| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 399034000 | Cleaning | 68 |
| 20080232832 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF DETECTING CONTAMINATION IN THE IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a transport belt, a carriage, a reflection sensor, and a control unit. The transport belt transports a recording sheet in a sub-scanning direction. The carriage, mounting a recording head, reciprocally moves in a main scanning direction to record an image on the recording sheet. The reflection sensor, mounted on the carriage, receives light reflected from the transport belt to detect a leading edge of the recording sheet, and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the received light. The control unit controls a contamination check process. The control unit instructs the carriage to move to a given position over the transport belt and to drive the transport belt for one rotation while maintaining the carriage at the given position. The control unit determines whether contamination exists on the transport belt based on the detection signal output from the reflection sensor. | 09-25-2008 |
| 20090003853 | PROTECTIVE LAYER SETTING UNIT, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND METHOD OF EVALUATING PROTECTIVE LAYER SETTING UNIT - A protective layer setting unit includes a protective agent, and an application unit for applying the protective agent on an image carrying member. An attenuated total reflection (ATR) method is used for detecting a surface condition of the image carrying member after applying the protective agent. A peak Pa at a given wavenumber, attributed to the image carrying member, has a peak area Sa in an infrared spectrum observed after applying the protective agent. A peak Pb at a given wavenumber, attributed to the protective agent, has a peak area Sb in the infrared spectrum observed after applying the protective agent. A peak area ratio of Sb/Sa is used for evaluating the protective layer setting unit. The protective layer setting unit is accepted when the Sb/Sa is set to a given range after applying the protective agent to the image carrying member for a given time period. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090060535 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive member; a discharging unit arranged to face the photosensitive member; a high-voltage power supply unit which supplies power to the discharging unit; a discharge detection unit which detects abnormal discharge in the discharging unit; an output controller which controls an output of the high-voltage power supply unit according to control information; and a cleaning detection unit which compares current control information for the high-voltage power supply unit supplying power to the discharging unit in which abnormal discharge is detected with previous control information for the high-voltage power supply unit when previous abnormal discharge is detected in the discharging unit, and which detects whether the discharging unit has been cleaned based on the comparison result. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090067856 | Image Forming Apparatus - An embodiment according to the invention is characterized in that a waste toner is delivered to a certain place through a rotation of a stirring member (a paddle) for causing the waste toner to be even and the waste toner thus delivered is detected by means of detecting unit (an optical sensor). | 03-12-2009 |
| 20090110416 | LONG LIFE CLEANING SYSTEM WITH REPLACEMENT BLADES - Systems and methods are described that facilitate replacing cleaning blades employed to chisel excess toner from a photoreceptor surface. For example, a cleaning unit can comprise a blade holder with a plurality of cleaning blades attached thereto, which is rotated (e.g., by an actuator) to remove a used cleaning blade from the photoreceptor surface and position a new cleaning blade against the photoreceptor surface. Blade replacement can be triggered by a detected defect on an output image or by detected excess toner on the photoreceptor surface downstream from the cleaning blade. Additionally, blade replacement can be triggered as a function of blade use (e.g., measured in time, prints, photoreceptor cycles), friction force on the blade, or a combination thereof, to achieve a desired (e.g., low) cleaning unit failure probability. | 04-30-2009 |
| 20090190939 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In an image forming apparatus, a cleaning blade cleans residual toner adhered on the surface of an image carrier and a sound sensor collects a sound generated inside a casing of the image forming apparatus. A determining unit determines, based on the sound collected by the sound sensor, whether cleaning failure has occurred in the cleaning blade. The determining unit makes the determination based on at least intensity of a first sound component that is a sound component of a first frequency and intensity of a second sound component that is a sound component of a second frequency different from the first frequency. | 07-30-2009 |
| 20100080578 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND WASTE POWDER TRANSPORTING METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section that forms an image on a recording medium; a storage container that is detachably and attachably provided and that stores waste powder having been discarded and transported from the image forming section; a first transporting section that transports, from the image forming section, the waste powder having been discarded in the image forming section; a transport path through which the waste powder having been transported by the first transporting section is caused to fall down and is transported; a second transporting section that transports, to the storage container, the waste powder having been transported through the transport path; and a controller that stops driving of the second transporting section if an operation set in advance is executed when the storage container is removed. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100310263 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREDICTING BLADE LIFE IN AN IMAGE PRODUCTION DEVICE - A method and apparatus for predicting blade life in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include retrieving a number of print starts, a number of print cycles, a wear rate for print starts, and a wear rate for print cycles from a memory, calculating wear of a cleaning blade based on the number of print starts, the number of print cycles, the wear rate for print starts, and the wear rate for print cycles, wherein the wear rate for print starts and the wear rate for print cycles are weighed differently, determining if the calculated wear of the cleaning blade exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein if it is determined that the calculated wear of the cleaning blade exceeds a predetermined threshold, sending a notification that the cleaning blade needs to be replaced. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20110286755 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CLEANING IMAGE CARRYING BODY - The image forming apparatus comprises: a first driving section causing an image carrying body carrying a developer image to perform regular rotation or reverse rotation; a fixing section fixing the developer image and conveying a sheet; a second driving section rotating the fixing section; and a control section. The control section controls the first driving section to cause the image carrying body to perform regular rotation such as to convey the sheet and transfer onto the sheet the developer image formed on the image carrying body, and controls the second driving section to cause the fixing section to fix the developer image on the sheet. Further, in a state that the fixing section nips but does not convey the sheet, the control section controls the first driving section to cause the image carrying body to perform reverse rotation so that the image carrying body is cleaned using the sheet. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110318025 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR EVALUATING PRINTING APPARATUS CLEANER PERFORMANCE - An apparatus ( | 12-29-2011 |
| 20120063793 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING CLEANING BLADE - An image forming apparatus includes photoconductors capable of carrying toner images of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K), developing rollers capable of developing toner images of Y, M, C, and K, and a blade for removing toner adhering to each of the developing rollers. The photoconductors are driven in synchronization with each other when at least one of the developing rollers develops a toner image. When a print job of a monochrome image is accepted and if there is a likelihood of damage to the blade, at least one of the developing rollers adheres toner to at least one of the driven photoconductors during execution of the print job. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120183313 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus having a rotary image bearing member, a charging device to charge the image bearing member, an irradiator to irradiate the image bearing member to form a latent electrostatic image thereon, a developing device to develop the latent electrostatic image with a developing agent containing toner to obtain a visible image, a transfer device to transfer the visible image to a recording medium, a first cleaner that slidably contacts the image bearing member to remove toner remaining thereon, a driving mechanism to drive the image bearing member at different linear speeds, a noise detector provided in the vicinity of the image bearing member to detect noise, and an abnormal noise predictor device to predict whether abnormal noise hear during image formation based on noise detected by the noise detector when the image bearing member is driven not during image formation at a linear speed different from that during image formation. | 07-19-2012 |
| 20130129366 | TONER RECOVERY DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM, AND TONER STATE DETERMINING METHOD - Provided is a toner recovery device including a toner recovery path, a vibration exciter that applies vibration to the toner recovery path, a detector that detects vibration of the toner recovery path, a determining unit that determines whether characteristics based on the vibration detected by the detector have reached predetermined reference vibration characteristics, and an output unit that outputs the result of the determination by the determining unit. | 05-23-2013 |
| 20130156448 | CLEANING DEVICE AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS - Provided is a cleaning device including a brush roll that removes residual toner remaining on a surface of a toner image carrier provided in an electrophotographic apparatus, and a pressure detector that contacts the surface of the brush roll with preload, and outputs a detected pressure value to a determination unit that is provided in the electrophotographic apparatus to determine the adhesion state of toner to the brush roll. | 06-20-2013 |
| 20130195480 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A reference value of an electric current flowing through each charging member is determined and recorded in a memory unit at a predetermined time by a reference value recording unit. A voltage application unit is caused to start applying a voltage to the charging members upon startup of an image forming apparatus, and a measurement value of an electric current flowing through each charging member is determined by a measurement unit. A charging member of which the measurement value is such that an absolute value of a difference between the reference value and the measurement value is not smaller than a predetermined value is marked by a determination unit. If there is at least one marked charging member and at least one not-marked charging member, a notification produced by a messaging unit is given through a notification unit. | 08-01-2013 |
| 20130223859 | Collection Device and Image Forming Apparatus - A collection device including: an accommodation part configured to accommodate therein collected adhering substance; and a detection part configured to detect an amount of the adhering substance in the accommodation part and including, a moving member configured to move from a first position to a second position, the accommodation part being capable of accommodating therein the adhering substance when the moving member is arranged at the first position and being full of the adhering substance when the moving member is in the second position, and a restraining member configured to restrain the moving member from moving from the first position to the second position when the moving member is arranged at the first position, and restrain the moving member from moving from the second position to the first position when the moving member is arranged at the second position. | 08-29-2013 |
| 20140010559 | TONER-STATE PREDICTING DEVICE, METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A toner-state predicting device includes a changing unit that changes a rotation speed of a stepping motor that drives a toner recovery mechanism in an image forming apparatus; a detecting unit that detects presence of synchronization loss of the stepping motor at the changed rotation speed; and a predicting unit that predicts toner clogging which will occur in future in the toner recovery mechanism, based on the rotation speed changed by the changing unit and the presence of the synchronization loss detected by the detecting unit. | 01-09-2014 |
| 20140086601 | DRIVING DEVICE, CLEANING DEVICE, CHARGING DEVICE, ASSEMBLY, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A driving device includes a drive source that generates a force for moving a cleaning member that cleans an elongated member while moving in a longitudinal direction of the elongated member; an overload limiter disposed between an input side and an output side of a transmission unit that transmits the force from the drive source to the cleaning member, the overload limiter interrupting transmission of the force if a magnitude of the force reaches a predetermined magnitude; and a rotation detector disposed in the transmission unit on an output side of the overload limiter, the rotation detector detecting rotation caused by the force. | 03-27-2014 |
| 20140153939 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes image forming portion, toner-disposal container, conveying portion, driving portion, load detection portion, image formation control portion, and image forming condition adjustment portion. The image forming condition adjustment portion corrects, when image forming condition does not conform to predetermined condition, the image forming condition. In a case where a drive load detected by the load detection portion becomes greater than first threshold value while the conveying portion is driven by the driving portion and the image forming operation is executed, the image formation control portion temporarily stops the image forming operation, and causes the image forming condition adjustment portion to check and correct the image forming condition. The image formation control portion restarts the image forming operation when, according to the image forming condition having been corrected, the drive load becomes less than second threshold value which is less than first threshold value. | 06-05-2014 |
| 399035000 | Waste toner container | 49 |
| 20080317483 | Image formation apparatus utilizing density of waste toner to detect amount thereof - An image formation apparatus has a waste toner accommodation unit including a toner transporting rotation member covered with a fixed pipe. As the member rotates, waste toner in the pipe is transported downstream. The toner transporting rotation member has an upstream portion with a recessed portion having a small diameter. As the toner transporting rotation member rotates, a detection plate located external to the waste toner accommodation unit repetitively moves and thus repetitively passes across a photo sensor. When the waste toner has reached the level of the pipe the waste toner is compressed in the pipe downstream and thus increases in density. This increases a load torque of the toner transporting rotation member and hence ruptures the recessed portion, and thus stops rotation. The photo sensor detects that the detection plate no longer passes across it, and thus detects a state full of toner. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20080317484 | Image formation apparatus utilizing density of waste toner to detect amount thereof - An image formation apparatus has a waste toner accommodation unit including a toner transporting rotation member covered with a fixed pipe. As the member rotates, waste toner in the pipe is transported downstream A fin involved in detecting an amount of toner moves upward and downward with a predetermined amplitude as the member rotates. The pipe has a projection secured by an elastic member to a bottom of the waste toner accommodation unit, and when waste toner reaches the level of the pipe, the waste toner is compressed in the pipe downstream and thus increases in density, and together with the waste toner the pipe starts to rotate. As a result, the projection rotates to a position allowing it to interfere with the fin, and the fin decreases in amplitude. Such variation in amplitude is detected by a sensor and a state full of toner is thus detected. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090060536 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In the image forming apparatus, a control unit, upon detecting that an amount of waste toner reaches a predetermined amount by a waste-toner-amount detecting unit, calculates an amount of used toner after detection through a pixel calculating unit and a printed-sheet calculating unit to accumulate the amount of used toner in a storing unit, and outputs a waste-toner-full warning when it is determined that an accumulated amount of used toner reaches a residual filling amount before a full state. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090074433 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An embodiment according to the invention is characterized in that a result of a fill-up detection of a waste toner in a housing container which is detected by a toner sensor is compensated for based on total image formation or a period in which an image forming apparatus is operated. | 03-19-2009 |
| 20090074434 | WASTE TONER COLLECTING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A waste toner collecting device includes a box that stores a waste toner unnecessary in image formation, a collection port that is provided in an upper part of a main body of the box, receives the waste toner, and drops the waste toner into the box, a triangular obstacle provided in a position opposed to a falling port for the waste toner and near a bottom surface in the box, and a sensor that is provided in a position lower than the collection port and higher than the obstacle and detects that an amount of the waste toner stored in the box reaches a predetermined amount. | 03-19-2009 |
| 20090220257 | Waste Collection Device and Image Forming Apparatus - A waste collecting device includes a first box including a top surface having a first opening, a bottom surface opposed to the top surface, and side surfaces connecting the top surface and the bottom surface and having a second opening, wherein the top surface, the bottom surface, and the side surfaces define a space allowing waste to be accommodated therein; a second box including a top surface, a bottom surface opposed to the top surface, and side surfaces connecting the top surface and the bottom surface and having a third opening, the third opening being in communication with the second opening; and a sending unit disposed in the first box and configured to send the waste in a direction away from the second box. | 09-03-2009 |
| 20090263147 | Waste toner collector, image forming apparatus, and waste toner collection container - An image forming apparatus, including an image former forming a toner image on an image bearer; a transferer transferring the toner image onto a recoding medium; a cleaner collecting a waste toner remaining on an image bearer after transferred; a waste toner collection container accumulating the waste toner therein; a detector detecting whether the container is properly set in the image forming apparatus; and another detector detecting that the container is nearly full of the waste toner, wherein the image forming apparatus further comprises a determiner determining a quantity of the waste toner in the container; another determiner determining whether the container is properly exchanged with a vacant container; and a limiter limiting a printable quantity after the container is detected to be nearly full of the waste toner, based on the another determiner. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20100003039 | WASTE TONER COLLECTING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A tandem type image forming apparatus drives an agitation paddle when the waste toner defecated from a plurality of image forming units and flowed and collected in a single waste toner containing member by way of the first collection port thereof gets to a predetermined level in order to level the height of the waste toner in the waste toner containing member. The quantity of waste toner flowed by way of the first collection port is estimated from the quantity of the toners supplied from the toner cartridges of the development apparatus. | 01-07-2010 |
| 20100080579 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section forming an image on a recording medium; an attachable and detachable storing container storing waste powder discarded and transported from the image forming section; a transport path for transporting the waste powder; a first discharging part allowed to be shut off and discharging the waste powder to an outside of the transport path; a second discharging part provided downstream of the first discharging part in a transporting direction and discharging the waste powder to the storing container; a powder storage part storing the waste powder when the storing container is removed; and a controller causing the shut first discharging part to be opened when the storing container is removed, and causing the waste powder to be discharged from the first discharging part. The powder storage part has capacity enough for storing the waste powder when the first discharging part is opened. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100080580 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section forming an image on a recording medium; first and second storing containers attachably and detachably provided and storing waste powder discarded from the image forming section; a first discharging part allowed to be shut off and discharging the waste powder to the first storing container; a second discharging part discharging the waste powder to the second storing container; a first transporting section transporting the waste powder to the first discharging part; a second transporting section transporting, toward the second discharging part, the waste powder transported to the first discharging part, when the first discharging part is shut off; and a controller shutting off the first discharging part and stopping the first transporting section or reducing an output of the first transporting section, when the first storing container is removed in a state where the first discharging part is opened. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100098442 | WASTE DEVELOPER COLLECTING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - Disclosed is a waste developer collecting unit of an image forming apparatus that can include a casing configured to store waste developer, an auger rotatably disposed inside the casing and configured to move the waste developer around inside the casing, a detection unit configured to detect a load applied to the auger, the applied load being in corresponding relationship with an amount of waste developer stored in the casing, and a control unit configured to determine whether the amount of waste developer in the casing has reached a reference amount based on the detection result produced by the detection unit. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100104299 | WASTE TONER AMOUNT DETECTING APPARATUS AND METHOD, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS EMPLOYING THE SAME - Disclosed are a waste toner amount detecting apparatus and method which can detect whether a waste toner bottle is full of a waste toner using a change in a current of a motor which drives an auger, and an image forming apparatus employing the same. The waste toner amount detecting apparatus is in an image forming apparatus which includes a motor current detector to detect a drive current of a motor which rotates an auger for leveling the waste toner contained in the waste toner bottle; and a controller which includes a determining unit to determine whether the waste toner bottle is full of the waste toner, using a difference between a first current value corresponding to a minimum drive current of the motor and a second current value corresponding to a current drive current of the motor. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100166441 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETECTING THE FULLNESS OF WASTE-TONER CONTAINER - An image forming apparatus includes a waste-toner container, a light sensor having a light-emitting portion and a light-receiving portion, a light-blocking member for covering the light sensor to detect the attachment of the container, and a control unit. When the waste-toner container is determined to be full based on the output voltage of the light sensor, the printing operation is stopped or is not started until it is determined that the container is removed and then attached, and that the waste-toner container is not full. A method for detecting the fullness of a toner container includes the steps of detecting the fullness of the toner container, prohibiting printing, detecting whether or not the waste-toner container is attached, and permitting printing. | 07-01-2010 |
| 20100196021 | POWDER CONTAINER APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A powder container apparatus for containing a powder material removed from a cleaned body using a cleaning unit includes a casing having an opening at the top; a collecting bag made of a soft and freely deformable material detachably disposed within the casing, the collecting bag being configured to contain the powder material that is dropped via the opening of the casing; a displaced member disposed between the collecting bag and the casing and configured to be horizontally displaced by the collecting bag when the collecting bag is inflated by the powder material contained in the collecting bag; a displacement amount detecting unit configured to detect the displacement of the displaced member; and a collected amount detecting unit configured to determine a collected amount of the powder material in the collecting bag based on the horizontal displacement of the displaced member detected by the displacement amount detecting unit. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100247119 | Image Forming Apparatus - A first moving member is provided in conjunction with a toner container collecting toner not transferred on the recording medium and moves in accordance with the movement of a toner conveying unit. A second moving member is provided in conjunction with the toner container and moves in accordance with an amount of the toner accumulated in the toner container. The toner conveying unit conveys the toner toward the second moving member. A detecting unit outputs a detection signal that changes depending on the movements of the first moving member and the second moving member. A determining unit determines, based on the detection signal, whether or not at least one of the driving force supplying unit and the toner conveying unit is in an abnormal condition and whether or not the amount of the toner accumulated in the toner container has reached a predetermined accumulation level. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100303484 | Capacitive Sensor for Sensing State of Waste Toner Box in an Imaging Apparatus - A capacitive sensor for sensing amount of waste toner in a waste toner box of an imaging apparatus includes a capacitor that has a pair of separated plates disposed within the interior of the waste toner box. The capacitance of the capacitor changes with the amount of toner in between the plates of the capacitor. A sensor circuitry is connected to the plates of the waste toner box that measure the capacitance of the capacitor as a voltage value. This voltage value is provided to a controller that determines a relative change in the capacitance value by determining a change in capacitance of the capacitor with respect to a number of pages printed by the imaging apparatus. The controller then determines the state of the waste toner box based on this relative change in capacitance. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20100322645 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING LEVEL OF MARKING MATERIAL IN A WASTE SUMP - Disclosed is a printing apparatus and corresponding methods. The printing apparatus includes a photoreceptor, a cleaning blade for cleaning marking material from the photoreceptor, a waste sump containing the marking material cleaned from the photoreceptor by the cleaner blade, the waste sump including an auger for selectively removing a portion of the marking material from the waste sump when activated, a determining device for determining a level of the marking material in the waste sump, and a controller receiving the determined level of the marking material from the determining device, the controller maintaining the level of the marking material in the waste sump to at or above a desired level by selectively activating the auger when the level of the marking material rises to a predetermined level and deactivating the auger when the level of the marking material is at the desired level, the desired level of the marking material providing a portion of the marking material to the photoreceptor to be used as lubricant between the photoreceptor and the cleaner blade. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20110026948 | APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING AN IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - An image processing apparatus having a collected toner container in which residual toner is accumulated is controlled by: obtaining a supplied toner amount, obtaining a total number of printed sheets, calculating an average number of printed sheets per image forming job, calculating an average printing ratio based on the supplied toner amount, the total number of printed sheets, and the average number of printed sheets per image forming job, calculating a collected toner amount based on the average number of printed sheets per image forming job and the average printing ratio, and comparing the collected toner amount with a threshold value to generate a comparison result. | 02-03-2011 |
| 20110052225 | Image forming device - An image forming device includes: a collecting container that collects a waste toner; a rotation member that rotates and spreads a waste toner inside the collecting container; a torque detection unit that detects torque applied to the rotation member by a waste toner inside the collecting container; and a rotation direction switching unit that switches a rotation direction of the rotation member. When a torque value detected by the torque detection unit is more than a first threshold, the rotation direction of the rotation member is switched by the rotation direction switching unit. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110091227 | Waste toner container and image forming apparatus incorporating same - A waste toner container that collects waste toner that is not used to form an image in an image forming unit of an image forming apparatus, and includes a waste toner collection opening to receive the waste toner output from the image forming unit, a toner amount detector to detect toner amount in the waste toner container, and a waste toner conveyance member disposed inside the waste toner container to convey the waste toner in the waste toner container. The waste toner conveyance member defines a waste toner conveyance direction exchange point, which is a boundary between two different toner conveyance direction regions in which the waste toner is conveyed in opposite directions, and the waste toner conveyance direction exchange point is disposed closer to the toner amount detector than is the waste toner collection opening. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110123207 | DEVELOPER RECOVERY CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer recovery container includes a first room that stores a recovered developer; a plurality of linearly obliquely arranged recovery ports facing the first room, a developer removed by a cleaning unit for an intermediate transfer unit and a developer removed by a cleaning unit for a black-image bearing member being dropped in the first room respectively through top one and bottom one of the recovery ports; a second room formed below an area between one of the recovery ports located next to the top recovery port and another recovery port located next to the one recovery port, the developer flowing from the first room to the second room; a conveying unit that conveys the developer in the first room to the second room by a quantity of the developer exceeding a storage limit of the first room; and a sensor that detects the developer in the second room. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110243585 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - This image forming apparatus includes: a waste toner recovery bottle that recovers waste toner; a detection member that is flexible and is loaded in the waste toner recovery bottle, and that bulges upwards in accordance with the recovered amount of waste toner collected in the waste toner recovery bottle; and a recovered amount detection unit that detects the recovered amount using the bulging of the detection member. The recovered amount detection unit detects that the waste toner recovery bottle is full before the bulging of the detection member protrudes beyond a plane that includes an outer wall surface of the waste toner recovery bottle. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110311247 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a weight detection sensor and a CPU (notification control section, weight calculation section and full-capacity amount correction section). The CPU calculates weight of toner in a waste toner container based on image formation history information including the number of image-forming sheets. When weight of toner in the waste toner container detected by the weight detection sensor reaches a semi full-capacity amount, the CPU makes a comparison of a detection value detected by the weight detection sensor with a calculation value calculated by the CPU and corrects a weight value in a full-capacity state with a correction value set based on a result of the comparison. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110318026 | DEVELOPER RECOVERY DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - A developer recovery device is provided with a recovery container that receives and accommodates a developer recovered from an image carrier, an agitator member that agitates the developer inside the recovery container, two shafts to which mutually engageable cams are respectively provided and that transmit rotational force to the agitator member, a spring that biases and causes to move one of the cams such that the two cams mutually engage and that causes a shaft connection between the two shafts to be joined, a torque limiter that carries out joining of the shaft connection, in which the two cams are caused to mutually engage to join the shaft connection, and disjoining of the shaft connection, in which the two cams are caused to move apart to disjoin the shaft connection, and a full-state determination portion that detects a disjoined state of the shaft connection and, based on the detected disjoined state, determines that the recovery container has become full of developer. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20120027438 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a storage container which horizontally stores a waste toner; a full detection sensor which detects whether the waste toner reaches a full position; a near detection sensor which detects whether the waste toner reaches a near position; and a conveyance portion which is provided inside the storage container, includes an axial rod, and rotates about the axial rod, wherein the conveyance portion includes: a first spiral protrusion which conveys the waste toner to the near position; a second spiral protrusion which conveys the waste toner from the near position to the full position; and a third range which is provided between the first spiral protrusion and the second spiral protrusion and through which the waste toner passes at a speed lower than the conveyance speed of the first spiral protrusion and the second spiral protrusion. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120121278 | STORAGE CONTAINER FOR DEVELOPER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A storage container for a developer, includes: a first storage unit in which a collected developer is stored; a second storage unit which is disposed at an end of the first storage unit, in which the developer conveyed from the first storage unit is stored; a detection member which detects the developer stored in the second storage unit; a full-state determining unit which determines whether the first storage unit is a full state or not, based on a detected result of the detection member; and a conveyance member which is disposed in the first storage unit, and is rotated to convey the developer stored in the first storage unit to the second storage unit, and the conveyance member has: a first region as defined herein; a second region as defined herein; and a third region as defined herein. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120121279 | STORAGE CONTAINER FOR DEVELOPER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A storage container for a developer, includes: a first storage unit; a second storage unit; a detection member; a full-state determining unit; and a conveyance member as defined herein, and one end side of the conveyance member is supported on other end side of the first storage unit in a cantilever state, and other end side of the conveyance member is disposed to have a gap with respect to a wall of one end side of the second storage unit. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120121280 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a waste toner box, a base, a detection sensor, a counter and a controller. The waste toner box collects toner not transferred to a sheet but remaining on a surface of a photoreceptor. The base is for placing the waste toner box thereon, and a position of the base changes with a weight of the waste toner box placed thereon. The detection sensor detects the position of the base to detect an amount of toner in the waste toner box placed on the base. The counter counts the number of sheets with images formed thereon. The controller determines whether or not to continue image formation on a sheet on a basis of a signal from the detection sensor and the counter. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120237230 | WASTE TONER CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - A waste toner container includes a waste toner reservoir extending in a depth direction, an inlet portion provided above the waste toner reservoir, in which at least one waste toner inlet is formed, a first conveyance member provided in the waste toner reservoir to transport the waste toner in the depth direction, the first conveyance member movable upward as the amount of the waste toner in the waste toner reservoir increases, a second conveyance member provided in the inlet portion to transport the waste toner in a width direction and including a drive transmitter to transmit a driving force from the second conveyance member to the first conveyance member, and a waste toner detection unit to detect whether an amount of the waste toner in the waste toner container reaches a predetermined amount by detecting upward movement of the first conveyance member. | 09-20-2012 |
| 20120328309 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes image forming portions provided along a movement direction of a recording material conveying member or an intermediary transfer member and including a first portion and a second portion provided downstream of the first portion with respect to the movement direction; a detecting portion for detecting information on a developer deterioration state at the first portion; a storing portion for storing a relationship between a detection result of the detecting portion and an amount of the developer to be back-transferred at the second portion; and an outputting device for outputting a signal relating to an amount of the developer accommodated in the accommodating portion at the second portion on the basis of the detection result of the detecting portion, the relationship stored in the storing portion, and information on the developer used for image formation at each of the first and second portions. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20130011148 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD - An information processing apparatus for an image forming apparatus including an image forming section that forms toner images based on first image data transferred onto a recording medium and based on second image data that is not transferred and a toner recovery section that recovers residual toner to a recovery container is provided. The information processing apparatus includes a first obtaining part that obtains image amounts representing toner amounts used for the respective toner images when a toner amount recovered to the recovery container reaches a first permissible amount, a correction part that corrects the respective image amounts by using correction factors set for the first and second image data, and an output part that outputs notification information indicating that the toner amount in the recovery container reaches a second permissible amount when a cumulative value of the corrected image amounts reaches a first threshold. | 01-10-2013 |
| 20130028618 | WASTE TONER TRANSPORT SYSTEM, WASTE TONER TRANSPORT METHOD, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A waste toner transport system includes a transport unit that has a transport space through which toner removed from a surface of an image bearing member is transported, where the transport space contains a transport member that rotates and transports the toner. The waste toner transport system further includes a container that contains the toner transported by the transport member, and a controller that controls rotation of the transport member so that an amount of toner transported by the transport member per unit time is decreased if an amount of the toner contained in the container reaches a threshold value. | 01-31-2013 |
| 20130039671 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developer container, a first calculator, and a second calculator, wherein the first calculator calculates an amount of the developer supplied to the image bearing member from the developer container, on the basis of an amount of the developer measured by a measuring device after an image forming operation, and an amount of the developer initially contained in the developer container, and wherein the controller outputs information signal relating to the developer amount accumulated in the collection container on the basis of the amount of the developer calculated by the first calculator and the amount of the developer calculated by the second calculator. | 02-14-2013 |
| 20130164003 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus includes a body, a developer recovery container, a detecting section, a power supply, a detection object part, a pair of wires, a conducting section, a drive section, and a determining section. The determining section determines the developer recovery container to have been used in a case where the developer is determined to be not present in the detection object part on the basis of information from the detecting section, and in a case where the developer is determined to be present in the detection object part, checks the information from the detecting section again after driving the drive section, and determines the recovery container to have not been used when the developer is determined to be not present in the detection object part and determines the recovery container to have been used when the developer is determined to be present in the detection object part. | 06-27-2013 |
| 20130183050 | WASTE CONTAINER AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A waste container is detachably mounted on an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to electrophotographically print an image by using a developing agent formed by mixing a carrier and a toner and receives therein a waste during the printing. The waste container includes a first inlet through which a first waste is introduced, a second inlet through which a second waste is introduced, a first region in which the first waste is stored, and a second region that is separated from the first region and in which the second waste is stored. | 07-18-2013 |
| 20130259495 | DEVELOPER STORAGE BODY, DEVELOPER COLLECTING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer storage body includes a developer storage portion configured to store a developer. The developer storage portion has a first end portion and a second end portion opposite to each other. A developer ejecting portion is provided in the developer storage portion is located closer to the first end portion than to the second end portion. The developer ejecting portion is configured to eject the developer into the developer storage portion. The developer storage body further includes a developer pushing portion configured to push the developer ejected into the developer storage portion from the developer ejecting portion toward the second end portion. A developer detecting portion is provided in the developer storage portion and is located closer to the second end portion than to the first end portion. | 10-03-2013 |
| 20140112673 | FULLNESS DETECTION DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING FULLNESS DETECTION DEVICE - A fullness detection device includes a waste toner collecting portion, a waste toner container configured to store the collected waste toner, the waste toner container has translucency, a detecting portion including a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion disposed to sandwich the waste toner container, the light receiving portion receiving the light from the light emitting portion, and a determining portion configured to determine whether or not the waste toner container is full based on whether or not an output value of the light receiving portion is higher than a predetermined threshold value. The light emitting portion increases light intensity step by step and emits light at a level of smallest light intensity among light intensity levels at which it is determined that the waste toner container is not full. | 04-24-2014 |
| 20140161474 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image output unit that forms an image with developer, a gathering unit that gathers developer not used by the image output unit as waste developer, plural collection containers that store and collect the waste developer, a transport device that transports the waste developer toward one of the collection containers and includes a discharge portion which is connected to the one of the collection containers, a moving device that moves the collection containers together to respective predetermined arrangement positions including a collection position for connection to the discharge portion and an attachment/detachment position, and a full-state detector that detects that the collection container at the collection position is in an almost full state. A selected one of the collection containers is preferentially moved to the collection position when the other collection container detected by the full-state detector is detached. | 06-12-2014 |
| 20140178083 | DETECTION DEVICE FOR DETECTING STATE OF WASTE TONER CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING SUCH DETECTION DEVICE - A detection device for detecting a state of a waste toner container comprises an optical sensor and an actuation member. The optical sensor comprises an emitting unit emitting an optical signal and a receiving unit receiving the optical signal. A space is provided between the emitting and receiving units, and the optical signal travels along an optical path from the emitting unit to the receiving unit. The actuation member is movably disposed between the emitting and receiving units. The actuation member in a first position interrupts the optical path of the optical signal; and the actuation member is moved by the waste toner container to a second position when at least a part of the waste toner container is placed in the space. The actuation member in the second position allows a passage of the optical signal. An image forming apparatus using such a detection device is also provided. | 06-26-2014 |
| 20140186063 | Capacitive Sensor for Sensing State of Waste Toner Box in an Imaging Apparatus - A capacitive sensor for sensing amount of waste toner in a waste toner box of an imaging apparatus includes a capacitor that has a pair of separated plates disposed within the interior of the waste toner box. The capacitance of the capacitor changes with the amount of toner in between the plates of the capacitor. A sensor circuitry is connected to the plates of the waste toner box that measure the capacitance of the capacitor as a voltage value. This voltage value is provided to a controller that determines a relative change in the capacitance value by determining a change in capacitance of the capacitor with respect to a number of pages printed by the imaging apparatus. The controller then determines the state of the waste toner box based on this relative change in capacitance. | 07-03-2014 |
| 20140270821 | CONTAINER FOR WASTE DEVELOPER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A container for accommodating a developer collected from an image forming apparatus includes a container body for accommodating the collected developer; a closing member, dividingly separable from the container body, for closing the container body; a rotatable feeding member for feeding the developer accommodated in the container body; and a holding portion, provided on the closing member, for holding the feeding member so that when the closing member and the container body are dividingly separated, the closing member and the feeding member are integrally separable from the container body. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140321867 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a waste toner case, an optical sensor, a cover and a shading member. The waste toner case is attachably/detachably provided in an apparatus main body via an opening part. The waste toner case collects a waste toner ejected from an image forming part forming an image by a toner. The optical sensor detects whether or not the waste toner case is filled with the waste toner. The cover closes the opening part of the apparatus main body. The shading member is arranged between the cover and optical sensor. The shading member covers the optical sensor in a state where the cover is closed. | 10-30-2014 |
| 20150331356 | DEVELOPER CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer container, comprising:
| 11-19-2015 |
| 20150338811 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a container storage portion, a biasing member, a lid member, a detection sensor, and an abnormality determination processing portion. The container storage portion has an opening through which a waste toner collection container is inserted and pulled out, and stores the container at a storage position. The biasing member biases the container toward the opening. The lid member is moved between an opened attitude to open the opening and a closed attitude to close the opening. The detection sensor detects a predetermined detection object in the container at the storage position. The abnormality determination processing portion determines whether an abnormality has occurred based on an output signal of the detection sensor, the abnormality including a state where the container is full of the waste toner, and a state where the container is not stored in the container storage portion. | 11-26-2015 |
| 20150346639 | UNTRANSFERRED TONER RECOVERY DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In an initial recovery stage of untransferred toner, a conveying stirring screw is rotated at a high speed by using a second driving path. When the amount of collected untransferred toner increases and the rotating torque of the conveying stirring screw reaches a setting torque value of a second torque limiter, a driving path is switched to a first driving path, so that the conveying stirring screw is rotated at a low speed. When the amount of the collected untransferred toner further increases and the rotating torque of the conveying stirring screw reaches a setting torque value of a first torque limiter, the first driving path is also disconnected to block torque transfer to the conveying stirring screw. | 12-03-2015 |
| 20160054701 | WASTE TONER COLLECTION CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A waste toner collection container includes a housing main body, a detection chamber with an opening and a waste toner introduction inhibition member. The housing main body collects waste toner therein. The detection chamber engages with the housing main body and enables a sensor to determine whether the waste toner reaches a predetermined amount, by interrupting a light path of the sensor. The opening opens toward the housing main body. The waste toner introduction inhibition member seals the opening to inhibit the waste toner in the housing main body from being introduced into the detection chamber before the waste toner in the housing main body reaches the predetermined amount, and is fractured by a pressing force of the waste toner to permit the waste toner to be introduced into the detection chamber as the waste toner in the housing main body reaches the predetermined amount. | 02-25-2016 |
| 20160147176 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a toner container, a mounting portion, an elastic member, a displacement amount detection portion, a stored amount determination portion, and a cushioning member. The elastic member is configured to support the toner container by an elastic force thereof and contract and stretch in accordance with a weight of the toner container. The displacement amount detection portion is configured to detect a displacement amount of the toner container displaced in a gravitational direction when the weight of the toner container increases. The stored amount determination portion is configured to determine an amount of the toner stored in the toner container on the basis of a result of detection by the displacement amount detection portion. The cushioning member is configured to cushion vibration of the toner container in the gravitational direction which vibration occurs due to a change in the weight of the toner container. | 05-26-2016 |
| 20160202657 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | 07-14-2016 |
| 20160252872 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | 09-01-2016 |
