Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080205915 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes a first cabinet, a toner carrier, an image carrier, a second cabinet disposed adjacent to the first cabinet, a toner amount detector and an empty decision unit. An inside of the first cabinet is communicated to an inside of the second cabinet through a plurality of openings. A spacing between one outer edge of one opening provided in one end side and another outer edge in a direction opposite to the longitudinal direction of another opening provided in another end side has a width not less than a width of an image forming region. The empty decision unit decides that a remaining state of a suspension polymerization toner in the second cabinet is the empty state before the amount of suspension polymerization toner in the second cabinet becomes smaller than the amount of suspension polymerization toner in the first cabinet. | 08-28-2008 |
20080205916 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE CONTROL METHOD - An image forming apparatus | 08-28-2008 |
20080212985 | Image Formation Apparatus and Image Formation System - The invention provides an image formation apparatus that includes: a containing section that contains a developer, the containing section having an opening; a developer carrier that is exposed at the opening and carries a developer, the developer carrier being capable of rotating, the developer carrier rotating on the basis of either a first speed mode or a second speed mode so as to develop a latent image that is formed on an image carrier, the first speed mode having a faster speed of rotation of the developer carrier, the second speed mode having a slower speed of rotation of the developer carrier; a replenishing member that replenishes a developer into the containing section; a detecting member that detects whether the height of a developer that is contained in the containing section is at a replenishment start level at which replenishment performed by the replenishing member should be started or not and further detects whether the height of a developer that is contained in the containing section is at a replenishment end level at which replenishment performed by the replenishing member should be ended or not; and a controlling section that controls the replenishment of a developer that is performed by the replenishing member, the controlling section commanding the replenishing member to replenish a developer until the detecting member detects that the height of the developer that is contained in the containing section is at the replenishment end level if the detecting member detects that the height of the developer that is contained in the containing section is at the replenishment start level when the developer carrier that rotates on the basis of the first speed mode develops the latent image, whereas the controlling section commanding the replenishing member to replenish a developer by a predetermined amount if the detecting member detects that the height of the developer that is contained in the containing section is at the replenishment start level when the developer carrier that rotates on the basis of the second speed mode develops the latent image. | 09-04-2008 |
20080219683 | DEVELOPER REPLENISHING DEVICE FOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner replenishing device that provides a container and a device having a high toner volumetric efficiency and a low cost, suppresses vibration during replenishment to a minimum, and stores recovered toner without impairing the volumetric efficiency of unused toner is constituted by a developer replenishing device which is provided with a developer container storing a developer used in an image forming apparatus and replenishes a developing device of the image forming apparatus with the developer in the developer container. The developer container is rectangular in a horizontal direction, and comprises an outside container storing unused developer and a deformable inside container enveloped by the outside container. The developer replenishing device comprises a developer discharging mouthpiece portion for discharging the developer from the interior of the container, which is provided in a lengthwise direction end portion of the outside container, an air supply nozzle, provided in an opposite side end portion to the developer discharging mouthpiece portion in the lengthwise direction, for introducing air into the inside container, and an air pump for supplying air to the supply nozzle. | 09-11-2008 |
20080226310 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a data processor, a first calculating unit, a second calculating unit, an updating unit, and an instructing unit. The first calculating unit calculates estimated developer consumption necessary to form an image. The second calculating unit calculates developer consumption corresponding to a sum of density values of image pixels. The updating unit calculates remaining developer. The instructing unit issues an instruction to the data processor to reduce developer to be consumed when the estimated developer consumption exceeds the remaining developer. The data processor converts scanned image data into print image data in response to the instruction such that the image is to be formed with the remaining developer. | 09-18-2008 |
20080226311 | DEVELOPMENT DEVICE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE DEVELOPMENT DEVICE - A novel development device includes a developer roller, a developer reservoir, a rotatable conveyor, and a replenisher unit. The developer roller is configured to supply toner particles to the electrostatic latent image. The developer reservoir is configured to hold the developer therewithin for application to the developer roller. The rotatable conveyor is configured to rotate within the developer reservoir to convey the developer toward the developer roller. The replenisher unit has a tubular member terminating at a port opening in the developer reservoir. The replenisher unit is configured to direct a particulate material through the tubular member into the developer reservoir via the port. The particulate material is toner particles, carrier particles, or a mixture of toner particles and a given amount of carrier particles. The port is submerged in the developer within the developer reservoir as the rotatable conveyor rotates. | 09-18-2008 |
20080232828 | ADAPTIVE TONER GAS GAUGE - In accordance with certain aspects, an adaptive system and method are implemented to estimate the level of consumable such as toner on a gauge that accommodates machine-to-machine variances, individual machine degradation over time, and otherwise correct over time for various inaccuracies by applying an error compensation that can be used in subsequent replenisher computations. Over the lifetime of the imaging machine, such as a copier or printer device, these error compensations can increase the accuracy of the particular machine, to accommodate various deviations from nominal constraint assumptions as a result of differences in one or more operating constraints. | 09-25-2008 |
20080232829 | ADAPTIVE TONER GAS GAUGE - In accordance with certain aspects, an adaptive system and method are implemented to estimate the level of a consumable such as toner on a gauge that accommodates machine-to-machine variances, individual machine degradation over time, and otherwise correct over time of various inaccuracies by applying an error compensations can increase the accuracy of the particular machine to replenisher computations. Over the lifetime of the imaging machine, such as a copier or printer device, these error compensations can increase the accuracy of the particular machine to accommodate various deviations from nominal constraint assumptions as a result of differences in one or more operating constraints. | 09-25-2008 |
20080240746 | Image forming apparatus and image forming system - An image forming apparatus includes: a developing device; a replaceable developing material container that contains developing material; a coupling member that couples the developing device to the developing material container; a controller that, when the developing material container is attached and an installation sequence to fill the coupling member with developing material is performed, calculates a value obtained by performing an operation to calculate replacement time of the developing material container, on a developing material amount obtained by subtracting a developing material amount filled in the coupling member from a developing material amount contained in the attached developing material container; and a display that displays information indicating the replacement time of the developing material container-based on the value calculated by the controller. | 10-02-2008 |
20080253780 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus including: an image forming section for forming an image, the image forming section including a photoconductor, a charging unit, a developing unit, a toner supply unit which supplies a toner to said developing unit, and a developing bias power supply section which supplies a developing bias voltage to said developing unit; and a controller that activates said image forming section, determines a target value of a charging potential of said photoconductor and/or a developing bias voltage, for forming the image, and controls the charging unit and/or the developing bias power supply section in accordance with a determined result, wherein when an absolute value of the determined target value of the charging potential or an absolute value of the determined developing bias voltage is larger than a prescribed value, said controller controls replacement of a prescribed amount of a toner in the developing unit. | 10-16-2008 |
20080260396 | PRINTING DEVICE - A printing device is provided with a printing module, an amount detecting module which detects a remaining amount of the printing material, a first value determining module configured to determine, if the remaining amount of the printing material is equal to or less than a predetermined amount, a maximum value of a density range, within which a print density is to be set for printing, to be a smaller value than a maximum value of the density range for a case where the remaining amount of the printing material is larger than the predetermined amount, and a print density changing module configured to change the set print density to be equal to or less than the maximum value determined by the first value determining module if the set print density is greater than the maximum value determined by the density determining module. | 10-23-2008 |
20080267641 | DEVELOPING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND DEVELOPMENT ERROR DETECTING METHOD - A disclosed developing device includes a developing roller; a supply roller that is in contact with the developing roller and configured to supply toner to the developing roller; a current measuring unit configured to measure an electric current that flows from the developing roller to the supply roller when the toner is supplied from the supply roller to the developing roller; and an error determining unit configured to detect a development error of the developing roller based on the electric current measured by the current measuring unit. | 10-30-2008 |
20080267642 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM - An information processing apparatus is configured to communicate with an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a toner supply unit having a stationary toner container and a replaceable toner container. The information processing apparatus includes a first receiving unit configured to receive from the image forming apparatus a toner-low notification with respect to the stationary toner container, a second receiving unit configured to receive from the image forming apparatus a replaceability notification with respect to the replaceable toner container, and a management unit configured to manage a stock quantity of the replaceable toner containers based on the toner-low notification received by the first receiving unit and the replaceability notification received by the second receiving unit. | 10-30-2008 |
20080285985 | APPARATUS AND METHOD TO SUPPLY DEVELOPER - Embodiments of an image forming apparatus, developer supplying apparatus and methods thereof may control a developer conveying speed in accordance with image print conditions, environmental status and/or developer amount to substantially maintain a stable amount or supply amount of developer. The developer may include bi-component developer having toner and carrier. | 11-20-2008 |
20080285986 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is provided with a photoconductor to have an electrostatic latent image formed thereon, a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image with a toner, a toner replenishing device for replenishing the toner into the developing device, and a controller for controlling an image developing operation by the developing device and a toner replenishing operation by the toner replenishing device. The controller executes a non-replenishment mode for causing the developing device to perform image development without being replenished with the toner from the toner replenishing device, a discharge mode, following the non-replenishment mode, for discharging the toner remaining in the developing device and a refill mode, following the discharge mode, for refilling the toner into the developing device by the toner replenishing device. | 11-20-2008 |
20080292331 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS, PROCESS CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developing apparatus usable with an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the apparatus including a developer accommodating container, a developer chamber including a developer carrying member carrying and feeding a developer supplied from the container to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a stirrer stirring the developer in the chamber and supplying the developer from the container into the chamber through an opening in the container, a wall surface, provided in the container, for being contacted by a free end portion of the stirrer while the stirrer moves, and a detector detecting a remaining amount of the developer. The position where the free end portion of the stirrer separates from the wall surface is above the detector and inside the container. | 11-27-2008 |
20080292332 | Image forming device, and method and computer readable medium therefor - An image forming device includes a container accommodating toner, a light emitting unit emitting light to be transmitted through the container, a light receiving unit receiving the light transmitted through the container, an efficiency determining unit determining a light receiving efficiency based on a light intensity of the light received by the light receiving unit, an execution amount determining unit determining an execution amount of image forming operations that represents an accumulated amount of image forming operations executed since first use of the container, a correction coefficient determining unit determining a correction coefficient based on the execution amount of image forming operations, an efficiency modifying unit modifying the light receiving efficiency with the correction coefficient, and an estimating unit estimating an amount of the toner remaining in the container based on the modified light receiving efficiency. | 11-27-2008 |
20080292333 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus that forms a latent image on an image carrier based on image data, the apparatus includes: a first calculating unit adapted to calculate an exposure amount of a pixel of interest included in a partial region configured of a plurality of pixels that constitute the image data; a second calculating unit adapted to calculate an exposure amount of surrounding pixels that are located around the pixel of interest and constitute the partial region; and a toner consumption amount calculating unit adapted to calculate a toner consumption amount of the pixel of interest based on the exposure amount of the pixel of interest and the exposure amount of the surrounding pixels, wherein the second calculating unit calculates the exposure amount of the pixel of interest by weighting the image data corresponding to the surrounding pixels on a pixel-by-pixel basis. | 11-27-2008 |
20080298823 | Methods and apparatuses for determining the number of printed pages remaining in a toner cartridge - A method for determining the number of printed pages remaining in a toner cartridge for an electrophotographic image forming device. A toner cartridge and electrophotographic image forming device for storing and/or performing aspects of the method is also provided. | 12-04-2008 |
20080304838 | Toner Supply Device and Image Forming Apparatus - It is possible to estimate the quantity of toner remaining in the storage container by stopping the supply of toner from the storage container when the quantity of toner in the storage section is at a prescribed level, by starting the supply of toner after continuing to print as it is for a prescribed period of time, and by measuring the time taken for the quantity of toner to reach the prescribed level. | 12-11-2008 |
20080317481 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner cartridge counts the number of times the toner cartridge has been shaken by a counting unit. A control unit of an image forming apparatus acquires the counting result of the counting unit, and controls each unit of the apparatus such that a display unit displays a message encouraging the worker to shake the toner cartridge since the shaking of the toner cartridge is insufficient if the acquired counting result is smaller than a predetermined value, and the toner contained in the toner cartridge is supplied to a developing unit of the image forming apparatus since the toner cartridge is sufficiently shaken and the toner in the toner cartridge is stirred and dissolved if the acquired counting result is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. | 12-25-2008 |
20080317482 | Image forming apparatus - A supplying roller supplies toner to a developing roller which develops the electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductive drum. The controller controls the supply to output first and second voltages to the developing roller and supplying roller. A detector generates a signal indicative of remaining toner. The voltage controller performs voltage correction according to the signal either in a first mode where the first voltage has a smaller value when the signal has become below a reference than when the signal is above the reference, or in a second mode where the first voltage has a smaller value when the signal has become below the reference than when the signal is above the reference, and a difference between the first and second voltages has a larger value when the signal has become below the reference than when the signal is above the reference. | 12-25-2008 |
20090003850 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS - A developing apparatus including a developing container for containing developer, the developing container having an opening portion, a developer carrying member for carrying the developer at the opening portion, a detecting member for detecting a developer amount, the detecting member detecting a capacitance between the developer carrying member and the detecting member, and a force receiving portion for receiving a force and moving the developing container between a first position in which a developing operation is performed by the developer carrying member and a second position in which the developing operation is not performed, wherein the capacitance can be detected in the second position, and the detecting member is a rotatable developer supplying member for supplying the developer to the developer carrying member, the developer supplying member including a foam layer in which the developer can enter. | 01-01-2009 |
20090003851 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - In an image forming apparatus provided with a rotary type image developing apparatus, during monochrome print job processing, it is judged whether the amount of toner remaining in the developing chamber of the black developer unit is equal to or less than a predetermined amount M. If the judgement is affirmative, (i) the monochrome print job is suspended, (ii) the rotary rack is rotated to stop the black developer unit at the toner supply position temporarily, and is moved to the developing position again, and (iii) the monochrome print job is resumed. With the stated structure, the toner can be steadily supplied even when the amount of toner remaining in the developing chamber gets low during executing monochrome print jobs. | 01-01-2009 |
20090010659 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a developing device for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member on the basis of image information, into a developed image with a developer, the developing device including a developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer and a stirring member for stirring the developer in the developer accommodating portion; an optical remaining amount detecting device for detecting a remaining amount of the developer in the developer accommodating portion, by passing light through an inside of the developer accommodating portion; a consumption amount calculation device for calculating information relating to a consumption amount of the developer on the basis of the image information; and an outputting device for outputting an information signal indicative of a developer remainder which is either one of a developer remainder based on a detection result of the optical remaining amount detecting device and a developer remainder based on the information relating to the consumption amount provided by the consumption amount calculation device, selected in accordance with information relating to continuous drive time of the stirring member after start of drive thereof during image forming operation. | 01-08-2009 |
20090016745 | REST RECOVERY SYSTEM, METHOD AND ALGORITHM - A method and computer program for preventing excess supply of toner in an imaging device include detecting a change in a tribo-electric charge of toner after a period of inactivity of the imaging device, compensating a toner dispense control value, such as a PID (Proportional, Integral, Differential) value, based on the detected change in the tribo-electric charge of toner, and outputting the compensated toner dispense control value. A system for preventing excess supply of toner includes a sensor that detects a change in a tribo-electric charge of toner after a period of inactivity of the imaging device, and a controller that compensates the toner dispense control value based on the detected change in the tribo-electric charge of toner and outputs the compensated toner dispense control value. The detected change may be based on a charge prior to the inactivity. | 01-15-2009 |
20090016746 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes a toner bottle, a supply unit that supplies toner from the toner bottle to a downstream side, a door that is openably provided to execute toner replenishment, an opening/closing sensor that senses opening/closing of the door, and a unit that renders the supply unit inoperable if the door is open. If the opening/closing sensor detects the opening of the door, counting of the number of prints is started. Then, the control unit detects whether the door is closed. If the door is still opening, the control unit checks whether the number of prints has reached a predetermined value. If not, the control unit sets the image forming apparatus in a printing state. If yes, the control unit stops the printing operation. If the closing of the door is detected, the control unit resets the count value. Subsequently, the control unit determines whether the initial value of the number of prints, which is set through a control panel at the time of starting the printing operation, is reached. If the initial value is reached, the printing operation is completed. | 01-15-2009 |
20090022506 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrying member; a developing unit that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrying member using toner; a toner dispensing unit that dispenses the toner to the developing unit; and a toner dispense control unit that controls the toner dispensing unit in accordance with an operation speed of the developing unit or the image carrying member. | 01-22-2009 |
20090028587 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image based on image data onto a recording medium, a fixing device configured to thermally fix the toner image transferred onto the recording medium, a stack tray configured to stack a recording medium conveyed from the fixing device, and a controller configured to calculate based on the image data an amount of a toner on a top surface of the recording media stacked on the stack tray and an amount of a toner on a bottom surface of the recording media to be subsequently conveyed and discharged onto the stack tray and to control a recording medium discharge interval based on a result of calculating the amounts of the toners. | 01-29-2009 |
20090034995 | Image Forming Device - An image forming device to which can be installed an image forming material cartridge which contains an image forming material, and which has a non-volatile memory from which data can be read and to which data can be written, includes a counter which approximately counts the image forming material usage amount of the image forming material cartridge, and generates an image forming material usage amount count; a state detector which detects a predetermined state in which it is inferred that the amount of the image forming material in the image forming material cartridge is low; a storage unit which stores amount of change information which specifies the amount of change of the image forming material usage amount count from the time point that the predetermined state was detected until the present in the non-volatile memory of the image forming material cartridge; and a determination unit which determines whether or not the image forming material cartridge is a refilled product, based upon the amount of change of the image forming material usage amount count and upon a first threshold value. | 02-05-2009 |
20090052911 | Optical Sensor System With A Dynamic Threshold For Monitoring Toner Transfer In An Image Forming Device - A method and device for monitoring toner transfer within an image forming device is described herein. A reflectivity sensor senses movement of a toner transfer gear operatively connected to a toner transfer system. A threshold unit generates a dynamic threshold based on the output of the reflectivity sensor. In one embodiment, the threshold unit generates the dynamic threshold based on a time delayed average of the sensor output. An instantaneous sensor output is compared to the dynamic threshold. Based on the comparison, the device determines the how much the toner transfer gear has rotated, and therefore, how much toner has been transferred from the toner cartridge. | 02-26-2009 |
20090060533 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a developing device for developing an electrostatic image with a developer; a developer amount detecting device for detecting an amount of a developer in the developing device; a developer consumption amount calculating device for calculating a consumption amount of the developer on the basis of image information of the electrostatic image; a developer supplying device for supplying the developer to the developing device; a control device for controlling a developer supply operation to the developing device by the developer supplying device, wherein the control device controls the developer supply device to supply a predetermined amount of the developer every time an integrated value of the consumption amount of the developer exceeds a supply threshold, and corrects the supply threshold on the basis of information relating to an amount of the developer in the developing device detected by the developer amount detecting device. | 03-05-2009 |
20090080912 | Image Forming Method - When copying control (copying/printing job) is finished, the main CPU checks whether the scanner control is being executed in the scanner portion. If the scanner control is not being executed, the main CPU checks whether there is any scanner control executing request. If there is no scanner control executing request, the main CPU locks a scanner control resource, reads out a count value of a toner residual amount stored in a non-volatile RAM, renews the control information of EEPROM of the toner cartridge through an interface, releases the lock of the scanner control resource and finishes the copying operation. | 03-26-2009 |
20090092402 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus which forms an image and exchanges information to and from an external apparatus includes a replacement detection unit to detect that a consumable constituting the image forming apparatus is replaced, a temporary information storage unit to store, when the replacement detection unit detects that the consumable is replaced, replacement achievement information of the consumable as temporary information indicating that the replacement is temporary into a storage unit, and a formal information storage unit to store, when a specified condition is established, the temporary information as formal information indicating that the replacement is confirmed into the storage unit. | 04-09-2009 |
20090092403 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In an image forming apparatus having a toner density sensor which emits light to a developer carried on a developing sleeve and which detects developer density by a reflection output value from the developer, when a reflection output value when the developer is initially set with respect to the illumination light of the toner density sensor is defined as A and a reflection output value of a region of at least the developing sleeve which is opposed to the toner density sensor when the developer is not carried on the developing sleeve is defined as B, a value of B/A is in a range of 0.3 | 04-09-2009 |
20090097869 | Image Forming Apparatus, Toner Consumption Calculation Method and Method of Deriving Toner Consumption Base Data for Use Therein - An image forming apparatus comprises: a photosensitive member that revolvably moves in a moving direction; an exposure device that exposes a surface of the photosensitive member to a light beam which is controllably activated according to an image signal and scanned on the surface of the photosensitive member in a scanning direction perpendicular to the moving direction thereof, thereby forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member in correspondence to the image signal; a developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image with a toner to form a toner image; and a toner consumption calculator that counts the number of dots constituting the toner image based on the image signal and calculates a quantity of toner consumed by the developing device based on the resultant count value, wherein the toner consumption calculator calculates a toner consumption based on the count value of the dots weighted according to the number of consecutive dots in the scanning direction, and the magnitude of weighted amount is determined based on toner consumption base data representing a toner consumption on a line-patterned toner image which has a line pattern including a component in the moving direction and being formed with a line width corresponding to a consecutive dot number. | 04-16-2009 |
20090110412 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A color image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic type, includes a toner container containing a toner therein, arranged on an upper portion of an outside of a main frame of the apparatus in which an imagewise exposure section, a developing section and a fixing section are housed. | 04-30-2009 |
20090110413 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE DENSITY CONTROL METHOD - An image forming apparatus and an image density control method for controlling image density in the image forming apparatus, involving adjusting a toner concentration control reference value in accordance with an amount of the toner replaced in a developing device so as to adjust the image density to maintain a consistent developability and changing image forming intervals in accordance with an amount of the toner replaced in the developing device during continuous printing operation. | 04-30-2009 |
20090110414 | IMAGE STABILIZING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - There is provided an image stabilizing apparatus which is capable of keeping a toner concentration and a printing density constant when, toner consumption is small, and further which is systematically simple. The image stabilizing apparatus comprises a control portion for controlling a toner replenishment amount in a toner replenishing apparatus depending on a toner concentration detected by a toner concentration sensor and a print coverage of a document detected by a print coverage detecting portion, and controlling, when the print coverage of the document detected by the print coverage detecting portion is less than a predetermined value and such documents continue, so as to discharge a predetermined amount of toner to the image bearing member by developing forcibly, and then replenish the same amount of toner as the predetermined amount by the toner replenishing apparatus. | 04-30-2009 |
20090116858 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A developing device capable of adjusting to an appropriate toner density just after replacement of developer regardless of a humidity environment, and an image forming apparatus provided with the same. In a developing device, when developer is replaced, an initial toner density of developer for replacement is set so as to be equal to a toner density in its life or lower, and after replacement of the developer for replacement, a control section determines whether toner replenishment is necessary or not based on a detection value of a humidity sensor prior to a development operation. | 05-07-2009 |
20090123166 | Image forming apparatus and method of discarding developer - An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming units each having an image supporting member, a developer supporting member, and a cleaning member for cleaning developer on the image supporting member. The image forming apparatus further includes a transfer device for transferring a developer image to a medium; a fixing device for fixing the developer image to the medium; a first detection unit for detecting a first physical value of an external environment of the image forming apparatus; a second detection unit for detecting a second physical value of an internal environment of the image forming apparatus; and a control unit for determining whether at least one of the image forming units performs a developer discard mode in which developer is discarded according to the first physical value, the second physical value, and a distance between the one of the image forming units and the fixing device. | 05-14-2009 |
20090129792 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - According to an embodiment of the invention, degradation of carrier in a case is detected from the number of rotations of a developing roller. A predetermined quantity of carrier is replenished every time the developing roller reaches a predetermined number of rotations. An excess developer caused by an increase in bulk through carrier replenishment is discharged from a developer discharge port. The degraded old carrier in the case is replaced by new carrier little by little. | 05-21-2009 |
20090136244 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND DEVELOPER LEVEL CALCULATING METHOD OF THE SAME - An image forming apparatus and a developer level calculating method of the same. The image forming apparatus includes a developing unit which includes a developing roller to provide the developer onto a photosensitive body, a developing sensor to sense a developer level, and a supplying roller to supply the developer to the developing roller; a developer bottle which supplies the developer to the developing unit; and a controller which calculates a number of first printing dots of the developing unit, converts the amount of the developer supplied from the developer bottle sensed by the developer sensor into a number of second printing dots, calculates a number of third printing dots on the basis of the number of the first printing dots and the second printing dots, and calculates total developer level of the developer bottle on the basis of the number of the third printing dots. | 05-28-2009 |
20090142078 | IMAGE FORMING CARTRIDGE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TONER CARTRIDGE - An image forming cartridge comprises a developing unit configured to hold toner including a developing section configured to use the toner for developing and a supplying section configured to provide the toner to the developing section and a toner cartridge attachable to the developing unit, wherein the toner cartridge contains toner and supplies toner to the developing unit and the toner cartridge includes a stand-by charging unit configured to perform stand-by charge to the toner in the toner cartridge. | 06-04-2009 |
20090142079 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes: at least one retaining member configured to temporarily retain remaining developer remaining on a photosensitive member; a belt arranged opposite to a plurality of photosensitive members; a cleaning device collecting developer on the belt; a remaining developer collecting unit configured to cause the remaining developer retained by the retaining member to be transferred onto the belt via the photosensitive member and thereafter collected by the cleaning device; a circulation mechanism configured to circulate developer between the development chamber and the developer storage chamber; a detector detecting the amount of developer in the developer storage chamber; a determination unit configured to determine if the amount of developer in the developer storage chamber is less than a predetermined amount; and a notifying unit notifying to replace a developer receptacle when the amount of developer stored in the developer storage chamber becomes less than the predetermined amount. | 06-04-2009 |
20090154942 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus comprises a developer carrier ( | 06-18-2009 |
20090175634 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A method for controlling an image forming apparatus is disclosed. An image pattern is developed both by a DC developing process using a developing bias voltage of only a DC voltage and by an AC+DC developing process using a developing bias voltage of a DC voltage overlapped with an AC voltage. The densities of the two developed image patterns is compared with each other to implement toner density control. | 07-09-2009 |
20090185814 | DOCUMENT PROCESSING SYSTEM WITH CONFIGURABLE GRAPHIC DISPLAY OF PRINT CONSUMABLE LEVEL - Document processing systems and methods are presented in which the remaining amount of toner, replenisher, or other print consumable in a multi-dispenser bottle consumable supply system is determined, and a user can configure a user interface to graphically display the remaining print consumable supply levels for one or more colors in one or more print engines. | 07-23-2009 |
20090190937 | DOCUMENT PROCESSING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTABLE PRINT CONSUMABLE REFILL LEVEL - Document processing systems and methods are presented in which a graphical user interface is used to set a user-selectable refill level for a print engine consumable, such as toner, replenisher, paper, etc. Once the user-selectable level has been reached, the user is notified and is prompted to either refill the print consumable or to continue use of the document processing system without refilling. | 07-30-2009 |
20090190938 | DEVELOPER STIRRING UNIT, DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer stirring unit, a developing device containing the developer stirring unit and an image forming apparatus comprising the developing device are supplied capable of correctly judging a remainder amount of developer in accommodating tank. In the developer stirring unit, a accommodating tank accommodates developer; a stirring member has at least one shaft portion and is used to stir the developer accommodated in the accommodating tank; a bearing member couples with the shaft portion and supports the stirring member to possibly rotate around the shaft portion serving as rotation axis and to possibly move along a axis direction of the rotation axis; a driving section drives the stirring member to rotate; and a judging section judges a remainder amount of the developer in the accommodating tank, wherein the stirring member is controlled to move along an axis direction of the rotation axis together with rotating along a rotation direction of the rotation axis. | 07-30-2009 |
20090202260 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - Provided is an image forming apparatus including a charging device for charging a photoreceptor drum, a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the photoreceptor drum, a developing bias applying device for applying a developing bias voltage to the developing device, a toner image density sensor for detecting an image density of a toner image formed on the photoreceptor drum, and a control portion for controlling an output value of the developing bias applying device, in which the control portion adjusts the developing bias voltage based on an average print coverage of document in previous printing jobs. | 08-13-2009 |
20090214229 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROLLING METHOD OF THE SAME - An image forming apparatus, a developing agent container and a controlling method of the same that improves a supply rate of developing agent from a developing agent container to a developing device that provides the developing agent to an image carrier. | 08-27-2009 |
20090214230 | DEVELOPER CARTRIDGE, DEVELOPING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A developer cartridge includes a cartridge body comprising a developer discharge port, a remaining developer detecting unit arranged in the proximity to the developer discharge port, and an agitating unit rotatably arranged inside the cartridge body to convey the developer accommodated in the cartridge body toward the developer discharge port. Since the optical sensor provided in the image forming apparatus body is capable of physically measuring an exact amount of remaining sensor of the developer cartridge, a printing error due to erroneous determination of the remaining developer amount can be prevented. | 08-27-2009 |
20090214231 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, PROGRAM, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus having a development unit which develops an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier to form a visible image, the apparatus has an input unit adapted to accept input of a print job; an analysis unit adapted to analyze contents of image data included in the print job and contents of a print setting for controlling printout based on the image data; a prediction unit adapted to predict, based on an analysis result by the analysis unit, a consumption amount of a developing material necessary to develop an electrostatic latent image by the development unit when an electrostatic latent image based on the image data is formed; and a supply control unit adapted to control, based on the consumption amount of the developing material that is predicted by the prediction unit, a supply unit which supplies the developing material to the development unit. | 08-27-2009 |
20090220252 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - A control unit separately drives an image carrier driving unit that drives an image carrier motor, a developing roller driving unit that drives a developing roller motor, a developer stirring member driving unit that drives a developer stirring member motor, and a fan driving unit that drives a fan motor. The control unit causes the fan driving unit to operate if the image carrier driving unit or the developer stirring member driving unit is operating. | 09-03-2009 |
20090220253 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - There is provided an image forming apparatus that is capable of reducing work burdens imposed on a user in terms of toner cartridge replacement. When a cartridge detection sensor detects that at least one of toner cartridges is emptied, a specified amount of toner is forcibly supplied from another toner cartridge than the toner cartridge subjected to detection to an intermediate hopper. After that, the amount of the toner within the another toner cartridge is detected. When an empty toner cartridge is newly detected, a request for replacement is issued as to both of the newly detected empty toner cartridge and the previously detected empty toner cartridge. | 09-03-2009 |
20090232524 | DEVELOPER SUPPLY DEVICE, DEVELOPER SUPPLY CONTROL METHOD, AND DEVELOPER SUPPLY CONTROL PROGRAM - An image forming device in which the toner density of a two-component developing device can be stably controlled in printing a one-page image and the frequency of interruption of even printing a series of pages can be decreased as less as possible. The number of pixels of the image relevant to the development counted during the printing and the toner consumption is estimated from other image information, and the amount of toner corresponding to the consumption is supplemented. In this supplement, the count is acquired at an intermediate time of the one-page printing, the toner consumption is estimated, and the toner is supplemented during the printing after the intermediate time. Thereby, toner supplement can be performed ahead of its schedule, and a variation of the toner density can be prevented correspondingly. | 09-17-2009 |
20090232525 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD OF DETERMINING DETERIORATION DEGREE OF DEVELOPMENT AGENT, AND PROGRAM OF DETERMINING DETERIORATION DEGREE OF DEVELOPMENT AGENT - The present invention provides a technique to accurately grasp a deterioration state of a development agent in a development device, in a development system which supplies a new development agent consisting of a toner and a carrier and discharges an deteriorated development agent to maintain a performance of a development agent in a development device. | 09-17-2009 |
20090238584 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE QUALITY MANAGEMENT METHOD AND IMAGE QUALITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM - A technique is provided which enables keeping color developers of yellow, magenta and cyan in developing devices in a satisfactory state even in a circumstance where a black toner is mainly used, in an image forming apparatus which is capable of executing image quality maintenance control and the like and which carries out printing to a photoconductor, a belt and so on while stirring the developer of each color. A determination standard for determining whether the quantity of remaining developer in a developing device housing a developer of a color that is not black should be detected or not can be selected and set from plural kinds of determination standards. Information used for determination based on the set determination standard is acquired. On the basis of the set determination standard and the acquired information, the quantity of remaining developer in the developing device housing the developer of the color that is not black of the plural colors is detected. | 09-24-2009 |
20090245820 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming unit includes an image supporter configured to be rotatable, and an amount detecting unit configured to rotate with a predetermined period to detect an amount of remaining developer. A rotation period of the amount detecting unit is an integral multiple of a rotation period of the image supporter. | 10-01-2009 |
20090263146 | TONER LEVEL SENSING - A method and system to sense an amount of material such as toner in a container held in a horizontal position within a machine, such as a printing machine. A level sensor senses an amount of material within a dispensing unit which causes the level sensor to issue a signal. The dispensing unit is external to the container. The container holding the material is rotated, and a rotation direction reversed to a direction normally used to dispense the material. The reverse rotation direction moves the material to a closed end of the container. The container is then moved in a forward direction following the rotation of the container in the reverse direction. The forward rotation moves the material to the open end of the container, and the material further moves into the dispensing unit. A signal is generated when a sufficient amount of material has been moved into the dispensing unit. A time period is determined which represents the time it took to move the material from the closed end of the material, until the signal indicating a sufficient amount of material exists in the dispensing unit. The amount of material in the container is estimated by use of the determined time period. | 10-22-2009 |
20090269087 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus transfers a toner image, which has been formed onto an image carrying member, to a printing medium. The image forming apparatus includes a sub-scan distance measuring part configured to measure a distance along a sub-scan direction from a predetermined position on the printing medium to a position at which the toner image is transferred to the printing medium; and a toner supplying amount control part configured to control, according to the distance measured by the sub-scan distance measuring part, a toner supplying amount used when the toner image is formed onto the image carrying member. | 10-29-2009 |
20090279907 | REUSE METHOD AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In a reuse method for reusing a reusable device and a sensor of a first image forming apparatus having a first process linear velocity in a second image forming apparatus having at least one second process linear velocity different from the first process linear velocity, the reusable device and the sensor are installed in the first image forming apparatus, and when the first image forming apparatus switches from the first process linear velocity to the second process linear velocity at an initial state before the reusable device is used, output of the sensor at the second process linear velocity is measured. When information on the output of the sensor at the second process linear velocity is stored, the reusable device and the sensor are removed from the first image forming apparatus and installed in the second image forming apparatus. | 11-12-2009 |
20090285588 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR - An image forming apparatus includes a latent image carrier, a latent image forming unit to form an electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier, at least one developing device disposed to contact the latent image carrier to develop the latent image with developer stored therein, a cooling mechanism including at least one cooling device disposed close to the developing device to cool the developing device, a developer amount detector electrically connected to the developing device to detect an amount of the developer remaining in the developing device, and a cooling mechanism controller connected to the cooling mechanism to change a cooling power of the cooling mechanism according to a detection result generated by the developer amount detector. The developing device includes a rotary member whose shaft is rotationally supported by at least one bearing and is not to be supplied with new developer while any developer remains therein. | 11-19-2009 |
20090290883 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING TONER CONSUMPTION - An apparatus and method for controlling an amount of toner used to reproduce an image in an image forming apparatus includes receiving image data for an image to be reproduced and determining an image type for the received image data. A first toner saving function is if the determined image type is a first image type. A second toner saving function, different from the first toner saving function, is used if the determined image type is a second image type, different from the first image type. | 11-26-2009 |
20090290884 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus provided with an image forming section, including: a toner density detection section which detect a density of a toner image transferred onto an intermediate transfer member; a density correction section which executes density correction processing of the toner image forming in a case where a density value detected by the density detection section does not satisfy a predetermined condition; a toner remaining amount detector which detects a toner remaining amount of a toner accumulation section; and a determination section which determines that failure has occurred in the exposure section if the density value detected by the density detection section does not satisfy the predetermined condition after the density correction processing executed by the density correction section is terminated, and the toner remaining amount detected by the toner remaining amount detector is greater than a predetermined remaining amount. | 11-26-2009 |
20090290885 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS DISCHARGING STAYING TONER - An image forming apparatus calculates the amount of staying toner based on the amount of drive of the developer roller and the amount of toner consumed for a print job performed. When the amount of staying toner exceeds a threshold, the toner is discharged. The threshold used upon completion of image stabilization is larger than that used upon completion of a print job. Even when performing image stabilization temporarily increases the amount of staying toner in the developing device, immediate toner discharge based on that condition is prevented. Thus, toner consumption can be minimized. | 11-26-2009 |
20090290886 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING MACHINE - In the case that images having high coverage ratios are printed out continuously in a trickle developing apparatus that uses a two-component developer, the developing apparatus judges how much carrier is accumulated inside a developer tank beyond the discharge level of a trickle discharging mechanism and carries out appropriate processing before the developer overflows over a regulating gap. The developing apparatus, having stirring members for conveying and stirring a developer-tank-contained developer and a developer holder, comprises a developer replenishing tank; a discharging mechanism for discharging an excessive amount of the developer-tank-contained developer outside the developer tank when the amount of the developer-tank-contained developer inside the developer tank has exceeded a predetermined amount; and calculating device for calculating the amount of the carrier existing inside the developer tank, and carries out predetermined danger avoiding operation when it has been judged using the calculating device that the integrated value of carrier obtained by integrating the amount of the carrier existing inside the developer tank is likely to exceed a predetermined excessive accommodation amount of carrier. | 11-26-2009 |
20090290887 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING MACHINE - The present invention provides a developing apparatus capable of predicting how much carrier is accumulated inside a developer tank beyond the discharge level of a trickle discharging mechanism in the case that images having high coverage ratios are printed out continuously in a trickle developing apparatus that uses a two-component developer. The developing apparatus, having stirring members for conveying and stirring a developer-tank-contained developer and a developer holder, comprises a developer replenishing tank; a discharging mechanism for discharging an excessive amount of the developer-tank-contained developer outside the developer tank when the amount of the developer-tank-contained developer inside the developer tank has exceeded a predetermined amount; and calculating device for calculating the amount of the carrier existing inside the developer tank, and judges using the calculating device that the integrated value of carrier obtained by integrating the amount of the carrier existing inside the developer tank is likely to exceed a predetermined excessive accommodation amount of carrier. | 11-26-2009 |
20090297175 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developing apparatus used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes: a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on a photosensitive drum; a developing container for containing developer; a developer conveying member for supplying the developer from the developing container to the developing roller; a light transmissive member provided in the developing container, and formed integrally with a light emitting guide portion for guiding, into the developing container, a detecting light from a light emitting element provided in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body to detect a developer remaining amount in the developing container and a light receiving guide portion for guiding the detecting light that has passed through the developing container to a light receiving element provided in the apparatus main body; and a regulating member for covering at least a space between the light emitting guide portion and the light receiving guide portion. | 12-03-2009 |
20090297176 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus is provided with a developing unit for attaching developer to a static latent image formed through charging and exposing to form a developer image; an image supporting member for supporting the developer image formed with the developing unit; a removing member disposed to abut against the image supporting member for removing developer; a drive unit for driving the image supporting member; a drive control unit for controlling the drive unit; and a fixing unit for fixing the developer image to a medium. It is configured such that the drive control unit controls the drive unit to temporarily stop before developer is discharged. | 12-03-2009 |
20090297177 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - An image forming device includes an imaging apparatus configured to form an image according to image data and to maintain information associated with performance of the imaging apparatus, a replaceable member that is mounted in the imaging apparatus and used for forming an image, a consumed amount calculation unit configured to calculate a usage value of the replaceable member, and a notification control unit configured to control a replacement notification. Wherein the notification control unit controls a timing of the replacement notification based on the usage value calculated by the consumed amount calculation unit and the information associated with performance of the imaging apparatus. | 12-03-2009 |
20090297178 | DEVELOPING DEVICE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In a developing device, a rotation shaft is provided with a developer feeding member, a cleaning member, and a receiving portion. The receiving portion is provided downstream of the developer feeding member and upstream of a light transmitting member, provided to a wall surface of a developer accommodating chamber of the developing device, with respect to a rotational direction of the rotation shaft when the cleaning member has passed through the light transmitting member. | 12-03-2009 |
20090304399 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND METHOD AND PROGRAM FOR DETERMINING TIMING TO EXECUTE IMAGE ADJUSTING PROCESSING - An image forming apparatus includes a toner replenishing device that supplies toner, based on a detection result from a sensor that detects a toner density in a developing device that develops an electrostatic latent image based on an image signal with toner, so that the toner density takes a given value, a memory portion that counts a time for toner replenishment actually carried out by the toner replenishing device to accumulate count results as an accumulated actual toner replenishment time, a memory portion that calculates an expected required time for toner replenishment based on the image signal to accumulate calculation results as an accumulated expected toner replenishment time, and a determining portion that determines in given timing whether or not to execute the image quality adjusting processing, based on a difference between the accumulated actual toner replenishment time and the accumulated expected toner replenishment time. | 12-10-2009 |
20090317098 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, CARTRIDGE, STORAGE DEVICE AND DEVELOPER SUPPLYING METHOD - An image forming apparatus is provided which includes a developing apparatus configured to form a developer image; a supply apparatus configured to supply developer to the developing apparatus; a detector configured to detect an amount of developer consumed during an image forming process; and a controller configured to perform an addition calculation for the amount of developer consumed, and for employing a value obtained by the addition calculation and a supply threshold value to determine whether developer should be supplied to the developing apparatus, wherein the controller sets the supply threshold value in accordance with an operating state of the developing apparatus. | 12-24-2009 |
20100014876 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a developing device configured to develop an electrostatic image on an image carrier with developer, and a developer container detachably attachable to the image forming apparatus and configured to store developer to be supplied to the developing device. A developer supply unit is configured to supply the developer from the developer container to the developing device. The developer supply unit includes a developer detector configured to detect the amount of developer in the developer supply unit. The image forming apparatus controls the supply of developer transported via the developer supply unit and disables image formation on the basis of the detection result obtained from the developer detector. After the image formation is disabled, when the completion of the replacement of the developer container is detected, the image forming apparatus canceled the disabled image formation regardless of the detection result obtained from the developer detector. | 01-21-2010 |
20100028027 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PROCESSING A MEASUREMENT SIGNAL FOR DETECTING A PROPERTY OF A TONER MARK - In a method or system for processing a measurement signal for detecting a property of a toner mark, the toner mark is produced and detected. A measurement signal is output, a signal curve of the measurement signal being determined. A temporal measurement window is provided for detecting a property of the toner mark, the temporal measurement window having a beginning and an end. A plausibility check is carried out of the determined signal curve wherein a maximum value and a minimum value of the signal curve are determined, a first difference value between a maximum value and the minimum value is determined, a first temporal distance is determined between an occurrence of the maximum value and an occurrence of the minimum value, a second temporal distance is determined between at least one of the beginning and end of the measurement window and the occurrence of at least one of the maximum value and the minimum value, and a second difference value is determined between a first distance of the maximum value from a reference value and a second distance of the minimum value from the reference value, and the second determined difference value is compared to at least one of a defined minimum difference value and a defined maximum difference value. | 02-04-2010 |
20100046966 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is supplied capable of informing user just after developer in an accommodating section is exhausted. In the apparatus, a developing section is used for forming and developing an electrostatic latent image through developer; an accommodating section accommodates the developer; a supplying section makes the accommodating section be installed exchangeably and supplies the developer to the developing section; a space amount obtaining section obtains a space amount of the supplying section before exchanging the accommodating section; an initial amount calculating section calculates an initial amount of developer in the accommodating section after exchanged on the basis of the space amount and an accommodating amount of the accommodating section; a use amount calculating section calculates a use amount of the developer used by the developing section; a judging section judges an existence/inexistence of the developer in the accommodating section on the basis of the initial amount and the use amount; and an informing section informs user of a judgment result when the judging section judges that the toner does not exist. | 02-25-2010 |
20100054764 | PRINTER - In a printer, the image-forming unit performs an image-forming operation in one of a non-saving mode and a saving mode. An amount of the printing agent used in the saving mode is less than an amount of the printing agent used in the non-saving mode. The determining unit determines, based on the remaining amount of the printing agent in the accommodating unit and the remaining times the image-forming unit can perform the image-forming operation, whether the image-forming unit should perform the image-forming operation in the non-saving mode or the saving mode. The controlling unit controls the image-forming unit to perform the image-forming operation in the mode determined by the determining unit. | 03-04-2010 |
20100054765 | DEVELOPING DEVICE - A developing device includes a developer tank that contains a developer including a toner and a carrier, a developing agent supplier that develops a latent image by using the toner contained in the developer tank, a discharge port that is provided in a side surface of the developer tank and discharges the developer, and a discharge assisting member that protrudes from a downstream side of the discharge port in a direction of flow of the developer in the developer tank and in a direction crossing the direction of the flow of the developer. | 03-04-2010 |
20100061742 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus including cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) developing units using a C developer, a M developer, a Y developer, and a K developer, respectively; at least one auxiliary developing unit using a developer other than the C, M, Y, and K developers; a plurality of photosensitive media formed in the C, M, Y, and K developing units and the auxiliary developing unit, respectively; a plurality of cleaning members formed in the C, M, Y, and K developing units and the auxiliary developing unit, respectively, so as to clean surfaces of the plurality of photosensitive media; and waste developer storage units formed in the C, M, Y, and K developing units and the auxiliary developing unit, respectively, so as to collect waste developer cleaned by the plurality of cleaning members. The developer storage unit and waste developer storage unit of at least one of the C, M, Y, and K developing units, in which there is a large amount of developer consumed and a large amount of waste developer generated, are larger than the developer storage unit and waste developer storage unit of the auxiliary developing unit. | 03-11-2010 |
20100086319 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes a toner bottle, a supply unit that supplies toner from the toner bottle to a downstream side, a door that is openably provided to execute toner replenishment, an opening/closing sensor that senses opening/closing of the door, and a unit that renders the supply unit inoperable if the door is open. If the opening/closing sensor detects the opening of the door, counting of the number of prints is started. Then, the control unit detects whether the door is closed. If the door is still opening, the control unit checks whether the number of prints has reached a predetermined value. If not, the control unit sets the image forming apparatus in a printing state. If yes, the control unit stops the printing operation. If the closing of the door is detected, the control unit resets the count value. Subsequently, the control unit determines whether the initial value of the number of prints, which is set through a control panel at the time of starting the printing operation, is reached. If the initial value is reached, the printing operation is completed. | 04-08-2010 |
20100092188 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a problem-occurrence determining unit, a problem-occurrence area determining unit, and a notifying unit. If the problem-occurrence determining unit determines that a problem has occurred in an image forming process, the problem-occurrence area determining unit determines whether the problem is caused by a toner filling process on the basis of toner-filling control data and toner-supply control data. The notifying unit then notifies the determination as to whether the problem is caused by the toner filling process. | 04-15-2010 |
20100098441 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a toner-image forming unit, a photosensor, an information obtaining unit, and a toner-amount calculating unit. The toner-image forming unit forms a toner image on the image carrier with toner. The photosensor detects a toner area where the toner is sticking to the image carrier. The information obtaining unit obtains particle-size-change information about how particle size distribution of the toner changes over time. The toner-amount calculating unit calculates a toner amount of the toner image based on the toner area and the particle-size-change information. | 04-22-2010 |
20100104296 | DEVELOPMENT APPARATUS - There is provided a development apparatus including a plurality of replenishment developer containers which accommodates a replenishment developer containing a toner to be replenished to a plurality of development devices, a plurality of replenishment developer conveyance paths which replenishes the replenishment developer in the plurality of replenishment developer containers to the plurality of development devices, a plurality of conveyance members provided in the plurality of replenishment developer conveyance paths, wherein a length of at least one conveyance path, of the plurality of replenishment developer conveyance paths, is different from that of other conveyance paths, and | 04-29-2010 |
20100129091 | Toner container structure and method for assessing toner consumption in an image forming apparatus - The present invention provides a toner container system (such as a toner cartridge) and method for determining the toner consumed by each pixel in an image forming apparatus, such as a printer, so to accurately assess the amount of toner remaining in the toner container The pixels printed by the image forming apparatus are counted over a portion of toner container life when a known amount of toner is consumed, the rate of toner consumption per pixel is then calculated, and the calculated rate of toner consumption per pixel is used to determine the amount of toner remaining in the container system. | 05-27-2010 |
20100142977 | METHOD FOR INTERCHANGING COMPONENTS IN A PRINTING APPARATUS - A method may include the steps of providing a printing assembly that includes a plurality of printing modules that each include a specific toner color, wherein a first printing module is failing and at least one second printing module is functioning; determining a toner use demand for the plurality of printing modules; and swapping the first printing module with the at least one second printing module to facilitate reducing a downtime of the printing apparatus, wherein the first printing module has a toner use demand that is substantially greater than the toner use demand of the at least one second printing module. | 06-10-2010 |
20100150582 | TONER CONSUMPTION CALCULATION FOR PRINTER WITH MULTIPLE INTERACTING SEPARATIONS - Systems and methods are described that facilitate calculating toner consumption by a printing device. A multi-dimensional transform is applied to electronic image data to map or correlate toner consumed in a non-interacting color separation to toner consumed in an interacting color separation, for each of a plurality interacting color separations (e.g., C, M, Y, and/or K). Optionally, a one-dimensional linearization technique is performed on the image data before and/or after transformation. Image data resolution may be reduced to generate continuous-tone image data. A summed or average toner consumption value is output for each or all separations for user review. | 06-17-2010 |
20100158547 | PRINT JOB COST ESTIMATE METHOD AND SYSTEM - Automatically determining the cost of a printed job on a digital printing press before the job is run. A job control component in the digital front end of the printing press collects and stores the processing information from the job processing components from prior runs. A job-reporting component displays the stored and estimated processing information and automatically computes and displays the estimated cost of the job. The method includes determining a future toner cost using a toner cost, a future press usage cost, and a substrate cost based on historical toner consumption and then rasterizing the job to determine the total job cost. | 06-24-2010 |
20100172660 | Image Forming Method with Renewal of Toner Residual Amount - When copying control (copying/printing job) is finished, the main CPU checks whether the scanner control is being executed in the scanner portion. If the scanner control is not being executed, the main CPU checks whether there is any scanner control executing request. If there is no scanner control executing request, the main CPU locks a scanner control resource, reads out a count value of a toner residual amount stored in a non-volatile RAM, renews the control information of EEPROM of the toner cartridge through an interface, releases the lock of the scanner control resource and finishes the copying operation. | 07-08-2010 |
20100202788 | Image forming apparatus - A process cartridge includes a toner reservoir. A first controller calculates a consumed amount of toner based on image data. A toner bottle is attached to the process cartridge. The toner bottle includes a toner chamber that holds the toner therein and supplies the toner into the reservoir. The toner bottle includes a first memory holding first information on a first amount of toner in the toner chamber and first identification information on the toner bottle. A second memory holds second information on a second amount of toner in the reservoir and second identification information on the toner bottle. If the first and second identification information do not coincide, it is determined that the toner bottle has been replaced and then the first information and the second information are updated based on the first information, the second information, and a capacity of the toner chamber. | 08-12-2010 |
20100232815 | TONER CARTRIDGE CAPABLE OF DETECTING RESIDUAL AMOUNT OF TONER STORED THEREIN - The present invention provides a toner cartridge which comprises: a hopper for storing toner therein; a stirring means comprising a first paddle connected to a driving source and adapted to rotate in the hopper, and a second paddle connected to the first paddle by means of an elastic member, the stirring means being adapted to stir the toner in the hopper by the first paddle and the second paddle; and a detection means comprising an encoder having a first slit and a second slit formed thereon for transmitting light therethrough, the second slit having a width different from that of the first slit, an encoder gear connected to the second paddle for driving the encoder, and a sensor | 09-16-2010 |
20100232816 | REMAINING AMOUNT OF DEVELOPER DETECTION DEVICE, DEVELOPMENT DEVICE, PROCESS UNIT, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A disclosed remaining amount of developer detection device includes a remaining amount of developer detection section detecting a remaining amount of developer in a development device, an operation amount computation section computing an operation amount of the development device corresponding to a developer consumption amount, and a remaining amount detection control section accumulating the operation amount and detecting the remaining amount of developer based on the accumulated operation amount. In this device, when the remaining amount of developer detection section has detected the remaining amount of developer that has been reduced to a first threshold, the remaining amount detection control section initializes the accumulated operation amount and starts accumulating a new operation amount of the development device corresponding to a developer consumption amount, and determines whether the remaining amount of developer in the development device is in a toner-end status based on the new operation amount. | 09-16-2010 |
20100239272 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developing device includes: a developer carrier configured to carry toner; a toner supply member configured to supply developer to the developer carrier; a developing chamber having the developer carrier and the toner supply member; and a sensing device disposed above a toner level in the developing chamber and configured to sense a toner flow. | 09-23-2010 |
20100239273 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer accommodating container is provided with a first accommodating portion in which a first feeding member is arranged, a second accommodating portion in which a second feeding member is arranged, a first communication portion communicating the first accommodating portion and the second accommodating portion in their one end sides, a second communication portion and a third communication portion communicating the first accommodating portion and the second accommodating portion at two positions in the other end sides so as to be shifted their positions in a feeding direction of the developer, a discharge portion arranged between the second communication portion and the third communication portion in the second accommodating portion, and provided for discharging the developer, and a replenishing portion arranged in a downstream side in the feeding direction of the developer than the third communication portion in the first accommodating portion, and provided for replenishing the developer. | 09-23-2010 |
20100247118 | SUPPLY CONTROL APPARATUS, IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS, AND SUPPLY CONTROL METHOD - A supply control apparatus includes: a specifying unit that specifies a total amount of toner held in a holding chamber of a toner holding unit; and a supply control unit that controls supply of toner held in the holding chamber to a development unit that develops a latent image using the toner, in a case that the specified total amount is a first amount, such that an amount of the toner supplied per unit of time is smaller than the amount supplied in a case that the total amount is a second amount, which is smaller than the first amount. | 09-30-2010 |
20100266296 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE QUALITY MAINTENANCE METHOD FOR IMAGE FORMING APPARAUTS - An image forming apparatus has a photoconductive drum which carries an electrostatic latent image, a developer supply unit which supplies a developer to the photoconductive drum, an image carrier which carries a developer image, and a density sensor which measures a density of a test print on the image carrier. The image forming apparatus carries out a second image quality maintenance operation for lowering a contrast potential when the density of the test print is higher than a predetermined value. When the test print is still dense even if the contrast potential reaches a lower limit value, the image forming apparatus carries out a first image quality maintenance operation for discharging the developer, then supplying a fresh developer to the developer supply unit, and causing the developer to be stirred and thus charged. | 10-21-2010 |
20100272452 | TONER SUPPLY DEVICE - A toner cartridge inserting and removing door is provided at a removal port of each of a plurality of toner cartridges. Normally, the toner cartridge inserting and removing door is locked and cannot be opened. For a case where the remaining amount of a toner in the toner cartridge is decreased and a change is needed, a display unit for notifying thereof is provided, thereby selectively opening the toner cartridge inserting and removing door corresponding to a toner cartridge for which a change is necessary. | 10-28-2010 |
20100272453 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus corrects a development contrast for normal image formation so as to satisfy the following relationships: | 10-28-2010 |
20100296824 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE AND METHOD OF FORMING IMAGE - An image forming device includes an image carrier, an exposing part, a developing member; a developer reserving part; a detection part to detect a developer remaining amount; a first count part to count a rotation number of the image carrier; a second count part to count an exposing dot number; a first calculation part to calculate a print duty for a print sheet based on the rotation number of the image carrier and the exposing dot number; and a discarding part in which when the developer remaining amount is equal to or less than a standard remaining amount, and when the print duty is less than a standard duty, developer is to discard more than the case in which the developer remaining amount is more than the standard remaining amount. | 11-25-2010 |
20100303481 | TONER YIELD ANALYSIS FOR MONITOR AND REPLACEMENT OF CONSUMABLES WITHIN A PRINT SYSTEM - Systems and methods are described hereinto to provide a notification when a predetermined event occurs that is related to a consumable. A print engine outputs hard copies based on electronically received data. One or more toner cartridges that are utilized by the print engine to place toner onto a hard copy substrate. A meter monitors and provides a level of remaining toner for each of the one or more cartridges. A yield component receives level data from each meter to compare to an expected yield and an expected grams per impression, wherein if the expected yield and/or the expected grams per impression are outside of a predetermined threshold, a signal is output. | 12-02-2010 |
20100303482 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND CONTROL METHOD OF DISPLAYING THE RESIDUAL TONER QUANTITY IN THE SAME TONER CARTRIDGE - A toner cartridge for an image forming apparatus includes: a toner container; a toner feed port for supplying toner to a developing device; a toner feeding blade structure for feeding the toner from the toner container to the developing device; and a recording chip for recording history information on the toner container. The toner container includes a toner feed motor for rotationally driving the toner feeding blade structure. The recording chip includes a supplied toner quantity totalizer for summing the amounts of toner supplied and a residual toner quantity display controller for displaying the residual toner quantity in the toner container on a display portion of the image forming apparatus. | 12-02-2010 |
20100303483 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TONER REMAINING AMOUNT DETERMINING METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes a development device in which a toner supplied by a toner cartridge section is carried by a magnetic carrier and is discharged, a first sensor to acquire information indicating a supply amount of the toner supplied by the toner cartridge section to the development device, a second sensor to acquire information indicating a toner density in the development device, and a controller which updates the information indicating the total supply amount and stored in a storage section storing information indicating a total supply amount of the toner supplied by the toner cartridge section to the development device based on the information acquired by the first sensor and determines a toner remaining amount in the development device based on the information indicating the total supply amount and stored in the storage section and the information indicating the toner density acquired by the second sensor. | 12-02-2010 |
20100322643 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is provided that includes a detection unit to detect a measure of consumption of a second cartridge. A difference between toner amounts is acquired by subtracting a toner amount per unit area of a toner image corresponding to a maximum density image formed on a first image bearing member from a toner amount per unit area of a toner image corresponding to a maximum density image formed on a second image bearing member. When the detection unit detects a second measure of consumption that is in a consumed state more than a first measure of consumption, a control unit controls a first toner forming unit and a second toner forming unit so that a difference between toner amounts is greater than when the detection unit detects the first measure of consumption. | 12-23-2010 |
20100322644 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF DETERMINING AMOUNT OF TONER REMAINING IN TONER CARTRIDGE - An image forming apparatus includes a remaining amount information acquiring unit, a toner sensing unit, and a determination unit. The remaining amount information acquiring unit acquires remaining amount information on an amount of toner remaining in a cartridge, which is stored in a memory device disposed in the cartridge mounted on an image forming apparatus body. The toner sensing unit senses information on an amount of toner in a developing device performing a developing process using the toner supplied from the cartridge. The determination unit determines that the toner in the cartridge is empty when the remaining amount information acquired by the remaining amount information acquiring unit indicates that the remaining amount is smaller than a predetermined amount of toner and the information on the amount of toner sensed by the toner sensing unit indicates that the amount of toner in the developing device is smaller than a predetermined amount. | 12-23-2010 |
20100329702 | MULTI-COLOR PRINTING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REDUCING THE TRANSFER FIELD THROUGH CLOSED-LOOP CONTROLS - Multi-color document processing systems and methods are described in which the toner detachment field distribution curve is measured as a function of transfer field and the curve is shifted by adjustment of one or more toner state adjustment actuators to facilitate operation at lower transfer field levels for mitigating retransfer and other high field defects. | 12-30-2010 |
20100329703 | Image forming apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes a developer bearing body for supplying developer to a surface of the image bearing body, on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by a latent image forming unit; a driving unit for rotating the developer bearing body; a speed control unit for determining a rotation speed of the developer bearing body; a drive control unit for controlling the driving unit so that the developer bearing body rotates at the determined rotation speed; and a control unit for determining the amount of developer to be disposed of on the basis of the determined rotation speed and controlling disposal of the determined amount of developer on the surface of the developer bearing body. | 12-30-2010 |
20100329704 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREOF - An image forming apparatus is configured to give an instruction for unlocking of a cover corresponding to a toner container, from a replacement screen of the toner container displayed when no toner inside the toner container is detected. Further, the image forming apparatus is configured such that the cover corresponding to at least one toner container can be unlocked at a time from the displayed screen. | 12-30-2010 |
20110002701 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH REDUCED DETERIORATION OF IMAGE QUALITY - In an image forming apparatus, it is determined whether a shortage amount of toner in a developing device is greater than a threshold value of 4 g or not, when the power is turned on to start operation. As a result, if the shortage amount of toner in the developing device is greater than 4 g, an agitating operation is executed to agitate toner in the developing device prior to a printing operation. If the shortage amount is smaller than 4 g, the agitating operation is not executed. Then, a printing command is received, and if the agitating operation is not performed, control of an operation of supplying toner is started with a delay of at least for the time required for the agitating operation, after the printing operation is started. | 01-06-2011 |
20110013917 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DETECTING DETERIORATION OF DEVELOPER - According to one embodiment, a developing device includes a developer container to contain developer having toner and carrier, a toner replenishing unit to replenish the toner to the developer container, a carrier replenishing unit to replenish the carrier to the developer container, a discharge portion to discharge the developer from the developer container, a developer feeder to support magnetically the developer in the developer container and to feed the toner in the developer to a photoconductor on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, an electric conductor, provided separately from the photoconductor, to which the toner out of the developer supported by the developer feeder adheres, a detecting unit to detect a density of the toner adhered to on the electric conductor, and a controller to judge a deterioration status of the developer based on a detection result of the detecting unit and to replenish the toner and the carrier from the toner replenishing unit and the carrier replenishing unit to the developer container. | 01-20-2011 |
20110026945 | XEROGRAPHIC PROCESS CONTROLS SCHEDULING APPROACH TO MITIGATE COSTS OF MEASUREMENT - A method and apparatus for maintaining color consistency includes varying a sampling interval to balance the benefit of xerographic process controls regulation with the cost of sampling. The request to sample is triggered by external indicators (area coverage, carrier age, relative humidity, temperature, etc.). Before the developed mass is expected to go out of range because of the external indicators, a patch measurement is made and the system is controlled back towards its desired set-point. | 02-03-2011 |
20110026946 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - An image forming device includes a controller that is configured to, during a warming-up operation performed before an image forming operation, control a cleaner performing cleaning to remove development agent from a conveying belt and a remaining amount detector performing detection of an amount of development agent remaining in the development unit in a contact state where a development unit contacts an image holding body. When it is presumed that there is a small amount of development agent on the image holding body, the controller controls the remaining amount detector to perform the detection in execution of the cleaning. When it is presumed that there is a large amount of development agent on the image holding body, the controller controls the remaining amount detector to perform the detection, after execution of the cleaning in a separate state where the development unit is apart from the image holding body. | 02-03-2011 |
20110038644 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - A control unit separately drives an image carrier driving unit that drives an image carrier motor, a developing roller driving unit that drives a developing roller motor, a developer stirring member driving unit that drives a developer stirring member motor, and a fan driving unit that drives a fan motor. The control unit causes the fan driving unit to operate if the image carrier driving unit or the developer stirring member driving unit is operating. | 02-17-2011 |
20110044705 | COLOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A color image forming apparatus having photosensitive members; developing devices for developing electrostatic latent images formed on the photosensitive members into toner images with developers comprising toner and carriers; toner concentration sensors for detecting toner concentrations of the developers in the respective developing devices; a toner image bearing member for bearing the toner images temporarily; a toner adherence amount sensor for detecting toner adherence amounts of the toner images held on the image bearing member; and a controller for calculating, with respect to the developing devices, individual optimal developing bias voltage ranges within which a target toner adherence amount can be achieved while the toner concentrations of the developers are within a predetermined toner concentration range from a lower limit to an upper limit, so as to specify a common optimal developing bias voltage range that are commonly suitable for all the developing devices to achieve the target toner adherence amount while the toner concentrations of the developers in the developing devices are within the predetermined toner concentration range, and for calculating target toner concentrations of the developers in the respective developing devices to achieve the target toner adherence amount while a voltage within the common optimal developing bias voltage range is applied between each of the photosensitive members and each of the developing devices. | 02-24-2011 |
20110052219 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum capable of bearing an electrostatic image, a development device having a developing sleeve capable of bearing a developer and a developer container capable of storing a magnetic toner, and a CPU controlling operation to discharge a developer having polarity opposite to a normally charged polarity to the photosensitive drum by enlarging a restoration electric field to force the developer having a normally charged polarity from the photosensitive drum to the development sleeve during image forming is not performed compared to that during normal image forming is performed, based on a weighted value (p×K) on an edge portion pixel number p of an edge portion of an output image. | 03-03-2011 |
20110052220 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a developing device for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member into a developer image; a transferring device for transferring the developer image from the image bearing member onto a transfer material; a temperature detecting device, disposed in a main assembly of the image forming apparatus, for detecting a temperature; and a controller for controlling a forced consumption operation in which toner is forcedly consumed by the developing device without transferring the developer image from the image bearing member onto the transfer material. The controller is capable of controlling the forced consumption operation so that a frequency of the forced consumption operation or an amount of toner consumption per one forced consumption operation when the temperature detected by the temperature detecting device is higher than a predetermined temperature is more than that when the temperature detected by the temperature detecting device is lower than the predetermined temperature. | 03-03-2011 |
20110052221 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing a latent image; a developing device, including a developer carrying member for carrying and feeding a developer including toner and a carrier to a developing position in which the developer opposes the image bearing member, for developing the latent image formed on the image bearing member; a discharging portion for permitting discharge of an excessive developer present in the developing device by supplying the developer into the developing device; a feeding member for feeding the developer in the developing device; a controller for controlling a forced discharging operation for discharging the excessive developer from the discharging portion by changing a driving condition of at least one of the developer carrying member and the feeding member; and a detecting device for detecting information correlating to flowability of the developer in the developing device. The controller is capable of controlling the forced discharging operation on the basis of a detection result of the detecting device. | 03-03-2011 |
20110052222 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus having a development apparatus that includes: a developer storing part; a developer supply mechanism; and a surplus developer removing section; wherein the developer supply mechanism includes: a toner storing part; a carrier storing part; a developer conveying path and a conveying mechanism, both are arranged between the toner storing part and the developer storing part, and between the carrier storing part and the developer storing part; wherein the developer conveying path includes a toner ejection outlet through which a toner stored in the toner storing part is ejected and a carrier ejection outlet through which a carrier stored in the carrier storing part is ejected, and a supplying developer ejection outlet through which a supplying developer is ejected to the developer storing part; and wherein the conveying mechanism is adapted to convey the toner and the carrier while stirring them. | 03-03-2011 |
20110058824 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a developing device; a toner supply device that supplies toner to the developing device; a toner concentration controller that directs the toner supply device to perform toner supply to the developing device; and a toner empty determiner for determining that no toner is left in the toner supply device. The developing device includes a toner supply detecting sensor that detects whether toner is supplied from the toner supply device into the developer container, in the developer container. The toner concentration controller gives directions to perform the toner supply when the toner concentration of the developer in the developing device has become lower than a predetermined level. The toner empty determiner determines that the toner supply device has no toner left therein when no effect of the toner supply is detected by the toner supply detecting sensor after the toner supply is directed by the toner concentration controller. The toner supply detecting sensor is disposed in the preliminary agitating section. | 03-10-2011 |
20110058825 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of cartridges for supplying developers, the cartridges being detachably mountable to a main assembly of the apparatus; a plurality of first doors, provided correspondingly to cartridges, respectively, for opening and closing inserting openings for permitting insertion of the cartridges into the main assembly, independently from each other; a remaining amount detecting device for detecting information relating to an amount of the developer contained in the cartridges; a locking device for locking the first doors; a controller for controlling the locking device, on the basis of a result of detection of the remaining amount detecting device, to unlock only the first door corresponding to the cartridge to be exchanged; a moving mechanism for moving the first door from a position closing to an opening position with the unlocking of the locking device; and a second door movable between a closing position for preventing access to the first doors and an opening position for permitting access to the first doors; an opening and closing detecting device for detecting opening and closing of the second door; wherein the controller unlocks the first door on the basis of the results of detection of the opening and closing detecting device and the remaining amount detecting device. | 03-10-2011 |
20110064429 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a developing unit configured to store a developer includes a toner and a carrier and to form a developer image, a toner attachment amount detection portion configured to detect an attachment amount of a toner formed on a photoconductor or an intermediate transfer body, a developing bias voltage change portion configured to change a plurality of developing bias voltages including a developing contrast voltage in a manner that the detected attachment amount of the toner becomes a value in a predetermined range, a carrier supply time correction portion configured to correct a carrier supply time in response to the value of the changed developing contrast voltage, and a carrier supply portion configured to supply a carrier in a corrected carrier supply time at a predetermined timing. | 03-17-2011 |
20110064430 | IMAGE FORMING METHOD AND DETERMINATION METHOD OF CONTRAST POTENTIAL - In an image forming method, an execution condition of forcible toner consumption is obtained based on an environmental value at a time of final image formation and a present environmental value, the forcible toner consumption is executed under the execution condition, and image formation is performed after calibration. | 03-17-2011 |
20110069977 | MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, MANAGEMENT DEVICE, MANAGEMENT METHOD AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM - A management system includes: an image forming apparatus including a toner storage unit storing toner used in a developing unit, and a toner-transporting unit transporting the toner from the toner storage unit to the developing unit; and a management device connected to the apparatus through a communication unit, and managing a toner-remaining amount in the toner storage unit. The management device includes: an acquiring unit acquiring, from the apparatus, information on toner transportation time and characteristic quantities concerning variation in toner consumption in the developing unit and representing environment in the apparatus; a predicting unit calculating a predicted value of the toner-remaining amount with the acquired information on toner transportation time; a memory storing correspondence between the predicted value and a measured value of the toner-remaining amount; and a correcting unit correcting the correspondence according to the characteristic quantities, and correcting the predicted value with the corrected correspondence. | 03-24-2011 |
20110069978 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing an electrostatic latent image on a surface thereof; a developing device including a developer accommodating chamber for accommodating a developer, a developer carrying member, provided in the developer accommodating chamber and having a first electrode member, for developing the electrostatic latent image, a developer feeding member, provided in the developer accommodating chamber in contact with the developer carrying member and having a foam layer around a second electrode member, for supplying the developer to the developer carrying member; a holding unit holding the developing device, the holding unit being movable between a first position in which the developer is accumulated on a nip between the developer carrying member and the developer feeding member and a second position in which the developer accumulated at the nip in the first position falls; and a detecting device for detecting a developer remainder amount in the developer accommodating chamber on the basis of a change of an electrostatic capacity between the first electrode member and the second electrode member. | 03-24-2011 |
20110076036 | PRINTING APPARATUS, AND CONTROL METHOD AND STORAGE MEDIUM THEREFOR - A printing apparatus capable of reducing the frequency of detection of a recording agent remaining amount and obtaining accurate information of the recording agent remaining amount. When a printed sheet is discharged, a CPU of a printer updates information representing the number of discharged sheets and stores the information into a memory of a print engine. The CPU refers to toner remaining amount information stored in a memory of a cartridge and determines whether there is a sufficient toner remaining amount in the cartridge. If there is no sufficient toner remaining amount, toner remaining amount detection is executed each time printing of one page has been performed. If there is a sufficient toner remaining amount, the toner remaining amount detection is executed when the number of discharged sheets coincides with a predetermined value. | 03-31-2011 |
20110085807 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed; and a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image by supplying a developer to the image bearing member. The developing device includes a developer container for containing the developer; a rotatable developer carrying member, including a first electrode member, for carrying and supplying the developer to the image bearing member; and a developer supplying member, which is provided in contact with the developer carrying member and includes a surface foam layer and a second electrode member for rotatably supporting the developer supplying member, for supplying the developer to the developer carrying member. The apparatus further includes a measuring device capable of measuring a remaining developer amount in the developer container by detecting electrostatic capacity between the first electrode member and the second electrode member; and a replenishing device for performing a replenishing operation for replenishing the developer supplying member with the developer by rotating the developer supplying member at a speed slower than that during image formation. When the remaining developer amount measured by the measuring device is not more than a threshold, the replenishing operation is performed by the replenishing device and thereafter the remaining developer amount is measured again by the measuring device. | 04-14-2011 |
20110085808 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member and a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image. The developing device includes a developer container, a rotatable developer carrying member, including a first electrode member; and a developer supplying member, including a second electrode member. The apparatus further includes a measuring device capable of measuring a remaining developer amount; and a replenishing device for performing a replenishing operation by rotating the developer supplying member while applying a DC bias between the first and second electrode members so that a value obtained by subtracting an electric potential of the second electrode member from an electric potential of the first electrode member has a polarity identical to a normal charge polarity of the developer. When the remaining developer amount measured is not more than a threshold, the replenishing operation is performed and the remaining developer amount is measured again. | 04-14-2011 |
20110091224 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD CAPABLE OF CHANGING IMAGE FORMATION CONDITION BASED ON DETECTION RESULT OF REFERENCE IMAGE - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer that bears a toner image and a reference toner image, a toner amount detector that detects an amount of toner in the reference toner image, a detected toner amount correction device that corrects the amount of toner detected by the toner amount detector in accordance with a prescribed condition of a previous image formed just before formation of the reference toner image, and a controller that changes a condition of formation of subsequent toner images based on the corrected toner amount. | 04-21-2011 |
20110097094 | DEVELOPER TRANSPORT UNIT, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD OF TRANSPORTING DEVELOPER, PROGRAM FOR TRANSPORTING DEVELOPER, AND STORAGE MEDIUM STORING THE PROGRAM - A developer transport unit to transport a developing unit is devised. The developer transport unit includes an intra-vessel transporting device to transport developer in a developer storage vessel to an ejection unit, in which the developer storage vessel is detachably attached at one end to an ejection unit, a transport/supply device to transport the developer from the ejection unit to a sub-storage vessel, an intermediate-developer amount detector to obtain an amount of developer present in the sub-storage vessel, and a control unit to control driving of the intra-vessel transporting device and the transport/supply device. Upon detection of a certain amount of developer in the sub-storage vessel by the intermediate-developer amount detector, the control unit drives the intra-vessel transporting device for a given time and then drives the transport/supply device along with the intra-vessel transporting device until the intermediate-developer amount detector detects that the sub-storage vessel is refilled with a certain amount of developer. | 04-28-2011 |
20110103810 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF FORMING HIGH QUALITY TONER IMAGE ON UNEVEN SURFACE SHEET - An image forming apparatus for forming a visual image on a recording medium includes a toner replacing device that replaces toner stored in a developing device with fresh toner, and a determiner that determines if a recording medium selected by a user necessitates replacement of the toner. The toner replacing device replaces the toner with fresh toner when the determiner determines that the recording medium necessitates replacement of the toner before the latent image is formed on a photoconductive member. | 05-05-2011 |
20110116816 | DEVELOPMENT APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A development apparatus and an image forming apparatus wherein optical high-precision detection of the toner amount of a toner layer formed on a toner carrying member is ensured even when the great amount of the toner is deposited on the toner carrying member by transferring all or a part of the toner on the surface of the toner carrying member onto a detecting roller, and wherein stable images are provided at all times. | 05-19-2011 |
20110123204 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TONER SUPPLY METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes a developing device having a toner supply sensor, a toner supply device supplying toner to the developing device, a toner supply controller controlling toner supply from the toner supply device to the developing device based on predetermined conditions, a toner empty determiner determining whether toner is present inside the toner supply device. In the image forming apparatus, the toner supply device includes a storage for recoding multiple measured values of toner supply detected by the toner supply sensor, and the toner supply controller corrects the amount of toner supply, based on the moving average of multiple measured values of the amount of toner supply. | 05-26-2011 |
20110123205 | DEVELOPING DEVICE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developing device for developing with a developer an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member includes a rotatable developer carrying member for carrying and conveying the developer to the image bearing member; a developing chamber in which the developer carrying member is provided; a developer accommodating chamber, disposed and separated from the developing chamber by a wall surface provided with an opening through which the developer is passable, for accommodating the developer to be fed to the developing chamber; a rotation shaft rotatably supported in the developer accommodating chamber; a developer feeding member, mounted on the rotation shaft at one end thereof with respect to a radial direction of the rotation shaft, for feeding the developer by rotation of the rotation shaft while being deformed in contact with an inner wall of the developer accommodating chamber at the other end thereof; a light transmitting member for permitting detection light to pass into the developer accommodating chamber in order to detect an amount of the developer in the developer accommodating chamber, the light transmitting member being mounted on a wall surface of the developer accommodating chamber at a position upstream of the opening with respect to a rotational direction of the rotational shaft and downstream of a line of intersection between a vertical surface including an axis of the rotation shaft and a bottom constituting the developer accommodating chamber with respect to the rotational direction; and a developer scattering preventing member provided on the inner wall of the developer accommodating chamber so as to overlap with the light transmitting member with respect to an axial direction of the rotation shaft as seen in a direction perpendicular to the developer scattering preventing member, an upper end of the developer scattering preventing member being located below the light transmitting member. | 05-26-2011 |
20110158662 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image holder, a latent image forming unit, and a developing unit, the developing unit including a developer holder that is disposed to face the image holder and holds developer. Also included is a developer container, a replenishing unit that replenishes new developer to the developing unit, a discharge unit that discharges the developer, a calculation unit that calculates an image area coverage of a toner image formed on the image holder, an obtaining unit that obtains a potential difference between the developer holder and the image portion on the image holder, and a controller that increases a discharge amount of the developer, when the image area coverage calculated by the calculation unit is smaller than a predetermined reference image area coverage, and the potential difference obtained by the obtaining unit is larger than a predetermined reference potential difference. | 06-30-2011 |
20110164888 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - This invention is to provide a technique of always obtaining a stable output image in image formation using toner. A supplier ( | 07-07-2011 |
20110182595 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - In an image forming device, toner in a developing unit is efficiently utilized. A printing unit includes a developing unit, a toner cartridge, a photo-electronic sensor, a CPU and a counter. The toner cartridge replenishes toner to the developing unit at one time. The photo-electronic sensor detects toner in the developing unit. The CPU processes an output signal from the photo-electronic sensor to create comparison data, then compares comparison data with a predetermined threshold and issues an alarm when the comparison data exceeds the predetermined threshold. The counter counts the number of times that toner is replenished to the developing unit. The CPU changes the threshold to a level at which an alarm is hardly issued as the number of counts in the counter increases. | 07-28-2011 |
20110194862 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND PROGRAM - The problem of the present invention is to appropriately control execution of calibration corresponding to an occurrence situation of a partial toner-low state. In order to solve the above problem, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes output unit for outputting an image for detecting a partial toner-low state to a print region, determining unit for determining the partial toner-low state based upon a read result of the image outputted by the output unit, and control unit for controlling execution of calibration adjusting a reproduction characteristic in outputting the image using the toner, based upon a result of the determination by the determining unit. | 08-11-2011 |
20110194863 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND DEVELOPING DEVICE USED THEREIN - A developing device is refilled with an initial developer while the developing device and a photoreceptor are maintained within an image forming apparatus in the same state as in an image forming process. When refilling the developing device, a control unit of the image forming apparatus first drives a stirring feed member (screw) to feed the initial developer into the developing device, and then drives a developer carrier (developing roller) and a latent image carrier (photoreceptor) to supply the developer onto the developer carrier. | 08-11-2011 |
20110194864 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TONER SUPPLY METHOD - A toner supplying method for supplying toner from a toner container to a developing part that causes toner to adhere to a latent image formed on a latent image carrying member and develops the latent image, includes detecting a toner amount in the developing part as being equal to or less than a predetermined toner amount value; forming a fog detecting image in a case where the toner amount in the developing part is equal to or less than the predetermined toner amount value, and detecting fog; and determining based on the detected fog whether to execute a toner ejecting process of ejecting the toner remaining in the developing part toward the latent image carrying member before supplying the toner to the developing part from the toner container. | 08-11-2011 |
20110206389 | IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS - An image formation apparatus including: a toner cartridge storing toner; a developer; a hopper temporarily storing toner supplied from the toner cartridge and supplying the developer with the toner; a magnetic sensor including a magnet and a reed switch that determines whether the magnet is within a detection area thereof, one of which is fixed to a predetermined position, and the other of which is configured to move downwards as a surface level of toner stored in a toner storage of the hopper decreases and thus serves as a surface level detector for detecting the surface level; a lifter configured to periodically lift the surface level detector above the surface level such that the magnet goes out of the detection area; and an ON-edge detector configured to detect ON-edges each indicating a point in time when the magnet has entered the detection area. | 08-25-2011 |
20110206390 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS - A developing apparatus including a developing container for containing developer, the developing container having an opening portion, a developer carrying member for carrying the developer at the opening portion, a detecting member for detecting a developer amount, the detecting member detecting a capacitance between the developer carrying member and the detecting member, and a force receiving portion for receiving a force and moving the developing container between a first position in which a developing operation is performed by the developer carrying member and a second position in which the developing operation is not performed, wherein the capacitance can be detected in the second position, and the detecting member is a rotatable developer supplying member for supplying the developer to the developer carrying member, the developer supplying member including a foam layer in which the developer can enter. | 08-25-2011 |
20110217055 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TONER SUPPLY METHOD - Toner is supplied from a toner container to a developing part that causes the toner to adhere to a latent image formed on a latent image carrying member and develops the latent image, a pre-toner-supply operation of supplying a predetermined amount of toner to the developing part is carried out, a fog detecting image is formed and fog is detected in the fog detecting image, a toner supply amount to be supplied to the developing part is determined based on the fog detected in the detecting and an operational status of the developing part since the toner was supplied to the developing part the last time, and the toner supply amount of the toner determined in the determining is supplied to the developing part. | 09-08-2011 |
20110222871 | TONER REPLENISHING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING TONER REPLENISHING DEVICE - A toner replenishing device includes a sub hopper (toner container), a toner detection sensor, an agitator, and a paddle. The sub hopper contains toner. The toner detection sensor is located on a wall surface in the sub hopper and detects whether toner remains at a height at which it is located. The agitator rotates in the sub hopper to clean the detection surface of the toner detection sensor. The paddle serves as a toner collecting unit that collects toner to the vicinity of the detection surface of the toner detection sensor in the sub hopper. | 09-15-2011 |
20110222872 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a developing device; a toner supply device that supplies toner to the developing device; and a toner supply detecting sensor that detects whether toner is supplied into the developing device; and a toner empty determination controller for determining that the toner inside the toner supply device is used up. Toner empty determination controller, based on the output result from the toner supply detecting sensor, modifies the toner empty determining threshold, based on which toner empty is determined. | 09-15-2011 |
20110222873 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a developing device for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member on the basis of image information, into a developed image with a developer, the developing device including a developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer and a stirring member for stirring the developer in the developer accommodating portion; an optical remaining amount detecting device for detecting a remaining amount of the developer in the developer accommodating portion, by passing light through an inside of the developer accommodating portion; a consumption amount calculation device for calculating information relating to a consumption amount of the developer on the basis of the image information; and an outputting device for outputting an information signal indicative of a developer remainder which is either one of a developer remainder based on a detection result of the optical remaining amount detecting device and a developer remainder based on the information relating to the consumption amount provided by the consumption amount calculation device, selected in accordance with information relating to continuous drive time of the stirring member after start of drive thereof during image forming operation. | 09-15-2011 |
20110229155 | TONER-REMAINING-AMOUNT DETECTION SENSOR AND TONER STORAGE CONTAINER PROVIDED THEREWITH - A toner-remaining-amount detection sensor includes a rubber member, an actuator, a transmission sensor, and a holder member which integrally holds the rubber member, the actuator, and the transmission sensor. The actuator is supported by the holder member so as to move to a first position at which the transmission sensor detects that a toner remaining amount in a toner storage container is a predetermined amount or more when a toner pressure in the toner storage container acts on the rubber member, and to move to a second position at which the transmission sensor detects that the toner remaining amount in the toner storage container falls below the predetermined amount when the toner pressure in the toner storage container does not act on the rubber member. When the actuator is at the second position, the actuator partially comes into contact with the holder member so that a gap is formed between the actuator and the rubber member. | 09-22-2011 |
20110229156 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a developing device; a toner supply device; and a toner supply detecting sensor; and a toner concentration controller that directs toner supply. The toner concentration controller includes: a memory that stores the difference between the outputs from toner supply detecting sensor before and after toner supply; a toner supply quantity determinater that determines that the amount of toner remaining in the toner supply device is low and the amount of toner supply is low when the output difference or output ratio of the sensor is lower than a supply reference value; and an image quality adjustment controller that shortens the interval of time between adjustment of electrical potential on toner concentration correction in the above case. | 09-22-2011 |
20110229157 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE, DEVICE AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING AN IMAGE FORMING DEVICE, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - A controlling system comprising an image forming device and a controlling device for the image forming device, the image forming device having an indicating device which can indicate that a toner cartridge is in a toner near empty state and a communication part for communicating with the controlling device via a communication network, and when the toner near empty state of the toner cartridge is detected, the communication part transmits the information to the controlling device. The controlling device has a controlling condition table in which a controlling condition set for each image forming device to be controlled is recorded, and when a toner near empty signal is received from the image forming device to be controlled, the controlling device refers to the controlling condition of the image forming device recorded in the table, and outputs or does not output a toner near empty indication instruction signal depending on the controlling condition. When the image forming device receives the toner near empty indication instruction signal, it displays so on the indicating device. | 09-22-2011 |
20110229158 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE WHICH INCLUDES AT LEAST ONE MOTOR THAT GENERATES MOTIVE POWER BY CURRENT - An image forming device includes a motor which generates motive power by current, a component driven by the motive power of the motor, and a motor current waveform determining unit which determines a condition of the image forming device on the basis of a current waveform of the current flowing through the motor while the motor is being driven. Accordingly, the image forming device which is capable of determining the condition of the device while suppressing an increase in the number of components and preventing reduction of productivity can be provided. | 09-22-2011 |
20110255885 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - A first image forming unit includes a first developing unit that develops a latent image, and a second image forming unit includes a second developing unit that develops a latent image. A transfer unit transfers an image formed by at least one of the first and second image forming units onto a recording medium. A controller performs control to form a transfer image on the recording medium through at least one of a first operation and a second operation. In the first operation, images formed by the first and second image forming units are transferred onto the recording medium as transfer images. In the second operation, the image formed by the first image forming unit is transferred onto the recording medium as a transfer image. A stopping unit stops operation of the second developing unit when the number of transfer images formed through the second operation reaches a preset value. | 10-20-2011 |
20110255886 | Image forming apparatus and control method thereof - A control method of an image forming apparatus which includes a developer supply unit supplying a toner and a developing unit accommodating therein a two-component developer having the toner supplied by the developer supply unit and a carrier mixed, the control method including: performing a print operation according to a print command; calculating an average toner consumption volume of the image at a preset first interval; determining a value of a first parameter according to the calculated average toner consumption volume by using a table storing therein in advance the value of the first parameter for a timing of starting mixing of the developer corresponding to the average toner consumption volume; determining whether to start the mixing by using the determined value of the first parameter; and suspending the print operation according to the determination result and mixing the two-component developer accommodated in the developing unit. | 10-20-2011 |
20110262154 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit including a developing device, a toner cartridge to supply toner to the developing device, a toner remaining amount sensor to detect a toner remaining amount in the developing device, a toner use amount detection mechanism to detect a parameter value for obtaining a use amount of toner, a first memory which is provided in the toner cartridge and to which a threshold of the parameter indicating a near empty state is previously inputted, and a control mechanism which determines necessity of a forcible toner supply operation based on a comparison between the detected parameter value and the threshold, and the toner remaining amount detected by the toner remaining amount sensor, and controls the image forming unit. | 10-27-2011 |
20110280591 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE HAVING A PLURALITY OF IMAGE FORMING MODES - An image forming device includes a light-receiving element that receives a light having passed through a cartridge. An image forming unit has a first mode for forming images while rotating an agitator at a first speed and a second mode for forming images while rotating the agitator at a second speed that is lower than the first speed. If a value regarding image forming amount counted while the image forming unit is in the second mode is determined to be greater than a predetermined value, the image forming unit changes a rotation speed of the agitator from the second speed to the first speed, and it is determined whether the cartridge should be replaced based on a time ratio, which is a ratio of time duration, in which the light-receiving element receives the detection light within a predetermined duration, to the predetermined time duration. | 11-17-2011 |
20110280592 | PRINTING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD FOR PRINTING APPARATUS - A printing apparatus for performing printing using a recording material includes a plurality of storing units, a movement unit, and an execution unit. The plurality of storing units store the recording material. The movement unit moves one storing unit of the plurality of storing units to a replaceable position. The execution unit execute check processing for checking an operation of a storing unit if all of one storing unit or a plurality of the storing units determined to be lacking the recording material are moved to the replaceable position by the movement unit. | 11-17-2011 |
20110280593 | PRINTING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD FOR PRINTING APPARATUS - A printing apparatus includes a plurality of container units containing a recording material. In a case where it is determined that a container unit is lacking in the recording material when printing is executed based on print data, the printing apparatus moves the container unit determined to be lacking in the recording material to a replaceable position. In a case where the container unit determined to be lacking in the recording material is not a specific container unit among the plurality of container units and the printing based on the print data is canceled without replacing the container unit determined to be lacking in the recording material, the printing apparatus moves the specific container unit to a specific position in preparation for printing using the specific container unit. | 11-17-2011 |
20110280594 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF CORRECTING IMAGE DENSITY PROMPTLY ACCORDING TO CHANGE IN TONER DENSITY, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus capable of correcting image density promptly. A developing device supplies toner to an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum by development contrast potential to form a toner image. An image density sensor detects the density of a patch image on the photosensitive drum. A toner density sensor detects the toner density of developer in the developing device. The amount of toner supplied for replenishment is adjusted when the detected toner density is above a predetermined upper limit value or below a predetermined lower limit value. Further, when the detected patch image density is above a predetermined upper limit value, toner replenishment control is switched to development contrast control to increase image density. When the detected patch image density is below a predetermined lower limit value, the toner replenishment control is switched to the development contrast control to reduce image density. | 11-17-2011 |
20110286754 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing an electrostatic latent image; a developer carrying member for developing a developer and for developing the electrostatic latent image with the developer; a developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer; a detecting device, including a light emitting element and a light receiving element, for detecting a remaining developer amount in the developer accommodating portion by receiving light, which is emitted from the light emitting element and passes through an inside of the developer accommodating portion, by the light emitting portion; and a stirring member for stirring the developer by rotating in the developer accommodating portion. The stirring member is rotated in a rotation period including a first period in which the stirring member crosses an optical path of the light from the light emitting element toward the light receiving element and including a second period in which the stirring member does not cross the optical path of the light from the light emitting element toward the light receiving element The stirring member is rotated at a first rotational speed in the first period and is rotated at a second rotational speed higher than the second speed. | 11-24-2011 |
20110293296 | Optical Sensor Arrangement for an Imaging Apparatus - An imaging apparatus includes a toner cartridge within a housing having a rotatable shaft, a cam rotatably mounted on the shaft, an optical sensor mounted on the housing having an emitter and a receiver forming an optical path therebetween, and a flag mounted on the housing having a first arm and a second arm. The optical sensor has an output that changes when the optical path changes from blocked to unblocked and from unblocked to blocked. The flag has a home position where the first arm is disposed in the rotational path of the cam and the second arm either blocks the optical path or unblocks the optical path. Rotation of the rotatable shaft causes the cam to engage and disengage the first arm causing the second arm to change from blocking the optical path to unblocking the optical path or vice versa. | 12-01-2011 |
20110299863 | OPTIMIZED LIMIT GAIN COMPENSATION FOR DISPENSE TIME ACCUMULATORS OF TONER CONCENTRATION CONTROL - A method and system includes updating an accumulated dispense value from within a toner dispense actuation loop and adjusting the accumulated dispense value by receiving dispense values from at least one control loop element that operates asynchronously from the toner dispense actuation loop. A temporary accumulated dispense value is stored when it is greater than or equal to a predetermined dispense saturation upper limit, or is less than or equal to a predetermined dispense saturation lower limit. An adjusted accumulated dispense value is calculated by subtracting the accumulated dispense value from the temporary accumulated dispense value and multiplying the difference by a predetermined optimized limit gain. A new accumulated dispense value is calculated by adding the adjusted accumulated dispense value to the accumulated dispense value. A toner dispense motor is activated for a time period equal to the on time value, and the on time value is subtracted from the new accumulator value. | 12-08-2011 |
20110305466 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SAME, AND STORAGE MEDIUM FOR SAME - A controller unit detects that a toner cartridge is rotationally moving to the replacement position, and acquires the state (first state) of a device that is currently being displayed on a PC and the state (second state) of a device that transits after the toner cartridge moves to the replacement position. Then, a controller unit determines whether or not the in-motion status should be reported to a user based on the first state and the second state, and determines the state of a device that is to replace the in-motion status and should be reported to a user when it is determined that the in-motion status should not be reported to a user. | 12-15-2011 |
20110305467 | Image Forming Apparatus and Control Method Therefor - According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes: a toner cartridge which includes a storage section; a toner motor; a toner-motor driving section; a count measuring section configured to measure a driving time of the toner motor and calculate a consumption count value of the toner; an event detecting section configured to detect operation events; a main body counter configured to sequentially update a main body counter value with the consumption count value and stores the main body counter value; a toner counter configured to store a toner counter value in the storage section; a counter comparing section configured to perform counter comparison of the main body counter value and the toner counter value; and an event processing section configured to perform processing for keeping consistency of the main body counter value and the toner counter value on the basis of the counter comparison. | 12-15-2011 |
20110305468 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an electrostatic latent image forming unit, a developing unit, an apparatus information acquisition unit to acquire apparatus information relating to the image forming apparatus, a toner image condition information acquisition unit using the apparatus information and acquiring toner image condition information relating to a condition at a time of toner image formation by the electrostatic latent image forming unit and the developing unit, a reference toner image forming unit controlling the electrostatic latent image forming unit and the developing unit based on the toner image condition information and forming a reference toner image on the image carrier, a toner adhesion amount information acquisition unit to acquire information relating to a toner adhesion amount in the reference toner image, and a supply amount correction unit using the information relating to the toner adhesion amount and correcting a toner supply amount to the developing unit. | 12-15-2011 |
20110311242 | TONER CARTRIDGE THAT CONTRACTS ACCORDING TO TONER SUPPLY - A toner cartridge includes an accordion container that stores a toner and contracts in a housing of an image forming apparatus according to a development process. | 12-22-2011 |
20110318023 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING TONER AGE IN A PRINTING APPARATUS - An apparatus and method that determines toner age in a printing apparatus. The method can include placing an imaging surface cleaner in contact with an imaging surface. The method can include placing a toner patch on the imaging surface. The method can include rotating the imaging surface in a process direction. The method can include measuring a frictional interaction between the imaging surface cleaner and the imaging surface as the toner patch passes the imaging surface cleaner. The method can include determining whether toner should be purged based on the measured frictional interaction. The method can include purging the toner if the toner should be purged. | 12-29-2011 |
20110318024 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit including a developing device, a second toner cartridge replaced for a first toner cartridge storing a first toner having a first characteristic, stores a second toner having a second characteristic, and supplies the second toner to the developing device, a first memory provided in the second toner cartridge, and stores data of the second characteristic, a toner use amount detection mechanism to detect a toner use amount in the developing device after the replacement to the second toner cartridge, a second memory in which a first print condition as an optimum print condition obtained from data of the first characteristic, the second print condition and the toner use amount are written, and an arithmetic mechanism to obtain an execution print condition changed stepwise from the first print condition to the second print condition based on the toner use amount. | 12-29-2011 |
20120020683 | DEVELOPER STORAGE DEVICE - A developer accommodating apparatus includes a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer; developer detecting means, including a light receiving element for receiving light emitted by a light emitter, for detecting the developer in said developer accommodating portion; a cylindrical light guide member, provided projected from a side surface of said developer accommodating portion, for guiding the light emitted from said light emission element to said light receiving element; a rotatable member provided on a peripheral surface of said light guide member and rotatable about said light guide member; and driving means for rotating said rotatable member. | 01-26-2012 |
20120027430 | MEASURING DEVELOPER DENSITY IN AN ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC SYSTEM - An apparatus for measuring developer density in an electrophotographic system. A first electrode and a second electrode are disposed to define a working volume between them through which developer moves without contacting the first electrode, wherein the electrodes are electrically insulated from each other by the working volume. A voltage source selectively applies an AC bias across the electrodes. A measuring device measures the current across the electrodes while the bias is applied. A processor is adapted to automatically determine the density of the developer in the working volume based on the measured current and the applied bias. | 02-02-2012 |
20120027431 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPER TONER CONCENTRATION MEASUREMENT - Developer toner concentration in an electrophotographic system is measured. Two sensors, one before and one after the toning zone in the direction of rotation of the development member, each include respective electrodes that form a respective capacitance between the respective electrode and the development member. A voltage source selectively applies respective AC biases across the sensors and the respective currents across the sensors are measured. A controller causes an electrostatic latent image to be produced on the photoreceptor and causes the development member to rotate and the photoreceptor to move. While the development member is rotating, the processor receives the measured currents and computes toner concentration using the respective received currents and the pixel data. The developer flow rate can be adjusted, or toner added to the developer, in response to the determined toner concentration. | 02-02-2012 |
20120027432 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPER FLOW RATE MEASUREMENT - Developer flow rate over a rotatable development member in an electrophotographic system is measured. An electrode and the development member define a capacitive working volume between them through which developer moves. A voltage source electrically connected to the electrode and the development member selectively applies an AC bias across the working volume, and a meter measures the currents across the working volume while the bias is applied. A controller causes the development member to stop supplying toner to the photoreceptor, and to rotate. While the development member is rotating, the controller records the current measured by the meter. Developer flow rate is computed using the measured current. The developer flow rate can be adjusted in response to the computed flow rate. | 02-02-2012 |
20120027433 | RESONANT-FREQUENCY MEASUREMENT OF ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPER DENSITY - Developer density is measured in an electrophotographic system. First and second electrodes are disposed to define a working volume between them through which developer passes without contacting the first electrode, wherein the electrodes are electrically insulated from each other by the working volume. One terminal of an AC voltage (current) source having a selected frequency is connected to one of the electrodes. An inductor is connected in series (parallel) with the voltage source, so that the source provides the AC bias (current) across the electrodes through (across) the inductor. The AC is applied and the current (voltage) across the electrodes is measured. The density of the developer in the working volume is automatically determined using a processor responsive to the measured current (voltage) and the applied bias (current). | 02-02-2012 |
20120027434 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF OPTIMALLY CONTROLLING TONER CONCENTRATION OF DEVELOPER - An image forming apparatus includes a latent image carrier; an image information obtaining unit; a latent image forming unit; a developer carrier; a developing device to develop the latent image by adhering toner onto the latent image carried on a latent image carrier; a toner replenishing device to replenish toner to the developing device; and a controller to adjust a toner replenishment amount by controlling drive of the toner replenishing device based on the image information. When the drive of the developing device is stopped, information relating to unreplenished portion of the toner replenishment amount excluding the already replenished amount from the toner replenishment amount based on the image information is stored in a nonvolatile memory, and the drive of the toner replenishing device is controlled using the stored information relating to the unreplenished portion of the toner replenishment amount when the drive of the developing device is resumed. | 02-02-2012 |
20120033982 | TONER SUPPLY METHOD, DEVELOPMENT DEVICE, PROCESS UNIT, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner supply method includes detecting whether a remaining toner amount in the development device is equal to or greater than a first remaining amount, supplying a first supply amount of toner to the development device in a first supply mode when the remaining toner amount is not greater than the first remaining amount, detecting whether the remaining toner amount in the development device is equal to or greater than a second remaining amount smaller than the first remaining amount, and supplying a second supply amount, smaller than the first supply amount, of toner to the development device in a second supply mode when the remaining toner amount is reduced to or below the second remaining amount. | 02-09-2012 |
20120045225 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In a rotary-type image forming apparatus in which detection of electrostatic capacitance is performed when a developing apparatus is in a posture less affected by a toner density within the developing apparatus, a toner in the developing apparatus, which is located at a development position during the detection of the electrostatic capacitance, is avoided from being uselessly consumed. The image forming apparatus has a remaining amount detection mode of detecting a toner remaining amount on condition that a developing roller of one developing apparatus positioned opposite to another developing apparatus, for which the toner remaining amount is to be detected, stands by in a state spaced from a drum. | 02-23-2012 |
20120057886 | DEVELOPER DETECTION DEVICE CAPABLE OF DETECTING AMOUNT OF DEVELOPER IN DEVELOPER ACCOMMODATING CONTAINER - A developer detection device includes: a rotating member including a first part and a second part being joined to the first part, the first part having a light-blocking section and a light-passing section, the second part temporarily stopping rotating at a rotation position corresponding to a developer upper surface position of developer stored in an accommodating container; a rotation driving member pushing the rotating member in a predetermined rotation direction; and a detecting unit including a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit; wherein the rotating member is formed so that when the second part is at a lower position in the accommodating container, the light-passing section is positioned on an optical path from the light-emitting unit to the light-receiving unit. | 03-08-2012 |
20120063792 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an internal memory provided in a microprocessor used to control general operations of the image forming apparatus. As the microprocessor records or reads lifespan information of replaceable elements, which are separably mounted in the image forming apparatus, in or from the internal memory, security with respect to the lifespan information of the replaceable elements is more effectively enhanced, which prevents fraudulent use of the replaceable elements. | 03-15-2012 |
20120070162 | Method for Detecting Low Toner in an Electro-photographic Toner Cartridge - A method for detecting low toner in an electro-photographic toner cartridge having an optical sensor using a light beam to detect the presence or absence of toner in the cartridge includes transmitting to a processor a signal related to the strength of the light beam sensed as a paddle disposed within the cartridge rotates. The processor calculates an average value for the signal for each of a plurality of sets of paddle revolutions. The processor then calculates a variation value for the signal for each of the plurality of sets of paddle revolutions. The processor filters each variation value to determine a plurality of short term variation values. The processor monitors whether at least one short term variation value exceeds a first threshold. When the at least one short term variation value exceeds the first threshold, the processor signals that the toner level is low. | 03-22-2012 |
20120070163 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, and a rotation device having image-forming devices each containing a toner and forming a toner image on the image carrier with the toner. The apparatus further includes: a detector attached to at least one of the image-forming devices to detect a quantity of the toner, thereby outputting an analog signal representing the quantity; and a transmission path transmitting the analog signal to the outside of the rotation device. The transmission path includes: a rotation terminal mounted on and rotating with the rotation device; and a contact terminal provided outside the rotation device, and maintaining continuity with the rotation terminal by contacting a surface of the rotation terminal even when the rotation terminal rotates. The apparatus further includes a correction section correcting the analog signal transmitted by the transmission path, according to a contact resistance between the rotation terminal and the contact terminal. | 03-22-2012 |
20120070164 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; an image-forming device including a toner and forming a toner image on the image carrier during a first running period; a detector detecting a toner quantity in a set period within the first running period; and a toner supplying device supplying the image-forming device with a toner according to the detected toner quantity. The apparatus further includes a period setting device that causes the image-forming device to stir the toner over a second running duration longer than the first running duration, and causes, during the second running duration, the detector to perform detection plural times over a period longer than the period, thereby measuring a result stable time required to stabilize the result of the detection, and setting in the detector, as the period, a period over which the result of the detection is stable within the first running duration. | 03-22-2012 |
20120070165 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing a image; a developing container for accommodating a developer comprising toner and carrier; a rotatable developer carrying member, provided in an opening of the developing container, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member; a feeding device for feeding the developer in the developing container toward the developer carrying member; detecting device for detecting information relating to a consumption amount of the developer; and a controller for executing, when a image formation is continuously effected for a plurality of recording materials, a operation in a mode in which on the basis of a result of detection of the detecting device, the image forming operation is interrupted, and a operating condition of at least one of the feeding device and the developer carrying member is changed. | 03-22-2012 |
20120070166 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus is provided that includes an image forming unit including an agitation unit for agitating developing agent contained in a container unit, and a sensor which includes a light emitting unit configured to emit light and a light receiving unit configured to receive the light emitted from the light emitting unit and passing through the container unit. The sensor generates an output in accordance with an amount of light received by the light receiving unit while the agitation unit agitates the developing agent. The image forming apparatus also includes has a medium with instructions stored therein that when executed perform steps including calculating a measurement result based on the output generated by the sensor, and determining, after the agitation is started, whether a current period is an unstable period in which the measurement result is unstable or a stable period in which the measurement result is stable. | 03-22-2012 |
20120076519 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In an image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming portions which respectively has a photosensitive drum, a charging roller, an exposure device, a development device, and a primary transfer roller which transfers a toner image developed to the drum to an intermediate transfer belt, for example, surface potential (On-image Vback) of a part overlapping a toner image to be formed at the image forming portion at the downstream of the belt movement direction from the image forming portion is set to be smaller than surface potential (i.e., Center Vback) of another part among surface potential (i.e., fog removal potential) of a non-image part of the photosensitive drum disposed to the image forming portion. | 03-29-2012 |
20120076520 | TONER CARTRIDGE STORING CONTROL DATA FOR AN IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus mounted with a toner cartridge having a memory unit includes a toner cartridge which stores a plurality of control data depending on toner in the memory unit, an acquisition unit which selects one of the plurality of control data in the memory unit and acquires image formation-related information and a setting unit which sets image formation parameters on the basis of the image formation-related information. | 03-29-2012 |
20120093527 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In an image forming apparatus including an image carrier, a developing device which uses a developer including a toner and a carrier and to develop the electrostatic latent image and forms a visible toner image, plural toner supplying devices each of which supplies the toner in which mass ratio of an additive against the toner is different, and a control section which controls a ratio of a toner supplying amount to be supplied from each of the plural toner supplying devices, under a condition that toner consumption per a single print is low, the control section is configured to increase the toner supplying ratio of the toner including a high ratio of the additive, and under a condition that the toner consumption per the single print is high, the control section is configured to decrease the toner supplying ratio of the toner including a high ratio of the additive. | 04-19-2012 |
20120099878 | TONER REPLENISHING DEVICE CAPABLE OF EFFECTIVELY SOFTENING TONER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH TONER REPLENISHING DEVICE - A toner replenishing device comprises a toner container that stores toner, a toner replenishing device that supplies toner from the toner container to a developing device, and a toner condition detector that detects an aggregated condition of the toner stored in the toner container. A toner softening device is provided to soften toner stored in the toner container. A controller is also provided to drive the toner softening device for a prescribed time period in accordance with a detection result obtained by the toner condition detector. | 04-26-2012 |
20120106989 | TONER BOTTLE PRESENCE AND LEVEL SENSING USING WEIGHT - 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. | 05-03-2012 |
20120106990 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus which has an improved follow-up property indicating how a toner supply amount follows a toner consumption amount to prevent a defective image, including: a photosensitive drum; a developing device; a toner replenishing device; a toner sensor configured to detect a toner amount inside the developing device; and a controller configured to drive the toner replenishing device to replenish the developing device with toner based on a detection result of the sensor during a developing device driving time and to stop the toner replenishing device during a non-image forming period to stop replenishing the developing device with toner, wherein if the toner amount inside the developing device detected by the sensor is reduced to a level equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold value, the controller drives the developing device and the toner replenishing device even during the non-image forming period. | 05-03-2012 |
20120106991 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a correcting portion for correcting an image forming condition on the basis of a result of detection of a first control toner image; a supply controller for controlling a supplying device on the basis of a result of detection of a second control toner image; an executing portion for executing an operation at least in a first image forming mode in which the image is formed at a first speed and in a second image forming mode in which the image is formed at a second speed; and a controller for controlling an image forming condition such that during the second image forming mode, the first control toner image is formed at the speed of the second image forming mode, and the second control toner image is formed after the speed is changed to a third speed which is higher than the second speed. | 05-03-2012 |
20120121275 | DEVELOPER REMAINDER AMOUNT DETECTION SYSTEM AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A detecting system for detecting a developer remainder in a developer container includes first, second and third electrodes provided in the container; an AC voltage source for applying an AC voltage to the third electrode; a first electrostatic capacity detector for detecting a first electrostatic capacity between the first electrode and the third electrode; a second electrostatic capacity detector for detecting a second electrostatic capacity between the second electrode and the third electrode; and a developer remainder detector for correcting the first electrostatic capacity detected by the first electrostatic capacity detector on the basis of the second electrostatic capacity detected by the second electrostatic capacity detector, and for detecting a developer remainder of the developer | 05-17-2012 |
20120141149 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus determines whether image data is formed by a monochrome image or a color image and acquires a rotation number of a photosensitive drum of each color, which forms a latent image of the image data. The image forming apparatus stores a cumulative value of the acquired rotation number of the photosensitive drum of each color. In a case where it is determined that the image data is formed by a monochrome image, the image forming apparatus corrects a cumulative value corresponding to a color component in the stored cumulative value of each color, and determines a toner remaining amount of each color based on the corrected cumulative value of the color component and the stored cumulative value of black. | 06-07-2012 |
20120148270 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus including a developing device corresponding to a color component, comprises: a conversion unit configured to accumulate, for each color component, values of respective pixels for each color component that fall within a predetermined range of image data, and to convert the accumulated value into a count value of the color component; an addition unit configured to add, to the image data, the count value of each color component that has been converted by the conversion unit; and a control unit configured, when forming an image based on the image data, to supply toner to the developing device of each color component in accordance with the count value of the color component that has been added by the addition unit. | 06-14-2012 |
20120148271 | TONER CONTAINER, DEVELOPING DEVICE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner container includes a toner accommodating portion: a rotatable toner stirring member; a sensor for detecting a remaining amount of the toner; wherein the sensor includes a first flexible sheet portion, a second sheet portion, a first opening, a first electroconductive portion, a second electroconductive portion, wherein the first sheet portion flexes by a stirring operation of the stirring member, and the first electroconductive portion is contacted to the second electroconductive portion, by which the remaining toner amount is detectable, and wherein the toner accommodating portion is provided with a second opening for communicating the first opening and an outside of the toner accommodating portion with each other. | 06-14-2012 |
20120155892 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a drum; a developing device, including a developer carrying member for carrying a developer including a non magnetic toner and a magnetic carrier and for conveying the developer to a developing position in which the developer carrying member opposes the drum; a detecting portion for detecting information correlating to a toner charge amount of the developer in the developing device; and a controller capable of executing an operation in a mode, wherein drive of the developer carrying member in a first period in which a non image formation area of the drum corresponding to an internal between a recording material and a subsequent recording material passes through the developing position is stopped or lowered in speed less than that in a second period in which an image area corresponding to the recording material passes through the developing position. | 06-21-2012 |
20120155893 | Toner Calculation in an Image Forming Device - Provided is an image forming apparatus that consumes toner to form an image, including a first calculation portion, a second calculation portion, and a third calculation portion. The first calculation portion calculates a toner consumption by a first calculation method. The second calculation portion calculates the toner consumption by a second calculation method according to a predetermined calculation formula after a predetermined switching criterion is satisfied. The third calculation portion calculates a value of a parameter in the predetermined calculation formula of the second calculation method based on the toner consumption calculated by the first calculation method. | 06-21-2012 |
20120183311 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing an electrostatic latent image; a developing container; a developer carrying member, including a first electrode member, for carrying the developer contained in the developing container to develop the latent image; a developer supplying member, including a second electrode member, for supplying the developer contained in the developing container to the developer carrying member by rotation in contact with the developer carrying member; a measuring portion for measuring a pixel number of an image to be formed; a supplying device for supplying the developer to the developer supplying member on the basis of a measured pixel number after image formation; and a detecting device for detecting an amount of the developer contained in the developing container by detecting electrostatic capacity between the first and second electrode members after the supplying operation. | 07-19-2012 |
20120189326 | DEVELOPER AMOUNT DETECTOR, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME, AND POSITIONING STRUCTURE FOR POSITIONING UNIT WITHIN IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer amount detector for detecting an amount of developer contained in a unit removably installable in an image forming apparatus, including optical elements having a light-emitting element to emit light and a light-receiving element to receive the light; two light-guiding members, provided in the unit, to guide the light from the light-emitting element to the light-receiving element; a holder, held in the image forming apparatus, to hold the optical elements, movable in a direction orthogonal to optical axes of the optical elements as the unit is being installed in the image forming apparatus; and a positioning mechanism to position the unit within the image forming apparatus by restricting movement of the holder in the direction orthogonal to the optical axes relative to the unit in a state in which the unit is installed in the image forming apparatus. | 07-26-2012 |
20120189327 | DEVELOPER AMOUNT DETECTOR, AND DEVELOPER CONTAINER, DEVELOPMENT DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A development device includes a development housing, a first developer conveyance member, a developer bearer, and a developer amount detector to detect an amount of developer in the development housing. The developer amount detector includes a light-emitting element, a right-receiving element, a first light guide including a first end from which light enters and a second end disposed inside the development housing, and a second light guide including a first end positioned inside the development housing across a predetermined distance from the second end of the first light guide and a second end from which the light exits. The second end of the first light guide and the first end of the second light guide are arranged in an axial direction of the first developer conveyance member with a light transmission path therebetween partly inside a locus of rotation of the first developer conveyance member. | 07-26-2012 |
20120207487 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPER REPLENISHMENT ALONG DIAGONAL SWATH - Two-component developer in an electrophotographic (EP) printer is replenished. A replenishment amount of toner is added to depleted developer in a return channel by a replenishment system adjacent to the source end of the return channel. The amount of toner replenished is an estimate of the amount of toner supplied to the latent image in a diagonal swath on the photoreceptor defined by the process surface speed of the photoreceptor and the channel speed of the return channel using the received image data, or using measurements of the respective potentials of the latent image or the respective densities of the visible image at a plurality of points in the diagonal swath on the photoreceptor. | 08-16-2012 |
20120207488 | DISTRIBUTED REPLENISHMENT FOR ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPER - Two-component developer in an electrophotographic (EP) printer is replenished. A replenishment amount of toner is added to depleted developer a plurality of points along the length of a return channel. The amount of toner replenished is an estimate of the amount of toner supplied to the latent image in a cross-track swath on the photoreceptor having a length defined by the process surface speed using the received image data, or using measurements of the respective potentials of the latent image or the respective densities of the visible image at a plurality of points in the cross-track swath on the photoreceptor. | 08-16-2012 |
20120207489 | REPLENISHING TONER USED FROM ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPER - Two-component developer in an electrophotographic (EP) printer is replenished. Image data are received and a corresponding latent image is produced. Toner is supplied to the latent image by bringing developer containing toner particles and carrier particles into proximity with the latent image on the photoreceptor using a toning member, so that toner particles are removed from the developer to produce depleted developer. The depleted developer is transported to a return channel, along which it is moved at a channel speed. A processor automatically estimates, as a replenishment amount of toner to be added to the return channel, the amount of toner supplied to the latent image in a diagonal swath on the photoreceptor defined by the process surface speed and the channel speed using the received image data. The replenishment amount of toner is added to the depleted developer in the return channel to replenish the developer. | 08-16-2012 |
20120207490 | METHOD FOR JUDGING TONER SHORTAGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus carries out a monitoring operation in which (i) sensor outputs of the magnetic permeability sensor are periodically sampled, (ii) a time period, corresponding to one (1) circulation period which is required for the developer to be circulated once in the circulation carrying path, is evenly divided into a plurality of blocks, and (iii) an average of the sensor outputs in one (1) block time period corresponding to one (1) block is calculated for each of the plurality of blocks; and determines that toner has run short, in a case where the number of times that the averages of the sensor outputs consecutively exceed a threshold, set to be higher than a reference value of the sensor outputs, becomes not less than the number of the plurality of blocks which correspond to the time period corresponding to one (1) circulation period. | 08-16-2012 |
20120207491 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM - An information processing apparatus is configured to communicate with an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a toner supply unit having a stationary toner container and a replaceable toner container. The information processing apparatus includes a first receiving unit configured to receive from the image forming apparatus a toner-low notification with respect to the stationary toner container, a second receiving unit configured to receive from the image forming apparatus a replaceability notification with respect to the replaceable toner container, and a management unit configured to manage a stock quantity of the replaceable toner containers based on the toner-low notification received by the first receiving unit and the replaceability notification received by the second receiving unit. | 08-16-2012 |
20120219307 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - An image forming device includes a replaceable cartridge, a light-emitting element, a light-receiving element, and a determining unit. The replaceable cartridge accommodates developer therein and includes an agitator and a developing roller rotatable together with the agitator. The light-emitting element is configured to emit a light toward the replaceable cartridge. The light-receiving element is configured to receive the light emitted by the light-emitting element through the replaceable cartridge to output a signal. The determination value is produced based on the signal. The determining unit is configured to determine whether or not the determination value is greater than a predetermined determination threshold upon the agitator having rotated continuously more than a first prescribed number of times. The determining unit determines that the replaceable cartridge should be replaced with a new one when the determination value is greater than the predetermined determination threshold. | 08-30-2012 |
20120230706 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member to bear a toner image, a transfer device to transfer the toner image onto a recording medium, and a moving device controller to control a moving device that moves the transfer device such that the moving device moves the transfer device to contact the image bearing member during transfer of the toner image on the image bearing member to the recording medium; separates the transfer device from the image bearing member as a toner patch on the image bearing member passes through the transfer area; and maintains the transfer device in contact with the image bearing member from a preceding transfer of a toner image to a succeeding transfer of a toner image during continuous printing, as at least one of areas between successive toner images on the image bearing member without the toner patch passes through the transfer area. | 09-13-2012 |
20120230707 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A temperature sensor detects information regarding humidity in an atmosphere of a developing container. A temperature sensor detects information regarding humidity in an atmosphere of a toner hopper. An inductance sensor detects information regarding a toner density within the developing container. A printer controller controls a replenishing operation of a replenishing screw member based on image information. The printer controller controls the replenishing operation of the replenishing screw member so that a toner density within the developing container is less than or equal to a predetermined value based on a detection result of the inductance sensor. The printer controller controls the predetermined value to be small when a difference between humidity detection results detected by each of the temperature sensors is large as compared to when the difference is small. | 09-13-2012 |
20120230708 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, an optical writing unit to writing an electrostatic latent image on the image bearer, the optical writing unit including multiple optical writing elements arranged in a longitudinal direction of the image bearer and a frame to hold the multiple optical writing elements, a development device to develop the electrostatic latent image on the image bearer with developer, a developer container for containing the developer supplied to the development device, and a developer amount detector to detect an amount of developer contained in the developer container based on a light transmission amount between a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element. At least one of the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element of the developer amount detector is attached to the optical writing unit. | 09-13-2012 |
20120230709 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD OF IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND STORAGE MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM - An image forming apparatus includes a printing unit configured to print an input print job including a plurality of pages, wherein, if it is determined that a remaining amount of a recording agent in a cartridge is less than or equal to a threshold value, the printing unit prints a portion of print data in the print job, temporarily stops printing, and displays a toner out message on a display unit to prompt a user to replace the cartridge, and repeats, if the user does not replace the cartridge after the toner out message is displayed, printing a portion of print data in the print job that is different from the print data that the printing unit has already printed, temporarily stopping printing, and displaying on the display unit the toner out message. | 09-13-2012 |
20120237227 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, TONER SUPPLYING METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - A control unit drives a driving unit for a correction driving time to supply toner to a developing unit from a toner supplying unit, when a detecting unit detects that an amount of toner stored in the developing unit is equal to or less than a threshold value. A calculating unit calculates an amount of toner consumption from when the toner is supplied to the developing unit to when the detecting unit detects that the amount of the toner stored in the developing unit is equal to or less than the threshold value. The control unit calculates a unit amount of toner supply from the correction driving time and the amount of toner consumption, and supplies the toner to the developing unit by driving the driving unit on the basis of the calculated unit amount of toner supply. | 09-20-2012 |
20120243885 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes image holding bodies that hold latent images and toner images, developer units that form toner images by developing the latent images, a transfer unit that transfers the toner images to a recording medium, a fixing unit that fixes the transferred toner images to the recording medium, container mounting portions on which toner containers are replaceably mounted, and remaining toner amount calculating units that calculate the amount of toners remaining in the toner containers, wherein the remaining toner amount calculating unit includes a primary calculator that calculates plural primary remaining amounts on the basis of bases different from each other, a storage unit that stores empty area data of a remaining amount space, and a secondary calculator that refers to the empty area data stored in the storage unit, and calculates a ratio of a distance. | 09-27-2012 |
20120243886 | TONER REPLENISHMENT DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A toner replenishment device includes a toner receiving port, a toner feed unit feeding toner from the toner receiving port into the device, a toner detector detecting that the device has been filled with a specified amount of the toner, an agitating member having an agitating blade and rotating so as to agitate the toner in the device, a position detector detecting a rotational position of the agitating member and generating a signal indicative thereof, and a recognition unit recognizing the rotational position based on the signal output from the position detector. The toner feed unit feeds the toner into the device when an end edge of the agitating blade is within a specified range, in which a flow path of the toner from the toner receiving port to the toner detector is not blocked by the agitating blade, based on the recognition performed by the recognition unit. | 09-27-2012 |
20120243887 | TONER TRANSPORTATION DEVICE, TONER CASE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND METHOD OF DETECTING REMAINING AMOUNT OF TONER - A toner transportation device includes a toner case and a drive section. The toner case includes a main body that contains toner, a discharge port located in the main body and allowing toner to pass therethrough, and a transportation unit rotatably positioned in the main body for transporting the toner toward the discharge port. The drive section includes a driving unit that drives the transportation unit, a detection unit that detects rotation of the transportation unit and outputs a rotation number detection signal, and a control unit that estimates an amount of toner remaining in the toner case based on an accumulated number of times the rotation number detection signal has been outputted from the detection unit. | 09-27-2012 |
20120243888 | TONER TRANSPORTATION DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND METHOD OF DETECTING THE AMOUNT OF TONER REMAINING - A toner transportation device includes a first toner case that contains toner; a second toner case including a main body containing toner transported from the first toner case, a second discharge port located in the main body that discharges toner, and a second transportation unit rotatably positioned in the main body, and that transports toner to the second discharge port; a second driving unit that drives the second transportation unit; a detecting unit that detects the number of rotations of the second transportation unit and outputs a rotation detection signal; and a control unit that estimates the amount of toner remaining in the first toner case based on an accumulated number of rotations represented by the rotation detection signal. | 09-27-2012 |
20120251134 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image holding member, an exposing device, a developing device, a transfer device, a fixing device, a container mounting portion demountably mounted with a toner container, a toner supply unit supplying the toner to the developing device from the toner container, a first estimation unit estimating an amount of toner used on the basis of the image data, a second estimation unit estimating the amount of toner used on the basis of a toner supplying operation of the toner supply unit, and an emptiness determining unit determining emptiness of the toner container on the basis of only the amount of toner used estimated by the first estimation unit in a first state and both the amounts of toner used estimated by the first and second estimation units in a second state. | 10-04-2012 |
20120251135 | Image Forming Apparatus and a Method for Determining a Condition of Toner - In an image forming apparatus, a control device obtains an amount of toner in a first area and an amount of toner in a second area. The first area is defined on a conveying member that is in contact with a photosensitive member. The transfer of toner is assured in the first area of the conveying member, but is not assured in the second area. The control device determines a toner condition based on a difference in the amount of toner between the first area and the second area. When the difference in the amount of toner is larger, the control device determines that the toner is in a deteriorated condition. When the difference in the amount of toner is smaller, the control device determines that the toner is not in the deteriorated condition. | 10-04-2012 |
20120269524 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is an image forming apparatus, including: a developing unit which develops, with a developer, an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member based on image data; a replenishing unit which replenishes the developing unit with the developer; a detecting unit which detects presence/absence of the developer in the replenishing unit; a counting unit which counts a number of dots according to the image data; a calculating unit which calculates an integrated value of the number of dots; and a control unit which performs a determination process of determining the presence/absence of the developer based on a detection result of the detecting unit, and which stops an image forming operation in a case where the control unit determines that the developer is present and that the integrated value exceeds a predetermined value. | 10-25-2012 |
20120294632 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF STORING TONER REPLENISHMENT AMOUNT - An image forming apparatus includes: a developing unit; an intermediate hopper including a toner detector, for replenishing the developing unit with toner; a container that replenishes toner to the intermediate hopper and includes a replenishment amount storage unit for storing an accumulated toner replenishment amount; a control unit for determining whether or not the container is empty and whether or not the container has been replaced; a reader/writer for causing the replenishment amount storage unit to update the accumulated toner replenishment amount; and a storage unit for storing an integrated value of toner replenishment amounts in a container empty mode, and the reader/writer causes the replenishment amount storage unit of the container after being replaced to store the accumulated toner replenishment amount. | 11-22-2012 |
20120301159 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image on the drum using toner, a temperature sensor that detects toner temperature in the developing device, an optical sensor that detects the density of a patch image formed on the drum, a controller that controls the amount of the toner supplied to the developing device based on the detection result of the density of the patch image, and a setting portion that sets an potential difference between the electric potential of an image portion at the time of forming the patch image and a DC bias applied to the developing device. The setting portion sets the electric potential difference so as to be increased according to an increase in the toner temperature based on the detection result. | 11-29-2012 |
20120328307 | DEVELOPER ACCOMMODATION UNIT, DEVELOPMENT DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND DEVELOPER SUPPLY CONTAINER - A developer accommodation unit includes a developer accommodation part that accommodates a developer, an opening part that communicates with the developer accommodation part, a shutter member that is movable between an opened position and a closed position with respect to the opening part, a rotation body that is provided rotatable in the developer accommodation part, and a drive force transmission mechanism that transmits a drive force to the rotation body so that the rotation body rotates. The drive force transmission mechanism includes an engagement mechanism by which the drive force is transmitted to the rotation body when the shutter member is in the opened position. | 12-27-2012 |
20130028616 | PRINTING CONTROL DEVICE, PRINTING DEVICE, PRINTING CONTROL METHOD, AND PRINTING CONTROL SYSTEM - A printing control device of the present invention controls a printing device equipped with a consumable supply, and includes a display control section for causing a display section to display a printing setting screen via which printing conditions corresponding to functions of the printing device are set and entered into the printing device. The printing setting screen includes an ordering screen via which an order of the consumable supply equipped for the printing device is entered, and the ordering screen includes remaining-amount-of-consumable-supply information indicative of an index of a remaining amount of the consumable supply. | 01-31-2013 |
20130028617 | TONER CARTRIDGE SUPPORTING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME, AND TONER CARTRIDGE SUPPORTING METHOD - A toner cartridge supporting apparatus includes a storage portion, an insertion port, an opening/closing cover, a detecting portion for detecting a toner remaining amount, a control portion for controlling toner supply, a judging portion to judge whether or not a toner in a toner cartridge is exhausted, a message generating portion for generating a replacement message, a display portion for displaying the message, a toner cartridge replacement icon, and a toner cartridge moving portion, wherein a toner cartridge replacement message display function and a toner cartridge movement instruction function are provided as the control portion. | 01-31-2013 |
20130039669 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus, including: an image bearing member which bears an electrostatic latent image; a developing device including a developing container which contains a developer, a developer carrying member which carries the developer to develop the electrostatic latent image, and an electrode member provided in the developing container; voltage applying device which applies an alternate-current voltage to the developer carrying member; and a detecting device which detects information on a capacitance between the developer carrying member and the electrode member when the voltage applying device applies the alternate-current voltage to the developer carrying member in forming an image, wherein the voltage applying device has, as the alternate-current voltage, a first alternate-current voltage having a first peak-to-peak voltage and a first frequency, and a second alternate-current voltage having a second peak-to-peak voltage higher than the first peak-to-peak voltage and a second frequency lower than the first frequency. | 02-14-2013 |
20130039670 | DEVELOPING UNIT, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developing unit includes a developer storage unit, a developer bearing member, an agitation member, a flexible member, and a magnet member. The developer storage unit stores a developer. The developer bearing member develops an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member with the developer. The agitation member agitates the developer in the developer storage unit. The flexible member, disposed in the developer storage unit, is distorted by pressure applied by the agitation member via the developer. The magnet member, disposed on the flexible member, is displaced in response to the flexible member being distorted. | 02-14-2013 |
20130051821 | Image Forming System - An image forming system includes a first developer container, a second developer container having a capacity larger than that of the first developer container, and an image forming main unit having a structure configured to allow one developer container selected from the group including the first and second developer containers to be removably installed therein. Each of the first and second developer containers includes a housing configured to form a developer storage chamber in which developer is storable, and a developer agitating member. The agitating member of the first developer container has a construction equivalent to that of the second developer container. Lower portions of the housings are equally positioned relative to the corresponding agitating member and have equally shaped inner surfaces, while portions other than the lower portions of the housings are shaped differently from each other. | 02-28-2013 |
20130071130 | TONER CONSUMPTION CALCULATOR, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND TONER CONSUMPTION CALCULATION METHOD - A toner consumption calculator includes a plurality of line memories; a recorder that sequentially records image data including a plurality of pixels into the line memories; a skew correction unit that performs skew correction on the image data by sequentially reading the image data from the line memories while controlling read timing; and a counter that sequentially reads the image data from the line memories and counts toner consumption of a target pixel on the basis of light amounts of surrounding pixels of the target pixel. | 03-21-2013 |
20130108286 | Method for Delaying the Start of a Gage for Tracking the Life of a Consumable Item for an Imaging Device | 05-02-2013 |
20130121709 | PRINTING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND CONTROL METHOD FOR PRINTING APPARATUS AND INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS - A printing apparatus according to the present invention is a printing apparatus that performs printing using a recording material, and includes a plurality of storage units configured to store a recording material, a reception unit configured to receive designation information for specifying a storage unit to which the recording material is supplied, and a moving unit configured to move the storage unit that the designation information specifies, into a position at which the recording material can be supplied, according to an instruction. | 05-16-2013 |
20130136464 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is an image forming apparatus including: photosensitive drums; electrostatic latent image forming units; developing sleeves; patch detection sensors which detect image densities of the toner images formed by the electrostatic latent image forming units; and toner replenishment units which replenish the developing sleeves with the toner based on the detection results of the patch detection sensors. Further, controllers are provided to make a control such that the rotation speeds of the developing sleeves at the time of forming the reference toner image is higher than the rotation speeds of the developing sleeves at the time of forming a normal image. | 05-30-2013 |
20130136465 | DEVELOPING DEVICE, PROCESS UNIT, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developing device includes a developing chamber; a toner carrier disposed in the developing chamber; a toner supply part configured to supply toner to the toner carrier; a toner amount detecting part configured to change its rotational position according to the amount of toner near the toner supply part to detect the amount of toner remaining in the developing chamber; and a toner flow restricting part configured to block movement of the toner around the toner amount detecting part which is caused by a flow of the toner in the developing chamber generated by the rotation of the toner supply part and the toner carrier. | 05-30-2013 |
20130142527 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer supply device supplies a toner supply amount to a developing chamber based on an output of an inductance sensor. An elapsed time is set such that the toner supply amount is smaller with respect to the same output of the inductance sensor when the elapsed time after conveyance start of a developer according to an image formation start signal is less than a predetermined time until a surface level of the developer is stabilized than when the elapsed time is equal to or greater than the predetermined time. As the elapsed time approaches the predetermined time, a ratio at which the toner supply amount is set to be small with respect to the same output of the inductance sensor is reduced. | 06-06-2013 |
20130156446 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is a developing device including a container that contains developer; a developing roller that transports the developer within the container to a photoconductor side; a trimmer having a tip brought close to the developing roller, and provided upstream of the photoconductor in a transporting direction by the developing roller; and a detector provided in the trimmer or in the vicinity of the trimmer of the inner surface of the container to detect the pressure caused by the developer. | 06-20-2013 |
20130164001 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developing device, a holding unit, and a detection device. The image bearing member supports an electrostatic latent image. The developing device includes a developer bearing member having a first electrode member and supporting a developer to develop the electrostatic latent image. The developing device includes a supply member having a second electrode member and supplying the developer to the developer bearing member at a nip portion. The holding unit holds and change the developing device to a first posture and to a second posture where the deposited developer falls off the first posture. The detection device detects a remaining developer amount in the developing device based on a capacitance C | 06-27-2013 |
20130170847 | CAPACITIVE TONER LEVEL SENSOR - A toner container including a first electrode disposed within the toner container, a second electrode electrically connected to the first electrode and disposed within the toner container, and a sense electrode disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The sense electrode and the first electrode form a first capacitor having a first capacitance that changes in response to a change in toner amount existing therebetween. The sense electrode and the second electrode form a second capacitor having a second capacitance that changes in response to a change in toner amount existing therebetween | 07-04-2013 |
20130177327 | Systems for Detecting Low Toner in an Electro-photographic Toner Cartridge - An electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes an optical emitter positioned to emit a light beam through a window into a reservoir holding toner toward a reflective surface in the reservoir as a paddle positioned within the reservoir rotates. An optical receiver is positioned to sense an amount of the light beam reflected by the reflective surface. At least one processor is configured to receive a signal related to the amount of light sensed by the optical receiver. The at least one processor includes computer executable program instructions including: instructions for calculating an average value for the signal for each of a plurality of sets of paddle revolutions, instructions for calculating a variation value for the signal for each of the plurality of sets of paddle revolutions, instructions for filtering each variation value to determine a plurality of short term variation values, instructions for monitoring whether at least one short term variation value exceeds a first threshold, and instructions for signaling that a toner level in the reservoir is low when the at least one short term variation value exceeds the first threshold. | 07-11-2013 |
20130183049 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a development device, a supply developer container, a supply developer supply member, a toner density detecting portion, and a controller. The controller that controls an image formation condition based on first information regarding a humidity of the developer accommodated in the developing device, second information regarding a humidity of the developer accommodated in the supply device and third information regarding a supply amount supplied by the supply device. | 07-18-2013 |
20130188973 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a control portion. The control portion determines a developer near end when the residual amount of a developer is in a range from a first predetermined amount to a second predetermined amount, and determines a developer end when the residual amount of the developer is equal to or lower than the second predetermined amount. Besides, in a case where the control portion determines the developer end after a predetermined number of printings are executed in a developer near end state, the control portion supplies the developer from a developer supply device to a development device via a first supply opening, and in a case where the control portion determines the developer end after more than the predetermined number of printings are executed, the control portion supplies the developer from the developer supply device to the development device via a second supply opening. | 07-25-2013 |
20130202318 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Patch detection ATR control is executed each time image formation of a predetermined number of sheets is performed, and a replenishment quantity of a replenishment developer to be supplied from a hopper ( | 08-08-2013 |
20130202319 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a latent image carrier carrying a latent image, a developing device visualizing the latent image utilizing a two-component developer, a supply device supplying toner according to a change in toner density in the two-component developer inside the developing device, and a control device having an input side connected to a density sensor detecting a value of the toner density and an image information acquisition device acquiring information on an image formed on the latent image carrier, and an output side connected to a driving device driving the supply device. When the detected value is higher than a target value of the toner density stored by the control device, the control device performs control to stop the driving device or drive the driving device to supply toner in an amount less than a combined toner supply amount of first and second toner supply amounts. | 08-08-2013 |
20130209114 | DEVELOPMENT DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS - A development device includes a developer carrier configured to develop an electrostatic latent image by causing a developer to adhere to an electrostatic latent image carrier, a first supply member disposed in non-contact with the developer carrier and configured to supply a developer to the developer carrier, a second supply member disposed in contact with the first supply member below the first supply member and configured to supply the developer to the first supply member, and a developer holder configured to hold the developer for replenishing the second supply member. The first supply member and the second supply member rotate so that the surfaces thereof move in the same direction at their opposed parts. | 08-15-2013 |
20130223855 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TONER CARTRIDGE - An image forming apparatus comprises: a storage medium | 08-29-2013 |
20130223856 | IMAGE FORMING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming unit includes an image bearing body, a developer bearing body that supplies a developer to the image bearing body, a developer storage portion for storing the developer, a developer reserving portion that reserves the developer, a replenishing member that replenishes the developer from the developer reserving portion to the developer storage portion, and a guide member provided between the replenishing member and the developer bearing body. The guide member temporality holds the developer replenished by the replenishing member and regulates falling of the developer. A conveying member conveys the developer held by the guide member in an axial direction of the developer bearing body along the guide member. A detecting portion is provided between the guide member and the developer bearing body for detecting the developer. The replenishing member replenishes the developer to the developer storage portion based on a result of detection using the detecting portion. | 08-29-2013 |
20130223857 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus includes a developing unit adapted to contain a developer a member adapted to perform a circumduction motion in the developing unit and a detection unit installed on an internal surface of the developing unit and adapted to detect a signal corresponding to pressure in the developing unit which varies with the circumduction motion of the member. An amount of the developer can be determined based on the detected pressure. | 08-29-2013 |
20130230332 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TONER SUPPLY CONTROL METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes a forced toner consumption controller which executes a forced toner consumption control; a toner supply controller which executes a toner supply control; and a pre-job controller which, upon receipt of an image forming job, and before the start of the job, acquires a toner consumption index value, determines a specific target image density based on the acquired index value, executes a previous toner consumption and supply control including the forced toner consumption control and the toner supply control that makes a toner concentration in a developer of a development device subjected to the forced toner consumption control approach a specific target toner concentration, and then executes a previous image density adjustment control that adjusts one or more image forming conditions to make an image density after the previous toner consumption and supply control approach the specific target image density. | 09-05-2013 |
20130243450 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus including: a developing unit; a developer supply unit; a toner density detecting unit; a mode setting unit; a first supply control unit; a second supply control unit; and a second standard value setting unit. The toner density detecting unit detects toner density. The mode setting unit, when toner density detected by the toner density detecting unit is less than a first standard value and a second standard value that is lower than the first standard value or more, sets a first developer supply mode as a mode for supplying developer to the developing unit and when the toner density detected by the toner density detecting unit is less than the second standard value, sets a second developer supply mode as a mode for supplying developer to the developing unit. | 09-19-2013 |
20130266329 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR, AND STORAGE MEDIUM STORING CONTROL PROGRAM THEREFOR - An image forming apparatus that is capable of reducing an effect of variation of specific inductive capacity of toner due to environmental variation with a small detection error when the remaining toner amount is detected. The image forming apparatus forms an image with an electrophotographic system. A container unit stores toner. A toner detection unit has sensor modules that are arranged at positions where the toner is stagnated in the container unit, and that show different electrostatic capacities with respect to the same toner thickness. An electrostatic capacity detection unit detects the electrostatic capacities of the sensor modules. A determination unit determines a remaining toner amount in the container unit based on the electrostatic capacities of the sensor modules that are detected by the electrostatic capacity detection unit. | 10-10-2013 |
20130266330 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit for accommodating a developer; a ratatable member for paddling in the developing unit, wherein the paddling member includes a pressure-applying portion for applying pressure to a wall surface perpendicular to a rotational axis direction; a pressure-detecting portion for detecting the pressure applied by the pressure-applying portion of the ratatable member, wherein the pressure-detecting portion is provided on the wall surface perpendicular to the rotational axis direction of the ratatable member in the developing unit; and a discriminating portion for discriminating an amount of the developer in the developing unit on the basis of a detection result of the pressure-detecting portion. | 10-10-2013 |
20130272727 | DEVELOPER ACCOMMODATING UNIT, DEVELOPING CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer accommodating unit includes a developer accommodating unit formed by a developer accommodating frame and includes an integrally formed light guide member. The light guide member is mounted through the developer accommodating frame in a state in which an incident portion and an emergent portion are exposed through an incident side opening and an emergent side opening, respectively, and is connected with the developer accommodating frame in a sealed state so that an outside and inside of the developer accommodating chamber are prevented from communicating with each other via the incident side opening and the emergent side opening. | 10-17-2013 |
20130279925 | IMAGE FORMATION UNIT AND IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS - An image formation unit includes a developer storage configured to store developer, an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developer carrier being in contact with the image carrier and configured to transfer developer to the electrostatic latent image, a developer housing portion located below the developer storage and above the image carrier and configured to house the developer from the developer storage, a supply port provided above the developer housing portion to communicate with the developer storage and configured to supply the developer in the developer storage into the developer housing portion, a developer amount detection member rotatably disposed in the developer housing portion at a position below the supply port, and protrusions disposed on the developer amount detection member. | 10-24-2013 |
20130287414 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The present invention provides an image forming apparatus, including: an image bearing member; a development device that develops an electrostatic latent image formed in the image bearing member with a toner; a detection portion that detects information on humidity within the apparatus body; a time measuring portion that acquires a time information; a humidity sensor that detects humidity around the development device; and a controller that sets a parameter about an image density formed in a transfer material, based on history information about the information on humidity within the apparatus body and the time information detecting the information on humidity and based on information acquired by the acquisition portion. | 10-31-2013 |
20130308965 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable member which is provided on and rotatable about a rotation shaft in a detachably mountable developing unit containing a developer and has flexibility so that it is flexed depending on a resistance of the developer; an electroconductive member to be detected which is provided on the rotatable member; a detecting electrode provided in a neighborhood of an outer wall surface of a bottom of the developing unit; a converting portion for detecting an electrostatic capacity between the member to be detected and the detecting electrode and for converting the electrostatic capacity into an electric signal; a measuring portion for measuring a time duration in which the electric signal converted by the converting portion exceeds a predetermined threshold; and a discriminating portion for discriminating an amount of the developer on the basis of the time duration measured by the measuring portion. | 11-21-2013 |
20130315611 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developing device includes a developer holding member that holds a developer on a surface thereof to transport the developer to a developing region in which a latent image is developed as a visible image, an accommodating section that accommodates the developer supplied to the developer holding member, a supply section that is connected to the accommodating section and disposed above the developer holding member in the direction of gravity to supply the developer to the developer holding member from above, and a first transport member that is disposed in the supply section to transport the developer, and transports a predetermined or greater amount of a developer in the developer accommodated in the supply section to the outside of a region corresponding to the developer holding member. | 11-28-2013 |
20130322896 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - For each of N imaginary regions divided at predetermined intervals in the direction of the rotation shaft of a developer roller ( | 12-05-2013 |
20140016954 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a toner supply section that supplies toner to a plurality of developing sections; a carrier supply section that supplies carrier to the plurality of developing sections; and a control section that controls an operation of the carrier supply section. The carrier supply section includes: a carrier housing section; a carrier distributing section that receives a predetermined amount of carrier that has freely fallen from the carrier housing section and guides the predetermined amount of carrier to each of the plurality of developing sections; a support frame section that slidably supports the carrier distributing section; and a vibration exciter section that vibrates the carrier distributing section. | 01-16-2014 |
20140023385 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus includes a developing unit that is detachable and contains a developer, a detection member that includes an electrode to be detected and is rotatable around a rotation axis in the developing unit, an agitator that moves around the rotation axis in the developing unit; an electrostatic capacitance sensor electrode provided on an exterior of the developing unit, an electrostatic capacitance sensor that detects electrostatic capacitance between the electrode to be detected and the electrostatic capacitance sensor electrode, and outputs data on the detected electrostatic capacitance, and a CPU that determines an amount of developer in the developing unit based on the data output from the electrostatic capacitance sensor. | 01-23-2014 |
20140029962 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND POWDER TRANSPORT UNIT - An image forming apparatus includes a powder container containing powder used for image forming and including an inlet through which the powder is supplied, a powder supply unit including an outlet that is removably connected to the inlet and supplying the powder to the powder container with the outlet connected to the inlet of the powder container, a powder amount detector detecting whether a present powder level in the powder container is equal to or greater than a threshold, and a controller controlling an amount of powder supply from the powder supply unit and controlling the present powder level in the powder container after replenishment to remain in a range from the threshold and a position corresponding to an upper edge of the inlet. A powder transport unit includes a transport decelerating part to decelerate the speed of powder transport and a detection area in the image forming apparatus. | 01-30-2014 |
20140037305 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus includes a developing unit that contains developer and that is detachable; a detection member that includes a detected electrode and that moves around a rotation shaft in the developing unit, an electrostatic capacitance sensor electrode that is provided on an outer side of the developing unit, an electrostatic capacitance sensor that detects an electrostatic capacitance between the detected electrode and the electrostatic capacitance sensor electrode and that outputs data related to the detected electrostatic capacitance, and a CPU that determines an amount of the developer in the developing unit based on the data output from the electrostatic capacitance sensor. | 02-06-2014 |
20140044442 | TONER SUPPLY DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner supply device includes: a toner cartridge; a cartridge driving source; a toner detection sensor; a conveyance member which conveys toner; a rotating member driving source which drives the conveyance member; a driving controller which controls the rotating member driving source; and a controller which controls a series of replenishment operations of the toner cartridge based on a detection result of the toner detection sensor, and controls whether to continue a series of replenishment operations of the toner cartridge based on information about driving of the conveyance member which is acquired at every predetermined period after the starting of the series of replenishment operations of the toner cartridge. | 02-13-2014 |
20140044443 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - When a stirring member that stirs developer in a developer containing portion rotates at high speed, toner flies and the detection accuracy of light transmission type toner remaining amount detection is degraded. A developing apparatus including a developer containing portion that contains developer, a stirring member that stirs the developer in the developer containing portion, and a partition member which is disposed to separate the developer containing portion from a space adjacent to the developer containing portion and which bends to block at least a part of a light path, which is formed in the space and used to detect an amount of the developer, when being pressed by the stirring member via the developer. | 02-13-2014 |
20140056602 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a developing part, a storing part and an adjusting part. The image carrier includes a surface. An electrostatic latent image formed on the surface is developed by a toner, thereby forming a toner image on the surface. The developing part contains the toner supplied from a toner cartridge and supplies the toner to the image carrier. The storing part stores information relating to a replacement rate when a first toner in the developing part is replaced by a second toner, in a case where kinds of the first toner contained in the developing part and the second toner being supplied from the toner cartridge are different. The adjusting part adjusts density of the toner image on the basis of the replacement rate when a toner cartridge containing the first toner is replaced by another toner cartridge containing the second toner. | 02-27-2014 |
20140064749 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - This invention is to provide a technique of always obtaining a stable output image in image formation using toner. A supplier ( | 03-06-2014 |
20140072314 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes: a first cartridge configured to contain developer of a first color; a second cartridge configured to contain developer of a second color; a processor; and memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, causing the image forming apparatus to: indicate the necessity to replace the first cartridge by using at least information based on a first use amount and information based on a number of printed sheets; and indicate the necessity to replace the second cartridge by using at least information based on a second use amount without using the information based on the number of printed sheets. | 03-13-2014 |
20140079413 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR USING TONER SHAPE FACTOR TO CONTROL TONER CONCENTRATION - System and methods for controlling toner properties in a two component development system through the toner shape factor. In particular, the present embodiments provide a method for controlling toner concentrations by tailoring the circularity value ranges of the toner particles to prevent dysfunctions and provide a more robust and optimized xerographic system. | 03-20-2014 |
20140079414 | DEVELOPER REPLENISHING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An apparatus has a controller that controls a first supply mode in which a drive portion is driven under a first drive condition based on a detection result of a developer detection portion in an executable manner, in a case where the controller detects the absence of developer even when the container main body is driven for a predetermined time after the developer detection portion detects the absence of developer, the controller changes the mode from the first supply mode to a second supply mode in which the container main body is driven under a second drive condition in which a quantity of rotation of the container main body per unit time is less than the first drive condition. | 03-20-2014 |
20140079415 | DEVELOPING DEVICE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developing device includes a developer storage chamber configured to store developer to be supplied to the development chamber, a partition configured to separate a development chamber and the developer storage chamber and having an opening allowing communication between the developer storage chamber and the development chamber, and a protruding portion configured to protrude toward the inside of the developer storage chamber from the partition on a downstream side of the opening in the rotation direction of a rotating shaft, and within one turn of rotation of the rotating shaft, a receiving member moves while contacting the protruding portion according to the rotation of the rotating shaft. | 03-20-2014 |
20140079416 | DEVELOPER STORAGE UNIT, DEVELOPMENT DEVICE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer storage unit includes a receiving portion which is provided on a rotating shaft, and configured to receive a developer falling from a conveyance member. | 03-20-2014 |
20140086599 | DEVELOPMENT DEVICE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A development device includes a developer storage chamber configured to store a developer, a developer carrying member configured to carry the developer, a light transmission member capable of transmitting detection light for detecting a remaining amount of a developer in the developer storage chamber, a shaft member which is provided to the developer storage chamber and configured to rotate, a conveyance unit which is provided to the shaft member and configured to convey the developer, and a cleaning unit which is provided to the shaft member and configured to rub and clean the light transmission member, wherein the shaft member includes an opening. | 03-27-2014 |
20140093258 | NETWORK PRINTER SYSTEM - Electronic systems, such as printing systems, often use components that have integral memory. The integral memory can be used to store information about the component. In some printing systems this memory includes a portion that stores a value indicative of a print yield. Disclosed is a method and system for allowing the memory to have data indicative of an increased print yield. | 04-03-2014 |
20140105622 | Methods for Providing a Transferable Page Countdown for a Toner Cartridge Between Image Forming Devices - A method for providing a page countdown for a replaceable toner cartridge according to one embodiment includes, upon detecting a toner cartridge that is out of usable toner, determining a number of pages remaining for a page countdown associated with the toner cartridge. Whether a toner sump of an imaging unit positioned to receive toner from the toner cartridge contains sufficient toner to print the number of pages remaining is also determined. If the toner sump of the imaging unit contains sufficient toner, the page countdown continues from the number of pages remaining. If the toner sump of the imaging unit does not contain sufficient toner, the number of pages remaining for the page countdown is reset based on the amount of toner available in the toner sump of the imaging unit and the page countdown continues from the reset number of pages remaining. | 04-17-2014 |
20140119747 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR - According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes: a toner cartridge which includes a storage section; a toner motor; a toner-motor driving section; a count measuring section configured to measure a driving time of the toner motor and calculate a consumption count value of the toner; an event detecting section configured to detect operation events; a main body counter configured to sequentially update a main body counter value with the consumption count value and stores the main body counter value; a toner counter configured to store a toner counter value in the storage section; a counter comparing section configured to perform counter comparison of the main body counter value and the toner counter value; and an event processing section configured to perform processing for keeping consistency of the main body counter value and the toner counter value on the basis of the counter comparison. | 05-01-2014 |
20140133873 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TONER REMAINING AMOUNT CONTROL METHOD - A dot-count calculation section counts the number of dots that are printed, and calculates an amount of toner consumed in a developing device (toner consumption amount). A toner supply amount calculation section calculates an amount of toner supplied to the developing device by the toner supply mechanism (toner supply amount). A cumulative toner supply amount holding section holds a cumulative toner supply amount. A correction toner supply amount calculation section calculates a used amount of the toner in the toner case (correction toner supply amount), based on the toner consumption amount and the toner supply amount. A cumulative toner supply amount updating section adds the correction toner supply amount and the cumulative toner supply amount, and stores a value resulting from the addition in the cumulative toner supply amount holding section, as a new cumulative toner supply amount. | 05-15-2014 |
20140161471 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a latent image forming device that forms a latent image, a latent image carrier that carries the latent image, a development device that develops the latent image, and a controller. The development device includes a developer carrier that faces the latent image carrier and carries toner on a rotary surface thereof that rotates in a rotation direction perpendicular to a width direction of the developer carrier, and a regulation member that regulates the thickness of a layer of the toner on the surface of the developer carrier. The controller moves the toner on lateral end regions in the width direction of the surface of the developer carrier toward the latent image carrier. The end regions are located outside a maximum image forming region within a regulation member facing region of the surface of the developer carrier facing the regulation member. | 06-12-2014 |
20140161472 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Disclosed herein is a developing device including: a developer housing section configured to house a developer including toner and carrier; a carrier replenishing section configured to supply the carrier to the developer housing section; a carrier concentration detecting section provided at a position near a carrier replenishment position at which the carrier is received from the carrier replenishing section in the developer housing section, the carrier concentration detecting section being configured to detect a carrier concentration in the developer housing section; and a carrier replenishment determination section configured to determine whether the carrier is properly supplied to the developer housing section on the basis of a result of detecting by the carrier concentration detecting section. | 06-12-2014 |
20140169805 | CARRIER DISPENSE RATE MEASUREMENT - A printing device (and associated method) comprises a carrier supply, one or more tubes operatively connected to the carrier supply, one or more developer stations operatively connected to the tubes, and at least two sensors connected to each of the tubes. The tubes supply a pulse of the carrier material (“slug”) from the carrier supply to the developer stations. The sensors are positioned a known distance apart along a length of the tubes. The sensors detect the slug of the carrier material passing in the tubes. The processor determines the slug speed based on the timing difference of when the different sensors detect the slug. The processor determines the size of the slug based on the slug speed and determines the dispense rate of the carrier supply based on the size of the slug. | 06-19-2014 |
20140169806 | Replaceable Unit for an Image Forming Device Having a Falling Paddle for Toner Level Sensing - A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having an inner volume forming a reservoir for storing toner. A rotatable shaft is positioned within the reservoir. A paddle is mounted on the shaft and rotatable independent of the shaft. A driving member is rotatable with the shaft and positioned to push the paddle when the shaft rotates. The paddle is free to fall ahead of the driving member. The paddle includes a magnetic element rotatable with the paddle and detectable by a magnetic sensor when the replaceable unit is installed in the image forming device for detecting the motion of the paddle. | 06-19-2014 |
20140169807 | Systems and Methods for Measuring a Particulate Material - A system for measuring a particulate material according to one example embodiment includes a container having a reservoir for storing the particulate material. A rotatable shaft is positioned within the reservoir. A paddle is mounted on the shaft and rotatable independent of the shaft. A driving member is rotatable with the shaft and positioned to push the paddle when the shaft rotates. The paddle is free to fall ahead of the driving member. At least one sensor is positioned to sense a rotational motion of the paddle as the shaft rotates. A processor in electronic communication with the at least one sensor is configured to determine an amount of the particulate material remaining in the reservoir based on the sensed rotational motion of the paddle. | 06-19-2014 |
20140169808 | Rotational Sensing for a Replaceable Unit of an Image Forming Device - A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having an inner volume forming a reservoir for storing toner. A rotatable shaft is positioned within the reservoir. A paddle is mounted to the shaft. The paddle includes a magnet that has a magnetic field detectable by a magnetic sensor for detecting the motion of the paddle. | 06-19-2014 |
20140169809 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TONER CONTAINER ORDERING METHOD - A toner consumption amount identifying unit identifies a toner consumption amount of toner consumed in a printing process from the print data. A toner residual amount identifying unit identifies a toner residual amount in a toner container from the toner consumption amount. A toner residual amount data managing unit stores order-timing toner residual amount data into a non volatile memory device at a timing when an ordering process of the toner container succeeds, and deletes the order-timing toner residual amount data in the non volatile memory device if the value of the toner residual amount is larger than a value of the order-timing toner residual amount data. An order processing unit performs the ordering process if the order-timing toner residual amount data is not stored in the non volatile memory device and the value of the toner residual amount is either equal to or less than a predetermined value. | 06-19-2014 |
20140169810 | Replaceable Unit for an Image Forming Device having a Sensor for Sensing Rotational Motion of a Paddle in a Toner Reservoir of the Replaceable Unit - A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A rotatable shaft is positioned within the reservoir. A paddle is mounted on the shaft. A sensor is positioned on the housing outside of the reservoir and positioned to sense a rotational motion of the paddle when the shaft rotates. A processor is mounted on the housing and in electric communication with the sensor. An electrical contact is in electric communication with the processor and exposed on an exterior of the housing unobstructed to mate with a corresponding electrical contact when the replaceable unit is installed in the image forming device. | 06-19-2014 |
20140186062 | DEVELOPER CONTAINER UNIT, DEVELOPING UNIT, AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE - A developer container unit includes a container containing developer and a piezoelectric film for detecting an amount of developer in the container. A sensitivity of the piezoelectric film to a stress in a direction parallel to a film surface is greater than a sensitivity of the piezoelectric film to a stress in a direction perpendicular to the film surface, and the piezoelectric film is deformable with a movement thereof relative to the developer. | 07-03-2014 |
20140193166 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a latent image forming section configured to form an electrostatic latent image on an image carrying body based on a print job including a number of sheets to be printed and a pixel count. A developing device develops the electrostatic latent image with a two-component developer containing toner and a carrier. A toner transporting section transports replenishment toner to the developing device. A toner replenishment time is based on the pixel count of the print job, and a job duration is based on the number of sheets to be printed. A drive control section controls transportation of replenishment toner during each of a plurality of divided replenishment times. The total of the plurality of divided replenishment times is equal to the toner replenishment time, and the plurality of divided replenishment times are uniformly spread across the job duration. | 07-10-2014 |
20140205304 | CLEANING MEMBER, DEVELOPING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developing device includes an agitating member agitating and rotating a developer, a developer amount detecting part detecting the developer amount, and a cleaning member being attached to the agitating member to have has an attachment part, a first cleaning part and a second cleaning part and to clean a detecting surface of the developer amount detecting part. The attachment part is formed by an end part of a wire and attached to the agitating member. The first cleaning part is formed by an intermediate part of the wire, and extends from an end part of the attachment part to reach the detecting surface. The second cleaning part is formed by an another end part of the wire, and is constructed by closely winding the wire, protruded to a location in front of the detecting surface and has a greater width than the detecting surface. | 07-24-2014 |
20140205305 | Toner Level Sensing for Replaceable Unit of an Image Forming Device - A method for estimating an amount of toner remaining in a reservoir of a replaceable unit for an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes rotating a shaft positioned in the reservoir and measuring an amount of revolution of the shaft. A paddle mounted on the shaft and free to fall ahead of the rotation of the shaft is pushed by the rotation of the shaft. An estimate of the amount of toner remaining in the reservoir is decreased based on the measured amount of revolution of the shaft. The paddle is sensed near a lowest center of gravity of the paddle. The estimate of the amount of toner remaining in the reservoir is adjusted when the number of times the paddle is sensed near the lowest center of gravity of the paddle per revolution of the shaft increases. | 07-24-2014 |
20140212154 | Toner Supply Regulation - An electro-photographic print system or method for regulating a supply of toner based on a required toner amount. | 07-31-2014 |
20140212155 | Toner Level Sensing for Replaceable Unit of an Image Forming Device - A method for estimating an amount of toner remaining in a reservoir of a replaceable unit for an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes receiving by processing circuitry pulses from a magnetic sensor. Each pulse is indicative that the magnetic sensor detected a magnet on a moving paddle positioned in the reservoir. The processing circuitry counts the number of the pulses received from the magnetic sensor. Upon receiving a request from a controller of the image forming device, the processing circuitry sends to the controller of the image forming device the count of the pulses received from the magnetic sensor and resets the count of the pulses received from the magnetic sensor. | 07-31-2014 |
20140233969 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus comprises: a counting unit which counts the number of pixels at each tone level in a halftone image corresponding to an input image; a determination unit which determines a halftone region in the halftone image; an acquisition unit which acquires tone characteristic information of an output density of the image forming apparatus; a correction unit which obtains a density in a region to be formed by using a developing material from the number of pixels at each of the tone levels and information of the halftone region and correct the density in accordance with the tone characteristic information; and a first prediction unit which predicts a consumption amount of the developing material by using the density corrected by the correction unit. | 08-21-2014 |
20140241739 | Image Forming Apparatus That Performs Effective Toner Refresh Process, Non-Transitory Computer-Readable Recording Medium, and Image Forming Method - An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a toner carrier, a region setting unit, a printing-rate detecting unit, a discharge-region determining unit, and a region redividing unit. The region setting unit is configured to set a plurality of regions divided along an image width direction on the image carrier. The printing-rate detecting unit is configured to detect a printing rate when forming the image for each of the plurality of regions. The discharge-region determining unit is configured to determine necessity of a toner discharge for each region based on the detected printing rate. The region redividing unit is configured to redivide a region determined to require the toner discharge into a plurality of regions in which respective printing rates during subsequent image formation are individually detected. | 08-28-2014 |
20140255047 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A controller which controls a replenishing operation of the first replenishing device based on the first sensor, and controls a replenishing operation of the second replenishing device based on the second sensor; wherein the controller prohibits the replenishing operation of the first replenishing device when the developer concentration in the first replenishing device reaches a first upper limit set to the first developing device; wherein the controller prohibits the replenishing operation of the second replenishing device when the developer concentration in the second replenishing device reaches a second upper limit set to the second developing device; and wherein the controller corrects the second upper limit based on the developer concentration in the second developing device when the developer concentration in the first developing device reaches the first upper limit. | 09-11-2014 |
20140255048 | Image Forming Device Determining Whether or Not Replacement of Cartridge is Needed - Either a first developer cartridge or a second developer cartridge is attachable to an image forming device. The second developer cartridge has capacity for accommodating developer larger than capacity for accommodating developer of the first developer cartridge. The control device determines whether the attached cartridge is the first developer cartridge or the second developer cartridge; determines that the replacement of the attached cartridge is needed upon comparison of a consumed amount of developer based on the image data that is inputted with a first threshold value when the first developer cartridge is attached; and determines that replacement of the attached cartridge is needed upon comparison of a detection value with a second threshold value when the second developer cartridge is attached. The detection value is obtained based on the detection information outputted by the detection device. | 09-11-2014 |
20140270816 | CUSTOMER REPLACEABLE UNIT MONITOR POSITIONING APPARATUS - A cartridge plug for a CRUM-enabled ink or toner cartridge includes a CRUM device seated in an annular position, secured in a recess at a center of the cap. The recess is formed in a mounting surface of the cap that extends above a peripheral surface of the cap that the surrounds the mounting surface. The mounting surface is contiguous with the peripheral surface, being interposed by flexible walls that compress under load. The mounting surface is compressible under load by way of the flexible walls, and springs back to a resting position as a load is decreased. | 09-18-2014 |
20140270817 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A developing device includes a developer container, an agitation conveyance member, a toner detection sensor, and a scraper. Agitation conveyance member agitates and conveys a developer in developer container. Toner detection sensor detects a toner concentration or a remaining amount of toner in developer container. Scraper is provided in agitation conveyance member, and cleans a detection surface of toner detection sensor when agitation conveyance member rotates. Scraper includes a first member that comes into contact with detection surface of toner detection sensor when agitation conveyance member rotates forward, and a second member that comes into contact with detection surface of toner detection sensor when agitation conveyance member rotates reversely. First member has a wear resistance higher than that of second member, and a coefficient of friction between second member and detection surface is higher than a coefficient of friction between first member and detection surface. | 09-18-2014 |
20140270818 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a developing device to develop with developer a latent image formed on the image bearer, a developer container to contain developer, a temporary reservoir to temporarily store developer supplied from the developer container and having an outlet to discharge the temporarily stored developer to the developing device, a first conveyance device to transport developer from the developer container to the temporary reservoir, a second conveyance device to transport developer from the temporary reservoir to the developing device, a first developer amount detector to detect an amount of developer in the temporary reservoir, and a controller to control driving of the first conveyance device based on a detection result generated by the first developer amount detector and data relating to driving of the second conveyance device. | 09-18-2014 |
20140301746 | DEVELOPER COLLECTING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer collecting device includes a collecting box that accommodates developer discharged from a developing unit, the developing unit accommodating developer including toner and a carrier, the developing unit developing an electrostatic latent image on a development member using the toner in the developer; a guide cylinder that connects the developing unit and the collecting box to each other, the guide cylinder guiding movement of the developer discharged from the developing unit to the collecting box; a transporting member that is disposed in the guide cylinder and extends in a developer transport direction, the transporting member transporting the developer towards the collecting box by rotation of the transporting member; and a rotation controller that controls rotation speed of the transporting member in accordance with conditions that affect a capability of developing the electrostatic latent image on the development member. | 10-09-2014 |
20140321866 | ELECTRONIC APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a driving motor, a gear mechanism including a drive gear rotated by driving force of the driving motor and a slave gear meshed with the drive gear, to transmit the driving force to an object, one of the drive gear and the slave gear including a toothless portion without the gear tooth, formed on a circumferential edge of the corresponding gear, a control unit, a detection unit that detects a driving current for the driving motor when the driving motor is working, a decision unit that decides whether the driving current detected by the detection unit is below a predetermined threshold, and a calculation unit that counts the number of times that the decision unit has decided that the driving current is below the threshold, and calculates an amount of movement of the slave gear on the basis of the number of times counted. | 10-30-2014 |
20140341597 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a latent image carrier to carry a latent image on a surface thereof, a developing device to develop the latent image with toner to form a toner image on the surface of the latent image carrier, a transfer unit to transfer the toner image onto a recording medium, and a controller. The controller executes an image density adjustment control of adjusting a developing bias to obtain a target image density. The controller further executes a forced toner consumption control of forcibly consuming the toner contained in the developing device by attaching the toner to the latent image carrier to form a toner pattern on the surface of the latent image carrier. The controller executes the forced toner consumption control to forcibly consume a smaller amount of toner in response to a higher developing bias as adjusted by the image density adjustment control. | 11-20-2014 |
20140363179 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A developing device includes developer storage container, remaining amount detecting portion, agitating portion, contact member, and support portion. Developer storage container has sensing surface therein. Remaining amount detecting portion is configured to detect, via the sensing surface, amount of developer remaining. Agitating portion is configured to be rotated to thereby agitate developer. Contact member is attached to agitating portion, and is configured to, when agitating portion is rotated in predetermined first rotational direction, move in first rotational direction and make contact with sensing surface. Support portion is attached to agitating portion, and is configured to, when agitating portion is rotated in the first rotational direction, support contact member in first position where contact member can make contact with sensing surface, and, when agitating portion is rotated in second rotational direction that is opposite to first rotational direction, support contact member in second position distant from sensing surface. | 12-11-2014 |
20150010313 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TONER ACCOMMODATION CONTAINER - An image forming apparatus on which a toner accommodation container accommodating toner is insertably/removably mounted to discharge the toner from the toner accommodation container by rotating the toner accommodation container includes a phase detection sensor that detects a rotation phase of the toner accommodation container by detecting a phase detection portion provided in the toner accommodation container and detects removal/mounting of the toner accommodation container from/on the image forming apparatus through the phase detection sensor. | 01-08-2015 |
20150010314 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD, AND PROGRAM - An image forming apparatus determines a remaining recording material amount based on a sensor value and a predicted value. When a sensor falsely detects the remaining recording material amount, the image forming apparatus appropriately determines the remaining recording material amount. Upon acquisition of a new sensor value, the image forming apparatus does not update a current value with the new sensor value if a difference between the new sensor value and the current value is a predetermined value or greater. | 01-08-2015 |
20150016829 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING DEVELOPER CONTAINER, DEVELOPER CONTAINER, DEVELOPING APPARATUS, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A method of manufacturing a developer container including a frame configured to define a developer containing portion, a first electrode, and a second electrode arranged on a surface of the frame and having a surface opposed to the first electrode, a developer amount in the developer containing portion being detected based on a capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode, the method including: holding a conductive resin member constituting the second electrode on a mold configured to mold the frame, a surface of the conductive resin member being in contact with a surface of the mold configured to mold a surface of the frame on a side of the developer containing portion; injecting a resin to be formed into the frame, into the mold on which the conductive resin member is held; and curing the resin to form the frame to which the second electrode is fixed. | 01-15-2015 |
20150016830 | DEVELOPER CONTAINER, DEVELOPMENT DEVICE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer container includes a conductive member containing a resin configured to detect a developer amount using capacitance, and a frame member having the conductive member configured to store the developer. The conductive member is provided on a first side of the frame member contacting the developer and on a second side of the frame member, the second side is the back of the first side, and the conductive member provided on the first side and the conductive member provided on the second side are connected with each other within the frame member. | 01-15-2015 |
20150050035 | NETWORK PRINTER SYSTEM - Electronic systems, such as printing systems, often use components that have integral memory. The integral memory can be used to store information about the component. In some printing systems this memory includes a portion that stores a value indicative of a print yield. Disclosed is a method and system for allowing the memory to have data indicative of an increased print yield. | 02-19-2015 |
20150055966 | DEVELOPER CONVEYANCE DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND DEVELOPER CONVEYANCE METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes a developing device; a developer conveyance device including a developer container, a developer reservoir to receive developer discharged from the developer container, and a positive-displacement pump to discharge, from the developer reservoir, developer supplied to the developing device by alternately generating positive pressure and negative pressure due to volume changes; and a controller to control driving of the positive-displacement pump. When the controller recognizes a developer end state of the developer container, the controller lowers a developer conveyance capability of the positive-displacement pump from a setting used before the developer end state is recognized. | 02-26-2015 |
20150063838 | CARTRIDGE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND QUALITY DETERMINING METHOD OF CARTRIDGE - A cartridge comprises a housing configured to hold a color erasable material which is erasable by heating to a color erasing temperature. The cartridge further comprises a temperature sensing unit configured to detect a temperature of the housing and a recording section configured to record the detected temperature of the housing. | 03-05-2015 |
20150063839 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - Control is performed so that a current value gradually shifts, corresponding to a sensor value. More specifically, when a predicted value of a remaining toner amount is calculated, processing for correcting a consumed toner amount corresponding to the sensor value is performed for a consumed toner amount. | 03-05-2015 |
20150063840 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus includes a dot count unit configured to count a number of dots of print data, a first toner remaining amount value calculation unit configured to, in a case where received print data satisfies a printing condition, calculate a toner remaining amount value for the print data based on the number of dots obtained by the dot count unit, and a second toner remaining amount value calculation unit configured to, in a case where the received print data does not satisfy the printing condition, set a predetermined toner remaining amount value as the toner remaining amount value for the print data. | 03-05-2015 |
20150063841 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus executes control for predicting a toner remaining amount, if the apparatus can acquire a predetermined value as identification information indicating a type or a manufacture of a toner cartridge. | 03-05-2015 |
20150063842 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus is provided in which, in a case where a calculated value is less than a predetermined value (for example, “low” level, or “out” level), and information indicating that a remaining toner amount is less than the predetermined value has not been acquired from a toner container, the predetermined value or a value a predetermined amount greater than the predetermined value is set as an initial value of the remaining toner amount. | 03-05-2015 |
20150071659 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS EQUIPPED WITH TONER CONTAINER - An image forming apparatus detecting container's dismounting. A drive unit rotates the container for replenishing toner to a development unit. An output unit outputs a first signal while a predetermined portion of the container is detected, and outputs a second signal while the predetermined portion is not detected. A decision unit decides a count of changes from the second signal to the first signal based on a toner replenishing amount. A detection unit detects dismounting of the container in a case where the first signal is changed to the second signal during not rotating. The controller stops the rotation in a case where the count of changes reaches the count decided, controls the drive unit to output the first signal in a case where containers should be exchanged, and does not control the drive unit to output the first signal in a case where containers should not be exchanged. | 03-12-2015 |
20150078766 | METHOD OF SUPPLYING DEVELOPING UNIT WITH TONER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A method of supplying a developing unit with toner and an image forming apparatus using the method are provided. The method may include supplying toner to a developing unit separate from a toner bottle in an image forming apparatus. The method includes: detecting a remaining amount of toner in the developing unit during printing; comparing the remaining amount of toner with a first reference value; if the remaining amount of toner is greater than the first reference value, continuing printing; and if the remaining amount of toner is not greater than the first reference value, determining whether to supply toner based on a preset mode. Deterioration of printing quality in a toner supply mode may be markedly reduced according to a user's settings. | 03-19-2015 |
20150086226 | DEVELOPER CONTAINER, DEVELOPING DEVICE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer container includes a stirring member that stirs a developer and a conductive resin sheet that comes into contact with the stirring member when the stirring member rotates. The developer container detects developer quantity using capacitance. | 03-26-2015 |
20150086227 | DEVELOPER CONTAINER, DEVELOPING DEVICE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The present disclosure relates a developer container for accommodating a developer. The developer container includes a conductive path. | 03-26-2015 |
20150086228 | DEVELOPER CONTAINER, DEVELOPING APPARATUS, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - This disclosure provides a developer container in which a conductive resin sheet is used as an electrode for detecting an amount of developer by using electrostatic capacitance. A configuration in which an end of the conductive resin sheet in a longitudinal direction is provided outside an end of a sheet member in a longitudinal direction, or a configuration in which the sheet member starts contact with the conductive resin sheet from a second surface on the downstream side in a direction or rotation than a first surface are also provided. | 03-26-2015 |
20150093127 | NETWORK PRINTER SYSTEM - Electronic systems, such as printing systems, often use components that have integral memory. The integral memory can be used to store information about the component. In some printing systems this memory includes a portion that stores a value indicative of a print yield. Disclosed is a method and system for allowing the memory to have data indicative of an increased print yield. | 04-02-2015 |
20150098716 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is an electrophotographic image forming apparatus including: a toner buffer unit arranged between a toner cartridge and a developing unit to receive toner from the toner cartridge and supply the toner to the developing unit; and a toner level detection unit. The toner buffer unit includes a first buffer unit connected to the toner cartridge. A first conveyance member including a rotation shaft and a conveyance wing provided in the rotation shaft and transporting the toner in a radial direction is provided in the first buffer unit. The toner buffer unit includes an elevation plate provided in the first buffer unit and elevated according to a toner level, and a sensor unit detecting a location of the elevation of the elevation plate. The elevation plate is located to be spaced apart from the conveyance wing in an axial direction of the rotation shaft. | 04-09-2015 |
20150117877 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An eletrophotographic image forming apparatus may include a developing unit; a toner buffer unit which feeds a toner to the developing unit, and includes an agitating member agitating the toner contained inside the toner buffer unit and a first carrying member carrying the toner contained inside the toner buffer unit to the developing unit; a toner cartridge which feeds the toner to the toner buffer unit, and includes a second carrying member carrying the toner contained inside the toner cartridge to the toner buffer unit; and a control unit which controls a first driving unit driving the second carrying member and a second driving unit driving the agitating member and the first carrying member, and the control unit includes a first feed mode, a second feed mode and a toner supplement mode. | 04-30-2015 |
20150117878 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive member; an exposure portion; a developing portion; a sensor; a supply portion; a controller for controlling a developer amount based on density information outputted from the sensor after an electrostatic image for a supply control toner image is exposed to light under an exposure condition for supply control and then is developed into the supply control toner image, which is then detected by the sensor; a storing portion; and an exchange detecting portion. The controller is capable of executing an operation in a mode, in which the exposure condition for the supply control, based on information detected by the exchange detecting portion. In the mode, the exposure condition for the supply control is controlled based on the information stored in the storing portion and a detection result, by the sensor, of a control toner image formed during the operation in the mode. | 04-30-2015 |
20150117879 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a body of the image forming apparatus; and a cartridge installable with respect to the body, wherein the cartridge includes a developer accommodating portion accommodating a developer; a developing portion supporting a developer holding member holding the developer thereon; and a shutter configured to be movable between an open position at which the shutter opens a communication port and a close position at which the shutter closes the communication port. The body includes a detecting section detecting a state of the cartridge which changes as the cartridge is used, and a judging section judging whether or not a cartridge exchange timing for exchanging the cartridge has arrived, based on the state of the cartridge detected by the detecting section; and the shutter moves to the close position under a condition that the judging section judges that the cartridge exchange timing has arrived. | 04-30-2015 |
20150125166 | DEVELOPER CONTAINER, DEVELOPING APPARATUS, PROCESS CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is a technology that enhances the detection precision of the residual amount of a developer. An apparatus according to the invention includes: an accommodating portion in which a developer is accommodated; a sheet-like stirring member that, by rotating, stirs the developer accommodated in the accommodating portion; a piezoelectric element that is affixed to the stirring member and that outputs voltage when being deformed; and a deflection forming portion that comes in contact with the stirring member, thereby causing the stirring member to deflect, when a free end of the rotating stirring member is outside a developer accumulation region in the accommodating portion. | 05-07-2015 |
20150125167 | DEVELOPING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND TONER DETECTION METHOD - A developing device includes: a toner detection unit that detects whether there is toner that is stored; a stirring unit that stirs toner in a toner container; a calculation unit that calculates an output duty by comparing an output voltage of the toner detection unit representing whether there is toner after the stirring, with a predetermined voltage value; and a remaining amount detection unit that detects an amount of remaining toner at the output duty from a correspondence relationship between the output duty and an amount of remaining toner that is previously set. | 05-07-2015 |
20150132018 | DEVELOPER AMOUNT DETECTOR, DEVELOPING DEVICE, PROCESS UNIT, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer amount detector to detect an amount of developer inside a developer container includes a light-emitting element; a light-receiving element; a first light guide including a first end disposed to face the light-emitting element and a second end disposed inside the developer container, covered with a translucent cover including a light-emitting face; a second light guide including a first end disposed to face the light-receiving element, a second end disposed inside the developer container, covered with a translucent cover including a light-receiving face to face the light-emitting face across a gap; and a cleaner including a sliding portion to slidingly contact the light-emitting face and the light-receiving face. The cover of each of the first and second light guides includes a material lower in chargeability with the sliding portion than a material of a body of each of the first and second light guides. | 05-14-2015 |
20150139671 | DEVELOPER CONVEYANCE DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a developer conveyance device to transport developer, using a positive-displacement pump to alternately generate positive pressure and negative pressure by changing a volume of an internal space thereof, a destination developer container to which the developer conveyance device transports developer, a sensor provided to the destination developer container, to detect developer in the destination developer container, and a controller to control the positive-displacement pump according to a detection result generated by the sensor. The controller disabled detection of developer by the sensor in a non-detection period that starts from a stop of the positive-displacement pump. | 05-21-2015 |
20150147076 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a toner container; a developing unit; a detection unit detecting toner in the developing unit; a measurement unit measuring as to whether there is a full amount of toner or no toner in the developing unit by using a detection history of the detection unit with regard to the toner; a supplying unit supplying the toner from the toner container to the developing unit; a toner-amount calculation unit calculating, using image data to be printed, an amount of toner consumption needed during printing; an accumulation unit calculating an accumulated amount of toner consumption by accumulating the amount of toner consumption every time printing is conducted; and a fault determination unit determining, using the accumulated amount of toner consumption, whether a measurement result by the measurement unit is normal or not as to whether there is a full amount of toner or no toner. | 05-28-2015 |
20150293492 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, MOLDED RESIN PRODUCT FOR USE WITH THE IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND CARTRIDGE - A molded resin product for use with an image forming apparatus includes: a base portion formed of a resin material; a positioning portion provided on the base portion; and a movable member formed by injection molding so as to be movable relative to the base portion. When the molded resin product is connected to a connection part, the positioning portion positions the molded resin product and the connection part relative to each other, and the movable member is contactable to a contact portion of the connection part. | 10-15-2015 |
20150316884 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - If a cartridge is a predetermined cartridge, change of a toner LOW threshold value is permitted. On the other hand, if the cartridge is not the predetermined cartridge, change of the toner LOW threshold value is inhibited. | 11-05-2015 |
20150323883 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image processing apparatus includes a generation unit configured to generate a composite image to be combined with an input image, a first calculation unit configured to perform, based on a type of the composite image, approximation calculation of a value indicating a toner amount to be used in printing the composite image generated by the generation unit, a second calculation unit configured to calculate, based on a value indicating a toner amount to be used in printing the input image and the value indicating the toner amount to be used in printing the composite image, which is obtained by approximation calculation performed by the first calculation unit, a value indicating a toner amount to be used in printing the input image combined with the composite image, and a notification unit configured to notify a printing unit of the value calculated by the second calculation unit. | 11-12-2015 |
20150355574 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus performs a scattered toner ejection control mode in which toner is discharged from a developer bearing member to a region on an image bearing member corresponding to an interval between a preceding recording material and a subsequent recording material while applying only a DC voltage to a developer bearing member based on toner consumption information and a degraded toner ejection control mode in which toner is discharged from the developer bearing member to a region on the image bearing member corresponding to an interval between a preceding recording material and a subsequent recording material while applying at least an AC voltage to the developer bearing member based on toner consumption information, the controller changing a performing ratio of the scattered toner ejection control mode to the degraded toner ejection control mode depending on the temperature sensed by a temperature sensing portion. | 12-10-2015 |
20150370208 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD, AND PROGRAM - When calculating a toner consumption amount that is based on a dot count value of raster data, the toner consumption amount can be estimated more accurately by taking into consideration density control as well as pulse width control, which are used as part of image formation processing. | 12-24-2015 |
20160018757 | DEVELOPING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A development execution control portion executes a development process by causing an intermediate lateral conveyance portion and a developing portion to operate. A developer replenishment control portion causes a developer replenishment portion to operate when a detection result of a developer amount sensor satisfies a predetermined shortage condition. A post-development processing control portion causes the intermediate lateral conveyance portion and the developing portion to operate continuously from and after a development process and then stop. | 01-21-2016 |
20160018775 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus executes control for predicting a toner remaining amount, if the apparatus can acquire a predetermined value as identification information indicating a type or a manufacture of a toner cartridge. | 01-21-2016 |
20160026115 | DEVELOPER SUPPLY DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH SAME - A developer supply device includes a shaft portion arranged in a container main body, a moving wall movable along the shaft portion, a developer discharge port and a shutter mechanism. A control unit causes the moving wall to be arranged at a first position when a remaining amount of the developer is a predetermined first remaining amount and moves the moving wall to a second position closer to the developer discharge port than the first position in the first direction when the remaining amount is a second remaining amount smaller than the first remaining amount, and causes the shutter mechanism to be set in a first open state with a predetermined opening degree when the moving wall is at the first position and causes the shutter mechanism to be set in a second open state larger than the first open state when the moving wall is at the second position. | 01-28-2016 |
20160033902 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TONER STATE DETERMINATION METHOD THEREOF - An image forming apparatus includes an accommodating container provided at one end thereof with a toner supply port, a stirring conveying member that conveys toner to the supply port, a rotational driving unit that rotationally drives the stirring conveying member, a current detection unit that detects a driving current, an overload detection section that detects that the stirring conveying member is in an overload state when the driving current is within a range of an excess current, an unevenness determination section that determines whether the toner has been unevenly accumulated at the one end or the other end of the accommodating container, and a cause determination section that determines that a cause of the overload is uneven distribution of the toner when the overload state of the stirring conveying member is detected and being determined that the toner has been unevenly accumulated at the one end or the other end. | 02-04-2016 |
20160062272 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A switch transmission mechanism of a first intermittent transmission mechanism | 03-03-2016 |
20160070198 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer, a developing device, a supplier, and a controller. The controller controls the supplier according to a detection result of a toner density by the toner density sensor and a toner density target value to adjust the toner density of developer in the developing device. The controller is configured to correct the toner density target value and an imaging condition affecting a toner adhesion amount of an output image separately from the toner density, according to a component adhesion deterioration degree being a deterioration degree of carrier due to adhesion of a toner component, obtained based on at least an average image area ratio of the output image, and a coating abrasion deterioration degree being a progression degree of deterioration due to coating abrasion of the carrier, obtained based on at least the average image area ratio of the output image. | 03-10-2016 |
20160077479 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit including a containing unit; a replenishment unit replenishes the containing unit with the toner; a first determination unit determines an amount of the toner consumed in the containing unit; a detection unit detects a toner amount in the containing unit; a first calculation unit calculates a difference between the toner amount and a target amount; a second calculation unit calculates a cumulative value of the difference; a second determination unit determines a determination value; a prevention unit prevents the second calculation unit from accumulating the difference at second timing following the first timing; and a controller controls the replenishment unit, based on the determination value, in a case where the first determination value is less than a threshold, the second calculating unit is prevented from accumulating the difference at the second timing, on the cumulative value calculated at the first timing. | 03-17-2016 |
20160085197 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developing device, a supplying device, and a control unit. The image bearing member bears a latent image. The developing device develops the latent image with a toner. The supplying device supplies toner to the developing device. The control unit executes a discharge operation to consume toner transferred onto the image bearing member from the developing device without transferring the toner onto a recording medium. The control unit executes the discharge operation where first deterioration integrated information exceeds a first executing threshold, and where second deterioration integrated information exceeds a second executing threshold that is larger than the first executing threshold. The control unit acquires the first deterioration information based at least a first deterioration threshold, and acquires the second deterioration information based on at least a second deterioration threshold that is larger than the first deterioration threshold. | 03-24-2016 |
20160097991 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS THAT PERFORMS DEVELOPER REPLENISHMENT - An image forming apparatus capable of properly determining replacement time of a developer replenishment unit. An inductance sensor measures a toner density in a developing device. A counter counts the number of pixels of an image to be formed. A toner density-estimating section estimates a toner density in the developing device using the count value output from the counter and a toner replenishment signal output to supply toner from a toner bottle to the developing device. A toner replenishment amount error-estimating section estimates a toner replenishment amount error using the measured toner density and the estimated toner density. When a cumulative value of the toner replenishment amount error becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold value, it is determined that it is necessary to replace the toner bottle. | 04-07-2016 |
20160097993 | DEVELOPER CONTAINER, CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer container configured to contain developer to be used for image formation, includes a first electrode provided in the developer container, a second electrode provided opposing to the first electrode configured to detect an electrostatic capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode, to detect a quantity of the developer, a conveyance member provided between the first electrode and the second electrode and on a bottom surface side inside the developer container, and configured to convey the developer contained in the developer container, and a vibration imparting member configured to impart vibration to the conveyance member, wherein the developer on a developer conveyance surface of the conveyance member contacting the developer is conveyed by the vibration of the conveyance member. | 04-07-2016 |
20160103409 | Device, System and Method for Detecting and Managing Toner Bottle Installation History - An image processing device includes a detector for detecting at least one characteristic associated with a toner container installed in the image processing device. A counter is provided for selectively incrementing count data indicative of a number of pages having toner applied thereto that have been output by the image processing device. One or more processors and one or more computer-readable media coupled to the one or more processors are provided. The one or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to use the at least one characteristic detected by the detector and the count data to calculate a usage ratio representing an expected number of used toner bottles and an actual number of used toner bottles to determine whether the usage ratio exceeds a usage threshold, and communicating a result of the determination when the usage ratio exceeds the usage threshold. | 04-14-2016 |
20160116860 | POWDER DETECTOR, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME, AND POWDER DETECTING METHOD - A powder detector to detect an amount of powder in the powder container includes a vibration plate disposed in the powder container to vibrate, a contact member to vibrate the vibration plate; and a vibration detector to detect a vibration state of the vibration plate. The powder has flowability, and the vibration state of the vibration plate is affected by the powder in the powder container. | 04-28-2016 |
20160124366 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD - An image forming apparatus in which a sheet conveyance speed is changeable includes a development section, a replenishment section, and a control section. The development section performs development with a developer. The replenishment section replenishes the development section with the developer. The control section controls the replenishment section to control an amount of the developer for replenishment of the development section in response to a change of the sheet conveyance speed. | 05-05-2016 |
20160124368 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus includes a printer engine having an exposure unit configured to form an electrostatic latent image based on data of an input image and a development unit configured to develop the formed electrostatic latent image, a specification unit configured to specify a pixel in an edge portion in which an edge-effect and a sweeping-effect are expected to occur, from among a plurality of pixels constituting the input image, and a correction unit configured to correct a toner amount with respect to the pixel in the edge portion in which the edge-effect and the sweeping-effect are expected to occur, which is specified by the specification unit, in order to suppress excessive consumption of toner caused by an effect expected to occur. | 05-05-2016 |
20160124688 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus includes a setting unit configured to set a thinning amount smaller than one pixel for each line data in a high density area in image data, a comparison unit configured to compare the thinning amount set by the setting unit with a predetermined threshold, and a processing unit configured to execute, based on a result of comparison by the comparison unit, a thinning process by using a thinning amount larger than the thinning amount set by the setting unit or a thinning amount smaller than the thinning amount set by the setting unit as for M pixels out of N pixels (N>M) contained in the line data, and a thinning process by using the thinning amount set by the setting unit as for the rest of the N pixels contained in the line data. | 05-05-2016 |
20160131990 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a storage chamber configured to store developer, a plurality of sheet members disposed between a first electrode and a second electrode and disposed in the storage chamber, and a detecting portion configured to detect an output value relating to the capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode. The amount of the developer is detected on the basis of the degree of deterioration of any one of the plurality of sheet members and the output value. | 05-12-2016 |
20160147181 | DEVELOPER GUIDE DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A developer guide device includes a conveying pipe portion, a light-emitting portion, a light-receiving portion, and a cleaning mechanism. The conveying pipe portion is configured to guide a developer in a predetermined conveyance direction. The light-emitting portion is configured to emit light into an interior of the conveying pipe portion through a light projection window provided in a peripheral wall of the conveying pipe portion. The light-receiving portion is capable of receiving light from the interior of the conveying pipe portion through a light reception window provided in the peripheral wall of the conveying pipe portion. The cleaning mechanism includes a cleaning member configured to receive a predetermined drive force to be displaced thereby to come into contact with inner surfaces of the light projection window and the light reception window to clean the inner surfaces. | 05-26-2016 |
20160161892 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit configured to develop an electrostatic latent image, a mounting detection unit configured to detect that a container T is mounted on a mounting unit, a driving unit configured to rotate the container T, a rotation detection unit configured to detect rotation information about the container T, and a controller configured to control the driving unit based on the rotation information. If the container T is detected to be mounted on the mounting unit, control of the driving unit is not carried out based on the rotation information until replenishment information satisfies a predetermined condition. | 06-09-2016 |
20160170327 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | 06-16-2016 |
20160170328 | POWDER DETECTOR, DEVELOPING DEVICE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND POWDER DETECTING METHOD | 06-16-2016 |
20160170353 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | 06-16-2016 |
20160170356 | TONER BOTTLE DRIVING DEVICE CONTROL METHOD AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | 06-16-2016 |
20160170357 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | 06-16-2016 |
20160170358 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | 06-16-2016 |
20160170360 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | 06-16-2016 |
20160179048 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | 06-23-2016 |
20160202635 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS FOR EXECUTING DEVELOPER REPLENISHMENT CONTROL | 07-14-2016 |
20160202653 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING TONER DENSITY IN DEVELOPING UNIT | 07-14-2016 |
20160252864 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | 09-01-2016 |
20160252874 | DEVELOPER CONTAINER, DEVELOPING APPARATUS, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND APPARATUS MAIN BODY OF IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | 09-01-2016 |
20160378019 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH DEVELOPING DEVICE FOR SUPPLYING TONER - When an image forming apparatus detects that an amount of toner returns to a first reference amount or more without replacement of a container after determining that a toner low state has occurred, the image forming apparatus controls a container memory unit to store predetermined information. When performing toner supply, if the predetermined information is stored, the image forming apparatus performs at least one of a first process for changing a time ratio so that a rotation period ratio of a supply screw is increased and a second process for changing the first reference amount to be increased. | 12-29-2016 |
20160378020 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a development device, a toner container which includes data indicating whether the toner container is an installation toner container or a replacement toner container and a memory storing the value of a remaining amount related item, a supply portion, a read/write portion which performs the reading and writing of the memory and a control portion which reduces the present value of the remaining amount related item according to the number of sheets printed. When in a state where installation has already been performed, the installation toner container is attached, the control portion stores, in the memory, a value based on the remaining amount of toner before the installation. | 12-29-2016 |
20170235252 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS | 08-17-2017 |
20180024486 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | 01-25-2018 |