 1985
 
EUROMART CORPORATION (1)
5,121,631 Shielded level sensing system 6 1991
 
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY (1)
7,503,179 System and method to exhaust spent cooling air of gas turbine engine active clearance control 3 2005
 
IMTEC ACCULINE, INC. (1)
4,749,988 Non-invasive liquid level sensor 27 1986
 
Konica Corporation (1)
4,313,343 Apparatus for detecting remaining quantity of toner in electrophotographic copying machine 14 1979
 
Level Electronics, Inc. (1)
4,987,776 Level indicator 22 1989
 
NIPPON SOKEN, INC. (1)
4,603,581 Sensing apparatus 25 1985
 
Rank Xerox Limited (1)
4,711,561 Toner recovery device 26 1986
 
SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION (1)
4,868,599 Device and method for storing toner waste 15 1987
 
SERVERON CORPORATION (1)
5,132,626 Electrolytic storage cell monitoring system 17 1989
 
STANDEX ELECTRONICS, INC (1)
5,017,909 Capacitive liquid level sensor 48 1989
 
THOMSON, S.A. (1)
5,195,010 Electrostatic discharge voltage protection circuit for a solid state instrument 16 1990
 
Other [Check patent profile for assignment information] (1)
4,423,628 Method and apparatus for monitoring the length of a liquid column 9 1981

Patent Citation Ranking

Forward Cites

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
IROBOT CORPORATION (25)
8,412,377 Obstacle following sensor scheme for a mobile robot 0 2005
8,392,021 Autonomous surface cleaning robot for wet cleaning 0 2005
7,288,912 Debris sensor for cleaning apparatus 28 2006
8,374,721 Robot system 0 2006
8,271,129 Robot system 0 2006
8,461,803 Autonomous robot auto-docking and energy management systems and methods 0 2006
8,396,592 Method and system for multi-mode coverage for an autonomous robot 0 2007
8,417,383 Detecting robot stasis 0 2007
8,390,251 Autonomous robot auto-docking and energy management systems and methods 0 2007
8,387,193 Autonomous surface cleaning robot for wet and dry cleaning 0 2007
8,266,754 Autonomous surface cleaning robot for wet and dry cleaning 0 2007
8,266,760 Autonomous surface cleaning robot for dry cleaning 0 2007
8,239,992 Compact autonomous coverage robot 0 2008
8,275,482 Obstacle following sensor scheme for a mobile robot 0 2008
8,359,703 Coverage robot mobility 0 2008
8,378,613 Debris sensor for cleaning apparatus 0 2008
8,380,350 Autonomous coverage robot navigation system 0 2008
8,386,081 Navigational control system for a robotic device 0 2009
8,368,339 Robot confinement 0 2009
8,463,438 Method and system for multi-mode coverage for an autonomous robot 0 2009
8,428,778 Navigational control system for a robotic device 0 2009
8,253,368 Debris sensor for cleaning apparatus 0 2010
8,418,303 Cleaning robot roller processing 0 2011
8,438,695 Autonomous coverage robot sensing 0 2011
8,456,125 Debris sensor for cleaning apparatus 0 2011
 
BENTLY NEVADA CORPORATION LLC (15)
6,346,807 Digital eddy current proximity system: apparatus and method 17 1999
6,664,782 Digital eddy current proximity system: apparatus and method 8 2002
6,906,532 Method for digitally measuring electrical impedance 5 2003
6,825,676 Apparatus for determining dynamic gaps between a proximity probe and a conductive target material 0 2003
6,919,731 Method for measuring a position of a conductive target material 1 2003
6,819,122 Method for measuring a gap between a proximity probe and a conductive target material 6 2003
6,765,395 Method for measuring a gap between a proximity probe and a conductive target material 2 2003
6,954,062 Apparatus for determining gaps between a proximity probe and a conductive target material 1 2003
6,850,077 Method for measuring a characteristic of a conductive target material using a proximity probe 2 2003
6,850,078 Method for measuring a gap between a proximity probe and a conductive target material 0 2003
6,847,217 Method for measuring a gap between a proximity probe and a conductive target material 1 2003
6,842,020 Method for measuring a gap between a proximity probe and a conductive target material 1 2003
6,798,194 Method for measuring a gap between a proximity probe and a conductive target material 2 2003
6,756,794 Apparatus for determining a gap between a proximity probe component and a conductive target material 2 2003
6,861,852 Method for measuring a gap between a proximity probe and a conductive target material 1 2003
 
CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA (10)
6,254,212 Method and device for determining the quantity of product present in a reservoir, notably that of ink present in an image forming device 16 1997
6,325,477 Method and device for determining the quantity of product present in a reservoir, a product reservoir and a device for processing electrical signals intended for such a determination device 0 1998
6,183,054 Method and device for determining the quantities of consumable products contained in reservoirs grouped together next to one another and document printing device using this method 3 1998
6,095,629 Device for determining quantities of consumable products contained in reservoirs and a document printing device having several different reservoirs of pigmented products 4 1998
6,293,144 Method and device for monitoring the consumption of a product, for example a printing ink, using a low-pass filter 7 1998
6,089,688 Method and device for monitoring the consumption of a product, such as an ink, contained in a reservoir 24 1998
6,501,915 Image forming apparatus having detection electrode outside developing thereof 2 2001
6,892,035 Developing device, a process cartridge, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for detecting an amount of developer 7 2001
6,415,112 Toner remaining amount detecting device, toner remaining amount detecting method, process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus 9 2001
8,036,544 Image forming apparatus and method of detecting amount of residual developer 0 2008
 
XEROX CORPORATION (5)
7,555,246 Development sub-system in-line cleaning system 3 2006
7,428,398 Development sub-system in-line cleaning system 0 2006
8,199,343 Partial electrical discharge system and method 0 2006
8,068,748 Methods and systems for sensing an amount of material in a toner cartridge 0 2008
8,256,869 Capacitive drop mass measurement system 0 2009
 
BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC. (4)
6,769,231 Apparatus, method and flexible bag for use in manufacturing 5 2001
6,905,314 Pump having flexible liner and compounding apparatus having such a pump 25 2001
7,007,824 Liquid dispenser and flexible bag therefor 7 2003
7,237,691 Flexible bag for fluent material dispenser 5 2005
 
DEPUY PRODUCTS, INC. (4)
7,470,288 Telemetric tibial tray 2 2004
7,704,282 Orthopaedic element with self-contained data storage 0 2004
7,347,874 In vivo joint implant cycle counter 1 2004
7,195,645 In vivo joint space measurement device and method 29 2004
 
EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY (3)
5,933,657 Making of film scrolls for prewind cameras 6 1996
6,670,817 Capacitive toner level detection 26 2001
6,731,885 Capacitive probe toner level detector assembly 5 2002
 
HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P. (3)
5,987,269 Toner quantity measuring technique in an electrophotographic printer 24 1998
6,431,670 Ink level sensing method and apparatus 6 2000
6,472,887 Capacitive sensor for sensing the amount of material in a container 13 2000
 
LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC. (2)
6,580,881 Method of detecting waste toner in a container of an image forming apparatus 5 2001
7,555,231 Capacitive toner level sensor and methods of use 1 2006
 
CYBERLAB, INC. (1)
5,582,798 Volume sensing device 15 1995
 
FUJI XEROX CO., LTD. (1)
5,995,778 Apparatus and method for detecting toner density in a liquid developer 3 1998
 
INFOPRINT SOLUTIONS COMPANY, LLC, A DELAWARE CORPORATION (1)
7,061,391 Method, system, and program for monitoring a consumable resource used by a system 10 2001
 
Instrumentarium Oy (1)
5,735,167 Method and arrangement for measuring liquid level 9 1996
 
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC RESEARCH LABORATORIES, INC. (1)
6,546,795 Wireless liquid level sensing system and method 21 2001
 
SIE SENSORIK INDUSTRIE-ELEKTRONIK GMBH (1)
7,891,243 Sensor for the contactless detection of the level of a liquid and adhering high-conductivity medium, especially blood, through a non-metal wall of a container 0 2006