Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha

Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc.

Toshiba American Business Solutions, Inc.

Hisanobu Ajima

Nobuo Tohata

Hiroshi Hashidume

Toru Homma

Takahiro Nakajima

Takumi Hatano

Tsuyoshi Itou

Masahiro Ikuta

Shigeru Fujiwara

Takafumi Hara

Kazuhisa Takeda

Hiromichi Mitamura

Hiroshi Ohno

Takahito Kabai

Toshiaki Yamauchi

Yukihiro Fujikura

Yasuo Goto

Yuichiro Takeda

Yoshihito Shimada

Yuuko Takano

An apparatus includes a photoconductor, an exposure device, a developing device, a toner concentration sensor, a supply motor, and a processor. The exposure device exposes the photoconductor based on image data. The developing device forms a toner image on the photoconductor with toner supplied from a toner cartridge. The toner concentration sensor detects a toner concentration in the developing device. The supply motor supplies the toner from the toner cartridge to the developing device based on the toner concentration. The processor detects a toner container supply abnormality based on a toner supply rate and a print rate of the image data, the toner supply rate being calculated based on a pixel count value that is an integrated value of pixel values of the image data and a supply motor count value that is an integrated value of drive times of the supply motor.

Image forming apparatus and method for controlling image forming apparatus

According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a photoconductor, an exposure device, a developing device, a toner concentration sensor, a supply motor, and a processor. The exposure device exposes the photoconductor based on image data. The developing device forms a toner image on the photoconductor with toner supplied from a toner cartridge. The toner concentration sensor detects a toner concentration in the developing device. The supply motor supplies the toner from the toner cartridge to the developing device based on the toner concentration. The processor detects a toner container supply abnormality based on a toner supply rate and a print rate of the image data, the toner supply rate being calculated based on a pixel count value that is an integrated value of pixel values of the image data and a supply motor count value that is an integrated value of drive times of the supply motor.

According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a developing device, a sensor, a control information obtaining unit, and a control unit. The developing device forms an image on an image carrier using a developer. The sensor generates a signal indicating a measurement value related to the developer. The control information obtaining unit obtains, as control information of the developing device, one or more pieces of the control information pre-associated with the measurement value, from a recording medium associated with the developer. The control unit selects the control information associated with the measurement value indicated by the signal, from the one or more pieces of control information obtained from the recording medium. The control unit controls an operation of the developing device based on the selected control information.

Image forming apparatus and developer container

According to one embodiment, there is provided a toner cartridge used in an image forming apparatus including a processor which forms a toner pattern image on a photoconductive member, transfers the toner pattern image on a medium, and changes an image forming condition based on a detection result obtained by optically detecting the toner pattern image transferred onto the medium, the toner cartridge including: a toner accommodating container accommodating a toner, and a memory. The memory stores reference data which is determined according to toner characteristics in the toner accommodating container, and is used for applying a reference value for an optical detection result of a toner pattern formed by the toner on the medium.

Toner cartridge and image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus includes a toner cartridge, a developer, and a processor. The toner cartridge includes an accommodation container accommodating toner and a memory storing a first toner residual amount display threshold value. The developer performs development by the toner supplied from the toner cartridge. The processor calculates a second toner residual amount display threshold value based on a toner supply index, indicating an amount of the toner supplied to the developer from at least one toner cartridge used before a toner cartridge mounted on the image forming apparatus, and the first toner residual amount display threshold value. The processor outputs notification relating to a toner residual amount when a toner supply index indicating an amount of toner supplied to the developer from the toner cartridge mounted on the image forming apparatus exceeds the second toner residual amount display threshold value.

Image forming apparatus and control method of image forming apparatus

According to one embodiment, there is provided a toner cartridge used in an image forming apparatus including a processor which forms a toner pattern image on a photoconductive member, transfers the toner pattern image on a medium, and changes an image forming condition based on a detection result obtained by optically detecting the toner pattern transferred onto the medium, the toner cartridge including: a toner accommodating container accommodating a toner, and a memory. The memory stores a plurality of reference data which are determined according to toner characteristics in the toner accommodating container and a value indicating an image forming execution amount, and are used for applying reference values for an optical detection result of a toner pattern formed by the toner on the medium.

Toner cartridge and image forming apparatus using toner characteristics for improving image quality

A toner cartridge for use with an image forming apparatus includes a memory storing identification data of the toner cartridge and parameter information including image formation process parameters dependent on toner characteristic or ambient conditions. A transceiver unit communicates with the image forming apparatus to send the process parameter information stored in the memory to the image forming apparatus when the identification data is authentic.

Toner cartridge with memory for image forming apparatus

A method for forming a fixed toner image includes maintaining a fixing device temperature at a standby temperature, and after wake-up from the standby state, forming an unfixed toner image on a sheet using a low melting point toner. The difference between temperatures that cause a viscosity of the toner in first and second conditions to be 1.0 (10Pa&#xb7;s) is within a range of 30&#xb0; C. to 60&#xb0; C., the toner in the first condition not having been maintained in a 160&#xb0; C. environment for 24 hours and the toner in the second condition having been maintained in a 160&#xb0; C. environment for 24 hours. The method further comprises increasing the fixing device temperature to a fixing temperature of the toner, which is higher than the standby temperature, and after the fixing device temperature has reached the fixing temperature, passing the sheet with the unfixed toner image through the fixing device.

Image forming method using low melting point toner

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.

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Yokohama Kanagawa, Japan

Hisanobu Ajima