Abstract: An image forming apparatus is adapted to distinguish a presence between a full and a partially-full toner cassette. The image forming apparatus includes a load cell positioned in a developer station. The load cell is adapted to sense a mass of a toner cassette at least during an insertion of the toner cassette into the apparatus. A processor is adapted to determine a toner volume contained in the toner cassette based on a mass differential. A controller is adapted to drive or suspend a motor in the developer station to control an operation of the image forming apparatus. The controller controls the operation based on the toner volume.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a controller that stores instructions, which cause the image forming apparatus to determine a characteristic measurement in response to a toner cartridge being partially inserted into the image forming apparatus. A pair of spaced apart sensors included on the image forming apparatus each contact an outer cross-sectional surface of a film on a delivery aperture of the toner cartridge. The image forming apparatus further includes an auger having at least one sensor for conducting a characteristic measurement on the film. The characteristic measurement corresponds to criteria programmed in the image forming apparatus for determining if the toner cartridge has a full toner level or a partially full (or low) toner level.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is adapted to distinguish a presence between a full and a partially-full toner cassette. The image forming apparatus includes a load cell positioned in a developer station. The load cell is adapted to sense a mass of a toner cassette at least during an insertion of the toner cassette into the apparatus. A processor is adapted to determine a toner volume contained in the toner cassette based on a mass differential. A controller is adapted to drive or suspend a motor in the developer station to control an operation of the image forming apparatus. The controller controls the operation based on the toner volume.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a controller that stores instructions, which cause the image forming apparatus to determine a characteristic measurement in response to a toner cartridge being partially inserted into the image forming apparatus. A pair of spaced apart sensors included on the image forming apparatus each contact an outer cross-sectional surface of a film on a delivery aperture of the toner cartridge. The image forming apparatus further includes an auger having at least one sensor for conducting a characteristic measurement on the film. The characteristic measurement corresponds to criteria programmed in the image forming apparatus for determining if the toner cartridge has a full toner level or a partially full (or low) toner level.