Patent ID: 6845224

Claim:
An apparatus for adjusting the timing of contact between a transfer assist blade and a charged imaging surface in order that the timing be automatically adjusted within specifications, said apparatus comprising: an imaging apparatus for developing a partially toned pattern having about 20 to about 80 percent coverage in a region of a charged imaging surface; a transfer assist blade assembly, including a transfer assist blade, for moving a transfer assist blade between a position engaged with a surface and a position disengaged from such surface; a drive device, connected to the transfer assist assembly, for imparting engagement and disengagement motion to the transfer assist blade, said drive device having an activation time for engaging the transfer assist blade with the surface and a deactivation time for disengaging the transfer assist blade from the surface; a toner area coverage measuring device for measuring the percentage of the partially toned region that is covered by toner; and a controller, in communication with the drive device and area coverage measuring device, for adjusting the timing of activation of the drive device, wherein, in response to receiving signals from the toner area coverage measuring device indicating that the time of activation resulted in engagement of the transfer assist blade outside of the specifications, the controller adjusts the timing of activation accordingly.